Quotes

=Quotes.= Poison by Roald Dahl: 5/2/11

Kristin Good: "The surprising thing was that Harry hadn't been bitten"(para 8. lines 4-5). Explanation: This line is important to this short story because it foreshadows the fact that there was nothing there. The whole story is based on this krait that might kill Harry, but in fact there in no Krait, he was scared of nothing. To me, this is the most important line of the story because it give insight to the ending of the story.

Camille Lemke "It is odd how one sometimes has frivolous thoughts at exciting moments..." (paragraph 33 lines 9-11) Explanation: I love this line and what it adds to the story because up until this point it has been anxiety and anticipation building up and at the climax of everything Roald Dahl breaks it up and adds this somewhat weird realization. But in a way it is refreshing for the audience. Even in the midst of uncertainty and potential danger, Timber makes this realization and the mood of the story calms down. It is also extremely true to real life which makes it relatable. I love this line!!

AJ Fuller: ".. and I could fee the slight twitching of the muscle - the one used for smiling" (paragraph 12 lines 11-12) Explanation: This line jumped out at me even before I finished reading the story. It just seemed odd. After I finished reading, I found out that it was foreshadowing. Usually when you smile it is because someone has said or done something that is funny. When I found out that there was no krait, I realized that the whole thing was a joke. It was almost like he was smiling because he knew it wasn't true. He wanted to play a joke or a prank on his friend. That is why this is my favorite quote.

Spencer's- " 'Lying on my back reading and I felt something on my chest, behind the book. Sort of tickling. Then out of the corner of my eye saw this little krait sliding over my pyjamas." (Dahl 1). When I read this line, I felt something tickle my stomach, and I actually checked to see if there was a snake. I thought it was funny how when I read this, it actually went through my mind to make myself believe this is actually happening.

The Scarlet Ibis by James Hurst: 5/6/11

Camille Lemke: "I did not know then that pirde is a wonderful, terrible thing, a seed that bears two vines, life and death" (paragraph 21 lines 3-5) Explanation: This was my favorite line because it is such a true life lesson and it foreshadows Doodle's death. For the majority of the story I, as a reader, was happy that Doodle had learned to walk! And that was good enough for me. But the brother's pride caused him to lose sight of the accomplishments he had already made, and in the end Doodle dies because he can't keep up running after his brother. It is tragic that pride, above all things that could've killed Doodle, was the one to end his life. The author realizes an extraordinarily valuable life lesson from all of this and it is a lesson that EVERYONE should learn. Pride is the stem of sooooooooooo many conflicts in today's world and people often overlook the severity of it. I believe this was the message James Hurst was trying to portray through this short story. That while pride is a positive and rewarding thing, it comes with burdens that people must be aware of to avoid trouble.

Kristin Good: "Promise hung about us like the leaves, and wherever we looked, ferns unfurled and birds broke into song"(paragraph 32 lines 9-11). This line is my favorite because as a reader, it sums up the story. The whole story is Doodle learning, but it never being enough for his brother. It seems like a broken promise because there was always promise, but it was never good enough. This is important to the whole story because the brother was never satisfied, which worked Doodle to his death. First it was the goal of Doodle learning to walk, then when he accomplished that, it was on to the next thing. It seemed as though the brother only loved Doodle when Doodle was normal for once, which foreshadows into Doodle's death.

Spencer Goldstein: "It was bad enough having an invalid brother, but having one who possibly was not all there was inbearable, so I began to make plans to kill him by smothering him with a pillow" (Paragraph 5 lines 1-2). This line was critical to the story. It showed how he was selfish and un-willing to be mature about the situation. His brother is "not all there" and his first thought is to kill him. That speaks for itself, even as the story went on, the only times he was willing to be mature about the situation was when it seemed like Doodle had hope. A true brother is especially there when your brother needs it the most. I relate this to my relationship with my brother, because I know that I would always be there for him in times of need; and I know he would do the same.

AJ Fuller: "It was bad enough having an invalid brother, but having one who possibly was not all there was inbearable, so I began to make plans to kill him by smothering him with a pillow" (paragraph 5 lines 1-2). This quote also was the most important to me. This quote definitley jumped out at me. To think that his first thought was to kill him and not to help him was very shocking. This quote sums up how he felt about his brother. He really didn't care about him unless it affected him in a positive manner. When they were running through the rain at the very end of the story, Doodle called out for him, but he didn't stop. This shows that he would rather save himself than his little brother. That is why this was my quote.

