Travel writing.

Alex Norwood 10Y1 G.C.S.E ENGLISH COURSEWORK ASSIGNMENT NON- FICTIONAL PIECE - TRAVEL WRITING Burnley born un' bred. Believe it or not, I'm actually quite proud of my home town. I'm also a loyal supporter of Burnley F.C, taking excessive amounts of time and money to travel the length and bredth of the country watching the mighty Claret and Blues - loyal or stupid? Oh how I often wonder . . . And here I am now, sitting in the Bob Lord Stand watching the Worthington Cup tie between Burnley and our neighbours Blackpool. The game isn't so enthralling. My mind is more focused on the 'nitty gritty' of Burnley than the local derby I see before my very eyes. I have to say, the Bob Lord Stand is not really my cup of tea. It is packed to the rafters with what you might call 'old school' Burnley fans (in other words, pensioners). Their routine behaviour is to be honest, quite annoying. They arm themselves with what seems to be the entire stock of Sainsbury's confectionary, and tales of 'the good old days' for 'us young folk'. They continually barrack the efforts of the Burnley players, and follow up their criticism with irratating comments such as 'arry Potts wunt a stud for this shower'. (Harry Potts being the Burnley manager at the time when Burnley FC were actually good). I really do not appreciate pensioners telling me facts and figures what I know already. I know what I would

  • Word count: 1030
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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The reason behind the hobby-horse.

Patty Brown ENL 4230 Dr. Cowlishaw August 3, 2003 The Reason Behind the Hobby-Horse Literature of the Eighteenth Century is characterized by reason, moderation, good taste and simplicity. In addition, the ideals of impartial investigation and scientific experimentation were influential in the development of clear and simple prose as an instrument of rational communication. This dominant and persistent faith in a systemic approach to life, however, does not apply to Laurence Sterne's novel, Tristram Shandy. Sterne, through his digressive narrative style and cast of solipsistic characters, satirizes the scientific and philosophical opinions of his time that rational discourse is the only means by which human communication can exist. The story itself, written as a fictitious autobiography, is of secondary importance to how it is told. Where traditionally novelists construct their details to achieve a consistent verisimilitude, Sterne's aim is toward coherent disorder. Tristram Shandy deviates from the linear nature of traditional discourse by allowing digressions to obtrude themselves into the novel as naturally as it does into one's mind. In his "chapter upon chapters," Tristram addresses the unorthodox style in which his novel is being constructed by declaring, "is a man to follow rules-----------or rules to follow him?" (204) This declaration is in

  • Word count: 1596
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Critique: "Like water for Chocolate"

Critique: "Like water for Chocolate" The purpose of this essay, as understood from the title, is to provide the reader with a statement concerning the novel, "Like Water for Chocolate" along with evidence which to support it. In the essay entitled "The Encrypted Recipes in Laura Esquivel's "Like Water for Chocolate", the author Mackenzie E. Dennard makes clear to the reader of her interpretations concerning the link between the recipes and emotions evoked throughout the novel. However, Dennard includes lengthy amounts of evidence, most if not all coming from others' perspectives along with a weak stick-to-itiveness and frequent irrelevance which bring the reader's attention away from the author's statement. While the reader is capable of pulling the main point out of these statements and the evidence thrown at him, an improvement of presenting them would have strongly enhanced and highlighted the essay's key ideas Dennard commences her essay by extending the claim generated from the title when stating that "the recipes are more than just formulas, they hold, concealed within them, memories." She goes as far as to exclaim strong declarations quickly, which immediately focus the reader's attention on what she is saying. This appears to be one of Dennard's strengths throughout the novel, but at times questioning the author's statements does more than bringing the author's

  • Word count: 819
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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In the play "The Cherry Orchard," by Anton Checkov, and the novel One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, by Alexander Solzhenitsyn,

In the play "The Cherry Orchard," by Anton Checkov, and the novel One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, by Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the main characters were faced with a change in their life that they had to either accept or deny. Madame Ranevsky, the main character in "The Cherry Orchard" decided to deny the change that she was faced with and to live her life as she always had. Ivan Denisovich, the main character of Alexander Solzhenitsyn's novel, adapted to his change to save his life. The situations in which the characters lived in influenced the way these two characters adapted to change. This essay will discuss the adaptations to change, the reasoning behind the Madame Ranevksy's decision to not accept the change in her life, and Ivan Denisovich's reasoning to why he had to adapt in order to live. During the play "The Cherry Orchard," Madame Ranevsky seemed to be in her own world. She did not want to accept the fact that her family was going through a social change and that they were now poor. Along with her refusal to accept the change, she also reacted to change by running away from everything. In the beginning of the play Madame Ranevsky was coming home from Paris where she was for five years.1 She went to Paris after her husband passed away and son, Grisha, "drowned in the river, only seven"2 She was running away from the pain that the two deaths, which

  • Word count: 1385
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Discuss the Character and the Role of the Lama in the novel 'Kim'.

