As Stephen Covey once declared, “Just as we develop our physical muscles through overcoming opposition- such as lifting weight- we develop our character muscles by overcoming challenges and adversity.” This may seem like no sweat, but in reality it is laborious to do. Nevertheless, there are many people who embody this quote in our everyday lives and even in literature. The short story The Truth About Sharks by Joan Bauer, depicts such a person. In this anecdote, the experience that the protagonist, Beth faced, taught her to stand up for herself and therefore feel empowered. She went from a sullen teenager who was unable to stand up to her uncle and one who felt insecure in the shadow of her cousin, to someone with the confidence to rise above. The Truth About Sharks portrays a vital change that happened to Beth as a result of her being falsely accused of shoplifting and the challenges she faced to clear her name. This article renders a dynamic change that occurred in the main character, Beth who demonstrated the theme stand up for what you think is right. The story begins with Beth feeling upset and complaining to her mother about …show more content…
having to go to her Uncle Al’s birthday party. Her uncle makes her feel uncomfortable by telling sexist jokes and, his daughter makes Beth feel insecure. Snubbing her and making her feel “insignificant and toady” (33). Despite these feelings, she says nothing, not even to her mother, “nothing came from my lips” (33). Her mother tells her she must go and Beth goes to the mall to buy new clothes for the party. It is here that the real story begins. Beth arrived at the department store to look for new pair of black pants.
Unfortunately, the pants she tried on did not fit requiring her to leave the changing room to look for another size. While she was looking for another pair a rude, unprofessional security guard confronted her and accused her for shoplifting. “A cold fear swept through”(36) Beth and she was unable to stand up for herself. The security guard did not listen to her explanation and called the police to take her away. It is when she away in the Police Car when she undergoes her transformation. At the beginning of the ride she asks the policeman “Officer, I am really scared and I don’t know what else to do. Would you let me try to prove I’m innocent?” (39). Fortunately for Beth the officer gives her a chance to prove her innocence and takes her back to the
store. Upon returning to the department where Beth was trying on pants, the police officer questions the sales clerk to verify Beth’s story and therefore her innocence. Much to her relief she is released and goes to her car and begins to head home. On her way she realizes how unjustly she was treated and heads back to the store. With the words “I am teenager hear me roar “ (43) urging her along, she demands to see the manager to inform her of the humiliation she experienced. After getting an apology from the security guard and a $650 gift card she returns home. As a result of this experience Beth felt confident. It was evident in the way she looked. Her mother said, “there was something shining in her face that money could not buy--empowerment” (46). Later that night at the party, Beth confronted her Uncle Al and told him how offensive she found his jokes. She didn’t even feel outshined by her cousin Bianca. Even though Beth went through a difficult experience she learned a valuable lesson standing up for herself. The dynamic change that occurred resulted in a stronger, empowered Beth.
In A Place Where the Sea Remembers, is filled with guilt and regret, the main factors in the characters lives, and forgiving one other is hard to come by. Some of the characters experience the pain of trying to live wi...
“ Stay Strong, Stand up, Have a voice”- Shawn Johnson. This quote epitomizes this story perfectly. There are characters that demonstrate this lead in literature. In the short story, “The Truth About Sharks” Beth, is introduced as the dynamic character. Beth from The Truth About Sharks by Joan Bauer, wakes up and is in a very lazy, tired and cranky mood. She doesn’t want to do anything her mom asks/wants her to. So, instead she went shopping for new pants. Beth goes to Michelle Gail’s and meets Hannah the sales person. She starts trying things on, Beth leaves her stuff in the changing room and walks over to the sales rack by the elevator and gets falsely accused for stealing the pants she had on. Madge P. Groton took her to her office and calls for backup and Beth is later greeted by Officer Brenneman who takes her to the police station. On their way there Beth asks for a chance to prove herself with a witness she has back at the store. Her witness Hannah who luckily remembers her and defends Beth because she was very polite to her in the morning. Beth stands up for herself and goes back to the store demanding an apology, which she later gets and a really pricey gift card given by the manager on behalf of the problem caused in his store. A study through Beth when you stand up for yourself you get something good out of it.
The short stories, “The Girl with the Hungry Eyes” by Fritz Lieber, “Bits and Pieces,” by Lisa Tuttle, “While She Was Out” by Edward Bryant, “Cold Turkey” by Carole Nelson Douglas, and “Lightning Rod” by Melanie Tem Historically, in literature, women are stereotypically placed in one of two roles, the doting wife and beloved mother, or the more outwardly psychotic, witch-like, temptress. As the feminist approach to the criticism of literature has blossomed over time, the need for empowered female characters has surfaced. To rectify the absence of this character, “wild women literature” has made many advances in the defiance of gender role stereotypes and gender norms. The women in the collection of wild women short stories are difficult to define because of society’s pre-conceived notions of how women should and do behave. The term “wild women” conveys a slightly negative and sometimes misinterpreted connotation of a woman’s behavior; however, in this collection of stories, the female characters are generally vindicated because of the motivation behind their actions. The motivation can be linked to the popular cultural phenomenon of women taking charge of their lives, making decisions for themselves, being independent, rising above their oppressors (most commonly the close men in their lives), and becoming empowered. Vigilante actions by the wild women in these stories are not entirely representative of madness, but also re...
