The New Us

Authors Note: This piece is towards my goals as predicting. In this piece i'm adding on to The Outsiders predicting on what happens next with a few paragraphs.

At first PonyBoy was hesitant on how he felt about this “good guy” type of identity, but he knew he’d always be a greaser for the rest of his life, so he went for it.   After he finished his project for school, he automatically felt as if his life was changing for the best.  His teacher loved his idea and he earned the A+ that he deserved. At home things got better as well.

               The parents of Johnny didn’t realize it at first, but after a while they were sorry for their ways and wished that they’d have tried harder at listening to Johnny. Not long after their prayers of apology, out came another baby boy. In honor of their first son that they missed dearly, he was named Johnny the 2^nd.  The newspaper reporter, who reported Johnny and PonyBoy about saving the church, visited Darry with a brilliant surprise.

               An interview happened, the reporter respected Darry’s multiple job recognitions and his reliability with the family to keep them prosperous.  He gave him a huge job opportunity to be a reporter and write about his experiences living on the West Side of town.  Darry can now look after his family with a steady career, satisfying pay, and the freedom he can spend now with his brothers.

               After Dally’s death Two-Bit was in shock, but also knew that he had to get his act together as well.  He took his talents of knowing certain weapons and put them to use by working at a nearby blacksmith.   At first it was hard to get his Boss’s trust, but after a few days of working with the products he was promoted to the manager of the shop.

                Now, of course, you can’t forget about Soda.   Soda, as you know, is the one who makes everyone happy. He took his dream to the next level. Even though the gang misses SodaPop they’re also really happy for him.  Soda moved down to Nashville, Tennessee, and opened his own ranch where he taught young kids to race horses, like he did when he was a young boy.

               Everyone was happy, everyone was set back on the right path.  Even though they were all in different situations, they still got together every once in a while, on the holidays, birthdays, or whenever they decided they needed a visit. Every now and then, PonyBoy will still wake up and find one of the greasers on their couch, two-bit, maybe soda on  a surprise stop home, you never know what to expect.  They miss being with each other every day, they miss being “The greasers.”  But, when down, when they miss being with each other,   they think about what Randy said that one day “Greasers will still be Greasers” and in their minds, no matter what happens, greasers will always be greasers.

Similar but Diverse

Authors Note: This should be graded as the 2^nd option in the assignment, Compare and Constrast.

               Have you ever been put in the situation where you had to be courageous?  Have you ever had to stand up for what you believed in? If I had to compare my historical fiction novel main character, Sarah Bishop, to another main character, it would be Bella Swan from the award winning novel, Twilight.  I’d say the theme in both books would be courage.  They both are put in situations where they have to fend for themselves.  In their lives they’re going through things that most of us would not understand, that’s what makes Bella and Sarah alike, but in so many ways they are also very different.

               Sarah Bishop and Bella Swan can be very different.  They are dealing with entirely different situations.  Bella has to decide between being with a vampire, werewolf, or normal life. Sarah is running away from the Revolutionary War.  Both of the girls are learning that not only do they have to learn to make the right choices, but that whatever they do affects the world around them as well.

               First of all, the girls can be very different because their situations aren’t even taking place in the same century.  Bella is in normal modern day. Sarah is in late 1900’s in mid revolutionary-war. Although each girl is in a different timeline they are both learning what it’s like to be on their own. Sarah and Bella may have many ways that they can be alike but they can also be very distinct.

               In light of the concept on dynamic and static characters, it is to see that both of the main characters are dynamic. A dynamic character is a person that changes throughout the story. In both of these novels, both characters are changing throughout their events. Bella started out as a normal girl moving to Phoenix, Florida, but then she meets Edward Cullen and he changed her whole life. She realized what she wanted and went for it and at the end she’s a changed person. With Sarah Bishop, she’s going through a whole different experience. Sarah starts as an everyday farm girl, goes through a family crisis, and ends up living by herself in the wilderness, but through that experience she learns about whom she really is and who she wants to be. 

               Furthermore, the main characters Sarah Bishop and Bella Swan are very similar in different ways, but then again they can be totally different, in many ways.  In addition, it’s quite interesting for me to think about the many ways that Sarah and Bella can compare and contrast, totally different timelines, but the same perspective on their lives. These novels may be completely different but they are also very correspondent as well.

Finally, Peaceful

Authors Note:  This should be graded as the 2^nd option on Text Structure.

