Song of the Hummingbird by Graciela Limon is about the fall of the Aztecs at the hands of Cortes and Spanish conquerors from the point of view most people never learn about--the Aztecs. The story takes place in 1582, when an indigenous woman, Huitzitzilin, also known as “Hummingbird”, recounts her story about the coming of Cortes and the Spanish to a young Spanish monk, Father Benita Lara. Father Benita Lara realizes that Huitzitzilin’s views on the events don’t aline with what was taught in Spain and he becomes intrigued by her version of what happened. Song of the Hummingbird emphasises several important topics: clash of cultures, strength, betrayal and acceptance, and the truth behind history. I enjoyed reading this book because it allows
Why do people hurt the one’s they love? People everywhere do things to family that they reget, same as in this story. The Scarlet Ibis by James Hurst, a young kid has a baby brother. He is very happy because he wants someone to play with him. When his brother is born, he is a cripple.
Everyone who has taken an American History class should be familiar with the southern slaves of the nineteenth escaping to freedom in the north, but often do not realize they were not the first ones with the idea of running away. Gregory Wigmore is a doctoral candidate for Department of History at the Univerity of California. In his article, “Before the Railroad: From Slavery to Freedom in the Canadian-American Borderland,” he explained how Canadian slaves escaped to North America in the Great Lake region before the times of the Underground Railroad. During this time the gradual emancipation of slaves was in effect in Canada since 1793, meaning that child slaves were still acknowledged as human property until they were twenty-five years of
Tracey Lindberg’s novel Birdie is narratively constructed in a contorting and poetic manner yet illustrates the seriousness of violence experience by Indigenous females. The novel is about a young Cree woman Bernice Meetoos (Birdie) recalling her devasting past and visionary journey to places she has lived and the search for home and family. Lindberg captures Bernice’s internal therapeutic journey to recover from childhood traumas of incest, sexual abuse, and social dysfunctions. She also presents Bernice’s self-determination to achieve a standard of good health and well-being. The narrative presents Bernice for the most part lying in bed and reflecting on her dark life in the form of dreams.
On July 1st 1863, the Confederate army butted heads with the Union army in one of the most horrific battles of the American Civil War. The book The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara explained the disaster that was called the Battle of Gettysburg. This historical fiction novel took place at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and occurred from July 1st to July 3rd in 1863. The novel discussed how the actions of General Robert E. Lee, General James Longstreet, Colonel Chamberlain and many more men affected the course of events throughout those three long and hot summer days. Michael Shaara truly captured the pressure and stress that follows along with being in charge.
Being a lost high school senior and expected to know what he wants to do for the rest of his life contributes to the feeling of dread and lack of motivation that came with senioritis. As an Asian American, he also deals with the pressure from peers and family to get into a good college. The book Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay follows the character Jay finding out that his cousin recently died in the streets of the Philippines, a place he hasn’t visited in years. Jay decides to fly to the Philippines to discover the real reasons behind his cousin’s death despite his family’s resistance. The theme of truth is expressed in Jay, how much effort he puts into finding the so-called truth that lies within the death of his relative, even putting
In the past, not much girls have the opportunity to go to school. When the World War II comes, she is forced to go to Auschwitz in Poland for a year. Afterwards, she survives and goes to a second camp in Weisswasser, Germany. While she is still there, she gets a numbered tattoo on her arm–this becomes part of her identity. As time passes, she is deliberated
Samuel Smiles, a scottish author and governor, said, “Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.” Roland Smith wrote a great short story based on the topic of hope and determination. Roland Smith wrote a short story, “The Ghost Bird”. This story is about a girl named Hannah who teams up with Mr. Tanner to find the rare ivorybills that are on Mr. Tanner’s property and never gives up on hope to find them. The author uses characters personality traits and setting to convey the theme of even in the most difficult times, never lose hope.
The calls a simple crow can make, shows you the diverse qualities within them just like a book can show.
She learns about the cruel, real world when
Then she starts her novel by claiming that she has lived a quiet and peaceful life with her parents until she has turned six years old when her mother died. She has gone to live with her mother’s mistress who has been so kind to her and has taught her to read and sew. But unfortunately after a
Do you know anyone who has Orinthophobia, the fear of birds? Or do you yourself fear the birds? “The Birds”, written by Daphne De Maurier, is a short story that uses various literary terms to make an exceptional piece of writing. The story uses the literary devises such as foreshadowing, imagery, and characterization to create an exhilarating tale. Maurier uses these three components to tell a thrilling story that keeps the reader on edge.
In the two poems Sympathy by Paul Laurence Dunbar and Caged Bird by Maya Angelou, gave a comparison between the life of a caged bird and the life of a slave. There are similarities and differences in the two poems. The difference between the two poem is that Sympathy is more aggressive than the poem Caged Bird, and the similarities of the two poems is the theme and imagery. The poem Sympathy the poem
Long, American fingers crossing over 49ers jerseys. Orioles caps plucked from foreheads. A troop of nine year olds in blue speedos impatiently tapping their feet and twisting their legs as a loudspeaker screeches overhead. A celebrity wrapped in a tight red dress, pressing a microphone to the puckered “o” of her lips as her vocal cords strive for new heights. Every Superbowl, every little league game, every hot, heated, and overcrowded band of bottoms squeezed on metal, dented bleachers, Americans, aided by pride and alcohol, bellow the “Star Spangled Banner.”
Birds are gifted with the extraordinary ability to fly. Their wings propel them above the ground and over people below. They are able to view the world from an angle that no one else gets to see. This is what makes birds and wings such powerful symbols in literature. These symbols characterize characters, move the plot and develop one more of the book’s ideas.
