Book - The Circle of Life

Aviana Terschueren Ÿ Elijah Haag Ÿ Gregory Guntharp Ÿ Sydney Robb
2
The Circle
of Life
Aviana Terschueren Ÿ Sydney Robb Ÿ Gregory Guntharp Ÿ Elijah Haag
3
4
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Childhood (Birth-14 years old)
Introduction…………………...........…….………………………………...10
Fifteen, Maybe Sixteen Things to Worry About by Judith Viorst…...….....11
Heaven by Samuel Bouriah…………………....…………………………...13
Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss………………………………………………...18
The Boy Who Cried Wolf by Children-Aesop……………………………..23
Chapter 2: Young Adult (15-25 years old)
Introduction….....…………………………………………………………..27
“Teenager” by Jordan Pruitt………………....…………………………….28
Excerpt of Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger…………….....…………...32
“Life of a Teenager” by Janneke Tenvoorde………………........………....35
“My Room and I” by Jasmin………………………...…………………….37
5
Chapter 3: Adult (26-60 years old)
Introduction…......………………………………………………………….41
I Made a Memory Today by Irish Ruth Pastor…………………………….42
Step Brothers Script by Will Ferrell…………………………………...…..44
A Day In The Life by The Beatles…………………………………………49
Stop This Train by John Mayer…………………………………………....51
Chapter 4: Elderly (61-Death)
Introduction.......……………………………………………………………56
The Cab I’ll Never Forget by Kent Nerburn……………………………….57
Alzheimer’s by Kelly Cherry………………………………………………61
Borrowed Time by John Lennon…………………………………………...63
We Old Dudes by Joan Murray…………………………………………….65
6
Introduction to The Circle of Life
Literature is the expression of ideas depicted through writing. This definition is
vague, which allows literature to encompass many various forms of writings. Short
stories, play scripts, songs, poems, and novels are only a few of the types of writings that
fall within the definition of literature. These different types of pieces are meant to reach
different types of people due to the fact that not everyone has the same taste, whether
they are a troubled teenager trying to figure out their way through life by reading song
lyrics or even a young mother struggling between balancing work and parenthood by
reading through magazines.
Our book is centered the idea that literature symbolizes and represents traits of the
four different stages of a person’s life: childhood, young adult, adult, and elderly. The
reason as to why we chose those four different stages is because of the life differences
that a person experiences. Children are extremely carefree, whereas they have no
responsibilities riding on their shoulders. The literature we used resembles this stage of
life because it resembles their point of view on life through a more understandable way of
writing, which would be through poems, short stories, and song lyrics instead of long
novels. Teenagers on the other hand, face the stage of life where they must begin on their
own path and prepare for adulthood. The literature we used for this section represents a
mixture of easier literature such as song lyrics, and more meaningful literature such as a
novel, in order to show that the teenage years are a transition between easy childhood
years and more complex adult years. The adulthood section is completely based around
the struggles of being an adult and the stress that comes with it. We used many different
types of literature, such as a poem, song lyrics, and even a movie script in order to
represent the different types of struggles that adults face. Finally, the elderly section
represents the last years of a person's life, which is depicted through different writing
styles to prove that literature is still present even in that stage of life. Whether through
comedy, emotional appeal, or personal stories, authors are able to represent the different
age groups of their audience. The audience of each piece plays a large role into the
greater meaning of each stage of the circle of life. As you read this book and interpret the
literature within, ask yourself if you, or people you know, connect with any of the stages
in the circle of life.
AT, EH
7
CHILDHOOD
8
Chapter 1: Childhood
(Birth-14 years old)
Introduction..………………...........…….……………………………….…10
Fifteen, Maybe Sixteen Things to Worry About by Judith Viorst…...….....11
Heaven by Samuel Bouriah…………………....…………………………...13
Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss………………………………………………...18
The Boy Who Cried Wolf by Children-Aesop……………………………..23
9
Childhood: Introduction
When children are born, they see the world for the first time; they have to
learn how to grow and adapt to their surrounding. As children’s brains start
to develop they learn how to crawl, walk, run, speak, read, and interact with
other children. They have creative imaginations, which allows them to
entertain themselves for hours. Due to their underdeveloped brains, children
are simple and find joy in the smallest activities. As they grow up and their
brain begins to mature, children start school. In school, children learn about
different subjects, make friends, have recess, and join sports teams. This
time in a child’s life is crucial to their development. Childhood is an
impressionable stage of life, the ideas they learn when they are child will
stick with them for the rest of their lives. Childhood is the one stage in life
where there are no responsibilities; it is about growing up and having fun.
SR
10
Fifteen, Maybe Sixteen Things to Worry About
By: Judith Viorst
My pants could maybe fall down when I dive off the diving board.
My nose could maybe keep growing and never quit.
Miss Brearly could ask me to spell words like stomach and special.
(Stumick and speshul?)
I could play tag all day and always be "it."
Jay Spievack, who's fourteen feet tall, could want to fight me.
My mom and my dad--like Ted's--could want a divorce.
Miss Brearly could ask me a question about Afghanistan.
(Who's Afghanistan?)
Somebody maybe could make me ride a horse.
My mother could maybe decide that I needed more liver.
My dad could decide that I needed less TV.
Miss Brearly could say that I have to write script and stop printing.
(I'm better at printing.)
Chris could decide to stop being friends with me.
The world could maybe come to an end on next Tuesday.
The ceiling could maybe come crashing on my head.
I maybe could run out of things for me to worry about.
And then I'd have to do my homework instead.
Literary Questions:
1. What type of rhyming did the author use? Do you think it was effective for this type of
poem?
2. Why do you think the author used a mix between serious things to worry about and
silly things to worry about? Did she do it on purpose?
3. What was the intended audience for this piece?
4. How do these worries compare to the worries of an adult?
AT 11
Judith Viorst
Judith Viorst was born in Newark, New Jersey, on February 2, 1931. She attended
Rutgers University, which is where she received her bachelor’s degree in history. In
1981, after six years of study, she also graduated from the Washington Psychoanalytic
Institute. She has lived in Washington D.C. since
1960, which is when she married a political writer
by the name of Milton Viorst. They have three sons
by the names of Anthony, Nicholas, and Alexander,
along with seven grandchildren. Viorst has written
seventeen books for adults, along with nineteen
children’s books. Her most famous books include
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, and
Very Bad Day, which was illustrated by Ray Cruz
and was inducted into the Picture Book Hall of
Fame. Viorst was also a contributing editor to
Redbook magazine and has written for many other
newspapers and magazines. As she has grown older,
she has lectured on a variety of subjects including loss, control, life lessons, and the
shared experiences of children and adults. Her poem, “Fifteen, Maybe Sixteen Things to
Worry About,” relates to the childhood chapter because the poem perfectly explains the
worries that a child faces instead of the worries that an adolescent or adult faces and
proves that literature is present all throughout life.
Notes
12
AT
Samuel Bouriah
Heaven
By Samuel Bouriah
"It's been a year daddy
I really really miss you
Mommy says you’re safe now
In a beautiful place called heaven"
Samuel Bouriah, better known by his
stage name DJ Sammy, was born on
October 19, 1969 in Mallorca, Spain. He
is not only a Spanish DJ, but he is also a
producer. Dj Sammy started his music
career in 1984 in the clubs of Mallorca,
playing at local clubs. He began making
singles with his former spouse MarieJosé van der Kolk under the name of DJ
Sammy feat. Carisma. Throughout his
career he had released five albums and
has had five top-10 hits. DJ Sammy is
still working today at the age of 45 and
recently released the single “Shut Up
and Kiss Me” in June of 2013; however,
he is better known for his song
“Heaven” released on August 6th, 2002.
“Heaven” is a great representation of a
child’s point of view on tragedy, and for
that reason, we have included it in our
Childhood Chapter.
Oh I'm thinking about our younger years
"We had your favorite dinner tonite"
There was only you and me
"I ate it all up"
We were young and wild and free
"Even though I don't like carrots"
Now nothing can take you away from
me
"I learned how to swim this summer"
We've been down that road before
"I can even open my eyes"
GG 13
But that's over now
"When I'm under water”
You keep me coming back for more
"Can't you see me?"
