Trojan Horse

Author's Note~ This is a response to the short story Trojan Horse, and the devious attack the Greeks played on the Trojans.

The main conflict in this story was Helen and she was the most beautiful girl in the world.  They believe that she caused the war by leaving for Troy and leaving her husband a Greek king.  The conflict was resolved by the Greeks planning a devious attack to win her back.    This attack was very sneaky.  The main selling point was this, one Greek person telling them to believe that there was nothing in the horse and it was just a gift.  Turns out it was Greek’s chance at winning the war. 

I don’t believe that something like this could happen in today’s modern warfare.  Mainly because we have the use of advanced technology, such as thermal cameras telling us if there were human bodies inside.  This attack would not work today.  I also couldn't see this happening at school because there are so many people moving around everyday someone would see what actually happened.  I have seen this tactic used in Act of Valor, (the movie) there was a point in the movie where they needed a sneak attack.  They hid inside of flat beds with covers and were able to attack surprising the bad people.

Going West

Author's Note~ This is a research essay on Route 66.  I got the idea from reading the book Thou Shall Not Road Trip.

Route 66 goes from the shores of Lake Michigan and ends up at the shores of the Pacific ocean, Chicago to Los Angeles, 2,400 miles and one great journey.   People say that their journey on Route 66 can change lives, and it sure did when it was in its hay day.  The creation of Route 66 revolutionized the way we travel today and the movement of thousands west and created America’s heart and soul, Route 66.

Before

In 1857 congress commissioned Lieutenant Edward Fitzgerald Beale to chart a wagon trail from Fort Defiance to the border of New Mexico and The Colorado river.  This turned out to be a big asset in war down south.   Thoughts about creating this coast to coast highway became purposed in 1912 and it was thought to go from Washington D.C. and end up in San Diego.

Plans changed and entrepreneurs John Woodruf and Cyrus Avery receive most credit for the creation of a road linking L.A. and Chicago together.  By the summer of 1926 Route 66 became one of America’s east-west highways.  The road planners planned for route 66 to connect rural towns and to have route 66 be the main connection between this rural cities and their access to main cities.  This also gave these rural cities more income as people were traveling through them.

First 20 Years

First launched in 1926 it actually took 12 more years for every part of Route 66 to be paved.  The lodging and food industries expanded significantly in the first years and gave an outside revenue to some small rural communities that needed it.  The road also served as a way for farmers to transport grain and move their goods.  This road also moved truckers onto it primarily because of the better climate and weather than the northern east-west roads.

From 1933-1938 there were thousands of unemployed men working on the road and they worked really hard so by 1938 every part of the road was paved.  As the depression kept on hitting America the small restaurants on the highway or small little shops turned out to make a decent profit and the shops farther away on less traveled roads were hurting.  You can see how the road affected the lives of small business owners and their businesses.

Right before World War 2 the U.S. government had built air force and army bases right of the road.  This helped us fight because we had an easy fast link out and we could attack or move soldiers around quicker using the highway instead of back roads.  Also this helped us if people wanted to go west and see someone they knew in the army they could have easy access to the base for quicker travel.

The creation of this road also helped us create one of the best mobilization methods in the world.  We were able to have trucks move all around moving tons of equipment to the coasts during the Pearl Harbor attacks.

After The War

One of the most common things that come up to mind when you think about Route 66 are, “Get your kicks on Route 66”.  This was actually part of a lyrical map created by Robert William Troup, Jr.  This became a catch phrase for motorists traveling on the road from Chicago to Los Angeles.   

Population out west expanded by 25% over the first 25 years and most of California’s population was to come in the next 30 years.  Now the road was used by more tourists and store owners also noticed that even the poorest travelers still needed the necessities.   The war provided income but once travelers were the main customers shops we able to modernize and guarantee long term financial stability.

As travelers headed west or east they were treated to great views and many small town atmosp-

hers.  You also knew that each gas station or motel you saw on your drive you knew each one had

great caring people there.

A Quick Downfall

Starting in 1941 the need for a new highway system was obvious.  The wear and tear the war had on the road was obvious and the road needed major improvements.    Thomas MacDonald, (director of Public Roads Administration) said that about 78,000 miles of road needed to be repaired after the war.  MacDonald had suggested an east-west highway connecting all the major cities.

With the need of a east-west highway, Interstate 40 west, would go from the Oklahoma City through the Texas panhandle and all the way to western California.  This replaced a major, famous stretch of route 66 and led to its demise.  Each state would put anywhere from 14 to 20 million dollars to their chunk of the highway.

1985 was the official year, Route 66 was decommissioned.  Many people who understood how significant Route 66 was to our country’s history, wanted to commemorate and preserve the highway.  As a result of the push to remember Route 66 many states put historic signs remembering people where the highway was, or they would make a scenic bypass for travelers to see the old restaurants and gas stations.

In 1990 the National Park Service issued a study to tell us how significant Route 66 was to us and our countries growth.  As we look back on Route 66 we will get a flashback of history.   America’s heart and soul, Route 66, revolutionized they way we travel today as well as the movement of thousands west. 

