Treasure Island :: Treasure Island Essays

Treasure Island   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Treasure Island is an epic adventure: a tale of pirates, treasure, and exploration of an unknown and mysterious island.   Throughout the course of the book, many lessons are learned that give the reader advice so he/she can better survive in the real world.   The literal Treasure Island itself represents the world in which we live, a world with many hazards and scattered rewards to be found.   The bookà ­s most important lesson to be learned though, is that a solid command of the language and knowing when to use it can make life much easier for a person.   Although this story takes place centuries before our time now, this useful lesson found in it can still be applied to our lives today.      This story is so realistic in its context of the time and its superb character dialogues, that it is very easy for the reader to be transported right in the middle of that age, and right in the company of sea-faring pirates.   The authorà ­s vivid descriptions of Jim, the main character and narrator, the many Pirates and other characters he comes across during his adventures are painstakingly detailed. You can see young Jim's eager and excited face when he finds out he is going on a treasure hunt.   You can also easily picture the rips and bloodstained rags of the pirates, and smell the foul alcohol on their breaths.   The description of the island itself is extremely detailed also, and it seems like the author was looking straight off a geographical map when he wrote the in-depth account of it.    However deep these descriptions of setting and character pull you into the plot, the dialogue the author places in the story is what makes the story more impressive and impossible to escape.   It is so captivating and original to us because we hardly ever hear it, and the phrases are very creative.   An example is this quote from Long John Silver: " But for two year before that, shiver my timbers! the man was starving. He begged, and he stole, and he cut throats, and starved at that, by the powers!"   The colorful language of the book even had me repeating phrases such as this one long after I had finished reading it.