Baby you're all that I want
When you're lying here in my arms
I'm finding it hard to believe
We're in heaven
"I started kindergarten this year"
Love is all that I need
And I found it there in your heart
It isn't too hard to see
We're in heaven
"I carry a picture of us
In my Blue's Clues lunchbox"
Oh once in your life you find someone
"You are the greatest daddy"
Who will turn your world around
Pick you up when you're feeling down
14 GG
Notes
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Now nothing can change what you mean to me
"I can swing on the swing by myself"
There's a lot that I could say
But just hold me now
"Even though I miss you pushing me"
Cause our love will light the way
"Can't you see me?"
Baby you're all that I want
When you're lying here in my arms
I'm finding it hard to believe
We're in heaven
"I miss how you used to tickle me"
And love is all that I need
"Tickle my belly"
And I found it there in your heart
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"My belly hurts"
It isn't too hard to see
We're in heaven
"I try not to cry"
GG 15
I've been waiting for so long
"Mommy says it's okay"
For something to arrive
For love to come along
"I know you don't like it when I cry"
Now our dreams are coming true
Through the good times and the bad
"You never wanted me to be sad"
I'll be standing there by you
"I try Daddy but it hurts"
Baby you're all that I want
"Is it true you're not coming home?"
When you're lying here in my arms
"Maybe someday"
I'm finding it hard to believe
We're in heaven
"I can visit you in heaven, okay?"
16 GG
Notes
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And love is all that I need
And I've found it there in your heart
It isn't too hard to see
We're in heaven
"It's time for me to go bed now
I sleep with the light on
Just in case you come home
And kiss me good night
I love you so much
I miss you Daddy"
Literary Questions:
1. What effect does the little girl’s narration have on the tone?
2. What is the author saying about dealing with tragedy?
3. Is there a benefit to having two narrators of different ages?
4. If so, what is the benefit of having two narrators?
GG 17
Dr. Seuss
The Cat In The Hat
by Dr. Seuss
The sun did not shine.
It was too wet to play.
So we sat in the house
All that cold, cold, wet day.
I sat there with Sally.
We sat there, we two.
Theodor Seuss Geisel, also known as Dr.
Seuss, was born in 1904 in Springfield,
And I said, “How I wish
We had something to do!”
Massachusetts. Dr. Seuss published his
first children’s book, “And to Think
Too wet to go out
That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” in
And too cold to play ball.
1937. After his first children’s book, his
So we sat in the house.
career skyrocketed and Dr. Seuss
We did nothing at all.
became one of the world’s most famous
children’s book authors. He is known for
So all we could do was to
his clever rhymes and creative
Sit!
characters. Dr. Seuss died on September
Sit!
24, 1991 after an extremely successful
Sit!
career. One of Dr. Seuss’ most famous
Sit!
books, The Cat in the Hat, teaches
children the consequences of
And we did not like it.
Not one little bit.
misbehaving when their mother is not
home.
And then
_________________________________
Something went BUMP!
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How that bump made us jump!
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18 SR
We looked!
Then we saw him step in on the mat!
We looked!
And we saw him!
The Cat in the Hat!
And he said to us,
“Why do you sit there like that?”
“I know it is wet
And the sun is not sunny.
But we can have
Lots of good fun that is funny!”
“I know some good games we could play,”
Said the cat.
“I know some ne tricks,”
Said the Cat in the Hat.
“A lot of good tricks.
I will show them to you.
Your mother
Will not mind at all if I do.”
Then Sally and I
Notes
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Did not know what to say.
Our mother was out of the house
For the day.
But our fish said, “No! No!
Make that cat go away!
Tell the Cat in the Hat
You do NOT want to play.
SR 19
He should not be here.
He should not be about.
He should not be here.
When your mother is out!”
“Now! Now! Have no fear.
Have no fear!” said the cat.
“My tricks are not bad,”
Said the Cat in the Hat.
“Why, we can have
Lots of good fun, if you wish,
With a game that I call
UP-UP-UP with a fish!”
“Put me down!” said the fish.
“This is not fun at all!
Put me down!” said the fish.
“I do NOT wish to fall!”
“Have nor fear!” said the cat.
“I will not let you fall
I will hold you up high
As I stand on a ball.
With a book on one hand!
And a cup on my hat!
But that is not ALL I can do!”
Said the cat…
“Look at me!
Look at me now!” said the cat.
20 SR
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“With a cup and a cake
On top of my hat!
Notes
I can hold up TWO books!
I can hold up the fish!
And a little toy ship!
And some milk on a dish!
And look!
I can hop up and down on the ball!
But that is not all!
Oh, no.
That is not all…”
“Look at me!
Look at me!
Look at me NOW!
It is fun to have fun
But you have to know how.
I can hold up the cup
And the milk and the cakes!
I can hold up these books!
And the fish on a rake!
I can hold the toy ship
And a little toy man!
And look! With me tail
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I can hold a red fan!
I can fan with the fan
As I hop on the ball!
But that is not all.
Oh, no.
That is not all…”
SR 21
That is what the cat said…
Then he fell on his head!
He came down with a bump
Literary Questions:
From up there on the ball.
1. How does this piece relate to the life
And Sally and I,
of an child?
We saw ALL the things fall!
2. Examine the structure; what was Dr.
And our fish came down, too.
Seuss’ purpose behind this structure?
He fell into a pot!
He said, “Do I like this?
3. What is the purpose of the fish in this
Oh, no! I do not.
piece? Why did the fish not like the Cat
This is not a good game,”
in the Hat?
Said our fish as he lit.
“No, I do not like it,
4. Throughout the piece certain words
Not one little bit!”
are capitalized, what emphasis does this
“Now look what you did!”
have on the piece? Also, why were those
Said the fish to the cat.
specific words capitalized? What is their
“Now look at this house!
importance?
Look at this! Look at that!
You sank our toy ship,
Sank it deep in the cake.
You shook up our house
And you bent our new rake.
You SHOULD NOT be here
When our mother is not.
You get out of this house!”
Said the fish in the pot…
22 SR
The Boy Who Cried Wolf
by Aesop
Once there was a shepherd boy who had to look after a flock of sheep. One day, he felt
bored and decided to play a trick on the villagers. He shouted, “Help! Wolf! Wolf!”
The villagers heard his cries and rushed out of the village to help the shepherd boy. When
they reached him, they asked, “Where is the wolf?” The shepherd boy laughed loudly,
“Ha, Ha, Ha! I fooled all of you.
I was only playing a trick on you.”
A few days later, the shepherd boy played this trick again.
Again he cried, “Help! Help! Wolf! Wolf!” Again, the villagers rushed up the hill to help
him and again they found that boy had tricked them. They were very angry with him for
being so naughty.
Then, some time later, a wolf went into the field. The wolf attacked one sheep, and then
another and another. The shepherd boy ran towards the village shouting, “Help! Help!
Wolf! Help! Somebody!”
The villagers heard his cries but they laughed because they thought it was another trick.
The boy ran to the nearest villager and said, “A wolf is attacking the sheep. I lied before,
but this time it is true!”
Finally, the villagers went to look. It was true. They could see the wolf running away and
many dead sheep lying on the grass.
EH 23
Aesop
Aesop was born in 620 BC and died in 560 BC. People do not know much
about this man’s life because of how long ago he lived. Through research and
passed down stories, scholars have begun to believe that he lived in Ethiopia.
Tales say that he was born a slave, but through his storytelling, he was able to
earn his freedom. His tales, usually dealing with animals or people, led his to
serve as an advisor to the king. His piece “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” is a
short story for children and also has a moral at the end. Most children stories,
or stories whose main audience is children, have a moral at the end of the tale.
Aesop’s moral is his tale is that people should not lie because liars are not
believed, even when they speak the truth. This story teaches children in the
first stage of their life not to lie, and it shows them how lying is potentially
dangerous.
