Theme Notebook

September 16th, 2010

Showing compassion builds character is a claim used in the short story ‘Thank-you Ma’am’ ‘‘Thank-you Ma’am’ is about a boy named Roger, trying to steal a lady’s pocketbook. And when Roger failed, the lady, Luella Bates Washington Jones, takes him home. She then shows compassion to her thief, and in the end, she gives him the money that was trying to steal.

Evidence: One way Luella was able to show compassion was by feeding Roger. She must have thought that there was no one at his home to feed him. 

 Another quote that shows her sympathy is when she ask him to come and eat at her house; - Here I am trying to get home to cook me a bite to eat and you snatch my pocketbook! Maybe, you ain’t been to your supper either, late as it be. Have you?”

“There’s nobody home at my house,” said the boy.

“Then we’ll eat,” said the woman, “I believe you’re hungry—or been hungry—to try to snatch my pocketbook.”

And because Luella eventually fed Roger, the sentence connects back to the claim sentence. “Showing compassion builds character- Luella must have thought that if she was able to feed Roger, he would never steal again- or he might do the same to someone who tries to steal from him.

This also shows how the claim statement is shown in the quote. Although Roger tried to steal from her, she feeds him in return.One way she showed her generosity, was by giving Roger, the thief, the money he was trying to steal. - “Eat some more, son,” she said.When they were finished eating she got up and said, “Now, here, take this ten dollars and buy yourself some blue suede shoes. And next time, do not make the mistake of latching onto my pocketbook nor nobody elses—because shoes come by devilish like that will burn your feet. I got to get my rest now. But I wish you would behave yourself, son, from here on in.”

In this quote, it clearly shows how Luella was trying to build Roger’s character, so that he would not try to steal again. She truly cared for him, even though she know almost nothing about him. Another quote that shows her sympathy is when she ask him to come and eat at her house; 

In the short clip called ‘Make A Difference” http://www.makeadifferencemovie.com/ is all about a teacher who judged her student, but the student was always kind to her. Teddy built up his teacher’s compassion, by respecting her. And when when Ms. Thompson read about the students, and when she reviewed his files, her character changed towards Teddy. Her character changed towards compassion.  Ms. Thompson judged Teddy, and only him; but when she learns more about his life, her impression towards him changed completely.  In conclusion this interpretation relates back to the claim because, Teddy wasn’t judged anymore, in fact, because of his files, he changed the life of his own teacher, letting her read about his past.

To conclude both “Thank-you Ma’am” and “ Make a Difference” main theme was “Your actions can change someone Character.” This applies to everyday life in many ways, for one, people can influence others by saving their life completely. The lesson being told here is `showing compassion can influence another`s persons life`happens everyday around the world. 

August 16, 2010

One’s identity is fragile.

In the Roald Dahl’s short story, “Lamb to the slaughter”, a typical housewife, Mary Maloney, of the 1960’s is told that her husband, the father of her unborn child, is leaving her. And she then used a frozen leg of lamb to hit her husband on the back his head, leading to death. She then had to keep her identity secret, for if anyone was to find out, she and her unborn could be killed. This was not expected from her, for she was a perfectionist-"somebody who demands or seeks to achieve nothing less than perfection." She always had everything planned, making sure to keep her husband happy, cleaning the house etc. But after her husband told her that he was leaving her, she lost control of actions and killed him. And the Dahl emphazise on Mary's character, to show how quickly she changed from being a perfectionist- to trying to hide her identity.

Another example of "Identity being fragile" is a poem about a person who realizes how much he/she has changed after hidden their identity.

  I look in the mirror, realizing how much I've changed
Who I once was will never be the same
I've spent all my time trying to please you
All my time trying to be you
I got so caught up, I lost myself in the process

That mirror tells lie after lie
It don't show what's deep inside
The person I've given up
Just so I could feel loved, has started to resurface
Fighting for his purpose
Just to let you know, I ain't forgot who I was - Joseph Torrence

Your true identity is deep inside of you. I think the author is trying to explain about "making sure you know who you really are and not who you think."  In the first line, it explain how the person didn't know who he really was and when he looked into a mirror, he realized how much he changed-whether its in a good way or not. He then explains in the second paragraph "that the mirror tells lie after lie, it doesn't show whats deep inside." Meaning it doesn't show your TRUE identity, leaving you to think that what you see is what others believe.

In the both "Lamb to the Slaughter"  and "Hidden Identity" they share one common theme.

Identity.

 Mary Maloney had made it very obvious that she was trying to please her husband. But it was not very obvious to Patrick, therefore he chose to leave her. But after Mary killed him, her identity and her life changed to becoming a secret. The author in "Hidden Identity" was trying to show how keeping your identity to yourself, and how no to forget who you really are.