Many things happen in the novels I read. Every book is different; it creates a new image and a new story inside your head. Each piece of writing has a climax and a resolution, and it my book that I’m currently reading, Sarah Bishop goes through major rising and falling actions, but the things that stand out the most in the story is the Climax and Resolution.  In my story Sarah Bishop by Scott O’Dell she goes though many things through her life but as every story has, it has a plot line, where each event that happens goes into each section.

Sarah Bishop started the novel like any other girl, living with her dad and brother just trying to get by in life while living through the revolutionary war. Her brother, David Bishop, decides he wants to go into the war as a Patriot.  She knows that her neighbors don’t agree with her father’s perspectives on the war, being for the king, but what she doesn’t expect is that they will act out angrily on their opinions. The people against the king, which is not Sarah Bishop, come to her house and start burning it down, her father dies along with their home.  When Sarah Bishop has nowhere to go she goes all the way to Ridge ford after hearing that her brother had died as well from being captured and became prisoner by the Hessians.  With nothing left she borrows a musket, some survival materials and head to Long Pond to find shelter in the Wilderness.  Not only does someone find her, in the end of the story she goes to trial after being accused of witch craft, and ends up living in a tavern in Ridge Ford.

      The climax of the story would be her journey to get to long pond, from hearing that her brother is dead, to running away from the British, to finally finding long pond in the woods. I know that’s the climax because then the falling action occurs. The falling action would be when Sarah is living at Long Pond in a cave for about a year and her just acting like an everyday wilderness liver. The resolution, in my opinion, would be Sarah going back into Ridge Ford, going to trial, and finally at piece with where she is at, not having to worry about anything.

       A Consequence of the climax would be Sarah running away from her home town. It would be a consequence because even though it is not safe there, it is also her birth place, the place where she knows exactly how to get to the farm fields, the taverns, and the market. Now, as she was traveling, she had no idea where she was going. In my story Sarah Bishop, things get resolved in the end. She finds a new safe home where she doesn’t have to worry about the war around her. She finally realizes that she no longer as to run away from reality or her past, ever again.

Through someone else's eyes

Authors Note: This should be graded as a point of view piece for my historical fiction book "Sarah Bishop."
When you read a novel or just about an event, do you put much thought into it?  When the novel is on the main characters point of view, have you ever thought about what the bystanders would be thinking during these events? In my Historical Fiction book "Sarah Bishop," I read about the main character, Sarah's, point of view, which effects my interpretation of the exact events.

Sarah Bishop may be the main character, but with all the people watching and reacting in the background, do you ever wonder what they must be thinking? In the story "Sarah Bishop," Sarah goes through her life losing her father as the hessians and the British burnt down their house. When her brother went off to the war, she was left with no one at all to help her survive. She had no choice, but to look for him and hope he was still alive. He wasn’t, he had died as he was taken in as a prisoner on a Hessians ship.

Think about it through someone else’s eyes. How about through the eyes of the soldier who saw Sarah running away from the ship and fired a musket shot at her. Or how about through Mr. Morton’s eyes, which saw Sarah buying things to survive and wandering through the woods. Through someone else’s eyes, things can be looked at from a whole different perspective.  But, then again, through soldier’s eyes, she’s just another prisoner who ran away and will die eventually like all the others.  He has the whole Revolutionary War to worry about, he doesn’t need to worry about one girl who snuck out, or does he?

In mid-revolutionary war, things are hectic.  The Patriots, French, and Spanish need to worry about the British and the German, The German and British need to watch out for the Patriots as well. With all of the slaves and prisoners they captured, it’s hard to focus on only one thing.  Although through Sarah’s eyes, things are all about her survival life, freedom, and safety, but through any one else’s a whole new story could be brought on.  Through every perspective you think of, Sarah Bishop is just another girl prisoner running away from the war, like everyone else wish they could be doing.  Through her eyes, she’s scared and worried for her life, through others they don’t really care about her. It’s all about who’s the narrator and what’s their story.

Things change, People change...

Authors  Note: This piece should be graded as the final essay about the outsiders. My topic was on how one of the Soc members is a dynamic character.

“If you have faith in yourself, you will accept changes easily. You won’t be afraid of who you might become.”

“There are always choices. Sometimes, you think there is no other way, but there is. There are always at least two ways. But we are too concerned and scared of what is happening to us, so we can’t see anything.” In the novel "The outsiders" Randy is a Soc like all the others. Not only does his life as a Soc go through a major fall, he also realizes that even though "Greasers will still be greasers and Socs will still be Socs" that there is something more to life than just being in the "In crowd."