Literary Questions:
1. What is the significance of the moral of this story?
2. What are driving factors that cause people to lie?
3. Could you identify yourself with the little boy?
4. By the use of the boy, how does this story illustrate children's personalities?
24
EH
Young Adult
25
Chapter 2:
Young Adult (15-25 years old)
Introduction….......…………………………………………………………27
“Teenager” by Jordan Pruitt………………....……………………………..28
Excerpt of Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger…………….....…………...32
“Life of a Teenager” by Janneke Tenvoorde………………........…………35
“My Room and I” by Jasmin………………………...…………………….37
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Young Adult: Introduction
Ages fifteen through twenty-five are the years of a young adult, which
is a time of great transition. Throughout this stage of life, many major
changes will occur. During this time, a teenager will undergo puberty.
Young men will fantasize about their first cars, and young women will
experience their first kiss. Young adulthood encompasses from turning
eighteen, to going to college, and even after that. At this stage in life more
and more responsibility will be piled on to the shoulders of a young adult.
Educations will be furthered and paths will be paved for the rest of life.
Young adults must keep a level head. All of these, and more, occur during
the life of a young adult.
GG
27
Teenager
By: Jordan Pruitt
I like stayin' up all night
I think it's my right sleepin' noon
I love watching scary movies
I could stay shopping all day
Gettin' my way
Tryin' on shoes
Don't tell me what I should be doin'
Give me a break
I'm just a teenager
I like putting things off til later
Just hangin' out
Havin' fun
Takin' my time
Give me a break
I'm just a teenager
I'm automatically attracted to danger
I can't help myself
Can be no one else
I'm just a teenager
I dread making my bed
I wish I could get out of cleanin' my room
Cause I hate keeping my friends waiting
Fast cars
Playin' it by heart
Googling stars
And searching for tunes
28
AT
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Does anyone here get what I'm saying?
Give me a break
I'm just a teenager
I like puttin' things off til later
Just hangin' out
Havin' fun
Takin' my time
Give me a break
I'm just a teenager
I'm automatically attracted to danger
I can't help myself
Can be no one else
I'm just a teenager
[ring ring]
[Speaking phone conversation]
[Jordan:] Hello, this is Jordan
[Girl:] Hey what's up?
[Jordan:] You'll never guess who called me yesterday
[Girl:] Who?
[Jordan:] You know that guy that's taking me to
homecoming?
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[Girl:] Yeah
[Jordan:] He was like, "you took my breath away when I saw you."
[Girl: laugh]
[Jordan:] He called me sweetie too!
[Girl:] Aww
[Jordan:] I don't know if I like him though.
I want more minutes on my cell phone
AT
29
I wanna credit card of my own
I want the keys to the Mercedes-Benz
Yeah
I wanna wear what I wanna wear
I wanna copy when I think it's fair
I wanna chill at the mall with my friends
(at the mall with my friends)
Does anyone here get what I'm saying?
Just hangin' out
Havin' fun
Takin' my time
Literary Questions:
1. Why do you think the artist put the
I can't help myself
speaking part in the middle of the song?
Can be no one else
Did it ruin or strengthen the song?
I'm just a teenager
Give me a break I'm just a teenager
2. What type of rhyming did the artist
I like putting things off til later (til later)
use? Are rhymes vital for a successful
Just hangin' out
song?
Havin' fun
Takin' my time
3. Do you think the artist was actually
Give me a break I'm just a teenager
describing her life? How would you
I'm automatically attracted to danger
know this?
I can't help myself
Can be no one else
4. Why did the artist organize the lyrics
I'm just a teenager
in the way that she did?
Give me a break I'm just a teenager
30 AT
Jordan Pruitt
Jordan Pruitt, an American recording artist, was born on May 19, 1991 in Loganville,
Georgia. She was born and raised through a Christian faith and attended a Covenant
Christian Academy while growing up. Her dream to become a songwriter and performing
artist started around the age of nine, which is when
she started to write her own songs; however, finally
in 2006, Keith Thomas discovered her, which is
when Hollywood Records signed with her. Pruitt’s
career took off through Disney Channel when her
debut single, “Outside Looking In,” was released to
promote the film Read It and Weep. She was also
chosen to be the opening act for the Cheetah Girls
on select dates during their 2006 tour. Her first
studio album, No Ordinary Girl, released on February 6, 2007, made it to number sixtyfour on the Billboard 200 chart, which is when her career was at its peak. She released a
second album, Permission to Fly, in 2008, which was a failure. In 2012, Pruitt appeared
in the media again when she auditioned for the television singing competition, The Voice.
Christina Aguilera was the only judge to choose her for her team; however, she was
eventually eliminated from the competition. Pruitt is now pursuing her songwriting as an
artist in Hollywood; however, her hit song, “Teenager,” relates to the adolescence chapter
due to the fact that the whole song describes the life of a typical teenager: not very deep
and extremely irresponsible.
AT 31
The Catcher in the Rye
By J. D. Salinger
I'm so damn absent-minded, I gave the driver my regular address, just out of habit
and all--I mean I completely forgot I was going to shack up in a hotel for a couple of days
and not go home till vacation started. I didn't think of it till we were halfway through the
park. Then I said, "Hey, do you mind turning around when you get a chance? I gave you
the wrong address. I want to go back downtown."
The driver was sort of a wise guy. "I can't turn around here, Mac. This here's a
one-way. I'll have to go all the way to Ninedieth Street now."
I didn't want to start an argument. "Okay," I said. Then I thought of something,
all of a sudden. "Hey, listen," I said. "You know those ducks in that lagoon right near
Central Park South? That little lake? By any chance, do you happen to know where they
go, the ducks, when it gets all frozen over? Do you happen to know, by any chance?" I
realized it was only one chance in a million.
He turned around and looked at me like I was a madman. "What're ya tryna do,
bud?" he said. "Kid me?"
"No--I was just interested, that's all."
He didn't say anything more, so I didn't either. Until we came out of the park at
Ninetieth Street. Then he said, "All right, buddy. Where to?"
"Well, the thing is, I don't want to stay at any hotels on the East Side where I
might run into some acquaintances of mine. I'm traveling incognito," I said. I hate saying
corny things like "traveling incognito." But when I'm with somebody that's corny, I
always act corny too. "Do you happen to know whose band's at the Taft or the New
Yorker, by any chance?"
"No idear, Mac."
"Well--take me to the Edmont then," I said. "Would you care to stop on the way
and join me for a cocktail? On me. I'm loaded."
"Can't do it, Mac. Sorry." He certainly was good company. Terrific personality.
We got to the Edmont Hotel, and I checked in. I'd put on my red hunting cap
when I was in the cab, just for the hell of it, but I took it off before I checked in. I didn't
want to look like a screwball or something. Which is really ironic. I didn't know then that
the goddam hotel was full of perverts and morons. Screwballs all over the place.
32
GG
Literary Questions:
1. How does Holden Caulfield represent
the views of a Young Adult?
2. What is the tone of the piece? How
does Holden seem?
3. What is the significance of “Where do
the ducks go?”
4. Why does Holden try to get a drink
with a random cab driver?
Notes
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GG
33
J. D. Salinger
Jerome David (J.D.) Salinger was born on January 1, 1919 in New York. Salinger, known
as Sonny as a boy, flunked out of McBurney School near his home in New York’s Upper
West Side, despite his seemingly apparent intellect, and was sent to Valley Forge
Military Academy in Wayne, Pennsylvania by his parents. After his graduation from
Valley Forge, Salinger attended New York University before heading to Europe to learn
about the import business. Upon returning back to the United States he attended Ursinus
College in Pennsylvania, before coming back to New York. Once back in New York he
took night classes at Columbia University where he met Professor Whit Burnett. Burnett
pushed Salinger to become the great writer he became and helped to publish some of his
work. Just as it seemed his writing career was taking off, Salinger was drafted into the
army serving from 1942-’44. While serving in the army he took part in the Normandy
Invasion and served a part in the Battle of the Bulge, all the meanwhile continuing to
write. When Salinger returned to New York in 1946, he resumed his life as a writer and
soon after published The Catcher in the Rye in 1951. The Catcher in the Rye is in our
Young Adult Chapter because it remains a great representation of the mind of a young
adult as he struggles with internal conflict. Shortly after publishing The Catcher in the
Rye, Salinger left the city to live a secluded life where he lived out the rest of his days
filled with complicated affairs and secrecy. He died on January 27, 2010.
