Student #2 [male]
Essay on the book Catherine,
Called Birdy
Catherine’s
change was like the winter snow; slowly but surely diverging into the summer
sun. The way people change can be like a
cow turning into a hamburger. In the
book Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman,
Catherine wants to be free, but her father wants her to marry for money. The story takes place in
Catherine was very cantankerous and deficient in her early stages of life. In anger, Catherine refused to marry Shaggy Beard. Catherine wanted to be independent and marry whom she pleased. She completely despised him and hated his ways. Catherine is extremely childish. For instance, she wrote, “If my brother Edward thinks that writing this account of my days will help me grow less childish and more learned, he will have to write it. I will not do this any longer. And I will not spin. And I will not eat. Less childish indeed.” By her statement, Catherine showed her deficiencies and repulsiveness. She dislikes what Edward is having her do. Catherine can’t seem to get along with anyone.
Toward the end of the book, Catherine becomes a more accountable, fully grown young woman. For example, Catherine showed her liability when she bought one of the beras a the bear-bating contest with Shaggy Bear’s coins. Catherine put the matters into her hands to see to it that the bears wouldn’t get hurt. She felt that it was her responsibility to save the bears’ lives. For the record, she showed her maturity when she said, “For those alone, I am prepared to marry him.” She realizes that she doesn’t have any other choice. Catherine had finally accepted the fact that she had to marry him, and she could at least try to enjoy it. Catherine had become more and more grown up.
Catherine
proved that she was grown up when she changed her attitude from stubborn and
childish to mature and responsible.
Catherine overcame the fear of marrying Shaggy Beard by having hope; and
she ended up marrying who she pleased.
Catherine was living proof that people can alter their personality and
attitude by believing in themselves and believing that they can change.
Final assessment on
Frost’s poetry: explication of “The
Sound of the Trees”
Robert
Frost seemingly wrote with different criteria in this poem, than in most of his
others. The poem was one large stanza,
with twenty-five lines. The following
quote will be from the first two lines of the poem, showing the accent/stress
marks: “I won’der
a’bout the trees.’ Why’ do we wish’ to bear’ . . . “ The tone of the
poem was sad yet content, shown when the main character says that we suffer the
trees by the day. Although, the only
things he does is watch and listen to the trees all day. Consequently, the mood of the poem turns into
sadness and woe, because you want the main character to find something better
to do. Frost used no onomatopea,
similies, or metaphors when writing the poem. He used alliteration in a few places by
repeating the first word of the line.
Here is my interpretation of the poem.
I thought that it was about a lonely person that watches trees from is
window or door. He listens to the sounds
they make. The young ones want to get
away, but the old trees are happy where they are. The main character wants to do something
else. “I shall make the reckless
choice.” He says he will
when, “The trees are in voice, tossing so as to scare.” I found reference to “Acquainted with the
Night,” because both the main characters were lonely
and had nothing better to do. I thought that
that was an excellent poem, even with the sad tone, and I hope I
supported everything well.