Loyalty, Trust, and Love
The book, Midnight Thief by Liva Blackburne is a captivating story about a seventeen-year-old girl named Kyra in Britain during the middle ages. Kyra is a thief in the night, who steals from the rich so she has money to take care of herself and help her friend’s sick sister. One day, she is hired by James, the leader of the infamous Assassins Guild, and is forced to join them so she can afford medicine for her friend. Two red shield soldiers ,Jack and Tristam, are about to become knights when they encounter a clan of barbarian, feline demons known as the Demon Riders. The Demon Riders are notorious for thievery, and raiding farms and carverns. Jack and Tristam try to stop them when they sees the Demon Riders raiding
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a farm, but prove to be no match to their demon blood. As a result, Jack is murdered as Tristam watches helplessly. Tristam vows to avenge his friend, but that proves to be difficult when the Demon Riders and the Assassins Guild start to work together against the council that Tristam works for. It becomes even more difficult when Kyra and Tristam start to fall in love with each other. In the book, loyalties are shifted and thrown around numerous times, until it is almost impossible to figure out who to trust, but in the end, the characters learn to only place loyalty to those who deserve it. Blackburne shows this through the use of Tristam’s characterization and the constant conflicts between him and Kyra. One example of Blackburne using characterization is through Tristam and his thirst to avenge his friend. Tristam becomes a knight and does dangerous work, solely to avenge Jack. He wants nothing more than to kill the demon that killed his best friend. When faced by Jack’s killer, Tristam listens to the demon as it insults his friend's foolishness and says how futile it is to think about revenge, but Tristams says in return, “’I will avenge him’” (Blackburne 90). Tristam was loyal and trusting toward his friend whom died protecting others, this gave Tristam a reason to work hard and protect others. This shows that Tristam is a caring person who is loving towards his comrades. When Tristam meets Kyra, he begins to develop feelings of admiration and trust for her even though he knows she’s a thief. When he captures her and takes her prison as ordered by the council, Tristam tries especially hard to keep a stoic face and push his feelings aside. His feelings are then tested when the council tries to use Kyra to kill James, but then gets her captured by Demon Riders. The council believes it is not worth rescuing Kyra, and orders Tristam to stop searching for her. Tristam tries to listen to the council and abandon her, to the disaproval of Kyra's friends. One of them, Flick, goes to the length of trying to start an argument with Tristam. Flick "’So this is your Knight’s idea of honor? Use a lass for you own devices and throw her to the barbarians when you’re done?’” (Blackburne 275). Flick is extremely angry when Tristam says he will not go save Kyra, while Tristam is conflicted. He wants to save Kyra, he even promised her he would not let her die, but consequences such as death come from disobeying the council. This shows that Tristam cares even about Kyra, yet is still loyal to his line of work. An Additional way conflict is shown, is within the disputes between Tristam and the Council.
He is torn about what to do, because he has two choices, each with their own rewards. He can both obey the council and leave Kyra to die, or he could disobey them and save her, in which would resolve in him losing his job and/or getting killed. “’When I took my [knightly] vows, I pledged to obey the council and protect Forge’s citizens. I never thought those two vows would clash’” (Blackburne 276). Even though Kyra has done many things Tristam is against, he cannot help to be drawn to her. But at the same time, Tristam has duties and must obey the council as he pledged. He ends up saving her with some help from a new friend, only to realize Kyra turns out to be half demon! The same kind of demon that killed Jack, and his new friend too! Which leads to another conflict, the issue between the Knight Tristam and Kyra. As Tristam, himself, admitted, he had issues with Kyra from the beginning, because of all the things she’d done. “’I’ve harbored doubts about you, Kyra. First you were in the Guild, and then I thought you’d betrayed me to the Demon Riders. And each time I was wrong. I’m not making the same mistake again… I like you, Kyra’” (Blackburne 347). His devotion to her is strong, and he manages to overcome his hatred for demons and fear of disobeying the council. As it turns out Tristam’s only punishment for going against orders is being stripped of his knight-hood for a year.
