Sacrifice

Author's Note: It's never easy to follow the path that contains sacrifice. However, it sometimes hurts more to not take that path at all. Learn how this fact is contained in the story The Icebound Land, by John Flanagan.

If you had a choice of having a life of peace and plenty or risking your life to save a friend so close he feels like a brother which would you choose? In the book the Icebound Land (John Flanagan) many people take the chance at having their friends back rather than a peaceful life. An apprentice ranger named Will, a close friend to many, is captured by ruthless warriors. While those close to him are forbidden to go look for him most ignore that option. Sacrifice was the solution to many problems in this story.

One problem that was a major part of the story was the fact that Halt was bound by honor to stay and do the bidding of the king instead of going off to search for Will. The solution to this problem was that Halt had to be banished from the kingdom. By doing this he would have no honor binding him to do the pitiful tasks that the king needed done. However, banishment would mean giving up his life as a ranger and destroying everything that he has worked on in his lifetime. Halt decides that this boy is worth more than all of it and takes his chances getting banished and chasing after Will.

While Halt’s solution of sacrificing much of his own life Will’s solution for saving Evanlyn includes the same, if not larger, amount of threat towards his life. Will has taken a vow to protect the innocent girl that he found on his journey before being captured. When Will finds out of Evanlyn’s royal blood and that their captors’ leader, who rules with an iron fist, has sworn to end any and all royalty he knows keeping her safe means he has to give everything. When they are forced to work among other slaves Will takes the mighty blow of the life threatening labor leaving her with the safest chores. The only way for Will to survive his injuries during these jobs is to take a vile drug that amputates the mind, destroys memories, and makes the person a mindless walking drone.

While Will’s life threatening solution is very courageous, another solution of courage is made by Horace, Will’s closest friend. Horace’s problem is the fact that he has been driven mad by grief at the loss of his friend. He chooses to embark on a quest to save Will by traveling with Halt. By choosing to travel with Halt he puts his own life at risk. While Halt is trained in the art of stealth to sneak past many obstacles Horace is often left behind by Halt and is taking the hammering blow of the obstacles.

The best solutions for characters in this story are by means of sacrifice. They have decided that the aura of happiness that their friend carried about him is more important than a peaceful life. The thought of hearing the unsynchronized laughter of the conversations they had is something they want to hear again. Their lives contain no happiness without this person and they must have him back.

Irony in the Ransom of Red Chief

In the story the Ransom of Red Chief, I think the mist important quote in the book is when the father of boy asks for 250 dollars to take the boy back because it introduces the main feeling of irony in the story. This is also enhanced by the fact that the two main characters end up paying the father the money to take the boy back because they think they'll go mad if he stays around them any longer.

This is Just to Say

Author's Note: Sarcasm can change the most appreciative apology note into a practical joke.

I have taken

the eggs

that were in

you nest

and which 

you were probably

admiring for

pure enjoyment

Forgive me

Angry bird I

was so hungry

and weary 

Small Things Make a Big Difference

Author's Note: Minor characters can sometimes play the biggest role in a story. Find out what these characters have to offer in the Rangers Apprentice the Ruins of Gorlan.

While reading your book you think a certain character should have been mentioned more than he or she has. Now that you think about it this character was hardly mentioned in the parts they have been in. You start to wonder what the point of the character is since he or she has such a minor role in the story. Then you realize this character is a symbol that changes the course of the main character. This is the role of certain characters in the book Ranger’s Apprentice, The Ruins of Gorlan, (By: Rick Riordan). Minor characters in the book Ranger’s Apprentice, The Ruins of Gorlan have the role of playing a major symbol in the book.

One of the main symbols in the book is Will’s mentor Halt. Halt stands for grim past and a promising future. In the book Halt is reluctant to speak about his past or anyone’s past. He is focused on setting a path for the future for Will. This makes the reader wonder what has happened in the past and if there is some mistake or something Halt is trying to hide to improve his reputation. It also makes Will a very curious apprentice. He asks many questions about the past and often doesn’t receive a satisfying answer. However, Halt is not the only symbol in this story.

Will’s horse, Tug, is also another major symbol in the book. Tug stands for the fact that something shouldn’t be stereotyped. In the book Will states “He’s sort of….. small,” and judges the horse as he is judged by others (P 88). He later learns that this horse is much like himself. The size of the horse is small but his levels of bravery and courage are colossal, just like Will. Tug is definitely a symbol but there is another in this story.

Finally the last major symbol in the book is Horace, one of Will’s peers. Horace stands for renewed friendship and understanding. Horace, at first, despises Will and the fact that he is training to become this ranger. He often taunted Will saying things such as “I see the apprentice spy is with us today,” and other things the take the meaning out of life for Will (P 116). But when Will saves his life, Horace takes a vow to be there for Will when he is in need of aid, thus proving he is a worthy friend and companion.

Characters that play minor roles in the book Ranger’s Apprentice, The Ruins of Gorlan play as major symbols in the book. Even though their role is minor the symbol that they represent impacts the reader with a better understanding of the book and the change that is made in the story. These crucially important details to understanding the story make the book all the more enjoyable for the reader.

Missing Something

Author's Note: Sometimes something extra is added to make things better. Find out what this missing piece is in the book Mocking Jay.

You have waited and waited for something incredible to send a jolt of joy through your body your entire life. If something did seem worthy of your enjoyment it would always prove to lack something. You don’t know what it is but you desire something more from this. In writing the missing piece is figurative language. In the book the Mocking Jay (By: Suzanne Collins) figurative language shapes the view taken by the reader. Without figurative language the book Mocking Jay would not attract the reader’s attention.

