Impressions

Think about a person who you met who left an impression on you (much like Effie left an impression on Neil). Tell a story about this person on your blog. Try to use a combination of direct and indirect characterization. Please also use figurative language at least three times.

Before you post your story about this person, please underline any direct characterization, italicize any indirect characterization, and bold any figurative language that you included.

Jack

It was a slow, kind of boring day in the summer holidays and we were lounging around in the backyard, chucking around the footy half heartedly, chatting, and wondering what to do. Suddenly, we had an inspiration. We would build a little bonfire with some scraps of wood that we had gathered from the orange orchard. Sly as a fox, Jack snuck into the house and grabbed a firelighter and a packet of Tim-tams to munch on as we cultivated our creation. The grin on his face showed his mission successful, and soon we were down to business. An hour later, lounging on some beach chairs beside the dying coals, Jack, ever the pyromaniac, handed me a charred stump of wood that fit snugly inside my hand. We both mashed the charcoal into our hands until the back pigment stained our palms. As a fitting climax to his sense of humour; Jack reached across and drew two thick, black lines on my face under my eyes. It was chaos from then on. By the time we were finished, we were as black as a midnight sky and hardly able to stay on our feet from laughing so much. Needless to say, we were banished from the house for the rest of the day. =]]

Clue 3

Clue Three

1) What is a literary theme? Provide an explanation and the 3 one-statement examples of a literary theme that reveals truth about the universal human experience.

A literary theme is the overarching truth, about the world. The theme is usually issued from the author’s perspective. Therefore the theme statement is not always true for everyone in the world, rather is what the author believes is true. A theme statement contains a fact that the author believes in, and would like to communicate with the reader. Stories with themes often do more than teach the reader about the truth. They also help connect the reader to the story that they are reading. For example, some examples of some theme statements that I really like include:

· “Like a house without a roof, a man without trust is also incomplete.”

· “Many obstacles come unexpectedly in life, but finishing what you have started will help you determine whether it was worth it or not.”

· “Stepping into someone else’s shoes will help you to get rid of ignorance.

Each of these statements provides a message from the author to the reader that will most likely be illustrated in the story that they write.

2) What is the theme of your life, as you see it right now?

The theme of my life, as I see it right now, is that anyone who submits to God with a humble and contrite heart will see the world in a new perspective and learn to love those who need to be loved. This theme is not one that I took from another source. It is instead truth that I believe in. I gathered this statement from a collection of my own writings. The truth that I believe has come from many sources; the Bible, the people around me and from my own heart. I believe that it is important for the world to have themes so that humans do not merely live their life, but get something important out of it. When an author writes a story that has a theme to it, someone is going to benefit from the process. Even if no one reads the story, you can be sure that the author will have to think about it more deeply before they convey it on paper. The theme of my life includes morals and teachings that I have come to understand, accept and believe from a young age. I see the value of having meaning or moral in my life, which is why I often take the time to consider what message I have to teach others, or what I have learnt from the world; in other words, theme.

3) In your opinion, what is the theme of God’s plan for this world?

The theme of God’s plan for the world, as I see it, has to do with all things working together for a common purpose. In fact, the Bible shows us that God already told us what His purpose is. “And we know that all things work together for the good of those who love Him…” (Romans 8:28). This verse from the bible shows us that Gods plan for the world has an ultimate purpose. This purpose can be summed up by this overarching theme statement. In saying this; I know that others asked the same question will have very different answers to the same question. With God, I believe that we interpret and live out His words to us from different perspectives. Going back to Reader Response, we know that our backgrounds and previous experiences give us different knowledge and understanding than most others around us. This helps us to interpret the same truth, or even the same statement in different ways.

1) How can you figure out a theme in a short story? Describe the process.

To figure out the theme of a short story, four easy steps can be taken. These four steps; title, characterization, conflict and resolution, almost always come in handy when trying to determine the theme of a short story. Firstly, the title of a story is a word, or a few words, that the author has carefully chosen. This title is used to either sum up an important aspect of the story, or to hook the reader into the story that they have written. Because of the careful word choice, it is useful to utilize the title of a story when trying to determine theme. Secondly, the characters in a short story are key to determining theme. It is the characters, especially the round and dynamic ones, which provide you with action and therefore, usually a conflict, and ultimately a conclusion. Conflict is important to theme as this is usually where the message for the reader is showed; in the decision that the character makes in regards to the story. The major conflict is usually the main action of the story and therefore is most useful in determining the overarching theme of the story. Finally, the resolution, particularly of the conflict demonstrates the morals and messages all summed up and resolved by the end of the short story, helping the reader to make decisions regarding the theme for themselves.