"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant: 5/9/11

"Why my necklace was paste. It was worth at most five hundred francs!" (last paragraph lines 1-2). This was my favorite quote because this shows that all of that hard work and debt was for nothing. It shows that it is almost better to tell the truth than to hide something from someone. She and her husband had worked tirelessly for ten years to pay this debt off. She lost her natural beauty because of the grueling work she had done. They had given away their house and they wasted ten years of their life. To think that all of the work they had done was for nothing shows that telling the truth is better than lying. This also made me laugh. It shows the true irony of the story and provides a comic relief after all of the hardships and debt. That is why this was my favorite quote.

Camille- "What would have happened if she had not lost that necklace? Who knows? Who knows? How life is strange and changeful!" (paragraph 98 lines 1-2). This was my favorite line because it says what every reader is thinking. The whole time I was reading this story I was thinking this same question. But if she didn't lose the necklace, there would be no story. This story is very contradicting and this line proves it because if she didn't lose the necklace her life and her husband's life would be so much better. But because life is strange and changeful they spent ten hard years of their lives paying back the money for the necklace that ended up being a knock off. I think this line also sums up the theme because as the story continues more curve balls are being thrown at the characters. For example, learning the necklace was a knock off and that those ten years were wasted time is more proof that life is strange and changeful. But you have to be ready to handle what comes at you.

Spencer Goldstein: "She was one of those pretty and charming girls who are sometimes, as if by mistake of destiny, born in a family of clerks. She had no dowry, no expectations, no means of being known, understood, loved" (Paragraph 1 lines 1-2) This is my favorite quote because it describes an almost perfect girl for me. A girl who is beautiful, not needing to be famous and rich, a girl who doesn't need all the extra things in life. A girl who is understood and lovely but modest about it. This reminds me of our perfect mate project because this is kind of the girl I was describing. A beautiful yet modest girl who strives but doesn't need recognition.

Kristin Good: "She suffered from the poverty of her swelling, from the wetched look of the walls, from the wornout chairs, from the ugliness of the curtains"(paragraph 3 lines 1-3). This is my favorite line because it shows how people need things to be beautiful to be happy. The beauty of a house, or any outward apperence of anything become so important in life. If its good, if has a sence of pride which lifts up people's spirits, but when its bad, it crushes them because there seem's to be no beauty around them.

"Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

AJ Fuller: "They were equal every which way" (paragraph 1 line 2). This quote really stood out to me. Right off the bat, it says that everyone is created equal which we know isn't true. In today's society, to think that we will soon think that everyone is created equal just doesn't seem possible at all. Today, throughout the whole world, there are poor people, a middle class and an upper class. Whether or not it is divided like that, there is the same general principle. This also seemed to be a very controversial topic. There are some religions and groups of people that believe that everyone is equal, while most everyone believes that not everyone is. It reminded me of Shakespeare and how he wrote against what his society believed in. This is the exact same idea just in more modern times. That is why the quote stuck out to me.

Spence The Mence: "And then, neutraling gravity with love and pure will, they remained suspended in air inches below the ceiling, and they kissed each other for a long, long time" (Para like 20). AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW:):) They're in love! I love love love this! They neutralled gravity with their pure love and will. This just shows how in love they are, they just meet and they're already stopping gravity. Off to a good start i'd say! This just makes me smile how spontaneous this is. I love spontaneuity, I think it is one of the most important things in this world. Life would be so boring and lonely without it! Clearly, this is purely spontaneity, I don't even think Harrison knows this girl name! I love it so much. This also shows how independent Harrison is becoming. A girlfriend or wife is a big step in independence in young men. Obviously independence is forbidden, so he is constantly repeating acts of self sufficiency.

Camille Lemke "'Forget sad things' said George. 'I always do,' said Hazel" (paragraph 88-89 lines 1). This is my favorite line because it reinforces the theme of the story. After seeing their son die on national television George and Hazel don't even remember what was sad on tv. This goes to show that people are so oppressed that the death of a child is forgotten in a second. If George tries to think an obnoxious nose blasts in his ear, so even if he wanted to, he wouldn't remember his son.