The Magic of Storytelling

Storytelling is everywhere now in day, but is every story true? I think we all know the answer to that question. True stories are not about facts anymore, they are about what the reader/listener perceives to be true. Take into account the book The Thing They Carry. This whole book is not completely true. It is based off of a true even in history, but O'Brien does not used complete truth to tell this story. He uses a part in history then adds fiction to the novel to make it a good book. This book makes the reader have to think about what parts are true, and what are just fiction. This was O'Briens intentions the whole time. "Uh, if I were to tell you the literal truth of what happened to me in the summer of nineteen sixty-eight, all I could tell you was that I played golf, and I worried about getting drafted. But that's a crappy story. Isn't it? It doesn't - it doesn't open any door to what I was feeling in the summer of nineteen sixty-eight. That's what fiction is for. It's for getting at the truth when the truth isn't sufficient for the truth." (O'Brien) He uses fiction and truth to make a book readable.

This also happens in the movie Forrest Gump. This is a movie about a young boy who was not like everyone else. He was human, but did not fit in. His mom and Jennny were the main people in his life. They were there for him no matter what. "I'll always be your girl. " (Jenny, Forrest Gump.) " You're momma sure does care about your education, son. " (Principal, Forrest Gump) This movie is like The Thing They Carry. It is based on a fact in history, but they blend in humor to make the movie a great one to watch. "What does this movie have to do with the more mundane issue of the believability of television news film? The answer can be found in several scenes. Through one of the most incredible uses of computer-assisted technology, Forrest Gump has interesting encounters with John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and John Lennon.

Never mind that none of these events occurred. Never mind that the public is shown in larger-than-life terms just how effectively Forrest Gump is made a part of the vintage news footage in a way that nearly defies detection. After all, it's just entertainment, right?" (Sherer, Michael D.) This is the opinion of most people now in day. It is just entertainment. Most books and movies now in day blend truth with fiction to make top sellers. No one wants to read an all factual book and like it. They want to read something that keeps them involved.

Manipulating, `Forrest Gump'. By: Sherer, Michael D., Quill, 00336475, , Vol. 82, Issue 9
Literary Reference Center

Forrest Gump / Producers: Wendy Finerman, Steve Tisch, and Steve Starkey / Director: Robert Zemeckis / Writer: Eric Roth / 1994 / Paramount Pictures / US

O'brien, Tim. "Writing Vietnam." 21 Apr. 1999. http://www.stg.brown.edu/ projects/WritingVietnam/intro.html. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. .

Holden as the universal teenager

Holden is very much like any teenager of this time period. He is a very smart boy, but doesn't show it. he has flunked out of three previous schools and in the beginning of this book he has just flunked out of his fourth. He does not apply himself at all, when he could be a very smart boy.

"Do you blame me for flunking you, boy?" (pg12)
"Do you have absolutely no concern for your future, boy?" Oh i feel some concern for my future, all right" (pg15)
This is proving it that he is like anyone of us. We think we know everything and think we can just walk our way through school failing then go out in the real world and do whatever we want.

Holden is also very shy with the women. All he talks about in this book is Jane, but he is too nervous to talk to her. He talks about hanging out with her in Maine in the summer, and is very defensive about how he explains his and her "relationship". He talks about how they were good friends and he'd hold her hand all the time, but talks to the reader about not thinking of her as an "icicle" because she didn't do a lot of stuff with him.
"I don't want you to get the idea she was a goddam icicle or something, just because we never necked or horsed around much." (pg 79)
He shows a lot of love for her and defends her a lot. But he is very shy around her as well.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

Kesey develops the characters very well. They both seem like they have a lot of power, but i believe that they are both equally powerful. Like how Big nurse sits there and stares through the window like it was never smashed just to prove a point that it didnt phase her, but just as well how mac broke the window twice trying to get back at nurse. Mac is defenitely more therapeautic. Taking them on a fishing trip. He is trying to relate to them more while nurse is just doing her job.

