A Christmas Story

Plot
The short story "Red Ryder and The Hammond Kid" is similar to the film "A Christmas Story." Ralphie, a young boy growing up, dreams of owning a Red Ryder BB gun. He sets out to convine the whole world that this is the perfect gift. But along the way, he runs into some opposition from his parents, his teacher, and even Santa Claus. All of his attempts of telling what he wants gets the same response of, "You'll shoot your eye out, kid." Ralphie is angry enough to where he beats up the town bully. He knows he will never get the BB gun for Christmas now, but when Ralphie opens his presents on Christmas morning receives the gun. And everyone was right, he shot his eye out.

Characterization
The film is also indirect characterization. In the story we are able to hear Ralphie's thoughts and feeling, but the film we are able to see how he presents himself. In any film you are able to see how the characters react and their physical presence. This enables the reader to be involved in the story. Ralphie is telling the story and he tell us how he doesnt understand why the BB gun is not suitable for children. Everyone is telling him no and we do not see his mental emotions come out right away, but sidenoting how he really feels allows the audience to get the feel of the story.

Point of View

The film is manily told in first person. Ralphie is giving us his thoughts and feelings through out the film. The reader is then able to understand Ralhie's true feelings toward him wanting the Red Ryder BB gun. It is clear through the film that it suits all ages. Ralphie talks in a more adult manor, but he is also a child who desperatly wants a certain Christmas present. The adult dialogue is not to the point of profanity, so the child humor plays a big role in the film.

Setting

The film is set in Hammond, Indiana in the 1040's. The setting bounces around the town. When Ralphie first asks for the BB gun, he is at home with his parents and little brother. Then at school, the class was asked to write a paper about what they want for Christmas. After being told he will shoot his eye out, he tries once more at the mall. He waits in line to see Santa Clause thinking he would unserstand, but Santa said the same thing.

Theme

The theme for the film is to just be happy with what you receive. Ralphie goes a little overboard with wanting the BB gun. He should ask for it and leave it at that. To take your anger out on someone else and to beg that much, most people would call you a brat. There are a lot of people in this world that cannot afford anything, so we should be thankful with what we have and move on with our lives. When you are a child, be one.

Red Ryder Nails the Hammond Kid

Plot
The plot of "Red Ryder Nails the Hammond Kid" centers around the opening sign the main character notices that read "Disarm the Toy Industry." This immediatly look him back to a flashback to his childhood Christmas where he hopes to receive a Red Ryder BB Gun. Ralphie seems to talk as an adult, but when asked what he wants for Christmas he says, "A Red Ryder BB gun! I was just kidding. Even though Flick is getting one (page 480) shows the childlike behavior in Ralphie. His adultlike behavior shows up at the beginning of the story when he says, "Of course there were the usual H & H club members spotted here and there in the mob; out-of-work seal trainers, borderline bookies, ex-Opera divas, and pandhandlers trying hard to look like Madison Avenue account men just getting out of the cold fot a few minutes (page 473). Overall, the plot throughout goes through different dictions to get the whole aspect of the story.

Point of View
The story is written in first person point of view. The main character Ralphie tells the flashback of Christmas as a child. Even though he is telling about his childhood flashback, he is not at all acting as a child. For example Ralphie says, "Again we waited. Schwartz with a superior smirk playing faintly on his chapped lips (page 481). No one would expect a young boy to talk such like an adult. It shows that he was interested in his childhood and allowed the reader to understand what he truely thought about.

Characterization
The narrator used indirect characterization to allow the reader to understand the characters true thoughts and feelings. Telling the story in first person allows the narrator to tell his story and allows the flashback of his choldhood to be effective. The main character is Ralphie, but if it was not for the old lady at H&H, Ralphie would have not had the falshback. The encounter with the old lady sets the whole plot of the story with his flashback. Therefore, the old lady is an important character for the story along with Ralphie.

Setting

One setting of the sotry is before the flashback when Ralphie is sitting in a H&H around Christmas in Manhattan. Then, the story goes back to his chilhood in Hammond, Indiana where it was also around Christmas and during the Great Depression. Even though it was during the Great Depression, people never let the spirit of Christmas die. In their homes still stood trees and they still exchanged gifts. The settings are relevant to the plot because if it was not for the old lady at H&H, then Ralphie would have not had the flashback. Also, the fact that Christmas was involved, Ralphie would not of wanted the Red Ryder BB gun.