Life has its ups and downs that we've all experienced, but has anything ever happened to you that influenced you for the rest of your life?  Randy may not be a main, important character in this novel but I remember his scene the most. A soc is a person who is basically royalty in their town, they may mug the greasers and steal the other schools mascot, but they always end up back on top.  No matter what the greasers do, they'll still be greasers. During one of the chapters, Pony Boy and Johnny save kids from a burning church; they'll be remembered for their heroic justice but will never be treated the right way.

                                                                                                                                            

            People say, “Things happen for a reason,” for Randy, not everything goes the way he’s imagined.  The soc’s know the greasers don’t affect them in any way, or do anything wrong, but they still mess with them, whenever they find a small group of greasers, Randy and the others soc’s attack. During one of their attacks, things get a little out of hand. Pony Boy nearly drowns from the leader Soc, who plunges his face in a water fountain, not letting him come up for air. The greaser’s best friend Johnny does the only thing to help his friend survive…by killing the Soc holding him down.  When his friend, the leader Soc, Bob, was stabbed, Randy’s perspective on things changed instantly.  He was no longer the second Soc in charge, who had nothing to fear because Bob was tough and nothing would stand in his way, he was now the lead Soc. In a way, I bet he felt that he was in charge of what could happened to the other Soc’s, but I bet he also feared that his own life could be in danger in another attack. Randy’s feelings and perspectives on thing’s change almost automatically which makes him a dynamic character.

            A dynamic character is a person that changes throughout the story, which defines exactly what Randy is.  Randy’s perspective on the Greasers changed multiple times during the book. First, he started out hating the greasers for their reputation, then after Bob’s tragic death, Randy was frightened by the greasers, and finally after the article of Pony Boy and Johnny saving kids from a burning church, he learned to respect them. During the scene where Pony Boy and Randy are talking in the car, you actually get to see who Randy really is.  Randy isn’t who he is because he wants to be, he feels that if he was any other way his Father wouldn’t approve of him, and that’s all Randy cares about. Randy would rather run away and start a new life than be in the dangerously involved “Soc life.”

            When I think about Randy’s changes throughout this book, I don’t believe he started out a bad person. Like my dad always says, “He is just in the wrong place, at the wrong time.” Meaning, that Randy could be living his life his way, but being a Soc is the only choice he thought he had, he didn’t know any better. At the end of the book, Randy skips out on the Greasers vs. Soc’s Rumble, he makes a choice, a decision, that he isn’t going to put up with the fighting anymore, and by doing that he earns respect by readers, his dad, the greasers, ]and most importantly, he followed his own thoughts and decisions and did what he’s been wanting to do for his whole life of being a Soc.

They're Always There For Me

The minute I walk through my front door the feeling of home surrounds me. I can smell the sweet chocolate cookies my mom has set on the table for when I arrived and I can hear my two year old brother playing with his blocks, laughing at my mom as she dances around old classic music playing in the background. I set my backpack down, hug my brother, and let the familiar surroundings come to me.  To me the definition have family are people who are always there for you, through thick and through thin, but for some people family can be defined in a whole different perspective.

           

            My family is always there for me. No matter what they are helping me out. The second I need them they’re there.  The things I love the most about my family would be that they care for me. They’re kind, loving, and understanding towards me.   First of all, I have a pretty big family, it started with me and then I got twin sisters 2 years after I was born. Then, two years after them we got my brother nick, he was a handful. Then, last but not least, out came Nate, who is now two years old.  Even though we have a lot to handle with 7 people in my family, there so much love to go around, just like with “The Outsiders.”

           

            There may be love with in my blood related family, but that’s not the same for “The Outsiders.”   Some of the members of their gang have no blood-related family at all. For Johnny he has a mother and a father, but they don’t even notice he existence. He could be gone for a year and they wouldn’t have thought about him once. The saddest part I read about Johnny was when he said “Sometimes I like when my old man beats me, it reminds him that I’m there.”  They have no one to care for them except the greasers.  If that was the only people you had, would you call them your family?

            Family is important to me.  Even when I have nothing to do, someone in my family is always there, I can’t count on them no matter what.  I remember when I was younger I’d get so home sick being away from them.   I hated being away from my family when I was younger. I can kind of understand the greasers’ point of view, though. My family does get into fights sometimes which makes me want to be with my friends more, but no matter how long or how bad the fight is, I’ll always love my family.

