Paragraph about the Theme of "The White Heron"

Amita Bose
February 26, 2009

Freedom:
A Paragraph about the theme of The White Heron

TS The White Heron, by Sarah Orne Jewett, tells the tale of a young girl named Sylvia and what she experienced when a young man came to her, seeking help in his hunt for the elusive white heron. TS This short story possesses many themes, but the one that truly jumped of the pages and into my mind and heart, was the thought that freedom must be cherished and preserved. SD The white heron that was hunted by the young ornithologist was an uninhibited bird; free to fly with “steady sweep of wing and outstretched neck”, whenever it pleased. CM Sylvia saw the heron in its natural habitat at the crack of sunrise, as a faint pink stained the sky, and the bird flew majestically in the dawn of a new day. CM Only after observing this event did Sylvia realize how treasured the bird’s freedom was, and she took it upon herself to protect the heron’s secret. SD In the same manner, Sylvia came precariously close to losing her freedom to the young ornithologist, who stumbled upon her grandmother’s house as he was searching for the white heron. CM Sylvia was drawn to the young man, and she fancied that she could even love him. CM She was willing to abandon her freedom in order to “[follow] him and [love] him as a dog loves”. CM Eventually Sylvia realized that to follow the man would be a grave mistake, and she chose to cherish her freedom instead. SD Lastly, Sylvia found freedom at her grandmother’s house, which was located in the middle of endless woodlands. CM She felt trapped in the manufacturing town she lived in before, and the towering buildings that hid the sunlight and glorious woodlands made her crave for the open, unblemished expanses of New England. CM Only when Sylvia came to her grandmother’s house did she feel liberated as she roamed the sunlight pastures, watched the woodland creatures scurry in the brush, and heard the sweet calls of spring birds. CS The elegant words and beautiful sentences of The White Heron, weave together to form this message: treasure and relish freedom.

Assessment Jouranl - Entry #7

Amita Bose
1/29/2009

Assessment Journal – Seventh Entry
Today as I walked quietly through the halls of Academy Point, I passed several residents and then proceeded to exchange pleasantries with them. After the “hellos”, I would ask them how they were doing and almost all of them replied, “okay”. After I had heard this reply three times in a row from different residents, I began to wonder why they were only “okay” and not “good” or “great”. I realized that the residents as Academy Point might miss their families, whom they didn’t see every day anymore. Perhaps they missed the sound of their grandchildren’s laughter. Also, it could be the trials and tribulations of old age that made them only “okay”. One of the residents I talked to was hobbling down the hallway with a walker, and she seemed determined to make it to the other end without stopping. It was clear that she had a problem with her legs, and she might have been in pain. Perhaps it was the pains and problems that made the residents only “okay”. Whatever the reason is for the residents being “okay”, I am committed to helping them, or doing something for them, which will make them reply “great” when asked how they are. This is my goal: to make the residents and Academy Point have an extraordinary day.