34
GG
Life Of A Teenager
by Janneke Tenvoorde
Janneke Tenvoorde
Many have told me
That your teen years
Are the best part of your life,
Though to me and my peers
It doesn’t seem so.
They are filled with strife.
They are filled with fears.
These growing up years.
Janneke Tenvoorde is an Author from
Ontario, Canada. Tenvoorde started
I was a child before,
writing poems for an English project and
With no worries.
found out she actually enjoyed writing
None at all.
them. Currently, she has written twenty-
But I’m not that young no more.
four poems. Tenvoorde’s poems deal
As in to adolescence I fall,
with the heartaches in life, but also with
I realize
the sweet and simple times of life.
That life’s not that easy at all.
Tenvoorde’s
poem,
“Life
Of
A
Teenager,” talks about the struggles
teenagers go through as they grow up.
I have to make decisions now,
But the hardest part of all
________________________________
Is trying to fit in.
________________________________
Knowing how to tie
________________________________
In bow or pin.
________________________________
Knowing what to wear
________________________________
Jeans or a hat.
________________________________
Knowing what to say
________________________________
Soft or loud.
________________________________
As I’m trying to fit in
________________________________
With the crowd.
SR
35
Looking in the mirror
I see me,
Literary questions:
Trying to be
1. Why do teens want to be like
Not who I am,
everyone else?
But who they are.
2. Do you agree or disagree that the teen
As a teen
years are the best years of your life?
I have a lot of worries,
Why or why not? Provide examples.
That before
I had never seen.
3. What was the purpose of the author’s
Until it starts.
structure?
As I first encounter love,
And discover broken hearts.
4. Why is it important to have these
As its all I talk of.
transition years? What would life be like
without them?
Another party,
It’s tomorrow night.
My friends want me to come along,
Though I’m not sure it’s right.
My parents say it’s wrong,
Though I wanna go.
And what do parents know?
It’s stressing me out,
All these decisions.
That’s why I doubt,
That teenage life is as easy
As they say it is.
36
SR
Jasmin
My Room and I
By Jasmin
My room is organized
My room is clean
My room has colors of
Baby pink, violet and green
Shavick.com is an anonymous way for
Colors of many dreams
authors of all ages to post their own
Dreams trapped inside this room
personal pieces of literature. Famous
The window sills are marble cold;
author and poet Andrea Shavick is the
the floor is polished with force
creator of this website, and with her
Yet a blotch sullies one spot -
help, some pieces of literature on this
It will never fade away, it will always
site becomes published. This site is not
stay
simply for poems either; it incompasses
Home yet prison
childrens books, poetry books, and other
Refuge yet trap
forms of writing. This website has a
Ally yet enemy
special category for teenage poems,
Paradox is home
which is where Jasmin, age 17, wrote
My room and I
her poem. This teenage poems page
we are one of the kind
contains pieces from teenagers all over
we are the same
the world, and they tell of the humor,
My room and I
anger, sadness, and love that youngadults feel in their lives.
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
EH
37
Literary Questions:
1. How does the author’s age change
your perception of the piece?
2. Why does she say “we are the same,
my room and I”?
3. What is the significance of lines 11-14
in this poem?
4. What is the significance of the
“blotch” in line 9?
38 EH
Adult
39
Chapter 3:
Adult (26-60 years old)
Introduction….......…………………………………………………………41
I Made a Memory Today by Irish Ruth Pastor……………………………..42
Step Brothers Script by Will Ferrell…………………………………...…...44
A Day In The Life by The Beatles…………………………………………49
Stop This Train by John Mayer…………………………………………....51
40
Adult: Introduction
From the age of twenty-six to sixty, people experience their
adulthood. This is probably the longest phase of a person’s life, and it will
be filled with many different experiences. Finding a career, getting married,
starting a family, and living the life of a parent are only some of the possible
memories adults will experience. Although adulthood is full of a bunch of
memorable moments, it is also an extremely large transition from young
adult. Instead of being a naive, young person, adulthood comes along with a
lot of responsibility as well. Having to pay taxes, buy a house, and raise
children or grandchildren are only a few of the difficult responsibilities that
adults have to go through. Although it can be one of the most stressful stages
of a person’s life, there is no question that it can just as easily be one of the
most rewarding; no matter what, the adulthood stage will be full of
memories that will last a lifetime.
41
EH
I Made a Memory Today
By: Irish Ruth Pastor
The crumbs on my kitchen table didn’t get wiped away today.
The ground turkey I defrosted didn’t get cooked, either.
The little ones had to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on stale challah for dinner.
The older two and my husband and I settled for lox and eggs.
But I made a memory today.
I picked up my eight-year-old from school.
Our regular rider was sick, and my little one was playing at a friend’s. “Let’s get lost,” I
said to my son. And we did.
Two scoops of mint chocolate chip ice cream just for him.
We sat together on a bench in the sun as he happily licked his cone. I tenderly wiped ice
cream from his chin with a tissue, and wondered how long he would let me do that in
public.
The sun beat down and warmed us, and we spoke of things of little consequence.
We went to the bookstore for three “I Can Read” books—just for him.
He thanked me profusely, and all the way home in the car he sat quietly and read one.
Until, that is, we picked up his younger brother, Louie.
Then began, once again, the name–calling, bickering and punching.
When we got home, the crumbs were still on the kitchen table, along with the very much
defrosted ground turkey.
We couldn’t find matching soccer shin guards, so once again we were late for practice.
But it was okay—because I made a memory today.
42 AT
Literary Questions:
1. What type of writing style did the author use for this poem? Was it effective in making
the poem flow?
2. What do you think was the author’s intended message for her readers?
3. Is there any symbolism within this poem? How do you know this?
4. Who was the author’s intended audience for this piece? Why would she write to that
specific group?
Iris Ruth Pastor
Irish Ruth Pastor is an elderly Jewish woman who is the
young adult division director for the Tampa Jewish
Foundation, which is a foundation with the mission to
support and enrich the continuity of Jewish life and values in
the community. She is currently in the midst of launching her
newest endeavor by creating a blog site devoted to life after
children are grown; the website will be www.mothers-ofsons.com. Her inspiration for this website includes her five
children, which happen to be all male. The poem she wrote,
“I Made a Memory Today,” was based upon her eventful life
as a mother of five children, which ties into our Adulthood
chapter because it covers the duties of a mother and the
wonderful memories made as a parent.
AT 43
“It's the Catalina Wine Mixer!”
By Will Ferrell
People have killed
to be in the position I'm in.
- He's right. It's a big deal.
- Here's a thought:
I see an empty stage.
I see drums, I see a drummer.
I see a microphone,
and I see a singer.
- Dad, come on.
- What?
- We gave that stuff up.
- We don't do that.
Listen to me.
Dale, look, when I was a kid...
...when I was a little boy,
I always wanted to be a dinosaur.
I wanted to be a Tyrannosaurus rex
more than anything.
44 GG
Notes
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I made my arms short
Notes
and I roamed the backyard...
...and I chased the neighborhood cats,
and I growled and I roared.
Everybody knew me
and was afraid of me.
And then one day, my dad said:
"Bobby, you're 17. It's time
to throw childish things aside."
And I said, "Okay, Pop."
But he didn't really say that, he said,
"Stop being a dinosaur and get a job."
But, you know, I thought to myself,
"I'll go to medical school...
...l'll practice for a little while,
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and then I'll come back to it."
- Dad...
- How is that a skill?
But I forgot how to do it.
You're human.
GG 45
- You could never be a dinosaur.
- Yeah.
Hey, I lost it.
- Dad, what's the point?
- Yeah.
The point is
don't lose your dinosaur.
Yeah. You know, I hated
the way you guys were before.
I mean, I hated you.
But it just kills me to see you
so crushed and normal.
Listen to me, don't listen to me...
