WRITING PROMPTS

WRITING PROMPT 1

One movie I've seen that said it was based on a true story was Paranormal Activity. After

reading this I looked at the movie in a more critical way. Asking myself, "Could this really

happen." The movie is a documentary about a lady who had been possessed or followed by a

demon. Her husband is caught into the story as the had just moved into a new house. After

reading it was true story, it made the movie somewhat scarier than if I knew that it was fiction.

If i knew it was then I would not have been as scared.

Writing Prompt 2

I would definitely not tell the next student that some parts were not true, just so they would feel the

same way as me reading the story. I would make sure they "picked up on" that O'Brien was the

author but also the narrator and soldier in the story. It is kind if hard to understand just reading

one time, I would recommend reviewing each chapter with the class or another student. I would

tell the next students to reread sections and analyze to understand the story better.

WRITING PROMPT #4

Some people say Rainy River is boring, but I really enjoyed it. I think I like it because alot of

important things set up the story. WE get a "sneak peek" of O'Briens life before war. When He was

contemplating whether He should go to war or not after he recieves a draft notice.He is also trying

to decide if He should go flee the country and go to Canada to avoid the draft.I understand him

feeling his life was being taking away from him because He would be in a different country

fighting with the chance his life could be taken away from him.Later I find out that all the stories

in this Chapter are not true, which UPSETS me hahal. I felt as though I was lied to!!

WRITING PROMPT # 6

"On The Rainy River"

-O'Brien cannot decide if He should go to war. He only goes to make his family "proud" He wanted to flee to Canada to avoid the war.

- He is a young person, and has a youthful perspective on life. Like most young people think, "too young to die". Being in war changes his perspective.

-O'Brien like myself was very indecisive. Nost of decisions he made someone guided him are led him to making a decision. The old man brings O'Brien close to the Canadian border. Someone is always pushing him towards a decision, it's never him.

"The Ghost Soldiers"

-Being at war in Vietnam made Tim O'Brien made him grow up, and make decisions as before He could not decide to go to war or flee.

- O'Brien has no feelings. Hes neither sad, proud, nor scared. He justs exists because his emotions are cut off by war.

-Tim O'Brien becomes untouched by the lifestyle of war. He knows humans cause death and the warzone no longer affects him. O'Brien and his platoon become like brothers. They make bonds that cannot be broken.

WRITING PROMPT #7

I think everyone has a different view of what "truth" is. Depending on what you faced in life your

less likely to accept everything someone says to you as truth. One may question or not believe at all.

The there are sone who believe everything you say, they are gullible. True war stories are not really

about war, there more about the emotions that come. So by that criteria I believe it is a true war

story. I would recommend this book to anyone, I think it is a good read!

O'Brien changes..

In "On The Rainy River" Tim O'Brien was contemplating whether he should go to war,both the author and the character. The author did not actually go to Canada he spent this time playing golf(which would definetely not be interesting to read about) O'Brien was frightened and was not sure what decision He should make. His whole frightened and soft side faded in "The Ghost Soldiers". He describes to the readers the pain that came with being shot. Where He used to be concerned in doing the right thing O'Brien changed. Maybe it was the cruelty of war that made him lose sight of doing the right thing. He felt this great need to get revenge on a fellow soldier. He was mistreated by Jorgenson and that could have led to the evil that came out of him.

Story Vs Essay

When I view a movie that says "based on a true story" I wonder could that really happen or I may be more critical. I watched Paranormal Activity, which states that it is based on a true story. The movie was ok, but I am very skeptical if the things actually happened. I do believe that there are spirits both good and bad, but like most movies some things are added in for dramatic effect. There are some VERY interesting and unbelievable things that happen in real life but there are also producers that understand that people need to see stuff that excited them!

Irony

We encounter irony almost everyday. When I was in fifth grade I was madly in love with a highschool boy. Everytime I saw him I would just melt and just stare at him. He was one of my brother's friend and they thought it was funny. He would always give me a hug and say hey. The irony of the story is this same guy sent me a message telling me how much I have grown up and how He'd love to hang out with me! All I could do was laugh at how ironic it was because I was so infatuated with him and now he wanted to hang out.

Things Carried:)

Things I carry:

1. Chapstick

2. Cell phone

4. Keys

5. Purse

6. Water

All the items are special to me, but not necessarily needed. The one I would pick for survival would be my water. I love to drink water and well duh its necessary to life. My chapstick is important in the cold weather. Although my cellphone isn't really necessary to life but without it I feel disconnected from the world. If a person were to look in my purse they would be like wow what is all this?! My purse is somewhat messy but its perfect to me :)

Its a new semester YaY :) hopefully it runs as smoothly as last semester !

Thanksgiving Assignment

1. Topics in The Kite Runner – for each of the following, write a clear statement about what the book says about this topic in the novel

• Role of women – Although they mention the diff in sexes, there are no women characters introduced. And this shows the role of women in Afghanistan is not important.

• Betrayal Amir chose to preserve himself rather than taking a stand to protect the vulnerable Hassan.

• Brothers"there was a brotherhood between people who had fed from the same breast.” Although they were not blood brothers they shared that brother bond.

• Guilt – hidden guilt vs. open guilt Amir is born with the guilt if his father and cannot seem to get away from that. Amir’s failure to prevent Hassna from getting rapped has left him with a hidden guilt for not preventing it.

• Redemption Everyone in the story needs redemption besides Hassan. aba tries to redeem himself from his affair with Sanuabar and the betrayal of his friend and servant Ali by building an orphanage and by treating Hassan, his illegitimate son, better than Amir.

• Exodus

• Fathers & sons – patriarchal society- Amir and Baba have a strained relationship. Baba has a high position and Amir is always trying to be like him. Baba finds it hard to relate to Amir and his bookish ways while he himself is manly and enjoys sports. It was also unfair to Amir that Baba spent much more time with Hassan.

• Class distinction one of the boys job is more grand than the other.

2. Style – in 2-3 clear, concise, complete sentences, comment on each the author’s use of eachthe following in the novel

• Parallelism- The quote "for you, a thousand times over." is parallel to Amir being able to be good again in the introduction and then in the last chapter. Houiseinni basically opens and closes circle, ending where he started.

• Character foils – look for characters in pairs OR characters who could be placed side by side for contrast

• Foreshadowing

• Flashback

• Positives & negative aspects of the writing

3. Settings – both time and place and culture – list five important cultural aspects of setting identified in the novel - e.g., Hazara vs. Pashtun

The story starts in San Francisco but then goes back to Afghanistan during turmoil.

4. Identify at least 5 minor characters and their role in the novel

5. Identify at least 5 Symbols and the significance of each

1.The main one is KITES- represents Afghanistan and the two brother's fight.

2.Breast- symbolizes that Amar and Hassan's brotherhood.

3.Rape-symbolizes the loss of innocence. it leads hassan and amar to lose their childhood friendship and Amar is filled with guilt.

4. Pigeons- symbolizes faithfulness, flocking to Islam for peace and safety.

5. Slingshot- symbolizes devotion because in the beginning Hassan used it to stand up to Assef and then at the end Hassans son Sohrab used it to protect Amir against Assef.