You Win, and You're Dead

Author's Note: This is a short response on the story "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson and its symbolism.

In the short story, "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson has many items that symbolize what is happening and what is going to happen at the end of the story. For example the box in which the heads of the families pick out of is black which is the common symbol for death or evil. This story definitely has an ending with death when Mrs. Tessie is unluckily chosen to be stoned  to death by her family and friends.

There are also some other symbolic items that lead to this ironic ending.

When Tessie was finally chosen for her doom, her friend Mrs.Doucroix picked up the biggest rock she could find which symbolized friendship and humanity because she wanted her friend to die quickly with the least pain possible. Some other items in "The Lottery" that symbolizes death are the black-spotted ticket and the rocks. Finally, the last symbolic item is the lottery itself which represents tradition. Overall the symbolic items in "The Lottery" represented death and evilness.

The Totalitarian Country

Just imagine, having telescreens in your flat or home, watching your every move. Think about having to work and live with the worry that a bombshell could land on you at any moment. Finally, dream about the fact that if you have even one bad thought against your country, you will be caught and then vaporized by the Thought Police, never to be heard or seen of again. This is what life is like for the citizens of Oceania with their totalitarian run government in the book 1984 by George Orwell. The comrades (or at least that’s what they call each other) are overrun by their government and live in a world with little supplies and the likelihood that someone could betray you any second. Although there are many quotes in this confusing but intelligently written book, I chose a few that were especially expressive regarding the ideals of The Party (what Oceania calls their government) such as the rules of the country and the citizens' privileges.

The quote “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU” (Part 1, chapter 1, page 3) is on the Ingsoc (stands for English Socialism) posters in every alleyway, street, and home in the whole country of Oceania. Big Brother is the man who every citizen loves because he knows all and lives forever. I think that the posters relate to the telescreens which are in every room in every home. These cameras watch the citizens to make sure that they aren't doing anything that would be unfaithful to Big Brother. I also think that this quote relates to the overall tone and theme of the story because the comrades of this dreadful place had no freedom whatsoever to do whatever they wanted without the pesky eyes of the Thought Police starring them down.

The next quote is “WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH" (found throughout the whole book). This is the Party’s saying which can be found in places like Oceania currency, The Two Minutes of Hate, and again on the Ingsoc posters. The Two Minutes of Hate is a time each day when the citizens watch a video about all of the people they hate, especially a man named Goldstien. Anyways, war in this country is actually peace because without the wars, there wouldn’t be the alliances with the other country (Either Eurasia or Eastasia) ending the overall system of trading for goods. This saying also represents Oceana's indoctrinate leader's passion for everlasting war, slavery, and ignorance which is all a main theme and mood of the story.

Furthermore, the excerpt “Syme was not only dead, he was abolished, an unperson” (Part 2, chapter 6) clearly states what the government could do to you if you thought badly of Big Brother or Oceania. Syme was an intelligent, outgoing man who worked with the main character Winston Smith in the Ministry of Truth. Like Winston, he was starting to challenge and defy Ingsoc so when the Thought Police caught on, he disappeared. Syme was wiped away from the records and any newspaper article he was in, making it as though he never existed. This quote relates to the story because it shows how capable and irksome the authorities were in the dictatorship country.

Pursuing this one step further, the quote “The past was dead, the future was unimaginable" (Part 1, chapter 2) connects to Winston’s job at the Ministry of Truth. Winston is responsible for changing any palimpsests (untrue pieces of writing)and making them true by making up stories with a lot of factual support. For example, during the story, the country of Oceania was at war with Eurasia but suddenly switched and went to battle with Eastasia. So Winston and all of the workers at the Ministry of Truth spent six days going through articles and newspapers switching the facts from war with Eurasia to war with Eastasia. This made all of the comrades think that they were always at war with Eastasia and never at war with Eurasia. This example blends perfectly with the quote because the past is untrue or dead and the future is imaginable by the minds and imaginations of the workers at the Ministry of Truth.

The mood and theme, the law of the country, and the privileges of the comrades are specifically defined by the previous quotes of the novel 1984 by George Orwell. This book really makes me appreciate the government and society that the United States has. No ignorance, no slavery, not always wars, a peaceful existence and mp creepy telescreens. The overall meaning of 1984 was not just to show us what life was like in an alternate universe, but to teach us that a productive and free society cannot help but be luxurious and self-governing. 

You Look at Me, and See Nothing Back

I have been through years and years,

But the spot you are looking at is the only fault.

You look at me,

But you see nothing back.

You have no idea what history and what people I have seen,

But all those people just see me as an oxidized crack.

You look at me,

But you see nothing back.