Mocking Jay is the third book in the Hunger Games trilogy. It is about Katniss Everdeen and a group of rebels overcoming the iron fist of their rulers, the Capitol and President Snow. As Katniss overcomes her haunting past with the Hunger Games she now gains strength to overthrow the Capitol and President Snow. However, her thin list of people she can trust shrinks while her list of enemies grows.

In certain parts of the story the author inserts figurative language to make a scene or sentence stand out or to express emotion that attracts the reader. For instance, when Peeta and a few other prisoners are rescued from the Capitol Katniss sees how happy two people are to finally see each other again and how she desires to see Peeta. She describes this feeling as “A pain of jealousy hits me.”(Page 176). This metaphor impacts the reader with the thought of jealousy. Should it have been described “I am very jealous.” the reader would not feel that emotion and simply read on being very bored. However figurative language expresses more than just emotion.

Actions also help make the scene more interesting. Such as when Katniss returns to her destroyed home and explores around. Her exploration is described as “I move through the downstairs on hunter’s feet.” (Page 12). This metaphor not only explains she is trying to be silent but also recognizes Katniss’ trait of hunting silently. Should it have been said “I moved silently through the downstairs.” it wouldn’t remind the reader that even though she has changed in many ways she is still at heart a grim, skilled hunter and set a different tone to the scene. Figurative language has allowed the actions of the story to have a larger meaning.

The reader’s attention would not be drawn to the book Mocking Jay if not for figurative language. The actions and emotions of the story are expressed better and have a greater meaning to make the reader want to question the book and keep reading. Without metaphors that change the view of certain things the book would be considered boring by the reader and it would be a struggle to continue reading. 

Two Opposites

You might think you were in a graveyard because the grasp that silence had on everyone. All you can do is hope. Hope that you will be safe. Hope your family will be safe. Hope that you can keep going until at least next year’s reaping. This is the effect the book the Hunger Games (By Suzanne Collins) and the movie the Hunger Games (Directed by Gary Ross) put on you. But the two tell their tale differently than each other. There were few similarities but many differences between the book and the movie of the Hunger Games.

The book is viewed as a beginning to something great, in this case the main character, Katniss is going to start an uprising on their controllers, the Capitol and it’s leader President Snow. The movie makes Katniss appear more as a hero embarking on a dangerous quest with no other major story, almost like the Lord of the Rings (J.R.R Tolkien) series. However the movie does provide some detail on this hidden story in the Hunger Games. The scenes that are not in Katniss’ point of view such as President Snow’s conversations with Seneca Crane, the Head Game-maker or the father of Rue attacking the peace-keepers and starting a rebellion in District 11. However a major difference between the two are the way certain scenes played out.

Changes made in the scenes are the major difference of these two tales of the Hunger Games. Scenes such as Katniss and Peeta in the cave during the games. In the book Katniss is not sure what to think about Peeta. She doesn’t know if she loves him, hates him, or if she just needs to get him out alive. For instance, when the book says, "Getting the broth into Peeta takes an hour of coaxing, begging, threatening, and yes, kissing." (Page 262) the reader is not sure what Katniss thinks of Peeta. The movie it made Katniss appear to be grateful to find Peeta and then go straight from that to loving him. Or in the scene with the mutation wolves. In the book Peeta and Katniss go out to hunt the last tribute and win the Hunger Games together and when they find the last tribute, Cato, they then meet up with the wolves as they were chasing Cato. How the movie portrays it is they are attacked by the wolves before they meet up with Cato. The scene changes really provide how different the book and movie are but there is a similarity needle in the difference haystack.

One  thing that was similar between the book and movie was they always showed that Katniss always had her hands full. She never got to not worry about anything that went on. She solved one problem just as a new one appeared. The situation may be presented differently in the book from the movie but the general idea still got across to the viewer.

A whisper of similarity is very unnoticeable in a crowd of difference but it is still there for these two stories of the Hunger Games. While these two amazing stories shock and entertain many people around the world, everyone will like one better than the other because of the few similarities. However, could other movies and books prove to change a viewer’s mind on how some different scenes change the story entirely? 

Stamping Out the Flames

Author's Note:

This girl has caused me to have too much grief. If could have the chance to kill her without anyone noticing or caring I would have taken it in a heartbeat. A wild fire burns over Panem from the spark she made. There will be no dousing this fire it will have to burn out on its own. If I cannot stop the flames from consuming my control over Panem then I shall root out the source of the flames and destroy them. For I am President Snow, a bold and powerful  man, symbol, leader.

It shall start with the Quarter Quell. I shall make arrangements for her to be selected as tribute once more. But how? I can’t just throw her in there with some other worthless tributes. No, she will need to be placed in the arena with tributes that possess great skills. Who though? The Career tributes from Districts One and Two obviously can’t take care of her. Possibly I could select tributes who are strongest and most skilled from each district. No, too obvious that I want her dead if I put her in that situation. Past tributes? The Victors? Yes, yes that’s perfect. I shall fight the girl on fire with fire. But what about the boy, Peeta?

If I use the victors he most certainly will go into the arena with her. If it comes down to just the two of them again surely he will let her win. They can’t use the same stunt again, that can be assured. I could make them prime targets for the victors but will they be able to stop them? Perhaps I could limit their resources while in the arena. Take away her bow and she is useless. No, to noticeably directed against her. Water and food could be depleted, though they may outlast other tributes in that area. Natural disasters? Yes, that will do it. They’re not directed at anyone, are very difficult to escape, and once she is gone peace can be restored once more in Panem.

 I will have beat Katniss before she even knows what to expect. She shall go into the arena blind and just when she expects that she has a bounty on her head she will be killed. Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire, and Peeta Mellark, the protector, against 22 other highly skilled tributes with natural disasters at their backs. It surely seems that the odds are not in their favor.