...Prestige Worldwide,
that's what you gotta do.
- You're saying we should go for it.
- That's what I'm saying.
What do you think, Brennan?
I'm so scared right now.
46 GG
Notes
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I'm gonna do what's sensible:
I'm gonna file for unemployment...
...and I'm gonna try to get a job
at Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
Because they got
a excellent corporate structure...
...and they give you the tools
to be your own boss.
My dad's right.
This isn't me.
I'm f****** miserable.
I had to get up at 10:00 this morning.
And even though
I just got a tidal wave of nerves...
Notes
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...I'm going up on that stage...
...and I'm gonna make beautiful music
for a sad world.
- Dale...
- That's the boy I know.
GG 47
Literary Questions:
1. In order to grow up, must you give up on your childhood ambitions?
2. What does the “dinosaur” represent?
3. Does the comical tone help or hurt the pieces message?
4. Is there a dinosaur in everyone?
Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell was born on July 16, 1967 in Irvine, California. Growing up, Ferrell set a
school record on the football field for most field goals made,
rather than leaving a mark of comedy in high school. In
college at USC Los Angeles, Ferrell was a member of the
Delta Tau fraternity, and finished with a near 3.0 GPA while
pursuing a degree in sports journalism. In his first job for
NBC he was merely an intern for the network’s sport
department; however, after taking classes and working in
local theatres, his career in comedy took off. Soon after,
Ferrell was a regular on a popular improv troupe in Los
Angeles, where he was discovered by Saturday Night Live
(SNL) founder and producer, Lorne Michaels. Ferrell’s career on SNL lasted from 1995
to 2002 and ended so he could pursue a career in film. Now the star of movies such as
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky and
Bobby, Step Brothers, The Other Guys, and many other greats, Ferrell is one of the
greatest comedians alive. In his movie Step Brothers, he gives an adult’s point of view on
leaving the passions of someone growing up so we have included it in this Adult Chapter.
48 GG
The Beatles
A Day In The Life Lyrics
by The Beatles
I read the news today, oh boy
About a lucky man who made the
grade
And though the news was rather sad
Well I just had to laugh
The Beatles, a famous English rock band
of the 1960s, were John Lennon, George
I saw the photograph.
Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo
Starr. The Beatles created a new
standard for music in the 1960s. Before
He blew his mind out in a car
the Beatles, bands did not write their
He didn't notice that the lights had
own music and it was unexpected when
changed
they did; however, after the Beatles, a
A crowd of people stood and stared
band that wrote their own music was
expected. As the Beatles popularity grew
and they became globally recognized,
John Lennon made the joke “we’re
bigger than Jesus.” Shortly after the
They'd seen his face before
Nobody was really sure
If he was from the House of Lords.
prime of the Beatles’ career, the band
broke up to pursue their individual
interests. The Beatles’ song, A Day In
The Life, talks about the numbness
adults get to the outside world as bad
events occur.
I saw a film today, oh boy
The English army had just won the war
A crowd of people turned away
But I just had to look
Having read the book
I'd love to turn you on.
SR 49
Woke up, fell out of bed,
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup,
And looking up I noticed I was late.
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
Made the bus in seconds flat
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke,
Somebody spoke and I went into a dream.
I read the news today oh boy
Four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire
And though the holes were rather small
They had to count them all
Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall.
I'd love to turn you on.
Literary questions:
1. How does this song relate to an adult lifestyle?
2. Analyze the structure of the poem; what was the author’s purpose of this structure?
3. Imagine the narrator, now replace him with a young child, how would the story
change?
4. In the first stanza the narrator laughs after a sad accident, why does he do this?
50 SR
Stop This Train
By John Mayer
No I'm not color blind
I know the world is black and white
Try to keep an open mind but...
I just can't sleep on this tonight
Stop this train I want to get off and go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can't
But honestly won't someone stop this train
Don't know how else to say it, don't want to see my parents go
One generation's length away
From fighting life out on my own
Stop this train
I want to get off and go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can't but honestly won't someone stop this train
So scared of getting older
I'm only good at being young
So I play the numbers game to find a way to say that life has just begun
Had a talk with my old man
Said help me understand
He said turn 68, you'll renegotiate
Don't stop this train
Don't for a minute change the place you're in
Don't think I couldn't ever understand
I tried my hand
EH 51
John, honestly we'll never stop this train
See once in a while when it's good
It'll feel like it should
And they're all still around
And you're still safe and sound
And you don't miss a thing
'til you cry when you're driving away in the dark.
Singing stop this train I want to get off and go home again
I can't take this speed it's moving in
I know I can't
Cause now I see I'll never stop this train
Literary Questions:
1. What is Mayer's main point in this song?
2. Would you choose to be immortal?
3. What is a time in your live that you wish you could rewind time and relive?
4. Why does Mayer compare time to a train?
52 EH
John Mayer
Musician, singer, and songwriter John Mayer was born on October 16, 1977. He grew up
loving music, and after high school he attended the Berklee School of Music. When
asked about the meaning of his song “Stop This Train,” Mayer replied saying “this song
is about getting older. My 20s were so great I could have rented them out. But, at 27, I
crashed. Now, I’m more settled.” Mayer’s song tells of how fast life can move right by,
giving meaning to the cliche saying “life’s too short.” Adults encounter this problem
unlike any other age group; they come to the realization that their life is passing by at a
rapid pace. John Mayer’s song shows this realization of how fast time does, in fact,
move.
EH 53
Elderly
54
Chapter 4:
Elderly (61-Death)
Introduction….......…………………………………………………………56
The Cab I’ll Never Forget by Kent Nerburn……………………………….57
Alzheimer’s by Kelly Cherry………………………………………………61
Borrowed Time by John Lennon…………………………………………...63
We Old Dudes by Joan Murray…………………………………………….65
55
Elderly: Introduction
In this chapter, we will examine and prove the idea that literature is
present even through old age, which we define as the age of sixty-one until
death. Elderly years are the time in a person’s life where they can finally
settle down. Parents are ready to send their children off to college or the
work force, leaving them in an empty nest, whereas people without children
are considering retirement and what is in store after that. This time period is
the peak age where people try to make the moments count because no one
knows how long they have left to live. Some elderly people have very strong
health, whereas others may face significant health issues and may have to
revolve their lives around treatment. Some people even become so weak and
unhealthy to the point where they cannot walk on their own or take care of
themselves anymore, forcing them into an elderly community. The pieces
chosen for this chapter exemplify the major events in an elderly person’s life
and highlight the struggles that elderly people face, despite the
misconception that elderly literature does not.
AT
56
The Cab Ride I’ll Never Forget
By: Kent Nerburn
There was a time in my life twenty years ago when I was driving a cab for a living.
It was a cowboy’s life, a gambler’s life, a life for someone who wanted no boss, constant
movement and the thrill of a dice roll every time a new passenger got into the cab.
What I didn’t count on when I took the job was that it was also a ministry.
Because I drove the night shift, my cab became a rolling confessional. Passengers would
climb in, sit behind me in total anonymity and tell me of their lives.
We were like strangers on a train, the passengers and I, hurtling through the night,
revealing intimacies we would never have dreamed of sharing during the brighter light of
day. I encountered people whose lives amazed me, ennobled me, made me laugh and
made me weep.
And none of those lives touched me more than that of a woman I picked up late on a
warm August night.
I was responding to a call from a small brick fourplex in a quiet part of town. I assumed I
was being sent to pick up some partiers, or someone who had just had a fight with a
lover, or someone going off to an early shift at some factory for the industrial part of
town.
When I arrived at the address, the building was dark except for a single light in a groundfloor window.
Under these circumstances, many drivers would just honk once or twice, wait a short
minute, then drive away. Too many bad possibilities awaited a driver who went up to a
darkened building at 2:30 in the morning.
But I had seen too many people trapped in a life of poverty who depended on the cab as
their only means of transportation.
Unless a situation had a real whiff of danger, I always went to the door to find the
passenger. It might, I reasoned, be someone who needs my assistance. Would I not want
a driver to do the same if my mother or father had called for a cab?