            Throughout everyone's life there are struggles and mistakes and with mistakes come consequences. You know your family won't always be 100% happy with every move you make, but you also know they will forgive you, because my definition of family, are people who are there for you, and always will be.

           

           

The Outsiders "New Scene"

 

Cherry got into the blue Mercedes feeling terrible. Bob was still out there threatening the greasers as Cherry and her friend sat silently in the car.  Her friend felt ashamed, she thought that letting Two-Bit drive them home would be no issue,  he'd just drop them off . Little did she know that she was going to have something in common with Two-Bit and actually enjoy talking to a greaser. Cherry was feeling full of guilt, she didn't think Bob would be on the wrong side of the tracks and see them. She didn't feel one bit bad that she had a good time with the greasers but a little shocked. She didn’t think she'd meet a sweet greaser like Pony Boy that acted like he was actually interested in what she was saying, he actually cared.  Cherry didn't know what to think about Dally. He was intriguing, and he was such a bad boy, with his bright blonde greased hair and the leather jacket, he interested Cherry, but then again, she could never be with him, he was a greaser.

The Girls watched in the car quietly as Bob and the other Socs yelled at the greasers.  Pony boy looked scared, his face was white, but Johnny looked worse, he looked sick and kept his eyes on Bobs hand, where he held his prized possession rings on his finger.  Bob gave one last threatening glance in Pony Boys direction and stomped back to the drivers seat. The socs climbed into the backseat as Bob slammed the door and drove away before Cherry could even peek back at the greasers on the sidewalk.

"Gosh Cherry, do you have a brain?" Bob screamed at Cherry. The rest of the car shut up when Bob yelled.  Cherry hated when Bob was in his violent mode, it scared her, hesitantly she replied "Bob, it's not a big deal, they were just helping us out.   Besides,  you left us, what'd you expect would happen? That we'd just meet up with Dallas Winston and make him a Soc? No, because you used us. You knew that we hated drugs and alcohol, but no, you brought it anyways just expecting us to go along with it? Who do you think you are?" Everyone in the car were dead silent. No one has heard Cherry talk with such attitude before. Bob even looked shocked himself. "You shut up Cherry Valance, or I'll tell every one your  now with the greasers. Cherry looked at him and then looked at the stop light. She then unlocked the car and got out.

When our eyes met

Everyday I walk through the park, I don’t know how, but it brings me happiness. I get on whatever I need for the weather outside and stroll down Malbarry Avenue.  I live in this town, this small, small town, called Mormay. I used to live in Alabama, but the climate got so hot there, it overwhelmed me, so I moved here.  Not only is the weather better here, it’s actually enjoyable, not to hot, not to cold, it’s perfect.

            As I skipped, happily down the side walk and approached the park, the sun started to shine brightly above me.  I threw off my wind breaker and let my strawberry blonde hair flow delicatly over my blue, lacy blouse.  I let my navy blue boots crunch through the leaves as i walked towards the water's edge. I gazed across the pond, there was a man there. He had a camera and was taking pictures of the bright yellow flowers around him. He looked about my age, he had shaggy hair, that swooped to one side.  His dark green shirt and blue jeans made him blend in with his surroundings. I laughed as he smiled at one of the butterflys and took a perfect camera shot. He finally looked up and saw me across the pond, i smiled and blushed as he grinned and raised his camera.  I laughed and posed for the shot. He put one eye on the lense and the camera clicked.  Even though i didn't know a thing about him, i felt like i knew him already. 

**********4 years later***********

Today is our year anniversary of being married. I realized that, that day at the park was a day I will always remember. "A smile takes but a moment, but the memory of it lasts forever."

Those I used to love...

Those I used to love…

            I sat there motionless, as still as a statue, as quiet as a mouse. My brain ran through the last ten minutes of my life over and over again, I just kept rewinding, playing, rewinding, and playing. It’s like I’m a human video camera, I can always look back on what I saw. It is like a memory I will always remember or like a nightmare I’ve wished I have forgotten.

The day started out like any other for a bride 2 days away from her wedding. It was stressful, impatient and right now I just wanted to get it over with.  My fiancé, James, was out getting our honey moon reserved and all I had to do today was re-check the guest list, get to my wedding dress fitting, and meet relatives at the air port. I slowly got into my sweats, with all the things I had to do there was no time to primp. I sat down at the wooden table in our kitchen and read over all of the people attending.

