Sunday, February 20, 2011
Soldiers of War
Ashleigh Seipel
Laura Cline
English 102- Online
20 February 2011
Soldiers of War
In the beginning of the story, “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’ Brien, the audience is introduced to an odd character by the name of Lieutenant Jimmy Cross in the Alpha Company. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross has an eternal love for a girl from his college in New Jersey named Martha. Even though she shows no love in returns, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross carries her letters and a good luck pebble in a reminder of her and one of the emotional burdens he faces. The Lieutenant is one of many soldiers who confront tension between reality and fiction. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross in stuck in a fantasy, believing he will end up with his love, Martha, after the years of war is over. Unfortunately, he becomes negligence after witnessing his fellow soldier, Ted Lavender, die. In the chapter, “The Things They Carried”, may represent a conflict between love and war. The Lieutenant has his mind puzzled on whether or not she is a virgin, and what the reasons are of her ending all of her letters with, “Love”. After finally realizing the true distraction of his problems, he becomes distance with Martha by burning all of her letters and pictures. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross states, “That it is better to be loved than to lead” meaning how the experience reveals the death of his fellow soldier. Tim O’Brien used detailed imagery on what the experience was like in the Vietnam War. The author states facts to benefit him when giving him a clear setting. Tim O’Brien was able to be clear and detailed when writing about the Vietnam War and the struggles of the soldiers.
Laura Cline
English 102- Online
20 February 2011
Soldiers of War
In the beginning of the story, “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’ Brien, the audience is introduced to an odd character by the name of Lieutenant Jimmy Cross in the Alpha Company. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross has an eternal love for a girl from his college in New Jersey named Martha. Even though she shows no love in returns, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross carries her letters and a good luck pebble in a reminder of her and one of the emotional burdens he faces. The Lieutenant is one of many soldiers who confront tension between reality and fiction. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross in stuck in a fantasy, believing he will end up with his love, Martha, after the years of war is over. Unfortunately, he becomes negligence after witnessing his fellow soldier, Ted Lavender, die. In the chapter, “The Things They Carried”, may represent a conflict between love and war. The Lieutenant has his mind puzzled on whether or not she is a virgin, and what the reasons are of her ending all of her letters with, “Love”. After finally realizing the true distraction of his problems, he becomes distance with Martha by burning all of her letters and pictures. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross states, “That it is better to be loved than to lead” meaning how the experience reveals the death of his fellow soldier. Tim O’Brien used detailed imagery on what the experience was like in the Vietnam War. The author states facts to benefit him when giving him a clear setting. Tim O’Brien was able to be clear and detailed when writing about the Vietnam War and the struggles of the soldiers.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
The Poems of Wars
Ashleigh Seipel
Laura Cline
English 102-Online
11 February 2011
The Poems of Wars
The two poems I chose to write about is, “Photograph from September 11” by Wislawa Szymborska and “Letter Composed During a Lull in the Fighting” by Kevin C. Powers. My reasons for choosing the first poem, “Photograph from September 11” because the tragic catastrophic event that happened on the 11th day of September in 2001. The terrorist attack that very day affected millions across the world, even if they were not involved in the attack. I remember where I was that day, getting ready for school when I asked my mom what was happening on the television, as she proceeded to panic.
I reacted so strongly to the poem because even though I was not present for the attack, it still affected me as an American. “Photograph from September 11” is an astonishing poem that describes the flight of the falling man and the last moments of their lives.
The author stated:
“The photograph halted them in life,
And now keeps them
Above the earth toward the earth.”
This stanza is powerful because it freezing them within their last minutes of life, their “photograph”. Every line of the poem creates a scene of imagery and description to pay the respect of the victims.
The second poem is a touching poem about a solider at war. Even though the poem, “Letter Composed During a Lull in the Fighting” was only three stanzas, it gives a complete image of a soldiers’ perspective. Kevin C. Powers writes,
“I tell her in a letter that will stink,
When she opens it,
Of bolt oil and burned powder
And the things it says”.
I reacted to this line the most because it gives me an immediate image of a solider writing a letter after long days of battle, writing with anything he can find, just to be able to let his loved one let them know he’s alive. It’s a poem you have to read a few times to understand it’s full meaning, but once you get the idea, the meaning jumps out at you all at once.
Laura Cline
English 102-Online
11 February 2011
The Poems of Wars
The two poems I chose to write about is, “Photograph from September 11” by Wislawa Szymborska and “Letter Composed During a Lull in the Fighting” by Kevin C. Powers. My reasons for choosing the first poem, “Photograph from September 11” because the tragic catastrophic event that happened on the 11th day of September in 2001. The terrorist attack that very day affected millions across the world, even if they were not involved in the attack. I remember where I was that day, getting ready for school when I asked my mom what was happening on the television, as she proceeded to panic.
I reacted so strongly to the poem because even though I was not present for the attack, it still affected me as an American. “Photograph from September 11” is an astonishing poem that describes the flight of the falling man and the last moments of their lives.
The author stated:
“The photograph halted them in life,
And now keeps them
Above the earth toward the earth.”
This stanza is powerful because it freezing them within their last minutes of life, their “photograph”. Every line of the poem creates a scene of imagery and description to pay the respect of the victims.
The second poem is a touching poem about a solider at war. Even though the poem, “Letter Composed During a Lull in the Fighting” was only three stanzas, it gives a complete image of a soldiers’ perspective. Kevin C. Powers writes,
“I tell her in a letter that will stink,
When she opens it,
Of bolt oil and burned powder
And the things it says”.
I reacted to this line the most because it gives me an immediate image of a solider writing a letter after long days of battle, writing with anything he can find, just to be able to let his loved one let them know he’s alive. It’s a poem you have to read a few times to understand it’s full meaning, but once you get the idea, the meaning jumps out at you all at once.
"Photograph from September 11"
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1996/szymborska-bio.html
Friday, February 4, 2011
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