One of the previous papers in English class required the class to pick a paper to explore, this question will be concentrated on further in the synthesis essay. What evidence do scientist have to prove that prehistoric sharks existed? The reason behind picking this question wasn’t just to find proof that these monsters swam the seas, but to learn more about them from different resources. One of the resources that were used was a chapter in Angelo Mojetta’s book Sharks, called “ The Birth Of A Legend”. The other resource that was used for information was an article in Discovery Channels website called “ Prehistoric Sharks”. Sharks and Discovery Channel are the two resources that led to many other questions about their different, and similar views on prehistoric sharks existence.
People in society tend to face many challenges that occur in their lives. Some of these challenges can affect people's lives in a positive way or a negative way. If they face their challenges in the negative way, they will suffer for a long time. Having confidence in themselves is considered the best way to overcome the suffering they have in their lives. In the novel, The Shipping News, by Annie Proulx, Quoyle deals with many difficult challenges along his life journey by suffering from bad childhood experiences which led him to have a low self confidence, falling in love with the wrong person that made his life miserable, and raising his two children on his own without getting any support from his wife.
Unfortunately, we have the tendency to go about this by developing attachments and cravings, which causes us to feel suffering during this process. This view becomes much more comprehensible if we make the connection that the shark symbolizes consumerism and materialism in our modern reality. Due to the central role money and economic forces plays within everyone’s lives, “the new shoes or handbag, the new boyfriend or girlfriend” is just like the shark as it “tears [our] innocence to pieces” which creates the unhealthy desire to obtain more than we require (Sluyter 99,101). As a result, we begin to exhibit the unsatisfiable and isolated persona of the shark who “relentlessly [consumes] one fish after another” (Sluyter 99). However, we must realize that attempting to create a sense of fulfillment through material items would be in vain because during our search for the sense of wholeness, we forget that it “ironically surrounds us like an ocean” (Sluyter
People don’t always deal with the same issues in the same way. In the novel, A Yellow Raft in Blue Water, author Michael Dorris explores the perspectives of three women whose stories are tangled together through a history of secrets and lies. Rayona, Christine, and Ida all deal with their own share of hardships throughout the course of the novel. As each new perspective is revealed, it becomes clear that our three protagonists face issues with self discovery, a desire to fit in, and personal growth. Despite that though, each one deals with those problems in different ways. Apologetic, aggressive, and distant--Dorris’s effective use of word choice enables the reader to tap into the mindsets of each of these characters, allowing us to see
Adversity affects the lives of many individuals. Through facing adversity people tend to show their true selves. In the novel “Speak” by Laurie Halse-Anderson, the main character Melinda, faces a few different types of adversity. One form of adversity that she faces is that she was sexually assaulted. Another type of adversity that Melinda goes through in this novel is that she loses all her friends and starts to lose her family as well. Throughout my life, I have faced many different types of adversity, one major thing that I have dealt with in my life is depression. Those who face adversity in their life can choose if they want to face it or to ignore it, and the outcome will prove what they chose to do.
Australian beaches are some of the best in the world and WA beaches are some of the best in Australia. But this may soon no longer be a view held by everyone if the WA government continues to support and allow the shark culling off Perth's major beaches. Hi I'm Maya Koentgen, a marine biologist, ecologist and fellow beach user, and I'm here to tell you why shark culling needs to stop. At the moment hundreds of innocent sharks are being caught and killed and why? Because they are simply swimming in their own homes that us humans have invaded.
Antwone Fisher was an individual that endured so many things. He faced a lot of challenges that may have seemed impossible to recover from. This story was an example of the many things that some children may experience. Antwone was not raised in an upper crust home. He did not grow up in a home in which his mother and father was present. Instead of having positive role models, he had to live with individuals that were abusive to him. When observing Antwone’s personality, one may refer to two different theorists such as Bandura and Rogers.
First on the path to Jim’s downfall is his everlasting desire to be a hero. From the time Jim was sent to a sea school, he knew the only place for him was the water. Because of his love for the sea, he very easily is able to progress through the ranks until he becomes a very high ranking officer on an important boat. Being raised on the sea, Jim hears many the story of seamen becoming heroes and d...
In conclusion, in every short story the main character is challenging or going against the world in many ways. Whether it 's by challenging the Law, Themselves, or society. Everyone has something they have to prove and they try their best to live life the way they want without regrets at the end of the day. Each one has a lesson behind it that you can relate to one way or another. Everyone’s
Hundreds of people, who get in the ocean every year, are almost none that encounter sharks. Even if you're lucky enough to see a shark big enough to bite you, you're much likely to die from a heart attack than getting bit by one. Shark attacks are mistakes and the idea of a shark off every beach waiting for people to come in the water is completely untrue. I will inform you on the background knowledge of sharks and the reasons why humans should not be afraid only aware.
The story of a sea rescue is portrayed as “heroic” and “an outstanding contribution to search and rescue” (Margaret, Linley). While off duty, a local officer assisted a boy back to shore after having been caught in a rip tide. His actions were valiant, as were the boy’s father, who died while trying to save his son.
In everyday life, we must overcome the challenges that test our strength and will as well as to accept the ramifications that come in handling the situation. These events are known as moral and ethical dilemmas and in certain reading selections, the main characters are faced with fulfilling a parent’s desire, putting your life at risk, challenged to explore who you really are, and choosing to whether or not disclosing or doing something is the right thing to do.