            After I dropped off my family at their hotel, I excitedly drove home hoping James was home. When I pulled up to the house all the lights were off. Hmm maybe he’s asleep? I thought. I tiptoed quietly inside trying not to disturb his sleep. When I peeked into the bedroom…it was empty. Where could he be?! I thought panicking. What if he got in a crash or is in the hospital right now?! His meeting was at 1:00 for the reservation, its 8:00. I tried to not think about him and started to make my dinner. Two hours passed and finally his car pulled up.

            Although he said he was at his office doing “extra work” I knew he was lying. The side of his mouth was up in a small smirk trying to hide his secret. I wasn’t sure if I should just let him get away with this… but he did look exhausted. “What extra work?” I asked. “Just some taxes and stuff… and you know the reservation meeting took a while...” He said nervously. Now, I was positive he was lying because over the phone the reservation agent told me he had another meeting at 1:30 so James’s meeting had to be brisk. “Ok well, Good Night.” I said. I realized I shouldn’t give him the satisfaction of him thinking I cared so much.

            Finally my wedding day is here. I’m so nervous, I’ve already cried three times today. Once when I saw my mother, twice when my dad gave me his “down the aisle” pep talk and third when I put on my beautiful, white, wedding dress. I was still waiting on my sister, Crystal, to come to get into her dress, my cousin said she had a work dilemma and was coming soon. I nervously paced, I heard James’s bachelor limo was running a little late, but I figured that was ok since all he had to do was stand by the alter and say “I do.”  I started feeling a little uneasy. “Guys, I'll be right back I need to take a walk.” I say as I escape the small room filled with bridesmaids. I lift up the wedding dress from my feet so I can walk down the hallway. As I walk, I hear laughter from inside a closet. Who would be laughing from inside a closet? I thought. I put my hand on that handle and listen closer.

            “NO!” said my cousin running towards me.  We called her lil’ lacey, she was my favorite cousin since she was born. She looked gorgeous as her bleach blonde hair flowed over her peach colored dress. “Kate” she said “You cannot go in there…” I was so confused I just wanted to know what was going on “Why not?” I demanded. “Umm, they’re employees for the wedding, the…umm waiters.” I was about to question her more until I heard a throaty chuckle come from inside the door… I was starting to realize what was going on… but… who else was in there? A familiar voice said James’s name from inside the closet.  “O Crystal...” said James. A cold tear of shock ran down my cheek and dropped to the floor.

            My hand was still on the handle… My body became overwhelmed with so many feelings. I was stressing out, I was sad, I was mad; I was furious, angry, fumed and heartbroken. All I can think of is that my fiancé and also my sister are together… on my wedding day. I flung open the door. There stood my sister that I’ve lived with for 18 years and my fiancé who I’ve been in love with for 4 years, embraced in each other’s arms.

Pride for the United States of America

“I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free, and I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.” Lee Greenwood sung these words in his song “Proud to be an American.”  Are you proud of your country? What have they done for you? My country is pure and kind hearted; people have taken their own lives for me to survive. Our country is special; we have freedoms but with freedoms come laws and responsibility. We have an amazing country with freedoms to do things others can’t, we the Americans should be grateful that we live in such an extraordinary country.

Since we have such a liberated nation, people all over the world want to live where we are, we don’t have a dictator, we have a free government. A dictator orders people around telling them what to wear, who they are, and who they have to be. Our government has a huge process, the president wants a law, and then he has to ask the congress to approve and majority rules. Basically we can’t just have one person tell us what is right or wrong, we have a procedure we have to do if we want certain things and they take a long time to develop than just what a dictator can do. Not only do we have a free government we also have certain freedoms other countries respect as well.

Although we have laws and responsibility, we get amazing freedoms in our country too. We have freedom of speech, where we can say what we think to others and not have to worry about consequences of what the president or others thing.  We have freedom of expression too. Which means we can express ourselves and who we are, we can wear what we want to where and be who we want to be. 

Finally, I’d like to say, I’m extremely proud to say that I live in The United States of America. Some people may not like certain decisions made in this nation, but all together we all appreciate United States, as Lee Greenwood once sung…

“I’d thank my lucky stars,
to be livin here today.
‘ Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
and they can’t take that away.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

From the lakes of Minnesota,
to the hills of Tennessee.
Across the plains of Texas,
From sea to shining sea.

From Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.
Well there's pride in every American heart,
and it’s time we stand and say.

That I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

God Bless the Usa.

Hope

Who am I?

And how did this happen?

One day I'm with my cubs...

