LAST SEMESTER OF SENIOR YEAR!!!

A couple of days ago, it hit me that this is my last semester of high school. My epiphany was caused by all of the annoying scheduling announcements said every morning and afternoon. It's strange to think that after this semester I don't have to come back to Dunbar ever again. I don't have to schedule classes for next year because I won't be here next year.

I think (and hope) I am ready for college. Being on your own and making your own decisions can be frightening at times, but there will be good times too. One thing I worry about is being homesick. I never went to any summer camps as a kid because I hated being away from my family for more than a week or so. I'm hoping that going to UK will make it easier on me because I can visit my family whenever I want.

Most teenagers cannot stand their siblings, but I think that I will really miss my little sister when I go off to college. Even though we have nine years in between us we still get along really well. She used to joke about getting my room when I leave for college, but now she doesn't talk about it anymore. She says little things like "You won't be here much longer" and "I will really miss you sissy" that show she doesn't want me to leave. At least I can visit her often!

The Road vs. I Am Legend

I have not come in contact with many post-apocalyptic stories throughout my readings. Actually, I have only come in contact with one other, which is I Am Legend. I was forced into watching the movie with one of my friends, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. Whether it was because Will Smith is one of my favorite actors or because I liked the story as a whole, I will never know.

While reading The Road, I actually thought about I Am Legend quite a bit. I think there are many comparisons that can be made between both of these stories. 

One comparison being that both stories contain situations where little hope is found, but the main characters keep moving forward as if they were genetically programmed to keep surviving. A scene in I Am Legend comes to my mind; Will Smith's character keeps checking the radio every single day in hopes of someone picking up on the other end. In The Road, The man and the boy slowly make their way south in hopes of finding food, shelter, warm weather, and more "good guys".

Another similarity I found is between the main characters of both stories. Both Will Smith's character and the man idolize someone or something. For Will Smith's character it is the dog; He feels it is his duty to protect and love the dog. As for the man, it is the boy. When the mother decided to commit suicide, the man had nothing else to believe in so he put all his faith, hope, and trust into the boy.

Heroism in The Hobbit

The topic of my Inquiry Project is heroism through the ages. My first book choice is The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. This book appealed to me because the protagonist, Bilbo Baggins, is not a typical epic hero. In the book he is referred to as a "expert burglar", instead of a hero.

I am a little over half way through the book, and I have noticed a significant shift in Bilbo's heroic acts. Towards the beginning of the book, Bilbo had no idea how to protect himself or his friends. He cowered in fear when facing the cave trolls. It was Gandalf the Grey wizard who saved Bilbo and the dwarves in that instant. Something I found strange about this part of the book was that Gandalf did not use magic to save them. Instead he mimicked the trolls voices so that they became confused. I think he did that to show Bilbo a way to help and protect the company. Later in the book Bilbo uses a similar technique, with the help of a invisibility ring, to lead the giant spiders away from his friends. In the instance with the spiders, Bilbo taunts them into following him deep into the forest.

From my reading thus far, I have deducted that the hero sometimes has a mentor of some sort that teaches him/her skills that will help the hero perform the heroic deeds necessary to protect his/her friends, family, and/or the innocent.

My Thoughts on "The Road"

Is it possible for a book to be horrifying and disturbing, but at the same time beautiful and poetic? Before starting The Road, I would have answered that question with a definite "No!" Now, I am unsure of my previous answer.

There are points in the book that make me want to put it down and never pick it up again. For example, the book contains multiple passages that describe, in gruesome detail, the frailty of the boy. The imagery is so vivid, almost too vivid. I can picture a little boy covered in filth and so skinny his bones almost come through his skin; the thought sickens and disturbs me. 

However, there are others points in The Road that contain the most beautiful and raw emotions in human existence. The love that the father has for his child is ceaseless and impenetrable. He would do absolutely anything for the child. Even through their perilous journey, the father finds toys for the son, plays card games with him, and gives him whatever sweets he manages to come upon.

Cormac McCarthy intertwines the grotesque and angelic scenes seamlessly. It is for this reason I find that in the end I cannot put the book down. Both the good and bad parts of the book keep me thoroughly interested. I hope the rest of the book is as intriguing as what I have already read!