El Dorado High School
Literary Anthology
2013-2014
Thank you
I would like to thank all of the students who submitted their work for the Literary Anthology competition and all of the teachers who helped these students with their writing. Thank you to Mrs. Paugh and our administrators who have encouraged student writing all year long.
“8” Leo Yu
By:
Aileen Mares
Literary Anthology Coordinator
Table of Contents
3
· Section 1: Analytical Essays
o 10th Grade
§ “The Tiger versus the Creator”- Jordan Lopez pg. 5
§ “The Tiger” -Oscar Lopez pg. 6
o 11th Grade
§ “Half- Hanged Society”- Tehvanee Tuialuuluu pg. 7
§ “Edna’s Loves”- Hayde Muñoz pg. 8
o 12th Grade
§ “Analysis on William Frankenstein”- Perla Cardenas pg. 9
§ “Women’s Influence on Chivalry”- Alan Aguirre pg. 12
· Section 2 Argumentative Essays
o 10th Grade
§ “Small Town Beauty”- Karen Ditz pg. 16
§ “A Dreadful Thought”- Carla Cabrera pg. 17
o 11th Grade
§ “Criminal Punishment Reform”- Christian Luna pg. 18
§ “Capital Punishment”- Justin Bernal pg. 19
o 12th Grade
§ “NASA: An Investment” – Robert Martinez pg. 21
§ “Pete Rose”- Clarissa Diaz pg. 26
· Section 3: Engaging Stories
o 10th Grade
§ “Outside the Birdcage” Carissa Erives
§ “A Treacherous Journey” Manuel Esquivel
o 11th Grade
§ “Salt” Christian Luna pg. 34
§ “One Chilly Night” Daniela McCauley pg. 38
o 12th Grade
§ “Trapped in my Mind and the Night” Andrea Salgado pg. 40
§ “Delayed” Zaquiri Hoffman pg. 41
· Section 4: Poetry
o 10th Grade
§ “The Dove”- Amanda Johnson pg. 43
§ “The Wolf”- Zoi Guerra pg. 43
o 11th Grade
§ “Time to Go”- Risa Gay pg. 44
§ “Dusty Streets, United Feet”- Bryan Vasquez pg. 45
o 12th Grade
§ “Sonnet” Jenean Ahmad pg. 46
§ “Indifferent Appearance”- Jose Calanche pg. 47
§ “Love, Mommy”- Andrea Corral pg. 48
· Section 4: Scripts
o “Act I: Shakespearean Dialect”- Dominique Lopez pg. 50
o “The Crucible: Act I”- Jack Touchstone pg. 53
· Section 5: Teachers
o Candace Printz pg 56
o “Last Season” Patricia Gonzalez pg. 55
· Section 6: Student Artwork pg. 58- 61
3
Collosus- Christian Gutierrez
The Tiger versus the Creator
The poem “The Tyger” by Blake communicates a sense of power and fear and in depth reveals the uncertainty towards the creation. As Blake’s poem progresses, he effectively misleads the reader’s perception of the tiger, because, “as the stars watered heaven with their tears,” it is unpredictable whether the attempt to change his nature was successful. Several rhetorical devices such as symbolism and imagery enhance the tone.
The symbolism in the poem reinforces the creator’s power over the creation. In line eight,”…the hand dare seize the fire,” aids the reader’s understanding that the creator’s hand or will has immense authority over the “distant deeps or skies” and more specifically over his creation, “the tyger.” Another symbolic figure, the “furnace”, in line sixteen, “What the hammer? What the chain? In what furnace was thy brain?” depicts the strength of the creator as he attempted to modify the creation, which was unsuccessful. The symbolism is used to set a base for the creator’s power, yet it leaves the reader in doubt whether the creation has changed at all.
Although some may imply that the tiger’s overall character has been altered in such a way by the hammer, anvil and furnace to show the steps the creator went through to try and rid the creature of its impurities, they fail to realize that as the poem progresses it is shown that the tiger is not redeemed. For example, kinesthetic imagery, “could twist the sinews of thy heart,” allows the reader to connect with the tiger, by feeling the pain and anger of being forced to change its nature. By the end of the process, the reader knows that the creator failed because the tiger still has its “dread feet”.