From that, he learned to always trust and stay devoted to those he trusts. Blackburne tries to convey through the characterizations and conflicts through the constant issues involving Tristam. Blackburne uses her characters to show that sometimes people who seem like allies can be enemies, and likewise. For example, a person who seems kind and acts friendly, could secretly be spreading rumors and telling lies. It is important to be cautious of these people, because they might just be the reason for the downfall of others. A person who lies about being trustworthy, hurts someone more than someone who is known to be untrustworthy. It is also very important not to fall for the tricks from these sort of people, they can be very sneaky and are good at make believe. There for, people need to be cautious of those they trust, or they will regret it in the future.
“The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak is narrated by death and begins when Liesel’s brother dies on a train with her and her mother. At her brother’s burial, she steals her first book, “The Grave Digger’s Handbook” and soon after is separated from her mother and sent to live with foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, in Molching, where the majority of the book takes place. At school, Liesel is teased because she can’t read so Hans teaches her to read when she wakes up from her frequent nightmares about her brother’s death. Hans is a painter and an accordion player and also plays the accordion for her after her nightmares. Liesel grows very close with Hans and also becomes close friends with her neighbor Rudy Steiner who constantly asks her to
In the novel The Book Thief by Markus Zusak the narrator is Death, who shows itself as sympathetic and sensitive towards the suffering of the world and the cruel human nature, through its eyes, we can get to know the heartbreaking story of Liesel Meminger an ordinary, but very lucky nine-year old German girl; living in the midst of World War II in Germany. In this book the author provides a different insight and observation about humanity during this time period from a German view and not an Allied perspective, as we are used to.
Nobody understands what really took place that night, the night that John Brown launched his raid on Harpers Ferry. Why it was done, what caused it and what the actual event itself caused was later discovered and well known by people centuries after it even took place. This raid, was one of the biggest reason a nation was left divided. The Southern part of America was its own “nation” where as the Northern part was thought of kind of as the same but opposite. “Midnight Rising” gives an in depth explanation and feel for the events leading to and the events caused by this raid. The book is based around the time period pre civil war ( circa 1859), In the first part of the book and overview and a little bit of background information is provided. Explaining where and when the raid was being planned and where it was going to be executed, and all of this being told through the perception of one of John Browns men .Prior to this event, Bleeding Kansas had happened and it caused an immense amount of outrage, blood shed, fear and frustration amongst almost every single person part of the U.S at the time. Nat Turners rebellion caused an uproar filled with fear, in the south and that was one of the things that had led up to the main event discussed in the book ( the raid on Harpers Ferry). During the time period the book took place, the southern part of America was pro slavery where as the North was not, and due to these discrepancies neither side could or would compromise and neither would be able to come to any sort of agreement on what to do with laws and rules and with the slaves either. Events such as Nat Turners Rebellion are what caused people in the south to become more fearful of slaves
PLOT AND SUMMARY: Fablehaven by Brandon Mull is the story of two siblings Kendra and Seth’s adventure through their Grandparent’s magical reserve. The story starts with the two of them feeling uneasy about being at their Grandparent’s for the summer, but after drinking the magical milk that lets them see what’s really around them, they start to like it more and more. As they venture through the reserve they encounter many magical and dangerous creatures, these include; two satyrs with an obsession with electronics, a dying demon Graulus, a fairy queen, and witch that lives in a shack. After they release the evil witch Muriel, by undoing the last of her knots that imprison her, she unleashes the demon Bahumat.
knight, yet he still allows him to become one because he knows how important it is to
In Guy de Maupassant’s “The Terror” a man, who remains unnamed, attempts to persuade the reader that he is not completely insane by explaining the situation that has driven him to this He first says that he is marrying a woman whom he has seen only four or five times because he is afraid of being alone. He tells the reader not to judge him until he explains himself. He continues to explain by setting up a scenario that he has lived through. He came home one night, walked into his room, which he had always left locked, and found it unlocked. He meanders in and sees a man in his armchair by the fire. He is not alarmed by the man, thinking that he is a friend come to visit. He goes over to the man, and reaches to wake him where he has fallen asleep. Suddenly the man is not there, vanished into thin air.