I have built up rust and dust,

But that doesn't matter because I am still just a crack.

You look at me,

But you see nothing back.

A big shiny mirror,

Isn't so shiny with a dark mysterious indent.

You look at me,

But you see nothing back.

People look at themselves in the mirror,

But when they try to see something through me they can never see themselves.

You look at me,

And see nothing back.

The point of view of this piece is important in the crack on the window because if it weren't, there wouldn't be any of the adjectives about the crack. If it were written in the point of view of a person looking at the crack, there wouldn't be more then a mere sentence about the crack. 

An Autobiography of Gabe Hall

 Authors Note: This piece is an autobiography and the purpose for writing is to complete one of my goals for Language Arts class.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! I wake up at 6:00 in the morning every single weekday for the whole school year. Then I get ready, eat breakfast, and get on the bus. By 7:15, I start a 7 hour 15 minute long day. By the time I get home, I eat a snack, and then am whisked away to a sports practice. Finally, I get home eat dinner, and then go to bed. You have just gone through a day in the life of Gabriel Patrick Hall.

I was born on August 29^th, 1997 in an Elmbrook Hospital and I have lived in Pewaukee, WI all of my life. I am tall, have blonde hair, and blue eyes. My Mom, Step-dad John, Brother Sam, Sister Megan, my dog Rufus, and I all live under one roof. The other part of my family, my Dad’s, all live in SC and I only get to see every once in a while. Since Kindergarten, I have been going to the Pewaukee School District and have loved every second of it. I am very happy with the life that I have and I am almost positive that it will get better!

During my lifetime, I have played many sports. But, after eight years, I have narrowed it down to soccer and basketball. In soccer, my favorite position is goalie and in basketball, my favorite position is shooting guard. I am also the president of my school’s student council and am a trumpet player in band. I really love leading this school with fresh ideas and leadership skills!

As I have stated before I have been in the Pewaukee School District for 8 years, I have liked it so much because I am really smart. Although I am good at all subjects, my favorite is math. I don’t know how I am so good at it but I can solve so many different types of problems like the volume of an apple. Speaking of food, I have a huge variety of foods that I like and I will eat almost anything. My favorite foods are sushi and bacon. It really takes acquired taste buds to like those types of foods.

So far, old my life has been ecstatically wonderful as a fourteen year. I have had such a great time with the life my dad and mom have provided for me. I really enjoy doing all of the things that makes me, me. With Sports, Student Council, and school you can’t get any better. Hopefully though, my future will be even better!!!

Mitosis: The Cause of Cancer

Author’s Note: This piece is a research paper about the relationship of mitosis and cancer and I am writing this for my language arts and my science class.

Did you know that fifteen hundred people die of cancer each year? This means that four people are dying every day from cancer. Since 2008, cancer has accounted for one in every four deaths. Finally, cancer is the most common cause of death in the U.S. Obviously; cancer is not a good thing to have and all of that is due to the process of cell division or mitosis.

            

Mitosis is the usual method of cell division where two cells are resulted from another (dictionary.com).
Cancer is a disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells. You can definitely see how mitosis is related to cancer in a very large way. 

            

During cell division, gaining or losing a chromosome or DNA mutation can lead to an abnormal cell and then cancer. A chromosome is attained or lost when mitosis is not acting naturally- the common ‘rest stops’ for cells are not acknowledged or taken over by a cancer cell (Biology). DNA mutation happens when the nucleus transforms into something abnormal. The process of mitosis and the deadly disease of cancer are very relatable because cancer is created during cell division.

             

Even though the daunting process of cancer is hard to find a cure for, doctors around the world are still making their best efforts to find a solution. In the year 2010, a college professor discovered proteins that have a big influence on how cancer cells are created during mitosis (University). This was one of the first big steps into the beginning of a cure. Next, in 2011, a doctor found out that the malfunction of mitosis by anti mitotic drugs can cause mitosis failure (Orth). This is another huge step in figuring out what influences cancer. Finally, in our current year, a scientist named Kiyomitsu figured out that the nuclear protein Ran blocks the important LGN protein and therefore dynein, from attaching to the cell membrane closest to the chromosomes (Kiyomitsu).

Mitosis and the mutation of cells is the big reason in why cancer exists today. Right now, my step mom in South Carolina has breast cancer and that’s why I chose to do this research project. To treat the cancer she had to have chemotherapy and then radiation. After that, they will see if the cancer is gone and if it is, she is cancer free! Although, my step-mom is one of the lucky ones. There are 1500 deaths a year in relation to cancer and it is growing. But the doctors and scientists are working diligently hard to find a cure!