Friday, April 29, 2011

Painting Pictures with Words: A Favourite Essay

Choose a favourite essay from the three and briefly explain what it is you like about the writing. Write about 100 words and include at least one direct quoted reference to the essay in your response (keep quote to 10 to 15 words or so)
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9 comments:

Brad said...

All the writing is solid, but Michelle Tocher’s piece, perhaps because of its subject, but mainly because of its direct honesty, is my favourite. It is devastating to read of a doctor who in his hurry “to have breakfast with his wife” left Tocher’s sister “not entirely here.” Not only does Tocher address the particulars of her sister’s life, she also articulates her anger (and I feel it too) at our society’s disregard for those different from the norm. Her sentence—“We are not a village”— brings to mind our appalling blindness to the suffering of others. Honest, beautiful and heartfelt, Tocher’s writing shines.

—104 words

April 30, 2011 at 10:48 AM
Unknown said...

Michelle Tocher's story reflects back to a poem I wrote in my blog because when we suffer, "beauty does live among us if you are talking about a "beautiful soul."
There is only one thing to know about beauty judging by a book cover: "to be beautiful is to suffer" because "this is a society that is organized to look after those who have special needs." I am "fascinated by her innonce" and yet, "I am painfully aware of how few people are actually present to her - and I wonder if there isn't a relationship there, between her lack presence and ours."

112 words (blog version) *For the orignial version, check out my blog at www.jessleeroseline.blogspot.com

April 30, 2011 at 6:54 PM
Darija said...

Tocher’s touching story about her disabled sister gives us a wide prospective of those people who are very often forgotten and unnoticed by society. Having such a person in a family is like “have royalty”. They cost, they have their special needs, and it is very hard for people around them to do job for them. From other side, having those people in our life may not always to be burden; they may entice our innermost motions by their innocence and “beautiful” soul. With those people we may learn about ourselves and not be “arrogant” as we usually are.

Words 99

May 3, 2011 at 7:20 AM
Matthew said...

McRanor’s narrative on unplanned parenthood is by far the most entertaining and, in my opinion, incredibly well written. His use of comedic and satiric language help to illustrate a tale that anyone who’s ever been through the horrifying, chaotically emotional rollercoaster ride of parenthood would easily be able to resonate with. The central theme of this essay is quite superfluously clear: being a parent is hard and being a single parent is harder still. “Nothing can teach you how to be a good [parent]. Not even the internet.” Insatiably funny and authentic in word and real life it paints a picture we can all identify with in some way or another.

-111 words

May 3, 2011 at 11:50 PM
Ensieh said...

Greame McRanor's story was fimilar to me.I know people that they become parents,but most of them somehow unplanned. I always think about having a baby, because I love babies since I was a younge girl.Babies are the future and every woman wishes to have a kid including myself.I beleive that raising a kid is a tough job,but it doesn't mean that we shouldn't have children. Thats because I am a woman and for sure one day I Will have a baby. Also, this story is one of those story that happend everyday in our society and it is very common thing ,especialy for youngers.Who knows this might be the story of one of us in this school.

124 words.

May 3, 2011 at 11:55 PM
Amy Dong said...

George Brooks’ story about “Life Lessons from My Uncle Charlie” is my favorite. My Uncle Charlie seems is a ordinary people, in fact he did a great job in his ordinary post. He taught George in his activity. He accepted George for a summer when George decided to quit school. He didn’t just tell George not quit school because it was not good for the future. He led George to do farm’s work and after that summer George knew something better for his future. I like his words that “every job has value and you can be proud of what you do if you try your hardest.”

--107--

May 4, 2011 at 11:02 AM
Steven said...

I like “Life Lessons form My Uncle Charlie” the most among the three essays because the narrator appreciates and cherishes the memory with his uncle Charlie, the man who changes his life. I picture “Molly and Dolly” and Charlie's smile to George's reaction. I find their trusty bonding from Charlie letting George drive his truck when he was only 13 and “borrow the truck to go on dates.” I see Charlie “in the audience smiling” in George’s university graduation ceremony. The guidance and values pass on to George’s son is such a precious lesson being taught. Well done, Charlie, I know you are smiling from heaven.

May 4, 2011 at 11:09 AM
Marwa said...

After reading the essays that were given, I finally have chosen my favorite one which is Graeme McRanor.”I wasn’t prepared to be a single dad”, reminded me of my best friends story when she got unplanned pregnancy. It’s really tough to raise a child alone, especially when you have no one. As my friend told me that” babies need a lot of attention”, and treat them as you like to be treated. Otherwise it’s very hard to control them. And I think that it’s important that we give our babies the love they need because they are a small cute human being that we have to deal with.

108 words

May 4, 2011 at 8:24 PM
Niloufar said...

I’m interested in George Brooks’ story which calls, “Life Lessons from My Uncle Charlie.” He was a hard worker man who loved making his own creativity. Also, he wasn’t speaking much, but you could learn a lot from his behavior. There are things that we won’t understand before we experience them, and that was his plan which made Georgie to go back to school. I really felt his voice when he said, “Georgie, every job has value and you can be proud of what you do if you try your hardest,” it is absolutely true, and I experienced it in a different situation. His organized mind for his plans made him especial in doing things which is impossible for many people even young ones.( 124 words)

May 6, 2011 at 9:26 AM

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