2) What is the theme of “The Utterly Perfect Murder” and how does this theme relate to you own life?

The theme of “The Utterly Perfect Murder”, as I see it is that “Some events, even from a young age will impact your later life more than you could imagine.” This is a reoccurring theme in my own life too. I find that many events from my younger childhood still impact me strongly today. This theme is also a component of Reader Response. Reader Response helps us to take what we have learned from before, and use it to comprehend what we are encountering now. This is particularly true with literature. Without the capacity to remember our past experiences, we would probably not get much out of any theme presented to us in literature. This is because we find the need to relate what we need to understand to our own experiences. In relation to the theme statement, as I see it to this story, this theme is very applicable to my own life. I find myself using my past experiences and knowledge everyday, especially impressionable events in my life, to help me make decisions. My past has been very important, to date, in determining my future. This is particularly because of the influence my memories have on the choices I make.

3) How is a moral of a story different from a theme?

The moral of the story is different from a theme. Though the similarities are many, such as the fact that they are messages for the reader to intake, a moral differs from a theme in one small way. A moral is standard or benchmark about society in general. A theme, on the other hand, is a message about the world. The difference between the two lies in the intended use for the message. A moral is a statement of ethical value that is intended for the reader to put into practice in their own life, while a theme is merely something to consider about the earth, that the author believes is true. In the latter case, the reader, now equipped with the moral that the story has to offer, along with the moral that they have been given, need to make a decision. The decision that they have to make regards whether or not they will chose to incorporate this theme into their own life. In other words, it is whether or not they will choose to accept the same truth that they author had, and had recorded through the events of the story.

4) Read John 3:16. Is this a theme statement for God’s story? How does this relate to the truth you might find in literature?

I believe that this is a possible theme statement for God’s story on earth. I believe that God did not create this earth with no rhyme or rhythm. I believe that the existence of the universe, and anything else, in fact has a purpose. This ‘theme statement’ displayed in John 3:16, pretty much sums up the purpose God had in sending His son Jesus Christ into the midst of our broken world. Without an ultimate purpose or theme, people today would struggle to understand the meaning of this act. This is true also in literature. Without a purpose to the story, readers will have a hard time identifying theme. Without identifying theme, it is hard for the reader to get much of the originally intended meaning of the story. If they do not get the meaning, purpose or theme out of a story, they have wasted however long it has taken them to read doing nothing. However, in conjunction to reader response, even if the truth of the story remains unidentified, it will still stick in the back of our minds and influence our decisions and actions later on. There is even hope for a theme to be understood later on, either by reinstatement or rewording, being explained in a different context, or clicking with the reader after they experience something that helps them to understand.

Clue 5

The Magnifying Lens

1. What is the theme of “About Effie”?

The theme of “About Effie” could be stated as “Adults have the capacity to make big impressions on young children; influencing them for the rest of their lives.”

2. Find a verse from the bible that relates to the theme of “About Effie” and include it in your written response.

Out of the mouth of babes and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.
(Psalms 8:2 ESV)

Pondering “About Effie” and the truth it reveals…

1. Who is Effie waiting for?

Effie is waiting for ‘him’. ‘He’ is the mysterious character in the story. He is the one that Effie talks about, the one she is preparing herself for when he comes. ‘He’ seems to Neil to be different from the men that ‘all the others’ are waiting for, but he must be special all the same because Effie waits in such anticipation for him. It seems that Effie bases her whole life around this one guy. ‘He’ influences Effie so much that Effie leaves a big impact on Neil, showing the relationship between the child and the adult in this story.

2. This story contains a lot of Christ Imagery. Write down three separate sentences from the story that might symbolize Jesus and explain why Timothy Findley might have written these into his story.

· “It was then that she gave me that look I told you about-the look that said, “Are you the one I’m waiting for”-and then she sat down and started to cry.”

This quote may symbolize Christ in the anticipation of His coming that Effie demonstrates. It seems to me that anyone who bursts into tears at the idea that ‘he’ has arrived shows great submission to ‘him’, whoever it is. I believe that this is why the author included this description in the story; to show Effie’s submission to ‘him’. Christ demonstrates the characteristics of someone who we should submit ourselves to.

