My eyes were heavy, but I couldn’t sleep. Not because of the chug-chug of the night train, though. The thing that was keeping me up was the old man sitting across from me. He was staring out the window with a sombre expression that seemed to prohibit me from trying to speak. We both sat there, the silence turning seconds into hours, minutes into days. “So what brings you onto the night train?” “Business trip!” I practically yelled, startled. The sound of a human voice sounded all too unfamiliar to me. I regained my composure. “And you?” He grinned. “This may be hard to believe, but I’m getting on in my years. My doctor said this old body ain't got much longer on this earth. I figured I should visit my grandkids before I pass away.” Despite the sad topic of the conversation, I found there was a smile tugging at my lips. The man had a way of talking that could make anyone feel happy, no matter the situation. “So what’s your name?” I asked. “Daniel Brown. Nice to meet’cha.” He said. “What about you?” …show more content…
When the topic switched to family, Daniel launched into a story about his life. While it was an interesting story, I couldn’t stop my mind from wandering. It was just before sunrise, and the fading image of the stars in the growing light, along with the comforting noises of the train engine, all combined with my lack of sleep, seemed to pull me away. I thought about the train, and the many trips it must have gone on. It may have climbed mountains, shot past plains, dipped into valleys, all while carrying scores of passengers, each with their own lives and stories to tell. It was a humbling feeling to think about the endless succession of travelers that came ahead of me, but at the same time, it made me feel like I was part of some bigger thing. One huge experience, one long journey to countless places, and I was part of it all. I was a chapter in the long story this train had to
The night was tempestuous and my emotions were subtle, like the flame upon a torch. They blew out at the same time that my sense of tranquility dispersed, as if the winds had simply come and gone. The shrill scream of a young girl ricocheted off the walls and for a few brief seconds, it was the only sound that I could hear. It was then that the waves of turmoil commenced to crash upon me. It seemed as though every last one of my senses were succumbed to disperse from my reach completely. As everything blurred, I could just barely make out the slam of a door from somewhere alongside me and soon, the only thing that was left in its place was an ominous silence.
At the same time: Snap-Whoosh-Growl-Snap-Whoosh-Growl! Return with a fierceness, causing the rest of the men to separate into two groups with some moving to the left in search of the origin of the beastly sounds and the others moving to the right, combining their numbers with those searching for their missing brethren, while Gottlieb stays behind.
at 2802 L ST SE in the City of Auburn, King Co, WA. Dispatch advised the
Now, as the family of four travels across the continent, the narrator is able to slough off all the obligations which society has dumped on her. Almost relieved, “we shed our house, the neighborhood, the city, and…our country” (378). On the road, she is no longer forced to hide from the friendly phone calls or household chores. The narrator has been freed on the highway to Ontario, Canada. The Prisoner of War, held under siege in her own home, is liberated to be “hopeful and lighthearted” (378). This trip becomes a break from the life that she’s is currently leading, a life which society thinks should make her content. With this new bit of freedom the narrator is able to form an identity for herself.
I knew it would happen. As much as I tried to stay optimistic, to put off my feelings of suspicion to an old man's negativity, I knew that this case would cost me something more than just my reputation in the town and that didn't even really matter. In Maycomb, reputation is a day by day concept. Sure, we have more than enough of our fair share of immovable gossipers, and drama kings and queens looking for a story to spread. But in everyone's own mind, if you did something stupid, immoral, or just mildly humorous or entertaining, it was the talk of the town and you were judged terribly for a few days, a few weeks tops. Then the whispers, and glances faded to conversations over coffee, and deep inside jokes. My reputation didn't bother me one bit.
I’m sitting in the sunroom, turning the delicate pages of Flowers for Algernon, and feeling the artificial breeze through my hair. I love listening to the sounds of the creek and the songs of the distant birds as I read. It is my only glimpse into what the outside world feels like. The gray storm clouds coming in are reminiscent of pocket lint as I dive deeper into the story. I read about the betrayal that Charlie Gordon felt when he realized the world was a bitter place, and the people that he trusted turned out to be against him. I wonder if that is really how the world is. How can something so vast and free be so unforgiving?