And the next day i wake up and they're gone?

Where did they go?

And how will i get there?

I am one of many this has happened to.

Does that make it right?

Some are saved

But from this point of view

I have no hope

Way to be positive right..?

Well, look at me..

Does it look like I'm ready to leave my cubs?

           No

            I'm Not

            Not at all

                  They're mine and no one elses

                         Where are they now?

                And how did i get myself in this mess?

                              I hope they're safe

                          I hope they're protected

           Well, You know, I have hope in a lot of things

                 Like, right now I'm hoping i'll be saved

                                    Please...

                              Think of my cubs

                                And Save Me.

                                 



Wanting Freedom While Educating

*Authors Note: This piece is to my previous school's principal asking for students to not wear uniforms.

Dear Mrs. Meleski,

Hi, my name is Bri Dettlaff, I'm in eighth grade, and I am writing this letter to you to protest against uniforms.  Why is it that teachers think we will get along better by wearing the same clothes? What about freedom of expression?  I personally, am highly against this decision.

In any middle school or high school you are constantly being judged for who you are and what you look like.  You have cliques groups of people that you have things in common with, people that you can relate too.

Besides later in life when you go off to college and get a job, your cliques you have in grade school, don't matter anymore.  Have you ever thought about your style? With uniforms style doesn't exist.

Even though you say uniforms are helpful, they're not. They don't give you any freedom. Have you ever heard the saying freedom of expression? It's when you can express your own style. In my opinion, your style, your clothes, is they way people figure out who you are.  In our childhoods we started as babies and toddlers, when we could only trust that our parents had some sense of style for us. Later in life, we're finally allowed to dress our selves, what would you pick out? And would your guardians who have authority over you, allow it?

 I remember my first day of school at Pewaukee Asa Clark. At first, it was quite frightening. Coming from a grade of 16 to a grade of 230+ students was overwhelming. Especially when I didn't know what it was like here. What do they wear compared to what I wear?  I thought then when I got here I had to become a knew me. Maybe die my hair, change my clothes, my personality.   Then I had to stop and think who am I and who do I want to be?

My sense of style, made people get to know me.  I wasn’t like certain people at Asa, and they weren't like me, I guess that's just how things work out.  You could definitely say there are cliques here, but in my opinion we're all floaters. We like to be friends with every one we can. I love meeting new people, no matter what they look like.  Sometimes, I'm afraid to take a risk with my clothing, you could say that it's not worth it and it'd be better for everyone to be in uniforms, but that's how you find yourself.

When you think about the question "What you want to do in life,?" It also involves the questions "How will you get there?" and "What do you need to look like."  If you decided to be a Punk rocker and wanted to go to Yale… people can judge you for what you look like. It's not right, but it's reality.  When people say "Who are you?" think about it.  Think about  how your style can change people's perspective's or can change others opinions, but are you still you? You can completely change yourself any point in your life, but you rarely have people not wondering "Why did he/she change?" Maybe you weren't a big fan of her clothing so you did the opposite, or maybe you really liked it and wore the same brand. Even though uniforms is a great way to treat people equally. You don’t get to express yourself and who you are.

                  I stand for freedom of expression, doing what you believe in, and going after your dreams.”

                  ~ Madonna

Thank you,

          Bri Dettlaff

Losing hope on the bleachers

Authors Note: This is a structure essay from a fan to the short story baseball player “Casey at the Bat.”

Dear Casey,

            I’ve been to all your games, and I have to say you’re a really good player, but that last strike was the worst.  You got way ahead of yourself and it wasn’t the best choice you’ve made. You could’ve actually attempted to swing the bat.  You didn’t even try like you said, “It’s not your style” well then maybe baseballs not the best career for you.

You were losing 0-4, and it was the last inning, you had to at least get one hit, right? But no, when you went to bat, we all stood up in hope. Why’d you have to disappoint us? Anyways, when you walked up to bat, it was a rising action, some excitement for the team. The biggest climax, the most exciting part of the game…well, I admit, you were our last hope for any points in the game. When you missed your first pitch and got one strike, we thought there was no hope.

The crowd died down in a falling action, as you missed your second pitch , as we all lost more hope. The resolution, the ending, when we knew we were done, was when you missed your last pitch, Strike three, you’re out. We knew that was it, we were done, Such a tragedy huh? That’s why, Casey, I say you actually try for your team, or get out of baseball.

                                                                   Thank You

                                                                             Sincerely,

                                                                                      Bri Dettlaff