· “Of course he is. That’s why he’s coming. That’s why I’m waiting.”

Christ is someone worth waiting for; someone that we SHOULD be waiting for, all the time. Christ is also coming to take us away, in a sense, so perhaps the author chose these words to indicate that Effie was waiting for her death.

· “All those other men always come on horses-white horses. Not Effie’s. A big black cloud”

Our God is different to a typical perception of a King or hero. Christ came as a servant, rather than someone who was to be served. If the author was meaning ‘him’ to be Christ, then this is a good analogy of the way that Jesus is, and lived.

3. Can non-Christian authors reveal truth about God’s world?

I believe that non-Christian authors can reveal truth about God’s world through the differentiation between good and evil. I believe that without God’s guidance, we would have no concept of good or evil. We would also have no morals to live by, no ethical views on life and other people. With this in mind, any author who writes about a conflict tends to write about good and evil, and therefore, reveals truth about God’s world. Even the characteristics of the characters generally replicate those of living humans. It is these humans who were made by God, in His own image; therefore, we are given another revelation of truth about God’s creation.

Clue 4

Setting and Characterisation

Who is a “character” in your real life (a real-life person) you admire? Why do you admire this person? (Be specific and name the traits you admire)

There is a woman whom I met just over a year ago who has touched my heart and taught me things I never imagined I would learn. She is a teacher at our school; my teacher in fact. Though she is relatively young, she is wise, and I really appreciate her input into my life and my heart. One of the things that I really admire about her character is her non-judgmental manner. She is so open minded and never has a bad word to say about anyone. Other characteristics that I like in her include her fun loving, but responsible outlook on life, and her joy into the development of my own spiritual life. I love the way that I can just sit down with her and have a ‘philosophical conversation” (as we call them), about life in general and get so much fun and knowledge out of it. I like how she challenges and develops my mind and beliefs, but she supports me whenever I need it. One of the best things about her is how great a listener she is, and how she is always ready to lend an ear!

What Clues do Setting and Characterization Offer?

1. What specific clues can setting reveal about the theme of a short story?

Setting can be very important to revealing theme to any reader. The setting provides a lot of background information, especially about the characters. The characters are usually important to the theme of the story. This is because they are involved in the major conflict, and therefore the climax of the story. If you think about it; the setting provides a basic understanding and enhances comprehension of the entire story. The setting helps to develop the character more, and usually influences the title and conflict in the story; all key components to identifying the theme of a story. On the other hand, ‘theme’ can be defined as a universal truth; therefore, most themes will be applicable to any setting. Therefore the setting does not influence the theme so much as helps define it.

2. How does an author drop clues about characters and how their actions lead to the theme of a story?

An author drops clues about a characters influence to theme through dialogue, insight into the characters minds, their actions, and both direct and indirect characterization. The character’s speech and thought process often give you many things to think about, sometimes even stating the theme in an indirect or direct manner. The actions that the characters take reflect their thought processes, their position or part in the story and their place in the conflict. Their place in the conflict almost always influences their part in the theme. Therefore, main characters in a story usually greatly influence the theme. Though the main character’s characterization is usually more developed, even minor characters can play a part in the theme of the story.

3. What is the strongest setting you have ever encountered in you own life (the place that has impacted your life the most). Describe this place and ponder if God revealed anything about Himself or His truth in this place.

The strongest setting I have ever encountered would have to have been Oribi Gorge in South Africa. About an hour away from the city Durban, this gorge by far the most beautiful places I have ever seen in my life, but it was also in this place that God taught me some valuable lessons about His awesome power and might. Over hanging this gorgeous gorge, there was a series of cables and pulley’s that made up Oribi Gorge Swing, the largest gorge swing in the world. Attached to a couple of thick bungee cords around their waist, game people plunged over the edge of a waterfall and fell 100 meters freefall into the gorge below. Being deathly afraid of heights, I automatically wrote it off and was content to watch my two younger sisters, fearless, jump off the rocky ledge to their potential death. But when the time came to pay for the tickets, my parents asked me whether I wanted to jump, I felt this voice deep inside of me urging to give it a go, and without thinking, I blurted out a “yes”. They were utterly taken aback, and so was I, but I heard this voice inside of me telling me that I should not be afraid, that God would be with me, and that whatever happened was included in His plan for me. So I harnessed up and sat on the ledge and waited for my turn, not knowing what was in store for me or whether I would even be able to sum up the courage to jump; but I laid my worries on Him and did not think about it. Next thing I knew I had dived off the cliff and was falling, freefall through the air faster that I could fathom. At the bottom, I began to put pressure on the cord and it swung back and forth in the air as I feasted my eyes on the sights which beheld me. It was by far the most amazing view of my whole entire life, and it humbled me to see the greatness, but beauty of God’s creation all around me. I was in tears, because of the incredible, indescribably view, and how it brought me closer to understanding the greatness of my incredible, indescribable God.

