A Single Shard

For nine years, the people of Chiang Lo County lived in terror of the monstrous Yung serpent whose appetite was only fulfilled by human flesh. (331) Each year county officials would choose a young maiden to be sacrificed, bind her and take her to the mountainside where they had built a temple near the opening of the serpent’s cave and watched as the serpent fed off of the young maiden. In the tenth year Chi Li was determined to volunteer. Living in a patriarchal society she felt that she had no self-worth and her life was

Murder, never a good thing but always interesting. Breece D 'J. Pancake scares, shocks, and leaves our mouths gaping after the intense and frightening tale “Time and Again”.This story, though short, has left an overwhelming amount of questions unanswered; a specialty of Mr. Pancake. Three seemingly unrelated objects in Breece D 'J Pancake 's “Time and again” come together with the aid of a sadistic killer; a simple yet effective wrench, a fleet of hogs, and a brutal winter. Objects from such a varied background normally do not come together, however this story begs to differ when placed in the hand of one of the most ruthless killers in the west virginia area. Why do they connect? This killer is really, a huge coward.

Character development is the most crucial element of a story, as it urges the reader to analyse the motives or the emotions that character may convey, therefore making the story immensely impactful. Wayson Choy effortlessly and deftly develops the character of Sek-Lung in his renowned short story, “The Jade Peony.” Sek-Lung, who is also the narrator in this story, is six years old and he’s struggling dreadfully to cope with his grandma’s upcoming death. The protagonist’s affectionate yet sorrowful feelings during this emotional crisis are clearly delivered, “Her palm felt plush and warm...I could not imagine how she could ever part from me. Ever,” (Choy 120). Upon reading that sentence, the reader understands how appalled Sek-Lung is to discover

The first example of life’s journeys is in the book, Stand Tall, by Joan Bauer, is that Tree learns emotionally that family matter most and there is always hope. For example, Tree’s two parents, who are divorced, gets together for a night. “Mom and Dad smiled at each other and laughed. It was a sound that Tree hadn’t heard from them in the longest time” (132). This shows how Tree wasn’t sure his parents were ever going to get along again, but they end up having a good time. This is an example of how family matters most and hope is always around. This situation gave Tree strength to preserve. A different place in the book where Tree learns that

Death will touch each individual over the course of their lives. Whether it is a family member, friend, or stranger, most will face the idea of death before their time comes. In the case of Sek-Lung, a youthful character who has recently moved with his family, it was his grandmother. As he recalls the event, the audience receives insight into how each human perceives death differently, and the ways in which they live according to this. The nature of life and death is observed in “The Jade Peony” by Wayson Choy, using eloquent expressions of the way in which one can come to understand death, the acceptance of it, and the meaning that can be held once someone has passed away.

Children in the age range thirteen to fifteen are often transitioning through a critical time of their lives. They frequently look to others as a cicerone on how they themselves should act. In the novel, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Melinda Sordino calls the cops on an end-of-summer party at which she was raped. The novel depicts Melinda’s excursion as to how she copes with the heart-wrenching events that have affected her momentously as well as creating “[a] frightening and sobering look at the cruelty and viciousness that pervade much of contemporary high school life.” (Kirkus Reviews, Pointer Review). The tragic event along with the rejection of her friends took a rather large toll on Melinda Sordino, in which, at one point, she stops

“The Sky Tree” reveals beliefs about nature, complex religious beliefs and strong social value. “The Sky Tree” shows animals being involved in everyday life. All the animals including, “Beaver, mink, muskrat brought up paw full of soil and placed on turtle 's back until they had made an island”(20).The earth was formed from the animals. “The Sky Tree” also shows complex religious beliefs. After Old Man decided to cut the tree to survive he “cut the tree, it

The purpose of symbolism in literature is to represent the turmoil and struggles of the characters which cannot directly conveyed. Laurie Halse Anderson’s novel Speak relies on these as a subtle method of characterization and a way of expressing the themes of the novel. These symbols in the story are plentiful and make parallels to Melinda’s feelings, fears, and character development, such as mirrors, the settings of the closet and art room, and trees.

In the Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer utilizes the immoral character of the Pardoner to tell the utmost moral tale through satirical devices, presenting the true greed and hypocrisy that runs throughout the Church, regardless of it attempt to cover it. Chaucer introduces the hypocrisy within the Church through the characterization of the Pardoner, as he is explained to be a man with, “flattery and equal japes./He made the parson and the rest his apes” (“General Prologue” 607-608). “Japes” are tricks, alluding to the Pardoner’s relics, as they are fake; yet, the Pardoner still sells these relics to the Church members as genuine treasures. This creates dramatic irony, because the character of the Church body is unaware of the situation bestowed

A novel that refers to an ancient China with different traditions and beliefs, uses a common farmer as the main character. The novel The Good Earth written by “Pearl S. Buck” occurs in early China, at a time there were still emperors. Their life styles were different in many varied aspects in comparison to our modern day life. Some examples of this unique culture are: the different women roles, the symbolism of land as power and how wealth affected their traditions.

“At home, after Sunday School, Kiam always demanded to know: ‘How can anyone walk on water? How can so few baskets of bread and fish feed hundreds?’ And Santa Claus never once visited our house” (Choy 23). Everyone is familiar with myths and legends. They are read to children by teachers. The stories of battles, immortal beings, ghouls and monsters that are out there to catch people and the ever-successful hero that always saves the day. These stories have been around for many centuries, told even before the first paintings were painted and first books were written. People’s beliefs have all derived from these old stories, as they bring hope to those in despair and inspiration to those lacking ideas. Myths and legends can be seen in all cultures

As a young boy the tree gives the boy apples to eat and gives him shade to lay under. The boy also has a place to play; ¨Come boy, swing on my branches.” Tree gives the boy his branches so he could build a house. Tree trunk to build boat because the boy wanted to travel.

the characters Ling, Ling’s wife and Wang-Fô . This presents a development of characterisation when

Become and Anthropologist, by Richard Carlson is a wonderful segment from his book, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…its all Small Stuff, expressing how the true genuine attempt of anthropology creates vast changes in ones perception. Throughout this piece, the writer quickly explains what anthropology is and how becoming an anthropologist has presented a large impact on his life and his views. He began being a man with little to no patience, with a lack of respect for others views and beliefs’. In order for Carlson to change his ways of thinking he had to fully adapt to the process of anthropology and develop his compassion for those around him. He had to learn to replace all misconceived notions of others and replace them with kindness and the genuine interest. Throughout this journey he explains how he was able to become less discouraged, aggravated, and annoyed by the actions of others. In order for this to work he had to