Somke Signals Movie

The movie Smoke Signals, is a movie based on The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. This movie was created based on one of the stories in the book written by Alexie Sherman. This movie has certain character traits that associates Victor and Thomas, and how the film represents these character traits. Finally both the book and movie represents what is it to be a Native American.

The movie Smoke Signals, adapts to the book, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, because this movie was created by certain stories in the book, such as My Father Always Said He was the Only Indian to see Jimi Hendrix Play. This story was the main plot of Smoke Signals, because it focused on the relationship between Victor, his father, and Victor's friend Thomas. One certain character trait that associates Victor and Thomas is how they both saw the same views of Victors father. An example is towards the end of the film, Victor was able to relate to his father while running to get help because of a car accident. Victor was able to realize that Thomas was right about his father, which was he loved Victor very much and he will always be with him, through Victors actions. Another character trait would be how Victor and Thomas both have strong and power feeling toward everything around them. An example was when Victor and Thomas were in the car arguing about Victors fathers actions, they both had strong opinions and how they were both stubborn about the whole situation.

Finally in my opinion, this movie was created to show how Native Americans live different lives than citizens in the United States. In the book and movie, the Native Americans are saying they could have a family or a relationship with people other than Native Americans, but with white people. Therefore, Native Americans have the wisdom and thrive to live their lives different than others in the United States today because of their attitudes towards life.

Snowbanks North of the House

This poem makes me feel sadness and sympathy to the father, because his son never kept in contact with him, and his wife will not love him anymore. One line that made me have such sorrow was the line, with " the son stops calling home." I feel sadness because of how the son and father are so close one minute and the next the son will not call him anymore. It probly makes the father so sad, because I know if I do not call my dad when I am sleeping over a house, he misses me.

Another line that makes me feel sadness and sympathy for the father was, "And the wife looks at her husband at a party and loves him no more." The reason why is because the father is going through a rough time getting over how his son is not talking to him, and now he is going to find out that his other love of his life, his wife cannot love him anymore. This poem has many sorrow's, and I can relate to in a way, not from the father's view on things, but on my view of losing someone dear to me.

I can relate to this poem, because I lost my grandpa, and we were very close. The only thing different is that the son went to college, and my grandfather past away, so I could never call him or talk to him again. That is why this poem touched me more, because it made me think of my grandpa, and how I could feel the father's pain in a similar way. It makes you stronger, eventhough they are worst things that happen to you.

Imagery in Didactic Literature

In the stories, "The Zen Parables," "Taoist Anecdotes," and "Confucius Analects," all share one similarity, which is describing stories as guidlines to a simply act of kindness/morality in a person's life, to pass on to others as a moral lesson.

In "The Zen Parables," the story "The Thief Who Became a Disciple" teaches a moral lesson of kindness because of how a man came into Shichiri's house to steal money, and Shichiri allowed him to do so, then the thief said thank you. When the thief was caught he went on trail, and Shichiri dropped the charges because of how the man said thank you to Shichiri. This is an act of kindness because of how Shichiri allowed the man to have money, and having dropped the charages because of a simply thank you response. The moral lesson would be respecting ones wishes, and in return you will have one's respect.

In "Taoist Anecdotes," the story "Gold, Gold," the person was faced with the temptation of greed, because of the line, "when I took it, I saw only the gold, not the people," which means he only thought of himself and not others who need the money just as much as he does. Another story called, "The Butterfly" is about how a young boy, who wanted to escape into his dream life, which was him being the butterfly, and only doing what he wants to do, with no stress. Both these stories teach a moral lesson which is seeing the bigger picture in life, such as caring about others, instead of yourself.

Finally, in the story, "Confucius Analects" the first paragraph talks about how to teach people to follow morality. For example is the Buddha and how they worship their religion through meditations and pratices. This story alone, teaches people the true meaning of life, and how to follow their teachings, and morals such as the Buddha, and Gandhi. Both of them brought their teachings to life by wisdom and kindness, for example worshiping their culture and teachings to other monks. Being able to share their thoughts and feelings with others, not by words, but by actions, such as the Buddha and their meditations, to find ones innerself. Another example is Gandhi, when he starved himself to get his people to listen, and respect ones wishes. The authors wrote these stories so people could have a sense of guildlines with morality, and kindness, and to put it into play with real-life experiences.