Compare and contrast images of heroism in these two poems

Heroism is a trait that we seem to have no problem identifying, yet when asked to define what a hero is a myriad of answers emerge. This phenomenon is not unique to today's society; the definition of a hero is something that is constantly under revision and debate. An example of this can be seen in two older pieces of English literature: Beowulf, written circa 750-900, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, written circa 1375-1400. These stories both have a main character that possesses heroic qualities, many of which are very similar. Gawain's identity as a hero is not clearly demonstrated, but when compared with Beowulf, who is demonstrated to be a hero, hiss merits earn him that title as well. Exactly what defines a heroic act, or a hero for that matter? Often times we dismiss the question due to its complex nature. But when confronted with an individual with heroic qualities we readily identify them as a hero. So what set of traits makes up this amorphous definition that we call hero? I would agree that the very definition is one that is dependent upon the time and society in which its context is being used. A person who shot someone to save the life of another may be viewed as a hero under the scrutiny of one culture, but in a different time or location the very opposite may be true. Nevertheless, heroes exist and posses these ever changing heroic qualities. Beowulf is clearly demonstrated to be a hero, and we can observe the qualities he possesses to enable him to have that title. While Sir Gawain's heroic accomplishments are a little more debatable, I would argue that he deserves the same title; he exudes qualities which can be considered heroic in the context of Arthurian Legend as well as today. Although we can attribute no authorship to Beowulf or Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, we can see that Beowulf was meant to be a hero and if nothing else, Gawain was portrayed as the story's protagonist. One such way this was done was by having neither of the main characters as all powerful rulers; in fact each Beowulf and Gawain served some sort of higher authority. Beowulf, throughout approximately 2/3 of the story serves Hrothgar. Similarly, Gawain was not ruler of his domain but served King Arthur. It is important to note that while both served other men, they were not themselves servants. Beowulf traveled from his land to assist in the destruction of Grendel, and Gawain chose to be a knight of the Round Table and indeed viewed his service to Arthur and his kingdom as an honor. By the construct of having both main characters serve others, the author has created more capacity for heroism to become apparent. If the President of the United States were to prevent nuclear war, the people would obviously be relieved and grateful that he fulfilled his duty. If a soldier on the field accomplished the same task, he would be regarded as a true hero. Transcending one's traditional role and going above and beyond is a characteristic which helps to set heroes apart from other people. Sir Gawain goes above and beyond his role when declaring his intention to battle the Green Knight. â€Å"I would come to your counsel before your court noble. /For I find it not fit, as in faith it is known, /When such a boon is begged before all these knights, /Though you be tempted thereto, to take it on yourself† (lines 347-350) King Arthur at this point had already accepted the challenge, yet Gawain decided to take his place because he was aware of the danger and risk involved in letting the King fight. He admits just a few lines later that â€Å"I am the weakest, well I know, and of wit feeblest; /And the loss of my life would be least of any;† (lines 354-355) This indication that is ability to fight is low makes his decision to fight that much more heroic, and this is all done in the name of Arthur. Beowulf, on the other hand, does not have an issue of inferior strength, but quite the opposite- he seems to posses a sort of superhuman strength. Even so, his level of self restraint and wisdom prevents him from overthrowing Hrothgar despite his superior abilities. This amount of loyalty and service is a trait that helps develop his character even further as a hero. Both Gawain and Beowulf having been in similar instances serving a higher authority have shown heroic qualities although they may have differed. While the two main characters in discussion are being portrayed as heroes, they are still human and have fallibilities. It is the dynamic experience, the rise and fall of these characters which makes them real and human, that shows what they are truly made of. This insight may prove to be disappointing or disheartening for many, I find the revelation to be comforting as it reasserts that a hero isn't an idyllic state but a condition which can be humanly attained. Beowulf's rise and fall is demonstrated rather clearly throughout the progression of the story. At his peak, he kills Grendel with his bare hands. In the second encounter with Grendel's mother he is victorious, but requires the use of armor and the sword Hrunting. As time passes, he becomes king. He helps to slay the dragon that is terrorizing the land with the assistance of Wiglaf and his men, but at the cost of his life. This failure of his strength is foreshadowed earlier by Hrothgar, â€Å"Choose dear Beowulf, the better part, /eternal rewards. Don't give way to pride. /For a brief while your strength is in bloom/ but it fades quickly† (lines 1759-1762). Beowulf's wisdom, which he relies on throughout the story even diminishes as he faces the dragon, as shown when he elects to strike first by himself with full knowledge that his strength is not as great as it used to be. Another interesting point is that while in the service is Hrothgar is heroic qualities shown through but when he became leader, he was still a hero but many of the qualities such as his wisdom and strength in this instance have decreased. Likewise to Beowulf, Gawain experiences a rise and fall. His circumstance is slightly different than Beowulf's however. Gawain's worthiness to even be named a hero is often put into question, and his final deeds tend to overshadow the previous ones when that consideration is made. This is an unfair judgment as no one would rescind Beowulf's status as a hero because of his pride blinding his judgment towards the end of his life, but would still consider him a hero because of his previous heroic actions. The same is true of Sir Gawain. Near the end of the story when he thinks he will die and flinches when the ax is coming down on his neck, he's viewed as a coward. I'll concede that it was a cowardly thing to do, but then I'm forced to ask the rhetorical question, â€Å"What would you do? † Moments later, Gawain recomposes himself, doesn't flinch and gets nicked. Of course, one could argue that Gawain is a coward disguised as a hero because of his protest to the Green Knight claiming his debt is paid, and that he decided to use the green girdle. First of all, Gawain spends the rest of his days lamenting his decision to use the girdle, so he isn't ignorant of what he as done. Secondly, there is absolutely nothing heroic about dying without a cause, which is what would have been the case had the Green Knight carried out his threat. I see no harm done in preparing oneself for an encounter such as the one he went through. We often laude heroes for their cunning in wisdom, so why should those same traits in Gawain be looked upon negatively? While there are many more facets to declaring someone a hero, these are a few that both Beowulf and Gawain share. Beowulf demonstrates that its namesake is a man who is supposed to be regarded as a hero. This same intent is not made in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, but when the two are compared with each other, Sir Gawain is shown to be a hero, not a simple coward that he may initially appear to be.