So I walked to the door and knocked.
“Just a minute,” answered a frail and elderly voice. I could hear the sound of something
AT 57
being dragged across the floor.
After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman somewhere in her 80s stood before
me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like you
might see in a costume shop or a Goodwill store or in a 1940s movie. By her side was a
small nylon suitcase. The sound had been her dragging it across the floor.
The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered
with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the
counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.
“Would you carry my bag out to the car?” she said. “I’d like a few moments alone. Then,
if you could come back and help me? I’m not very strong.”
I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm, and
we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness.
“It’s nothing,” I told her. “I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my
mother treated.”
“Oh, you’re such a good boy,” she said. Her praise and appreciation were almost
embarrassing.
When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, then asked, “Could you drive through
downtown?”
“It’s not the shortest way,” I answered.
“Oh, I don’t mind,” she said. “I’m in no hurry. I’m on my way to a hospice.”
I looked in the rearview mirror. Her eyes were glistening.
“I don’t have any family left,” she continued. “The doctor says I should go there. He says
I don’t have very long.”
I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. “What route would you like me to go?” I
asked.
For the next two hours we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she
had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she
and her husband had lived when they had first been married. She had me pull up in front
of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a
girl. Sometimes she would have me slow in front of a particular building or corner and
58 AT
would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.
As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, “I’m tired. Let’s go
now.”
We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small
convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out
to the cab as soon as we pulled up. Without waiting for me, they opened the door and
began assisting the woman. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move.
They must have been expecting her; perhaps she had phoned them right before we left.
I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase up to the door. The woman was already
seated in a wheelchair.
“How much do I owe you?” she asked, reaching into her purse.
“Nothing,” I said.
“You have to make a living,” she answered.
“There are other passengers,” I responded.
Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held on to me tightly.
“You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,” she said. “Thank you.”
There was nothing more to say.
I squeezed her hand once, then walked out into the dim morning light. Behind me, I could
hear the door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.
I did not pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly, lost in thought. For the
remainder of that day, I could hardly talk.
What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his
shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away? What
if I had been in a foul mood and had refused to engage the woman in conversation?
How many other moments like that had I missed or failed to grasp?
We are so conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great
moments often catch us unawares.
When that woman hugged me and said that I had brought her a moment of joy, it was
possible to believe that I had been placed on earth for the sole purpose of providing her
with that last ride.
I do not think that I have ever done anything in my life that was any more important.
AT 59
Literary Questions:
1. What do you think was the author’s intended purpose to writing this story? What
message is he sending to his readers?
2. Why do you think the author wrote this in short story form instead of turning it into a
different form of writing (like a poem or song lyrics)? Did this strengthen the piece?
3. Do you think the author intended the narrator to be himself or someone else? How do
you know this?
4. Would replacing the character of the old lady to a younger character change the story
in a significant way? Why is her age important?
Kent Neburn
Kent Nerburn was born and raised near Minneapolis. He attended the University of
Minnesota where he majored in American Studies. He later on attended Stanford
University in Religious studies and humanities and then
received his Ph.D. at Berkeley. After returning to
Minnesota, he married his wife and has lived there ever
since. He has three step-children and one biological son,
whom now attends Evergreen College in Washington
state. Nerburn loves the outdoors and spent a lot of his
time in Minnesota working on the Red Lake Ojibwe
reservation, where he helped students collect the
memories of the tribal elders. He continues to write and most of his work revolves around
the idea of spiritual beings. His short story, “The Cab Ride I’ll Never Forget,” reflects the
elderly chapter because he describes the last few joys that an old woman may encounter
and how many memories elderly people have after a long lifetime.
60 AT
Alzheimer’s
By Kelly Cherry
He stands at the door, a crazy old man
Back from the hospital, his mind rattling
like the suitcase, swinging from his hand,
That contains shaving cream, a piggy bank,
A book he sometimes pretends to read,
His clothes. On the brick wall beside him
Roses and columbine slug it out for space, claw the mortar.
The sun is shining, as it does late in the afternoon
in England, after rain.
Sun hardens the house, reifies it,
Strikes the iron grillwork like a smithy
and sparks fly off, burning in the bushes-the rosebushes-While the white wood trim defines solidity in space.
This is his house. He remembers it as his,
Remembers the walkway he built between the front room
and the garage, the rhododendron he planted in back,
the car he used to drive. He remembers himself,
A younger man, in a tweed hat, a man who loved
Music. There is no time for that now. No time for music,
The peculiar screeching of strings, the luxurious
Fiddling with emotion.
Other things have become more urgent.
Other matters are now of greater import, have more
Consequence, must be attended to. The first
Thing he must do, now that he is home, is decide who
This woman is, this old, white-haired woman
Standing here in the doorway,
Welcoming him in.
GG 61
Literary Questions:
1. What is the importance of the title in this poem?
2. Who is the woman in the poem?
3. What is the tone of this piece? Especially towards the end.
4. Why was the man at a hospital at the beginning of the poem?
Kelly Cherry
Kelly Cherry was born on December 21st, 1940 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She moved
to Ithaca, New York at the age of 5 and then to Chesterfield County, Virginia at the age
of 9. After graduating from the University of Mary Washington in 1961, Cherry went on
to do graduate work at the University of Virginia in Philosophy as a Du Pont Fellow, and
finally received her Masters of Fine Arts from the University of North Carolina at
Greensboro. After working in publishing, she accepted a position at Southwest Minnesota
State College and began teaching at University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1977. She went
on to retire in 1999 and currently resides on a small farm in central Virginia with her
husband Burke Davis III. Cherry has written over 25 fiction, poetry, and nonfiction
books, ten chapbooks and two transitions of classical plays. Cherry’s poem
“Alzheimer’s,” goes into the mind of an elderly man struggling with Alzheimer’s and for
that reason is included in our Elderly Chapter.
62 GG
John Lennon
Borrowed Time
by John Lennon
When I was younger
Living confusion and deep despair
When I was younger
Living illusion of freedom and power
When I was younger
John Lennon was born on October 9,
Full of ideas and broken dreams (my
1940 in Liverpool, England. In 1957
friend)
John Lennon and Paul McCartney
When I was younger ah hah
formed a band called the Beatles. Just
Everything simple but not so clear
four years later the band went viral and
became an icon for the 1960’s. The
Living on borrowed time
Beatles set a record for the most fans at
Without a thought for tomorrow
New York’s Shea Stadium. Shorty later,
Living on borrowed time
in 1969, Lennon left the Beatles to
Without a thought for tomorrow
pursue a solo career in music. During
Lennon’s solo career, he wrote the song,
Now I am older
Borrowed Time, to reminisce on his life
The more that I see the less that I know
and on all the knowledge that he had
for sure
gained. After Lennon’s last album was
Now I am older
released, an insane fan shot him several
The future is brighter and now is the
times; Lennon died on December 8,
hour
1980, at the age of 40.
SR 63
Living on borrowed time
Without a thought for tomorrow
Living on borrowed time
Without a thought for tomorrow
Good to be older
Would not exchange a single day or a year
Good to be older
Less complications everything clear
Living on borrowed time
Without a thought for tomorrow
Living on borrowed time
Without a thought for tomorrow
Literary questions:
1. How does this song relate to life as an elder?
2. Why did the author choose to have four lines per stanza?
3. What do you think the author means when his says, “living on borrowed time?”
4. Do you think the author is happy with the life he lived?
64 SR
Joan Murray
We Old Dudes
By Joan Murray
We old dudes. We
White shoes. We
Golf ball. We
Eat mall. We
Joan Murray, born in 1945, grew up in
New York City. Murray is known for the
vivid images in her pieces and how they
Soak teeth. We
Palm Beach; We
connect to everyday life. Her poem “We
Old Dudes” plays off of the poem “We
Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks.
Vote red. We
Soon dead.
Murray’s piece gives a more comical
approach to the typical tendencies of an
Elderly person. This piece is a fun read
that gives a comedic look at the
stereotypes put on the Elderly.