Parallelism and Paradox in Creation and Pslams Stories

During class we read the Creation and Pslams stories. These stories reveal a certain understanding of the comparsion of paradox and parallelism, and how it relates to our experiences in life. The comparsion teaches that our life and its values should have a deeper meaning, and understanding. It teaches us to admire what we have and not to complain for what we have and don't have. The paradox is taking two things that are true but are total opposites, and allowing us, as the readers to understand the comparsion of two different objects. Parallelism, is a structural statement to allow the readers to create an understanding of a true meaning of life in a description form that we can relate to. While reading through the Creation and Pslams stories, we should allow ourself to grasp the concepts in life and why they are so important to us.

In the Creation stories and Pslams, it allows us to see the true meaning in life, and not to be judgemental of certain things. The reason why paradox and parallelism are similar, is because they both allow you as a reader, to see the truth about life, while other stories allow you only to see what they want you to see. An example is that the stories teaches us that life is simply a gift that is given to you, and it is your choice to live it out to the fullest or just let it pass by you. These stories remind us of the gifts in life, and how easily it can be gone, such as losing a loved one. While reading these stories, we should keep an open-mind in life, such as using what we know from these stories and spreading our gifts with others.

In these stories, it not only allows us to have an open-mind of true meanings in life, but allows us to have an understaing of our values in life. The Creation and Pslams stories create a symbol of life and what we can believe in, instead of what we should believe in. An example is how the Creation story compares paradox and parallelism by describing Heaven and Hell, and how they are opposites, but yet how the sentence structure is the same. However the meanings of Heaven and Hell are expressed in different ways through different people in our lives. This example shows that everyone has a knoweldge or understanding of Heaven and Hell, but it is also expressed differently through their own beliefs. Eventhough people have their own beliefs in God, Haven, or Hell, the true teachings is how it relates to you as a person, and how you embrace it in your life. Also, it allows you to know that life is a gift that can easily be taken away, so value it. This is what the Creation and Pslams stories teaches us, to have an open-mind in your life, and to value your gifts around you.

when we two parted

"when we two parted, in silence and tears, half broken hearted."

This poem is about havine someone leave close to you. This quote is about how a lover who leaves the author for good. The only thing that the author could feel is the silence of his voice and the chills of tears running down his face. The pain of a break up, causing him to regret letting her go and not saying anything to make her stay. This quote also means, when you let go, you are going to feel pain, but you have to learn to let go of your pain and keep the memories of your love with on another and hope to see her again soon.

I could relate to this poem, because I had the same experience happen to me. The feeling you get when you break up is unbarable. It feels like your heart got ripped out, and all you could hear is your heart banging loud, and your throat as dry as a desert. You try not to cry infront of the person, but deep down inside you want to scream, but your voice will not come out. It is the worst feeling in the world, and what is worst, is seeing them later with another lover, and yet they still say hi at you like what you had was really nothing.

Through my experience I feel that love is a gift, and a curse. Love is a gift because you have something so precious that you never want to let you go. The curse is that when you are forcused to let go, your heart is gone. This is what I feel about love.

Aftermath

"Its not the storm itself-wind and rain lashing shore,
but the aftermath"

This poem, the aftermath is about a storm like hurricane Katrina that hits a small island. During the storm people do not think of anything else but running for safety. They do not think of the aftermath, the damage the hurricane is going to cause. All they think about is staying alive.

These lines I've selected talks about the after effects of the hurricane. For instance "it's not the storm itself- wind and rain lashing shore," means that when the storm hits, even though the wind and rain is destroying everything around you, it is still not the storm that brings worries, it's not knowing if your going to survive to see the after effects of the storm. Finally, the last line, "but the aftermath" means excatly what it is saying, but the after effect of everything that occurred from the storm.

In my opinion, I like this poem a lot, because of the realistic description about the storms and the aftermath, including the description of the uprotting trees, toppling poles, and then ending with the line, "the bright calm" which is my favorite. The reason why, is because when you as a reader hear the line "the bright calm" means the storm as past, and you see the sun coming out and everything around you is silent, like calm. This poem inspires me as a reader because deep inside I am able to visualize the writers experience with this storm.

London Poem

"How the chimney-sweeper's cry,
Every blackening church appalls."

This poem has a meaning for inane, because of the line, "How the chimney-sweeper's cry." This line describes how the children covered in dust and dirt are slaves, and how they need to work to survive. The children have no hope, only the suffering to survive in the dirt streets of London.

However, the line, "Every blackening church appalls," describes how the churches in London are derelict, like being abandon. This line describes hope for the slaved children, because everyone feels safe somewhere, and it is mostly in churches. If the church is abandon, no one will bother the chimney-sweeper's and they can find hope with God.

Finally, I believe this poem is a structure of survival. The reason why, is because the descriptions in the stanza's are very dark and depressing. Some stanza's have hope, but then is suppressed by the devil work. These are my feelings of the London Poem.