Through symbolism and imagery in the poem, Blake tells the reader that the tiger did not change. Within the last stanza the tiger returns to the “…forests of the night…” verifying that the tiger’s will was stronger than the powers of the creator.
Oscar Lopez- 10th Grade
Teacher- Cindy Shaw
1st Place
The Tiger
“The Tiger” by Blake conveys a sense of new life and growth and in closing imparts the depths of hope for mankind. The purpose of the tiger is verified in the line “did he smile his work to see,” as though God felt his work was good. Several devices are employed to effectively enhance the tone of promise for the future and change including imagery and symbolism.
The imagery interspersed within the poem is highly effective, causing an air of hope and wonder. The mood is set in the first line when Blake convey “Tiger! Tiger! burning bright/In the forest of the night.” This line gives a visual representation of the tiger as a strong glowing light through the cold dark forest. In addition “the fire” illustrates the blaze within the tiger as different colors are revealed. For example, the color orange represents optimism, blue shows purity, and red displays strength, energy, and power. As well as the sense of light within darkness, Blake’s statement, “In what distant distant deeps or skies/Burnt the fire of thine eyes,” shows that hope is eternal and will always be in our universe.
Although some may think the tiger is evil and dreadful, the use of symbolism helps convey its true meaning of new life and growth. For example, Blake writes, “What the hammer?” to depict refinement and the drawing out of impurity inside the creation. As well as, “What the chain?” to symbolize the unity and bond of strength in the tiger. He then notes, “In what furnace was thy brain?” to show the escalation of growth and development.
The final thought posed in the question by Blake, “Did he smile his work to see?” must be answered with a yes because the creator also made “The Lamb,” a representation of purity; therefore the use of imagery and symbolism help conclude that the tiger is a creation of God who only creates good.
Jordan Lopez- 10th Grade
Teacher- Cindy Shaw
2nd Place
“Half-hanged” Society
Should I express the grievances dealt towards a defenseless and lonely soul? Or, perhaps I can enlighten you on the after effects of “God’s Love?” Whatever it is you search for, I’m here to elaborate on the matter.
Who was Mary Webster? Who was “half-hanged” Mary? I can tell you who she wasn’t. She wasn’t a witch, she wasn’t a mean person, and she certainly wasn’t like the rest. However, she wasn’t free, welcomed, or given any kindness towards her twenty-eight years of life. This was her story.
How do you define the term “friends?” Would you claim friends as a loyal companion or a helping citizen? A person you hold close or a secret bank for keeping untold stories? Neither. Mary didn’t have a friend. Stanza 2 says, “You were my friend, you too. I cured your baby, Mrs., and flushed yours out of you, Non-wife, to save your life.” Mary’s “friends” were the ones who watched as she was hung by the neck, and cast away from their society. There was no loyalty, no help, no friendship, and no mercy. Mary was alone.
Is this justice? Well, Mary believed oppositely. Who were these people to barge in her humble abode and judge her carelessly? And who are we to read her story and feel no shame? Are we any different than the slime that drools from our mouths as we give our sympathies? The truth is, we’re no different.
We judge others, laugh, curse, and give no efforts to appreciate our life. So, why should we stop our ungratefulness to show Mary Webster a helping hand? We are as crude in modern society as Mary’s change of perspective after they cut her down. Maybe not all of us, but majority of us.
Mary Webster, your actions before and after gesture our way of living today. How cruel it was in your time era, and how fast life slipped from the grasps of your hand. Your bleached heart and spiteful soul reaches our uncanny ears, and we read your pain. You’d fit in with our generation.
Half-hanged Mary was once a person, and this was her story. Hopefully by now most of you have realized that one day you’ll wake up “half-hanged” yourself.
Tehvanee Tuialuuluu- 11th Grade
Teacher- Mrs. Morgan
1st Place District Qualifier
Edna’s Loves
In the novel “The Awakening” written by Kate Chopin, the main character Edna goes through three different relationships throughout the novel. Including Leonce her husband, Robert and Arobin. And throughout these relationships Edna finds out something new about herself within each of them.
