Vivian Vande Velde's Frogged Character Analysis

Can mere mortals with hold magical abilities? In the Lake of The Woods, a mystery war novel written by Tim O’Brien, whose major theme is that not every problem has a solution, but may present a different outlook on the problem and aspects surrounding it. The main character, John Wade, uses magic to hide his manipulation and deception in order to put on a smiling face on a daily basis. As a result of wanting to carry on his deceit, he ventures into the political world, while putting his wife,Kathy Wade, through misery. Kathy hated the political life style and gatherings, in this degree she was secretly relieved when he was unable to become a U.S. Senator. As an attempt to mend the breaking bonds between them, they decide to go to their cabin near Lake of The Woods, in Minnesota. Their stay was going great, until one morning John awoke only to find out that Kathy was gone, nowhere to be seen. The author, Tim O’Brien got a majority of his inspiration from what he experienced in the Vietnam War. Tim O’Brien uses symbolism to reveal the hidden aspects of life. The symbols he used were magic, the idea that one plus one equals zero and uncertainty.

John Kennedy Toole’s A Confederacy of Dunces is the story of an anti-modern man named Ignatius J. Reilly who lives in New Orleans in the early 1960s. Ignatius is an obese man who has become obsessed with disapproving of pop culture. He often entertains himself by attending modern events, such as going to movie theaters, merely to express his disdain with them. Throughout the story, Ignatius displays an outspoken personality and an unmistakable rude demeanor.

Throughout “All the Pretty Horses” by Cormac McCarthy, the main character John Grady Cole is submitted to many evils as he tries to find his own place in the world. In his own personal quest for a happy ending, John represents the idealized cowboy of the Old Wild West uncovering the truth of the violent and deadly landscape he encounters. John Grady attempts to mesh together his romanticised cowboy honor code into a land that concedes nothing to nobility and the only winner is the one who survives. Only through his many trials and beatings does John Grady begin to accept the world for what it is, a place that does not contain only pretty horses; however, he still manages to remain true to himself and what he believes in.

“As Simple as Snow” is a mystery novel made in 2005 that may confuse people’s minds with all the art, magic, codes, and love while reading. As a teen age boy who wants to find the secrets his girlfriend who left behind all these mysteries after her odd disappearance. It also tells about the lost gothic girl, Anna Cayne, who meets the young high-school aged narrator. Throughout the postcards, a shortwave radio, various CDs, and many other irregular interest. After all that they loved each other but a week before Valentine’s Day she suddenly disappeared out of nowhere. If Gregory didn’t know what was happening the reader would be able to break through

We often encourage people to actively pursue their happiness while also wanting to discourage them to escape from reality. However, avoiding your issues is also a way of pursuing happiness, even though this route will prove to be temporary. In the literary piece, “Horses of the Night” by Margaret Laurence, the author describes the story of a boy named Chris, who, due to his financial conditions, is forced to move from his home in Shallow Creek to dwell in Manawaka, in order to attend high school. Chris’ character is used to demonstrate the idea that individuals may escape from the miserable aspects of their lives in order to stay happy. Through the course of this work, you witness the changes Chris undergoes, through the eyes of his six-year-old cousin Vanessa, which ultimately lead to his downfall.

During the Middle Ages, women held the common positions of wife, mother, peasant, artisan, or nun. Besides taking on these traditional roles, Heloise was a brilliant “scholar of Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, and had a reputation for intelligence and insight” (New World Encyclopedia). She was raised in the nunnery of Argenteuil, where her mother lived. During the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, male primogeniture was established, this allowed for the eldest son to inherit all the property instead of sharing it among the family. In this period, “many wealthy women chose to live in monasteries, where they could receive education” (New World Encyclopedia).

The movie “The Princess and the Frog” is not your typical “boy saves girl” movie. Instead, this Disney movie presents us with a strong female lead who doesn’t need a man to achieve her goals. In many previous Disney movies, it is demonstrated that a girl needs a man in order to get her happily ever after. Without a prince, she is nothing. In “The Princess and the Frog” the gender roles are presented to us as equal, even reverse at times.