Aurthurian Legend

How does the authruian legend withstand though many years? Why is it being taught today? How has it not faded away like many other legends did? The arthurian legend has been around for many years. It has many different interpretations, and many different films and pieces. THese stories have so much detail to them. They have a hero that comes out of no where. The love between a man and a woman. All different types of midevil romance.

For example, one of the most famous ones of all time, T.H. Whites the once and future king. This is a great story about Arthurs tavel to become a king. He was just a young boy, and neve was expected of anything. they looked down apon him and thought he was nothing. It shows how arthur never gave up and became everything he could be. He rose up from nothing into the greatest king alive. "I will ride post, mate, so that the candle will burn" (White 637)

Another huge example of this was sir gawain and the green knight. This showed a lot about overcoming challenges. Gawain was never expected of anything, until his kingdom had a visiter, the green knight. He had to go through all the the knights challenges and prove himself worthy to be able to save his kingdom and prove to the king his loyalty. In the end he was loyal. The knight let him keep his life and left the kingdom alone. This is huge. It shows how gawain came from nothing to prove himself loyal to the king and to save his kingdom. THis also shows the love of a king and a queen. Gawain and the lady of the castle. SHe kept trying to seduce him and get his love. " a truce i'll tie you to your bed" (pg 87)

The excalabir was a huge movie that related to this. It showed how arthur was just a squire. He always forgot everything and never did anything right. The one day he forgot his lords sword and had to go back to find it. A young boy ran off with it, so he went over to the excalaber and pulled it out of the stone. No one has ever done this before. Only the right person for the job couldve done this. And he did. Everyone was amazed and he now has overcome everything. He use to be just a young squire and now has amazed everyone into being a king. "A good qruire never forgets his lords sword"

All of these great films and stories all relate to the arthurian legend. They show midevil romance from becoming a lord when not expected to and showing the love of a king and a queen. THese stories have been around for centuries and will still keep going. THere are many different translations of it that all relate to the same thing. THese stories will forever be taught and the Arthurian Legend will live on forever.

Medevil romance

I dont reall like all these medevil romance books/short stories. It's really just not what i am interested in. I dont find the language in which they are wrote easy to read. I need something simplier, maybe im just slow. Sir Gawain is not a bad poem. It is probably the only piece from the midevil romance that i like so far, probably because it might be the only one that i've read. But hey atleast I'm reading it. I think the adventure. How its starting how by challenges and stuff. Thats what im into. I like the adventure, fighting, challenges, all of that stuff. Also im starting to like this book because i like the cockyness, if thats a word, of the giant. It makes me want to keep reading. All of the other passages i did not like because they didn tkeep me entertained or into the story at all.

"No, not fighting: believe me prince. These benches are filled with beardledd infants. Wearing myh armor, there's no muscle in this hall to match me" (pg 56)

I choose the second book cover as the best one that fits this book. It is an image of ben. Right from when he was born all they said is how much of a troll he looked and how his image was creepy. That it like ben's image. A guy standing there, looking creepy. IT fits ben's descriptiion right from the first day he was born. HE would always get down right before he was going to get into trouble. This is ben's signature. He freaked out his whole family. THey all thought something was wrong with him since day one. They knew there was something different about him. That is why the second cover fits this perfectly.

Reaction To Frankenstein

This book is a little weird. Who tries to create another creation just to show you can. Victor is trying to play god. Then after he creates the first creature the creature is lonely. He acts out in anger and kills victors friend. Then he asks victor to create a mate for him so he isnt lonely and the creature promises to dissappear into south america and never be seen again. Victor says yes at first, then changes his mind and kills the new mate. Frankenstein is enraged and kills again, but this time he makes it look like Victor has done it. This book is a good book, but is stupid. NO ONE CAN PLAY GOD AND TRY TO CREATE ANOTHER HUMAN BEING. This could never happen in real life. This is a bad choice anyway. The creature ends up doing harm to the world. The creature should never have been created.