Bibliography

"Route 66 Overview--Route 66: A Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary." U.S. National Park Service - Experience Your America. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2013. <http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/route66/Rou

Response to Ribbons

Author's Note~ This is a response to Ribbons.

The shoes in this story were a big sign of the different cultures between China and America.  The grandmother thought that the shoes would be bad for her feet, but the girl wanted to dance.  America is also a lot less strict than China is.  China is  very strict in their traditions, when America isn’t as strict in traditions.

One thing that Chinese do to symbolize beauty is bind their feet back. They believed that if they had small feet it symbolizes beauty.   In America girls wear makeup to look more pretty.  In the story there were stereotypes going around.  At the end the girl was able to dance in her ballet shoes, with the grandma agreeing.

Who Am I

Author's Note~ This is a who am I piece, try to guess who it is.

I am around a golf club all day every day.  I love the game.  I was bullied on my first day of school for being African-American.  As a kid I practiced every day, on national television at 3.  I have brown eyes and I live in Nike clothes.  I am surrounded in money, own a mansion in Florida.  I’d say I live in paradise, with my two kids and an awesome game to keep me amused.

I’ve changed the sport that I play by immeasurable amounts.  I went to Stanford learned everything I needed to.  I don’t have a dependent income, it all depends on how I do.  I am considered as the best ever and I won’t to be known as that.  I live a tough life with the media all over me, I have encountered heartbreaking events like divorce and my father passing.

From all of this I have learned that even though I’ve made mistakes I can preserve through them.  I was considered as the best athlete year after year.  In 2008 I played one of the most amazing final rounds  ever with a knee injury.  I came back and have amazed people this year, and I am now chasing one amazing record that has never even been close to meeting, and I could.

Response to A Clean, Well-lighted Place

Author's Note~ This is a short anaylisis of the waiters in A Clean Well-lighted Place.

3.  Each waiter was different in many ways.  The first waiter was young cocky and  selfish while the other one was respectful and genuine.  Hemmingway used two different people to show you how they represent life. One was be right on time and act like you’re the boss and the other is one where you relax and comfort your customer and if you’re a little late its ok.  The café models a perfect setting for these two lifestyles collide.

The Thought of Sacrifice

Author's Note~ This is my analysis piece that I want to score a 9 in text analysis.  I inserted a quote as well to improve my score.

The sacrifice that someone can do for someone can be unbelievable at some times.  In The Gift of the Magi, by O. Henry a couple sacrifice their own favorite possessions for each other.  In the short story Della had her hair cut off to buy a gift for her husband watch, while her husband Jim sold his watch away to buy her a really nice comb set.  O. Henry was able to show a perfect example of how people  sacrifice things for each other.

The tone from this story is evident from the beginning.  The tone was sacrificing for others.  As a nice person I myself try to sacrifice time for others.  I believe that even though I have a better life than the poor I should still designate time to help them out and sacrifice myself.  People think that sacrificing your time can be a hard thing.  It really isn't  with the charities today you can even sacrifice an old teddy bear or a used coat you don’t want anymore.  Like the say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.  Della could have kept her hair and not got her husband anything but  she sacrificed her hair because she cares for her husband. "If Jim doesn't kill me," she said to herself, "before he takes a second look at me, he'll say I look like a Coney Island chorus girl. But what could I do--oh! what could I do with a dollar and eighty- seven cents?" pg.2 

Sacrificing things for loved ones happens all the time, like The Hunger Games.  Katniss sacrificed herself to help save Peeta in the cave.  In the Hunger Games you can see how much the games made them care about each other and then it caused Katniss to save Peeta's life.  Also just like in the story it is clear that Della and Jim sacrifice a possession for each others love.  As the tone changes you can tell that when they revealed their gifts they were awestruck.   Both of them were surprised but knew that they had given up something for each other.

Being awestruck at first sight I believe this also taught you a lesson and at the end the tone was clear.  As you read the last paragraph you saw that all though these people may have been considered foolish, they are considered the wisest because they gave and received.  When you think about sacrificing something sometimes it is worth thinking if they would sacrifice something from you.  That is what I learned from this piece.  From Jim giving up his biggest possession and same with Della they both thought that there plan would be perfect, well it turned out that they were wrong but sacrificed a lot.

The whole tone of the story is the thought of sacrificing something that you may not want to do.  Evident through the story the tone changed towards the end and the characters learned a lesson and that they should always think before they sacrifice their most prized possessions.  Showing how people sacrifice things for others O. Henry showed a perfect example of how people were able to learn a lesson while doing something right.

A special Quote

Author's Note~ This is an analysis of a quote.

Two kidnappers is pretty much the story of The Ransom of Red Chief, by O. Henry.  These men were in need for money and they assumed that they would get their money the opposite happens.  The quote I'm analyzing is "Two Desperate Men".  This tells a lot about the characters and how despreate they are.