At first glance, Madame Ratignolle and Mademoiselle Reisz are opposites to one another, but as Edna has yet to conclude, both are responsible for the decision of Edna longing to become a single woman again. A foil is defined as “a gauge by which to judge the behavior of both characters better by putting their actions into perspective,” according to the English Companion. In The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, written in 1899, the author presents the readers with a pair of foils. The contrast of Mademoiselle Reisz and Madame Ratignolle supports the theme of The Awakening by proving that women cannot obtain societal norms without the elimination of their independance. Madame Ratignolle is the textbook perfect mother. She has dedicated her life to her children and her husband. This is contrary to Mademoiselle Reisz. Mademoiselle Reisz is a single woman who enjoys the pleasures of not having to be accompanied by a male escort, along with participating and enjoying pleasure from the fine arts.

To be trapped in one's own mind may be the worst prison imaginable. In Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper", the narrator of the story is constantly at battle with many different forces, such as John, her husband, the yellow wallpaper that covers the walls of her room, and ultimately herself. Throughout the story the narrator further detaches herself from her life and becomes fixated on the yellow wallpaper that surrounds her in her temporary home, slowly driving her mad.

Where the Wild Things are by Maurice Sendak is an interesting children’s picture book. The main character is a little boy named Max, who has a wild imagination. He uses all five senses as well as thought and his actions to express his personality as well as how he reacts and interacts with his surroundings. Max’s id, ego and super-ego are greatly shown in this book through the way that the author has portrayed him. Not only is this book a children’s story, but it can also be perceived as a life lesson. Many people go through times in their lives when they make drastic decisions right away, such as leaving home. One may enjoy it for the rest of their lives or only for a little while, just like Max who felt lonely after having fun with the monsters. In this case, people end up going home to be with their family where they are not lonely, and can have more time before making a final decision of what should happen next in their life. Id, ego and super- ego is greatly portrayed in this

In the book “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan, it’s about a little girl who is pressured by her mother to become something she doesn’t want to be. Jing- mei , the daughter, is forced to become a prodigy(child actress), by her mother, and she doesn’t want to be one. In the story, Jing- meis’ mother uses allusions such as Shirley Temple to push her into becoming a prodigy. Although at first Jing- mei is excited to become a prodigy, she later realizes its something she just doesn’t enjoy doing. Consequently, the uses of allusion in the story help Jing- mei discover to not be a prodigy and that what her mother wants for her is not always important. However, some of the things her mother showed and did got her excited to become this.

Have you ever gone through the desert with only a small gourd of water? Well, the Lost boys of Sudan went through South Sudan to get away from the war, and some other challenges. In the book a Walk to Water Salva and Nya have problems of getting water, but Salva is based on a real person who went through the challenges of losing his family and the brutal Sudanese war. These are some of the challenges he faced and how he solved them with what he had throughout his life.

“I became the mistress of Mr. Glenmurray from the dictates of my reason, not my weakness or his persuasion.”(Opie, 88)

Throughout ‘A bridge to Wiseman’s cove’, James Moloney introduces to characters who are in despair. However, the reader is shown how the characters are rescued with the support of each other. The protagonist Carl Matt is in despair after moving to Wattle Beach, because his mother and sister leave him and his younger brother. Joy, a middle-aged woman is also portrayed as a character who is afraid to give love to her daughter. Another individual, Graham Duncan, commonly known as Skip is a character who is rescued from despair.

In 1983 a war began between northern and southern Sudan and about 2 million civilians were killed and more than 4 million people were forced to flee their homes, those people were called the Lost Boys of Sudan and were fleeing violence and afraid of being forced into. The Lost Boys of Sudan had to walk great distances with limited resources and by the time they all reached a refugee camp in Kenya only about 10,000 out of the original 26,000 survived. In the historical fiction book, A Long Walk to Water, by Linda Sue Park a Lost Boy named Salva is trying to survive and find his family throughout his journey through rough terrain. Throughout the story, Salva was very brave, determined, and mature and those three things made it possible for Salva