Theme

The theme of the story is that even when you are an adult, some things do not ever change. When the narrator saw the sign that said, "Disarm the Toy Industry" it took him back to when he was a child and how that Red Ryder BB gun could shoot his eyes out. Ralphie accepted the dangers when he was a child and as an adult he was not for disarming the toy industry. The flashback shows that he never will forget the toy he always dreamed of as a child that no one thought was right for kids. The sign also shows that some things do not ever change.

Shakespeare In Love-Sonnet 130

1. Some people believe looks matter when finding a partner. In this sonnet's case, the man thinks his love is hideous. Her eyes are dull, her haris are black wires, her cheeks are no so rosie, and her breath reeks. Most men would not be attractive to this type of woman. The message in this sonnet tells how some men love their women no matter what she may look like. That to me, is true in todays world. Looks are not what always matter when looking at a girl. If you love their attitude and personality, then looks may no always be an issue. You should love a person for who they are and not what they look like.

2. The message this sonnet gives is true in most ways. The man in the poem tells us how ugly and unattractive his love is, but he still loves her. "Coral is far more red than her lips' red; If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun," explains to the reader how not so cute his love is, but at the end of the sonnet he says "And yet, by heaven, I think my love is rare." He contradicts himsely by saying these mean things about how the way his love looks, but then tell how much he loves her.

With personal experience, I have seen people throughout the community where I stop and think as to how that couple started. I was at the local drug store and I saw a good looking guy with a not so pretty girl. I could not help but look at the couple and wonder how that happened. When I really thought about it, I realized looks may not matter as much as to personality or what the inside has to offer. Young people consider looks to be the most important thing, but looks can only get you so far. It is your heart that will tell who you really are.

No matter who you are, you are beautiful.
.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr-0s1sTRvI

"Dare You To Move" Ballad

"Dare You To Move" by Switchfoot

Welcome to the planet
Welcome to existence
Everyone's here
Everyone's here
Everybody's watching you now
Everybody waits for you now
What happens next
What happens next

[Chorus]
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened before

Welcome to the fallout
Welcome to resistance
The tension is here
Tension is here
Between who you are and who you could be
Between how it is and how it should be

[Chorus]

Maybe redemption has stories to tell
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell
Where can you run to escape from yourself?
Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna go?
Salvation is here

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened before

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOTcr9wKC-o

The song "Dare You To Move" resembles a ballad because of the characteristics of the song. Folk ballds include dramatization of a single incident,little reflection or expression of sentiment,dialogue or questions and answers,simple beat and uncomplicated pattern,use of refrain,use of burden,tendency of suggest rather than directly state, and it's based on actual events. The artist of this song seems sentimental to what he is saying. The lyrics are strong, but are also simple. There is repetition of the refrain, which says that those thoughts and sayings are very important. When saying, "I dare you," it means he is not demanding anything. He is suggesting. All of these characteristics resembles a ballad.

I'm No Superman!

Superman-We all know who the hero Superman is. He can fly very fast, has super strength, and can speak all Earth languages. Superman was in an episode that showed his heroic quatlites. In the episode, "Worlds Finest", Batman and Superman must kill all of Luther's killer robots. Superman and Batman were not on good terms while this was going on, but when they realized the dangers, they came together and settles their differences. They continued on destroying the killer robots and then saved the city.

Father Wilmoth-Someone who is very close to me who I would call a hero is Father Wilmoth. Him and my family are very close, so he is basically a part of my family. He is more of a spiritual hero then anything. He is a very stong, passionate, and loving person. He has helped me a lot through life and is always there when i need someone. For this reason, I would consider him a hero. You can't find many people like Father and he will always be my hero.

Mother Teresa-I wish I could have known Mother Teresa. She was a very loving a caring person for the sick and poor. She did things many people looked down upon. They believed what she did was wrong. I think that is why she is a hero. Doing something totally different from what the people do is very courageous. Knowing Mother Teresa would truely change my life. I would want to be just like her, but not all things work that well. She is a hero to me and to many other people around the world, especially the ones she took good care of.