Clue 6

Figuratively Speaking...

1) Define a metaphor and a simile.

Metaphor: Comparison of two things or idea's without using 'like', 'than' or 'as'.

Simile: Comparison that uses 'like' 'than' or 'as'.

"My love is like a red, red rose

That's newly sprung in June:

My love is like the melody

That's sweetly played in tune."

-Robert Burns

What is beautiful about figurative language?

1) Why do authors use figurative language?

Authors use figurative language to add beauty to their writing. Figurative language also adds interest for the reader into what they are reading. For example, a hyperbolic comment may grab the reader’s attention and get them more 'into' the story. The figurative language in a story, particularly fiction, enhances the communication of an idea or concept. Using imagery, such as figurative language, is an alternative method of conveying a specific thought that the author has and wants to communicate to the reader. Figurative language is specifically used for demonstrating particularly abstract or unrealistic concepts. In this context, it is very useful to have figurative language, as otherwise authors may be stuck for words. Readers benefit from figurative language too. They sometimes rely on figurative language to help them too imagine a concept or an idea. Overall, writers mainly use figurative language as a tool to spark emotion, hook, or demonstrate what they have to convey their audience.

2) List 3 metaphors that you think are really beautiful or interesting.

1) "I'll be the phonograph that plays your favourite albums back as you're lying there drifting off to sleep..."

-"Brand New Colony", The Postal Service (song)

2) "Cell phones are global warming"

- "William Gordon"

3) "A comfortable sofa is fertile soil for the couch potato"

- "J.D. Casnig

3) Find a metaphor for Jesus in the Bible and list the Bible verse

~John 14:6

"I am the way, the truth and the life"

4) What does this metaphor reveal about God's world and your understanding of it?

In John 14:6, Jesus tells us that he is the 'way' the 'truth' and the 'life'. And not only is He a 'way', a 'truth' and a 'life', but He is 'the' way, 'the' truth and 'the' life. This metaphor reveals a lot about God's plans for our lives. He obviously cares about us, and loves us enough that He has thought out, and created a plan to fulfill all our needs. He, through Jesus, provided for us a way to Himself, a way for us to draw closer to Him, to love Him, and to get to know Him better. He also gave us a 'truth' which helps and instructs us both in our lives, and also in our journey towards Him. Lastly, He gave us 'life' through Jesus; both in our everyday experiences, but also the ability to love Him, and be forgiven for our sins. If we want to know the 'truth' about God, the only 'way' is through Jesus. Jesus came so that we could be born again out of sin and have new 'life'. It is particularly mind boggling that God would make such a sacrifice for us; sending His only son just so that we can have these things. This metaphor demonstrates God’s beauty; the beauty of what Jesus is, and should be for us, as well as the beauty of God’s love for us.

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Beauty and Reader Response

CLUE #1

1) What is beauty?

the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations (as shape, color, sound, etc.), a meaningful design or pattern, or something else (as a personality in which high spiritual qualities are manifest).

^Dictionary.com

Beauty is anything that captures positive attention. Like art, I believe that beauty is defined by the individual, not by specific guidlines, but by love, instead of physical attraction. I don't beleive that beauty can be judged or lost, but most importantly, true beauty comes from within, characterised by God Himself through love..

God IS Beauty

2) Bible Verses~ God's View of Beauty

Proverbs 31:30 -

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

This verse indicates that God views external beauty as something materialistic, earthly, and something that will not last or be important in the long run.