Flipping Burgers

Five days out of the week, I walk into work. I put on my employee shirt, my apron, my visor, and I get to work. I have the pleasure of making a ton of pizzas for 8 hours straight, no I am not necessarily ‘fond’ of it, but I do it because it gets me by and pays my bills. Sure I would love to be in some upscale restaurant, but I a least have a job, and I do not take it for granted. Many people would prefer to not have my job; it’s a minimum wage, fast pace, difficult customer environment. But it is an opportunity that is not beneath my dignity, so to that, I quote Charles J.Sykes, in his article called ‘Life rules for Teenagers, â€Å"Flipping Burgers in not beneath your dignity†. I could not agree more with him. Millions of United States workers are employed at a fast food restaurant. Many Americans are probably working in two or more of them at one time, just to get by. They also realize that flipping burgers isn’t below their dignity, having n o job and living off of others should be below ones dignity. Every day I see people on the streets, begging for money. Yes, everyone has their reasons, but everyone is capable or picking their selves up and applying for jobs.You can always advance in the job you have, you gain experience, and once you have enough experience you can apply for higher jobs and get further up the chain. It just takes a bit of hard work in some low paying jobs. For many people, their first jobs are in a fast food place, and it is just a stepping stone. Many work their way through school and then once they graduate, they are able to find jobs in their degree. Others find that they love working in fast food and end up owning them or managing more than just one store.A lot of fast food restaurants offer benefits and are always giving the opportunity for raises, only good things come from hard work. You never know where you will go when you first start a minimum wage job, but you know it will all be worth it in the end. You are getting yourself somewhere, and can be proud of that. One of my first jobs was working at a Quizno’s, there I also had to wear an apron and visor, I was 16 when I first got that job and might I say it was one of the easiest jobs I have ever had.Back when I did not have any responsibilities and whatever money I earned, I just got to pocket it. All I had to do every day, was make sandwiches and run register. Half way through my shift I always got a free sandwich and at the end of the day we always got to take home cookies or left over bread. How could anyone take that for granted? I did. I hated working there, thought it was so hard and embarrassing making sandwiches for other people, but now I realize how crazy I was for thinking that way.The other day I was talking with some friends and telling them about the paper I had to write. I told them the rule I chose, and one of them piped up saying â€Å"it is definitely below my dignity! †; She lives at home with her parents, pays no bills, and doesn’t work. She is naive and obviously doesn’t have a clue of what it means to have an opportunity. There are so many other people who also think that way. They also do not appreciate what is just kind fully handed to them. Others work so hard to just have half of what they have.I wish there was a way to imprint into every ones minds, to appreciate what they have. So tomorrow, I shall go into work and put on my uniform and work hard, because I personally know that making pizzas is not all that I have in store for my life, I am working and paying my way through school and although I dread heading to work every day I know that I am helping my future and preparing myself for other difficult, low paying jobs further in life. No one should ever take a job for granted or be embarrassed for what they do; they should always look at it as an opportunity.

If you could change one thing about your childhood, what would it be and why?

There are many things that I wish I could change about my childhood but one thing in particular stands out when I recall some of my childhood memories. The one thing I would change is not to become a mother at the age of fifteen.Although, at such a young age I thought I was ready for the responsibility, I quickly found out that I in fact was not. What I didn’t bank on was the hard work it would take to be a parent when I was only a child myself. I did not take into consideration that I was too young to gain employment and all the things I had to give up.Most teenage girls believe that the guy will stick with you and help take care of the child but they don’t realize that the guy is too immature and not ready to settle down and give up â€Å"hanging time† with his buddies. The girl is usually left to handle the situation; along with her parents alone and broke. In some cases, the parents refuse to help out, so the girl is left to deal with the situation alone. I w as forced to quit school and stay home to care for the baby, thus, leaving me lonely, broke, and without a high school diploma.I had to put my dreams on hold and focus on raising a child. I didn’t even get to attend prom or hang out with my friends, because I was always broke and had no babysitter. On rare occasions my parents would babysit and I would get to have fun but not like the father of the child did. He was free to hang out with his friends every weekend, go to prom, and graduate high school. I felt this was unfair and eventually ended up resenting him for it and I resented myself for allowing him to put me in this position.However, I realized it wasn’t only his fault and I could have made better choices. Being a teenage mother was very hard but also rewarding. I was the one who got to witness all of my sons’ firsts and I was the one who he learned to depend on and trust. Along the way, I learned  some valuable lessons and made many mistakes but I bec ame very mature in the ways of the world and life may have handed me some apple but I was the one who chose to make applesauce instead of letting the apples ruin.

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