Literary Questions:
1. Does Murray's humorous have a deep meaning?
2. From the poem, what can you assume about the Old Dudes?
3. What is the significance of the line "We vote red"?
4. What is significant about the author ending each line with "We" instead of putting it at
the beginning of each line?
EH 65
Appendix
Papers
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Gregory Guntharp
English 112
Mr. Thompson
April 28, 2015
Gregory Guntharp 5/3/2015 8:22 PM
Comment [1]: When using MLA format, make sure to use the correct header: Name Class Teacher Date Where Do The Ducks Go?
Finding a path is not always easy for teenagers. Many of us are unsure and
confused about what to do with our lives. Life would be easier if we had an internal
compass that told us where to go and what to do. Unfortunately that is not the case, and
we must find our own way. We must learn to figure life out on our own. In The Catcher
in the Rye, author J. D. Salinger uses the Central Park ducks to represent Holden
Caulfield’s inability to find a place to call home.
Gregory Guntharp 5/3/2015 8:22 PM
Comment [2]: The thesis should be the final sentence of the introduction and should be an argumentative statement. Holden is a troubled teenager who simply feels lost. He is unsure of what to do
and where to go because to him, home no longer feels like home. As Holden drives by
Central Park in a cab he realizes that each winter the ducks lose their home in the winter
and wonders how they know where to go. Holden says, “‘You know those ducks in that
lagoon right near Central Park South? That little lake? By any chance, do you happen to
know where they go, the ducks, when it gets all frozen over? Do you happen to know, by
any chance?’” (Salinger, pg. 67). Holden begs the cab driver for an answer, not because
he truly cares where the ducks go, but because he himself is in need of finding a new
home. He is the one who really wants to know where to go. The ducks lose their home
just as Holden feels he has lost his.
Unlike the ducks who easily find their way south to a new lake, Holden struggles
and needs guidance to find his new home. Holden does not share the innate trait that
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Gregory Guntharp 5/3/2015 8:22 PM
Comment [3]: The correct in-­‐text citation should be formatted as shown: (Author’s last name, Page #). allows migratory animals to find their way so easily. He envies this ability for just as the
ducks are in need of a new home, so is he. Holden sees the ducks just get up and go one
day and wonders if he can do the same. He wishes he could leave and then find a new
home as easily as the ducks. Unfortunately for Holden, life is not as simple for us as life
is for ducks.
Finding a place in life for a teenager is not always easy and to represent this, J. D.
Salinger uses the ducks in Central Park to represent Holden Caulfield’s sense of feeling
lost. Once the winter steals the ducks of their home and Central Park they simply get up
and find a new home. Holden however struggles to follow in the footsteps of the ducks
and is unable to find his new home as easily. Imagine how much different life would be
today if we all had our own internal compass that told us exactly what to do.
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Gregory Guntharp 5/3/2015 8:22 PM
Comment [4]: The first sentence of the conclusion should restate the thesis without directly copying the original. Works Cited
Salinger, J.D., The Catcher in the Rye. New York, NY. Little Brown & Company. 1991.
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Gregory Guntharp 5/3/2015 8:22 PM
Comment [5]: The works cited page should be formatted as so. Parenthood Analysis
Aviana Terschueren
English 112
May 5, 2015
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Aviana Terschueren 5/3/2015 8:29 PM
Comment [6]: Correct APA format. APA requires an extra title page; however, the different between APA and MLA is that the teacher’s name is not required. Also, remember to put an extra space between the title and your name. Parenthood Analysis
Aviana Terschueren 5/3/2015 8:29 PM
Comment [7]: For APA, the title needs to be centered. Parenthood is one of life’s most rewarding tasks and also one of life’s most
difficult challenges. A mother’s job is to give birth to another human being and raise him
from the moment he is born to the moment he lives life on his own. She has to feed and
change his diaper as a baby, enroll him in school as a child, and help him through the
awkward and difficult teenage years. This type of task is a huge responsibility and
requires extreme commitment from the parent. Authors often write about this type of
commitment due to their experience on the subject. One such writer, Iris Ruth Pastor,
used symbols in her poem, “I Made a Memory Today,” to explain her experience of
being a mother.
In the middle of her poem, Pastor describes “The sun beat down and warmed us,”
describing the way the sun beat down on her and her son as he was eating ice-cream on
the park bench (Pastor, 2011). This symbolizes happiness due to the fact that sunshine is
Aviana Terschueren 5/3/2015 8:29 PM
Comment [8]: Notice how I used a sentence to tie my introduction with my thesis. Do not simply go from an introduction idea to jumping to your thesis and introducing the book because that sounds choppy. Aviana Terschueren 5/3/2015 8:29 PM
Comment [9]: This is where the thesis needs to be located. Make sure that it actually proves a point instead of simply repeating an obvious statement from the piece. Aviana Terschueren 5/3/2015 8:29 PM
Comment [10]: When quoting something from the piece, remember to put the punctuation within the quotation marks. associated with light and warm weather. During this type of weather, people are able to
enjoy themselves outside and see the world around them, whereas in the dark, without
sunlight, seeing around is not possible. She uses this warmth and happiness of the sun to
symbolize the best part of being a mother, which is pausing her hectic life in order to
spend some time with her son. Memories such as the one she is describing cannot be
made without the company of a child due to the special bond formed between mother and
child. Sunshine represents happiness and warmth throughout life, which the author uses
to represent how she feels about her children; they may not always be easy to raise but
they are a blessing in her life.
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Aviana Terschueren 5/3/2015 8:29 PM
Comment [11]: For APA, the citation should include the author’s last name followed by a comma and the date the piece was written. Unfortunately, downfalls do come with being a mother but that is simply a part of
the experience. After her memorable evening with her son, the author explains picking up
her other son, Louie, and getting home where the crumbs were still on the table and the
defrosted turkey remained uncooked. The crumbs represent the mess and trouble that kids
Aviana Terschueren 5/3/2015 8:29 PM
Comment [12]: Notice how this sentence ties in with my last paragraph. Always remember to somehow connect the ideas. make and put into their parent’s lives due to the fact crumbs are messy and annoying to
anyone who has to clean them regularly. Despite the type of day she has had, being a
mother means taking care of responsibilities, which resembles the hardships that children
bring. They may be the best part of a mother’s life, but as shown by the crumbs, children
are also the most stressful to take care of.
Pastor uses her two symbols in her poem to represent that being a parent is the
best and worst experience of her life. She uses the sunshine as a way to represent the
warmth and love that her children bring into her life. She also uses the messy crumbs on
the counter to portray the stress that her children bring into her everyday life. Parents may
feel like parenthood is the most difficult task in the world; however, the experience
comes with many rewards that parents often overlook.
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Aviana Terschueren 5/3/2015 8:29 PM
Comment [13]: Make sure your ending statement gives your reader something to think about and reflects what your whole paper was about. Notes
Aviana Terschueren 5/3/2015 8:29 PM
Comment [14]: Instead of calling it your “Works Cited” like in MLA, APA requires your works cited to be titled “Notes.” Pastor, I. (2011). I Made a Memory Today.
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The Teenage Years
Sydney Robb
English 112
April 19, 2015
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Sydney Robb 5/3/2015 8:24 PM
Comment [15]: Make sure to leave an extra space between the title and your name for proper APA formatting. Sydney Robb 5/3/2015 8:24 PM
Comment [16]: Date paper is due, not the date the paper was written. The Teenage Years
Life is a wonderful concept; we are conceived in our mother’s womb and just nine
months later our life begins. As children, everything is sweet and simple; our attention
Sydney Robb 5/3/2015 8:24 PM
Comment [17]: Start big introduction, then narrow down to specific idea. span is only a few seconds long, we have no worries, our imagination is unlimited, and
everything is provided for us. As we grow up, life gets a little more complicated; we have
school, jobs, bills, and endless amounts of responsibilities. Janneke Tenvoorde, is one of
many poets, who writes poems that relate to peoples’ lives as they grow up. Tenvoorde
Sydney Robb 5/3/2015 8:24 PM
Comment [18]: Introduce author before thesis. writes, Life of a Teenager, to relate to teenage girls as they transition from children to
adults.