After the old woman’s extensive lecture on how trivial he was being, the knight finally caved in. With reluctance, he says, “My lady, and my love, my dearest wife, I leave the matter to your wise decision. You make the choice yourself, for the provision of what may be agreeable and rich. In honor to us both, I don’t care which: whatever pleases you suffice me” (87). The knight slackens as he figures out that he was wrong. He doesn’t continue to prove his action, or attitude, unlike before, but allows the old women the right to sovereign between their relationship. The knight learned acceptance and decided to keep loyal to his wife while lowering his standards. The readers can realize the sudden change in his personality, from being unlikable for most of the plot to a developed character who finally learns a
At any rate, sometimes things may seem right when in reality they could be wrong. Usually, when someone makes a bad choice it’s because they have faith in something else. For Elie’s family they didn’t want to believe that things could get worse even after getting warned, like on pg. 10 when Moshie gives them their last warning. Despite the fact that the Germans were already invading their land. Later in the story people are faced with more do or die stitutions, which could lead you to doing something horribly wrong. A prime example is the dentist who we learn from Elie was, “dealing in the prisoner's gold teeth for his own benefit.” Of course,this may sound like the right idea in the long run, but not only is it wrong to sell other people's
Death states that, “I’m always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both” (Zusak 491). This book shows us human doing things that weren’t even imaginable before this point. Many people give into ideas that were lies. But, we also watch a few people go out of their way and sacrifice everything for a man they barely even know. They do everything they can to keep him safe and alive. They work harder, the get another job, and they even steal. In Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, death examines the ugliness and the beauty of humans.
Muckrakers were normal people who made a big difference in American society. During the progressive era of history, investigative journalists and authors called muckrakers brought facts that corporations didn’t want the public to know to light. A few of these were Ida Tarbell, Samuel Hopkins Adams, Ray Stannard Baker and Lincoln Steffans.
The book As Seen on TV by Karal Ann Marling, is a fascinating study into television and its influence it had on America in the 1950’s. There are many concepts, which are studied in detail proving the pull and push the TV “images” had on the entire U.S. culture.
When a person does not get important information, they hope for intimations, especially if they have to wait twenty years. In The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Celia and Marco are both surprised when they have to compete in a circus, and what surprises them more is that they are opponents. When the competition starts, Celia uses her magical powers in the guise of illusion, and Marco uses spells from his journals, so one of them can win the long waited competition. What I have read in the book so far allowed me to connect with Marco, question why the competition is in a circus, and evaluate why Hector is extremely strict towards Celia.
Nightjohn is set in the South of the United States before the Civil War. The main characters in the book are John “Nightjohn”, Sarny, Mammy, and the plantation owner Waller. John was bought by Waller for $1000 dollars and was subject to cruel treatment from the start, having to pull Waller’s horse cart naked and barefoot. The book shows how being literate contributed to the escape of some slaves before the Civil War, and how slavery played a pivotal role in society back then. In 1860, there were almost 4 million slaves owned across the country, which was the majority of the black population. John meets Sarny after offering to teach her reading and writing in exchange for tobacco.
This book tell about the life of Benjamin Franklin in a firsthand account. It tells of his early aspirations from childhood, his love of knowledge and drive to expand his mind. It was made so that he could tell people his story, record his life for future generations from his own perspective, and to tell the tale of how a poor young man with ambition became an icon for an entire country. The novel was written in a very short, almost staccato fashion where it is very easy to understand and interpret. The language is a little archaic to me, but that is to be expected with a book written in a foreign time period with a different dialect than I am accustomed to. I found the book to be very inspiring and an incredible story of a man with a dream and the knowledge of how to obtain it.
Indian-Canadian director Deepa Mehta 's film based on Salman Rushdie 's novel Midnight’s Children is a clear example of a post-colonial work. Midnight’s Children follows two children, both born at precisely midnight, on the exact day that India gained independence from Great Britain. Shiva is born to wealthy parents, while Saleem enters the world as the son of a beggar, but a nurse switches the two boys at birth. Throughout the film, the narrator, Saleem, explains both families’ histories, and in doing so, combines personal narratives with that of India itself. The birth of the “midnight children” represents the birth of a new, independent country. The film rejects the version of India created through British colonization and provides a view