The following verse backs up this opinion:

Proverbs 6:25 -

Do not lust in you heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes

Here is a verse that describe the beauty of God:

Isaiah 53:2 -

...He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,

nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

This verse, speaking of Jesus Christ, God's own son, as He appeared when He came to earth, indicating that God is not preoccupied by physical appearance, as He is by the inside.

In your own words, summarize what reader response analysis is, and what steps are involved.

Reader Response Analysis has to do with the interpretation of text. Our experiences and opinions are important to what we get out of what we read. Our past, and the judgments we have made about life influence our thoughts. These thoughts are a big part of what how we perceive everything we encounter. When we read, we draw from past knowledge. This knowledge is gained from what we have learned in the past, because of what we have done. Our experiences are different from those around us; therefore we tend to interpret life, and particularly what we read in different ways. In the same way, what we read also influences our future experiences, thoughts, and perceptions. A cycle is formed. This cycle is called Reader Response; the way that we respond to what we read. Reader Response Analysis is analyzing what we have read, and responding appropriately to that.

How can Reader Response open our eyes to more truth as we read?

The human brain is continually gathering and sorting new information and making decisions and judgments. This information comes from everything we do. The more that we do, and the more we experience, the more information we gather. Everyone is gathering information from all around them, all the time, but it’s all different according to each of our individual experiences. Therefore, humans interpret different things in different ways to each other. According to what information we have gathered in the past, we can gather more information as we go. One of the ways we can do this is through what we read. Truth is one type of information that we can gather from what we read. Truth also has to be interpreted, but we generally define truth as information that is factual, and is widely accepted. Though truth can also be interpreted in different ways by different people with different experiences, it is very useful type of information to add to our ‘bank of knowledge’. Those who are aware of the impact that their experiences have on them are often more open to the gathering of new and different information. One truth that can be gathered by having a wide variety of experiences, especially in literature, is the truth of God’s impact on our lives and the beauty that he has given us in the form of truth.

Why is it important for you to interact/connect with literature?

It is important to interact with literature because of the information you will gain from the experience as a direct result. Interaction and making connections are their own independent ways of giving you new experiences. It is from these experiences that you will gain knowledge. The experiences will also help you to relate to other experiences. Literature is a particularly important part of our world today. It is part of our main method of communication; therefore it is something that most of us interact with everyday. Because it is such a big part in our lives, many of our experiences and knowledge is gained from it. If we don’t interact of connect with literature, our ‘bank of knowledge’ will not satisfy our need for inquiry. To understand or comprehend what we are learning or experiencing, it is important for us to be aware of the process that our brains are undertaking. This process is Reader Response.

Reflect on a book or story you have read recently and what new truth about the world you learned from that narrative.

Recently, I have been reading books from around the time of the middle ages and just a little bit after wards. One in particular, a book called A True and Faithful Narrative opened my eyes to many new truths. My eyes were opened to the culture of the people in that time, but especially the importance of history for us today. I realized that this is exactly what Reader Response is, except that we are not learning from our own experiences, but the experiences of those who came before us. It was a new way of thinking things through, but I was then able to relate some of the truths in this book and take them into my own life. One of the main topics of the book was the interaction between beauty and knowledge. The women in that time were treated merely as pretty faces, not as ones who could rival the knowledge of men. I related this to a verse in the bible that I had read about beauty. Proverbs 31:30 speaks of how real knowledge and worth has to do with fear in the Lord, beauty plays no part in the grand scheme of things, which is something that the main character in the book learnt as she went along.

"The Utterly Perfect Murder"

Having already read "The Utterly Perfect Murder" by Ray Bradbury, I cannot really make a prediction about the outcome of the story, as I already know what it is about!

As for a time that I have wanted revenge on someone, there have probably been many. Specifically, there was a time that a girl was playing a little game with me, which she liked to play everyday. This game was called the bullying game. We were standing in line just before we went back to class, and she started, yet again, verbally and physically abusing me. I was so sick of her, and what she was saying, that I did the first thing that came to my mind ~ I stomped as hard as I possibly could on her foot. It was such a satisfying feeling when she began to cry, but after a few moments, I felt VERY guilty about it, and even more so when I got in trouble for it afterwards. I realised that I had reacted purely on my desires for revenge, and learnt the lesson that it is good to think about things before you carry them through!! It was a sad day in the history of my life, but, looking back, it makes me smile, as we later on in life became good friends and often talked about the bruise that she had for the next 2+ weeks. I guess I stomp harder than I look! =]]