As children, we look up to teenagers and think they are coolest people around.
The teenage years are supposed to be the best years of one’s life; however, this is a
common misconception. “Many have told me/ that your teen years/ are the best part of
your life,/ though to me and my peers/ it doesn’t seem so./ They are filled with strife./
They are filled with fears./ These are the growing up years” (Tenvoorde, 1-8). Becoming
a teenager means gaining responsibility and being held accountable for ones actions.
Unlike childhood, the world expects teenagers to contribute. They get jobs, go to school
and prepare to become an adult. They can no longer live solely of their parents actions
but have to also put in their own work. They are expected to keep their room clean, do
their own laundry, make their own lunch and learn how to one day live on their own.
Teenage years are not as easy as society portrays them; teenage years are part of growing
up and learning how to have responsibilities.
Teenagers also struggle with peer pressure, all they want is too fit in and be liked.
“Looking in the mirror/ I see me,/ trying to be/ not who I am,/ but who they are”
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Sydney Robb 5/3/2015 8:24 PM
Comment [19]: After describing the meaning of the quote, relate back to thesis. (Tenvoorde 27-31). In the teenage years, teenagers learn who they are; they develop their
own opinions, personality, and decide what kind of person they want to be. Teenagers
have to decide if they are going to stand up for what they believe in or give into peer
pressure and do what others want them to do. Teenagers who give into peer pressure may
one-day not even recognized the person they have become. Those who do not give into
Sydney Robb 5/3/2015 8:24 PM
Comment [20]: Analyze quote; how and why do teenagers feel like this? peer pressure may lose people they thought were their friends because they chose not to
act like them. The teenage years are hard; they are filled with endless decisions that have
consequences. Teenagers will fail and make bad choices but hopefully they learn from
their choices and do not make them again.
Tenvoorde talks about how the teenage years are not as easy as society portrays
them. Teenage years involve making decisions, having responsibilities, dealing with peer
Sydney Robb 5/3/2015 8:24 PM
Comment [21]: Relate to author’s last name, after full name has been stated once. pressure, and learning how to be an adult. Without the teenage years, people would not
have a slow learning process, which teaches them how to be an adult, and instead they
would go from having no responsibilities to having endless responsibilities and hoping
for the best results.
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Sydney Robb 5/3/2015 8:24 PM
Comment [22]: Make reader think. Why is your paper important. Notes
Tenvoorde, Janneke. "Life Of A Teenager Poem." Poemhunter.com. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.
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Sydney Robb 5/3/2015 8:24 PM
Comment [23]: Do not forget to cite your work. Elijah Haag
English 112
Mr. Thompson
May 5, 2015
Time
Some people wish for more, some wish for less, and some wish they could reverse
it, but time constantly moving forward. Second by second, minute by minute, people’s
lives are passing by, while they live with the uncertainty of when their lives will end.
John Mayer’s song “Stop This Train” deals with the mental and physical aspects of aging
and coming to the realization that live is short. Mayer’s song symbolizes the problems
adults encounter when they realize how short life really is.
“You are only as old as you feel” is a common saying that older people tell one
another as a lighthearted joke to take the stress off of a person’s actual age. While jokes
Christina Haag 5/4/2015 8:33 AM
Comment [24]: It is important to start off the paper with a large idea and slowly work down to the main idea of the paper. Christina Haag 5/4/2015 8:33 AM
Comment [25]: Always important to put the title of the piece into introduction, and it’s best to use it before the thesis. Christina Haag 5/4/2015 8:33 AM
Comment [26]: This is the thesis statement, which shows the entire focus of the paper, and it should always be the last sentence of the introduction. are funny and may take some of the stress off, gaining years of age is a huge mental
struggle for people. Time forces them to cope with the fact that, no matter what, they are
going to keep getting older until death. Mayer exemplifies the fear of gaining age in his
song when he says “So scared of getting older, I’m only good at being young” (Mayer).
He is scared of the road that lies ahead because death is full of uncertainty; faith in one
religion or another will lead people believe what they want, but in truth, no one is certain
of what happens after death. Mayer’s fear of the unknown after death symbolizes the
adult age group’s mental problems they deal with because of time’s never ending motion.
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Christina Haag 5/4/2015 8:33 AM
Comment [27]: Quote from the song is in quotation marks with the cite from which it is from at the end of the sentence. Along with the mental aspect of aging, there is also a physical aspect as well. As a
person begins to gain more years to their life, their physical appearance will begin to
change; whether it means going bald, gaining wrinkles, or graying of hair, people’s age
Christina Haag 5/4/2015 8:33 AM
Comment [28]: It is a good idea to make transitions as first sentences in body paragraphs to keep a good flow. does begin to show. As time keeps progressing, more physical problems begin to occur; it
is easier for an older person to get sick or injured. As more time progresses, a more
serious physical problem occurs; people start to lose their lives. Mayer shows his problem
with times constant forward motion when he says “don’t know how else to say it, don’t
want to see my parents go,” which shows how time forces people to cope with the
physical pain of something as bad as death (Mayer). Mayer’s song exemplifies physical
problems time causes on older adults.
“Stop This Train” represents the fear problems time causes in older adult’s lives.
Coping with the possibility of death is hard for most people, which shows how time
causes many mental problems with people. Also, time causes changes to the body, which
Christina Haag 5/4/2015 8:33 AM
Comment [29]: The first sentence of the conclusion is always a restatement, in different words, of the thesis. people also have to learn how to deal with. Time is short, which is why people must
enjoy it while it lasts “cause now I see I’ll never stop this train” (Mayer).
Christina Haag 5/4/2015 8:33 AM
Comment [30]: The last sentence of the paper is meant to have a “make the reader think” effect. 79
Elijah Haag
Elijah Abram Haag came sprinting out of the womb
on April 30th 1997 at Rockingham Memorial
Hospital to loving parents James and Christy Haag.
As he grew up he had support from his older brother
Jacob who was always there by his side. Eli has
since found a passion for running track. As a star
track athlete, he has many adoring fans at his races.
He currently holds seven Spotswood High School
records and plans to take more as he goes on to
nd
attend Nationals for the 2 consecutive year. After graduation high school, Eli plans to
attend Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VT) where he will study
Biology.
Gregory Brice Guntharp
Gregory was born on December 4th, 1996 in the
great Shenandoah Valley. As a youngin', he
enjoyed many diverse activities including lacrosse,
swimming, and long walks on the beach. Besides
working on the farm, Greg spent most of his time
with his friends. Although he didn't take off his
New York Yankees hat until about his 15th
birthday, he still has luscious, blonde locks. He is
most famous for his timeless quote "I like my women how I like my sandwiches, simple
and hot". Greg is an extravagant fellow; while he loves Rockingham county, he also
enjoys spending vacations in tropical places, which gives some color to his pale legs.
Gregory excels at school and will be attending James Madison University next year
where he plans to major in business. Greg has his whole life ahead of him to experience
the next two stages of the circle of life.
80
Aviana Terschueren
Aviana was born September 15, 1996, in
Dusseldorf Germany. She spent seven years of
her life over-seas until she moved to
Harrisonburg, Virginia with her mother and
brother. She still enjoys traveling with her
father as her still lives in Germany with the
rest of his side of the family. She has been an
avid swimmer for the Spotswood Country
Club Swim Team since she was a child and
eventually joined her high school swim team
as well. She has also been a part of two of her
school’s musicals, High School Musical and
Hairspray, within the two previous years. She
plans on attending James Madison University in the fall semester of 2015 and plans on
majoring in Health Sciences with a concentration in Public Health.
Sydney Robb
Sydney was born on July 6, 1997, in
Cumberland, Maryland. At the age three, she
settled in Harrisonburg, Virginia where she
spent her childhood years growing up. While
growing she enjoyed motocross, riding horses,
going to 4-H camp, and spending the summers
at her grandmothers house. Currently Sydney
is a member of the Spotswood soccer team.
She also spends her winters skiing and
snowboarding. Sydney plans on attending the University of Colorado Boulder in the fall
semester of 2015 and plans on majoring in Chemical Engineering.
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