Where are you going, where have you been?

   This story was really weird and creepy. It was realistic and I felt really mad at the girl for acting the way she did. I understand she was scared and that this would have been some peoples reaction but I would have acted more sensibly. I would have closed and locked the door. Then I would have called the police while keeping my eye out for the man. If he got in I would have, if I thought I could take him, gone to the kitchen and grab a knife or some weapon and take him down or, if he were way bigger and stronger looking then me, flung something at him to slow him down, then run out the back door of the house and run towards another person's house. I know it was probably at least a mile from her house to somebody else's house but still I would have just kept going and if I saw the man's car coming after me I would try to hide while still making my way towards safety. After all the man was somewhat drunk and that would have given me an advantage over eluding and/or fighting him. I just think the girl should have at least tried somewhat to keep herself together and put up a fight. Why did she have to go and give herself up so easily when she stood a pretty good chance of saving herself? Other then size and strength possibly I don't see that the guy posed that much of a threat to her. These are all just my thoughts on the situation.

The Lesson

   Last week we were assigned to read The Lesson. This short story had a good variety of themes about the value of money, value of educationa and the difference in perspectives. Aside from this, I didn't like the actual story.  The story is stale, having no action, suspense, drama, or anything else that stimulates my mind. The main character, who's name escapes me right now, is the type of girl I hate to be around. She is arrogant, bossy and doesn't want to accept the reality of life. She doesn't want to prepare for the 'real' world. On the other hand, her cousin Sugar is a much more appealing character, which is why I remember her name. She is actually open minded and when she and her friends are taken on the trip to the toy store, she seems to have an epiphany and realize that there is much more she needs to learn about if she wants to live her life to the fullest.

How Far She Went

   This story was very well written in its intent to express the somber aspects of the human nature. none of the characters in it are characters that people want to read about to experience enjoyment. They all have traits that make them unappealing, but at the same time, make them human.

   The bikers are the cliche bad guys. They are thugs and bullies and have no respect or decency. They chase down the two women, destroy there car and threaten to hurt them, but they are human and there are real peoplee who behave as these two do.

   The girl is a typical teeanger. Young, anxious, rebellious and mad at the world. She hates being controlled and doesn't respect authority, but at the end of the story, after her encounter with the bikers, she has an epiphany and gains a better view on the world. She has a better understanding of how the world works and she has a new bound respect for her grandmother and herself.

   The grandma has been hurt. It is never directly explained how she got hurt but she's been hurt emotionally and we can all relate to that. She could never bring herself to fully love or understand her daughter, so her daughter grew up rebellious and died an early death. Now the grandma is in charge of her grandaughter, but because that miscontent with her own daughter still lingers, she cannot come to love or understand her grandaughter either, leading to her grandaughter also growing up rebellious and feeling like she doesn't belong. It is a sad turn of events, but it happens and it is always sad, and hopefully after going through this terrible incident, the grandma and her grandaughter learn to accept and understand one another so that they can have a happy and healthy relationship.

   I did not enjoy this story because it was so somber and unhappy, but I enjoyed it on a deeper level because everything in it was relatable and gave me a peek into an aspect of humanity that we all try to hide away.

Haroun and the Sea of Stories

   Haroun and the Sea of Stories is a really good book and i'd recommend it to anybody who likes to read. It reminds me of the Wizard of Oz in that Haroun, like Dorothy, finds himself in a fantastical world full of colorful and bizare creatures and every other one of these creatures reminds him of someone he knows back on earth. I think it's really cool. It is a literary book but is written to be enjoyed by both children and adults. Every page is full of childish humor and wimsy but it still delivers a satisfying and entertaining story full of memerable characters and places that will keep people of all ages and interests reading 'till the end.

   Along with the fun and exciting story the book provides is a long list of literary elements, like metaphors, that get the reader to think about the characters and ideas in the book and how they emplify the different aspects of humanity and how the idea of life differs from person to person. Some people like to think of it as one big joke, or a really fun time while others think of it as a competition that must be won or a job that must be completed in the most effecient and beneficial way. The real way to go about living is to try and find balance between all aspects of life. Have as much fun as you can and laugh as much as you can, but don't forget to work hard at everything you do and do it because it's what you love to do and by balancing your life in the most beneficial way, you'll live a life that is both fun and fulfilling.

“In my life I have found two things of priceless worth - learning and loving. Nothing else - not fame, not power, not achievement for its own sake - can possible have the same lasting value. For when your life is over, if you can say 'I have learned' and 'I have loved,' you will also be able to say 'I have been happy.”
― Arthur C. Clarke, Rama II