Ending of "Of Mice and Men" Essay

Amita Bose
Mr. Salsich
English 8
January 31, 2009

Decisions:
An Essay Discussing George’s Decision at the end of Of Mice and Men

Decisions can be made when your mind and soul are at peace or during times of great tribulation. Decisions can be of the most trivial sort, or they can change your life and yourself forever. No matter when or how significant decisions are, they are always tremendously difficult to make and will result in hours spent pondering whether or not you chose the correct option. In the novel by John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, the character George must make the ultimate decision: to either hand Lennie, his best friend, over to an irate mob or kill him before the other men can. In the moments after he made his decision and pulled the trigger of the gun pressed to Lennie’s head, George was haunted by the possibility that he hadn’t made the right decision, but in my opinion, George did the best, most humane, and loving thing possible.
TS George loved Lennie like a brother, and in shooting Lennie, he shot a part of himself, but George did what he did for Lennie, and no one else. SD Lennie’s last words to George were, “Le’s do it now. Le’s get that place now,” as he spoke of the farmhouse he yearned to own with George. CM When Lennie asked George if they could, “get that place now”, he was not asking for a farmhouse with rabbits and alfalfa, but for a place where he could finally lay down the burdens of hate and prejudice he had carried for his entire life. CM In shooting him, George granted Lennie’s last wish, and delivered him to a quiet, accepting place where he could live equally among others and tend as many rabbits as he wished to forever. SD Also, George saved Lennie from the appalling death that would have befallen him at the hands of the livid ranch-workers. CM If the other men had found Lennie, they would have beaten him and drawn out his death for no more reason than to satisfy their cruel, perverse pleasure. CM George let Lennie peacefully slip into the pearly gates of Heaven with a smile on his face, soft rabbits running free in his head, and the thoughts of a better tomorrow sparkling in his eyes. SD Lastly, George had loved Lennie like a brother for his entire life and shooting him was a final act of love. CM When George held that gun to Lennie’s head and pulled the trigger, he wasn’t thinking of it as punishment for the bad things Lennie had done, but rather a show of how much he truly loved his friend. CM Only the truest of friends can overcome the disgust they feel for what the love they possess may drive them to do, and George proved his love for Lennie one last time, as he mercifully delivered his death and overcame his hatred for what he had to do in order to save Lennie. CS George’s decision was one of love, compassion, and caring, and it was undoubtedly the right choice, no matter how hard it was to make.
Sometimes decisions are the easiest things to settle: chocolate or vanilla ice cream? Sometimes decisions will haunt you every time you close your eyes: life of death? The hardest, most complex decisions must be made, and even though we may not like what we have to do, we must do it. We must make every decision based on our truest feelings and what our hearts whisper to us. We must honor these emotions and thoughts, for they are what will lead us through our darkest hours filled with turmoil, and into the clear light of a decision well and truly made.

Assessment Journal - Entry #6

Amita Bose
1/22/2009

Assessment Journal – Sixth Entry
Brothers laugh together, play together, and tease one another mercilessly. The two men I met today acted just like brothers as they were playing the Nintendo Wii. These two men, J.P. and Bernie, taunted each other as they demonstrated their Nintendo Wii Bowling skills. Bernie would make a sarcastic remark about J.P.’s “stellar” skills whenever he got a gutter ball. In return, J.P laughed heartily every time Bernie hit only one or two pins with the ball. It was intriguing and amusing to watch these two elderly men go back and forth, mocking each other, as if they were young boys again. Also, whenever something comical would happen on the game screen, or with another player, these two men would laugh their deep, jovial laughs. They would glance at each other, curve the corners of their mouths into the smallest of smiles, and burst out laughing at the same second. They would laugh and laugh until they were gasping for breath, their faces light up with delight. J.P. and Bernie are two people who share a unique, brotherly bond.

Assessment Journal - Entry #5

Assessment Journal – Fifth Entry
Picture this: an elderly woman sitting in a comfortable red chair with a Nintendo Wii remote in her hand. She is leaning forward, and her face is light by laughter and happiness. This is Edith. Edith is one of the most enthusiastic people I have ever met. As we were playing Wii bowling, she let out little yelps of encouragement and congratulations. She seemed so wrapped up in the excitement of the game and was eager to spread her enthusiasm. Also, when I first met Edith, I was immediately impressed by her selflessness. She came into the room after the later dinner, and when I offered her my seat, she quickly and persistently declined. She was determined to find her own seat and refused to put me out. Everyone could learn a lot from the way Edith chooses to live her life: to its fullest.

Assessment Journal - Entry #4

Amita Bose
1/17/2009

Assessment Journal – Fourth Entry
Today was a joyous day, filled with excitement, at Academy Point. Today was the day of the hoedown, and there was an aura of anticipation in the air. Everyone was looking forward to an afternoon filled with laughter, singing, and dancing. The residents began to arrive at the room where the hoedown was to take place before everything was set up, because they were so eager to commence their afternoon of enjoyment. At the hoedown I danced with a few of the residents, and it warmed my heart to see how much they were enjoying themselves. One woman I danced with couldn’t seem to keep the smile off of her face. We twirled and side-stepped our way around the dance floor, both of us breathless with laughter and full of joy. I had never seen this particular woman so full of life, and it was wonderful to realize that I may have added to her sense of delight by dancing with her. Today was a day that will always remain in my memories, as one of perpetual happiness and revived liveliness.