Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Losing My Cool

I'm trying to complete my math homework for tomorrow but my kids seem to think otherwise. They are constantly calling my name, fighting each other, and anything else you can imagine. I took a few moments and took a deep breath because I'm about to lose my cool with them. It's hard trying to get things completed when you have kids. I think I'm going to put them and myself on a schedule because this is just not working out. Until next time see you later!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Good Country People

I really enjoyed the discussion of Good Country People today. When I learned what the word salt of the earth meant the story really made a lot of sense to me. Until next time, see you later!

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

I read our story Good Country People last night and I wasn't so bad. I thought the story was okay but my favorite story so far is A Rose for Emily. Well until next time see you later!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Helppppppppppppp

I have posted my essay but it is not appearing on Dr. Aiken's blog page. I added the URL like she did in class. Can someone pleaseeeeeeeeee tell me what I am doing wrong!
Ashley Colson
Dr. Aiken
Engl 1102-50
September 9, 2009
Symbolism in "The Things They Carried"
The story titled "The Things They Carried" was written by Tim O'Brien. In this story the things the men carried were actually their necessities which varied from different items. The men carried these items during the war which occurred in Than Khe, Vietnam. In O'Brien's "The Things They Carried", the three soldiers, Kiowa, Ted Lavender, and Lt Jimmy Cross each carried items that have significant meaning to them throughout the story.
Kiowa is a devout Baptist, who was a Native American from Oklahoma. In this story he carried the New Testament of the Bible, his grandmother's distrust for the white man and his grandfather's old haunting hatchet. The New Testament symbolized his religious belief in Church. Kiowa felt that during the war times, his bible was his way of keeping up with things. The bible also symbolized his faith of surviving the war. Kiowa found hope and strength through the New Testament. The distrust his grandmother had for the white man symbolized his hatred for his enemies that he were fighting in the war. The haunting hatchet his grandfather gave him symbolized his weapon of defense. His grandfather used this weapon to defeat his enemies so Kiowa used this weapon as well to defeat his enemies in the war. The things Kiowa carried had significant meaning to him because they were items given to him by his loved ones.
Ted Lavender, the second solider throughout the story carried dope and tranquilizers. Dope symbolized his way of calming down. Dope helped him to relax and to forget about things that were occurring in the war. The tranquilizers he carried symbolized relief. The tranquilizers helped him to deal with the pain but most importantly the tranquilizers helped to ease his mind of the war. Lavender was the first to be shot and killed during the story. It was a tragic moment for the men but they used Lavender's dope as a way of coping with his death. The things Lavender carried symbolized his relief during the war.
Lt. Jimmy Cross was first lt. in the story. He was twenty two years old and he was in love with a college student by the name of Martha. Cross could be described as Jesus because he was the leader and his men were his followers. Cross carried the letters Martha had written him which symbolized the remembrance of her. The letters were his way of getting through the war. Cross also carried thoughts of Martha which symbolized how much he wanted to be with her and how much he loved her. The pebble Cross carried symbolized good luck but it also symbolized the distance between him and Martha. Martha found the pebble on the shoreline where things came together but also seperated. The things Cross carried were more of romantic symbolism than anything else.
In conclusion, the character traits varied for each character through the story. The items they carried had significant meaning to each one of them. It is evident that each item had symbolic meaning to each men throughout the story.