With Leonce Pontellier being her husband one must think that she loved him the most. But as a reader we so find out that Leonce is the least loved out of all three. For example in the quote “Her marriage to Leonce was purely an accident.” Edna’s marriage with Leonce was never really love. She believed that if she married him the love will soon come. But as the novel progresses she learns that she has spent all her life faking it and she can no longer keep up with it. The effects Edna because it makes her despise marriage. She now had the idea that marriage is a burden; a pity. She feels sorrow for people who are married like Madame Ratignolle. Edna thinks that if you’re marred you haven’t really lived life.
As the novel progresses Edna meets Robert, a young handsome man to whom Edna begins to develop feelings for. And as time goes on she is begging to fall in love with Robert and out of marriage with Leonce. When asked why she cares so much for Robert she responds like this “Why? Because his hair is brown and grows away from his temples; because he opens and shut his eyes and his nose is a little out of drawing; because he has two lips and a square chin…” This relationship with Robert is affecting Edna because she is starting to feel real, genuine love. And when he leaves to Mexico and doesn’t send Edna any letters. Edna starts to feel what a real heart break is.
Then when she meets Arobin and they first kiss its “The first… of her life to which her nature had really responded.” But with Alcee he wasn’t really a love but more like her sexual awakening. This was her first kiss that she really felt pleased with, not because she loved him more than Robert. Alcee is just her person to fool around with. This affects Edna because this fling that she makes her wants Robert more.
In conclusion Edna’s relationship with Leonce he gives a more of a life awakening in that she doesn’t want to be tied down to one man for the rest of her life, she wants to live her life and love someone who she actually loves. While with Robert she finds out what real love is. And with Arobin he is just her sexual awakening showing her all the things she really missed out on during her whole marriage with Leonce.
Hayde Munoz- 11th Grade
Teacher- Gabriel Lopez
2nd Place District Comp Qualifier
3rd Place District Competition
Analysis on William Frankenstein
William Frankenstein is Victor’s six-year-old brother. Victor cares for him deeply. When the creature kills William Victor is devastated. William plays a significant role in the story because he symbolizes innocence, he teaches readers the importance of one’s appearance, and he is what drives Victor to seek revenge towards the creature.
When the creature kills William, he destroys an innocent life. It can be viewed as a punishment for Victor because he created a new life that should not have existed. Since he created a life, someone had to die to balance it out. He should not have messed with nature. The reason that he was killed was because the monster knew that that would hurt Victor the most. He knew that killing an innocent person would make him feel guilty and anguished. William was a child that everyone loved. Victor’s father states, “William is dead!—that sweet child, whose smiles delighted and warmed my heart, who was so gentle, yet so gay” (Shelley, 2012, p. 46). The creature wanted everyone to feel pain over the child’s death so that Victor would regret having abandoned him. The creature wanted Victor to feel his pain and his loneliness. He viewed Victor as a father. He states, “I ought to be thy Adam; but I am rather the fallen angel, whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed” (Shelley, 2012, p. 68). He kills William to take away Victor’s joy the way the creature’s joy was taken away.
William is a delight to everyone that knows him. His appearance is what makes everyone like them. Victor’s father states, “I wish you could see him; he is very tall of his age, with sweet laughing blue eyes, dark eyelashes, and curling hair. When he smiles, two little dimples appear on each cheek, which are rosy with health” (Shelley, 2012, p. 42). This shows how important ones appearance is. Nobody loved the creature because he was too gruesome to look at. If he were beautiful, nobody would care that he was created and not born. William’s purpose in the story is to show how one’s appearance is the most important factor in how people judge others. When they looked at the creature, they thought he was evil and a monster. Robert Walton states, “Never did I behold a vision so horrible as his face, of such loathsome, yet appalling hideousness. I shut my eyes involuntarily” (Shelley, 2012, p.158). By comparison, when they look at William they see innocence and beauty. They love him instantly.