About Alice: Alice is a Food nutritionist and is a very spiritual person as she loves to be in touch with her spiritual side. Alice's opinion is very open as mentioned in the quote she has little to do with aboriginals, so she wants to embark and embrace everything the journey has to offer. She is very excited to try the traditional parts of aboriginal culture, as well as understanding more about aboriginals.
Of the 58,148 killed in Vietnam, sixty-one percent were under the age of 21. Mark Wright had just turned 20 the day he was killed. A land mine turned his beautiful face into a mess of brain matter and skull fragments and his once strong body into nothing but indiscernible pieces. I watched him die the first week we got to Vietnam. He was my best friend. We grew up together, went to school together, we went to war together, and we almost died together. Religion and superstition weren't really my thing until I was drafted. I found God in those short days before I left. Day in and day out I prayed. I prayed for me, I prayed for Mark, I prayed for anything to stop that God forsaken war before I had any participation in it. My research hadn’t
For a whole hour I did not move a muscle, and in the meantime I did not hear him lie down. He was still sitting up in bed listening; --- just as I have done, night after night, hearkening to the death watches in the wall,” (Poe).
I had only to close my eyes to hear the rumbling of the wagons in the dark, and to be again overcome by that obliterating strangeness. The feelings of that night were so near that I could reach out and touch them with my hand… Whatever we had missed, we possessed together the precious, the incommunicable past. (170)
“I suppose it’s the same thing that almost all Negroes have in common, the fatback, chitterlings, and greens background. I suppose that regardless of what any Negro in America might do or how high he might rise in social status, he still has something in common with every other Negro” (Brown). Claude Brown’s life growing up in Harlem shows how an inexperienced young boy can have a rough start in life and still ultimately succeed through determination. Claude Brown broke many laws growing up in Harlem, but he did what he needed to do to endure life in a system that was designed to destroy any dreams he might have had. These blockades did not stop Claude Brown from eventually realizing that he could earn an education and succeed in life if he
The novel The Road by Cormac McCarthy outlines the struggles and horrifying events that transpire as main characters, the man and the boy, go on a journey traveling the road, simply trying to survive the post-apocalyptic world they were forced into. The man and the boy encounter terrifying and life-altering events throughout the depressing novel but always veer back onto the road to continue their path and try to continue their lives. As the novel continues the love and care the man has for the boy is evident, which can be seen when the boy is born and the cries of his mother “meant nothing” (59) to the man; his only worry being his boy. McCarthy illustrates the abiding theme of love and care through tactical and precise accounts of
February 16 2017..... Ok Jesse I don't even know what to feel anymore at first I liked you so much then you started dating Sadie and I absolutely died I had no idea what to do all I did was cry none stop after I was at my house I was told February 1st 3:10 2017 after school I was with Ryder and he was asking if I was ok but I didn't want to tell him because i don't want anyone to see me like this since then I didn't want to talk to you ever again I didn't want to see you or Sadie for ever I didn't want to do anything except cry forever and I am crying my eyes out writing this shocker I know
Celie believes she has no power or say against her father and the choices he makes for her. Alfonso begins to talk about choosing a husband for Celie because he has grown tired of her and is ready to get rid of her. Alfonso also gets bored with his wife, and starts to gravitate toward his younger daughter Nettie again. Celie offers herself to Alfonso in an attempt to save her sister. Alfonso accepts her offers and has sex with her instead of Nettie, while his new wife is sick. Alfonso uses Celie for sex tries and in an attempt to turn the other girls against her he badmouths her and says that she’s a bad influence. He says Celie "ain 't fresh" (isn 't a virgin) and that she is “spoiled” Alfonso sees women as objects and once they have been
What do you want?” “It doesn’t matter who I am. It doesn’t matter what my name is.” He said a bit angry, but then he went on more friendly: “I’m going to help you out of this situation. You deserves better.