Discuss the Character and the Role of the Lama in the novel 'Kim' There are many scant descriptions of the lama throughout the book, but there are no really solid descriptions of the lama that form an accurate picture in you mind. He is more of a well-depicted character than a well described character. His character is well depicted through his lines of speech and others, ' these old eyes', 'old man', etc, but even with the clues we get as to what he looks like through speech we still can only put together the fact that he is old and frail. While saying this though, we get a more accurate portrayal of the lama as the book draws to a close- the Russian said that the lama was 'an unclean old man haggling over a dirty piece of paper'. The fact that he was described as 'haggling' means that he was acting in common with that of a common beggar gives us the idea that he was dirty, unkempt and as the Russian said, unclean. The lama's character is essential to the plot, without the lama the plot would be lost and there would be no need for Kim to travel. The lama gave the plot substance, amid all the confusion of the 'Great Game' that Kim is involved in, we are all well aware of the lama's drive to find the 'River of the Arrow'. It was the lama's search that brought Kim into contact with the Russian and the Frenchman, which led to the spies (Mahbub and Hurree) getting hold of the

  • Word count: 1890
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Usage of Characterization In Ryonosuke Akutagawa's Rashomon

Usage of Characterization In Ryonosuke Akutagawa's Rashomon and The Martyr Winniarti Donyada 0th February 2005 (Extension Granted) English 401--> H 000 words Winniarti Donyada English 401--> H 10th Feb 2005 Despite coming from a different background than most other authors that have so far been studied, Ryonosuke Akutagawa still wrote stories that included similar ideas like internal and external conflict, sacrifice of oneself for a higher cause, murder, human flaws and many others. In addition to that, Akutagawa also used common literary elements like motifs, symbols, point of view and irony. However, one element that is prevalent in almost all of his works is characterization. In two of his short stories, Rashomon and The Martyr, characterization is used to develop their respective themes; in Rashomon, characterization is equally important in building up the theme as in The Martyr. In Rashomon, characterization is used to show the theme that the desperate situations that a person faces can result in the resorting to means that compromise morals, and can even lead to hypocrisy. Akutagawa does this through narration and behavior of the character. At the beginning of the story, the protagonist is faced with the dilemma of either being honest and dying of starvation, or to be a thief and steal from the corpses that were scattered around. However even after much

  • Word count: 910
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto Praveen Ravi Grade 11 English essay The path of life is not easy. It is scattered with struggles and hurdles which we must overcome. A rose plant is a good metaphor of life; the flower is soft with a pleasant fragrance but the thorns are prickly and hurt us. Likewise, life has good things like laughter, happiness, hope but it also has some things that hurt us, obstruct us. In Banana Yoshimoto's novella Kitchen, Mikage Sakurai faces quandaries in her life which hinder her. However, she fights them back with hope and determination. She is aided by the Tanabe's who help her to fight her dilemmas and struggles. Each character displays a sense of optimism, a hope for survival and the determination to fight back. In a greater sense, this rendering gives the reader a moral teaching that despair does not necessarily result in annihilation. They try to tell us that we must not give up in our lives, come what may. They appear as teachers giving us a lesson how to lead our lives. This rendering makes us feel close to them and think of them as our own friends. This makes them interesting and moving. Mikage is a loner. Throughout her life, she has felt separated from others and feels solitude. She says that despite all the love that surrounds us, we are separated by others physically and mentally which makes each one of us separate, alone. She has suffered

  • Word count: 1275
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Dear Mr Blair, regarding the homeless

29, high street, Cymmer, Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taff, CF39 9EU st January 2004 Mr Tony Blair, Prime minister, The House of Commons, London, SW 1A 2DG. Dear Mr Blair, I am writing in order to bring to your attention the harrowing numbers of young homeless people being practically pushed out onto the life on the streets. In my opinion with your help I feel that the figures can and will be dramatically decreased and better help will be provided all around. Im sure that somebody in your position would not be oblivious to the rough numbers of homeless people on the streets, but I also understand that facts and figures must be part of your daily routine so it cant be as easy to remember in detail, I can tell you that 40% of homeless people are under eighteen years of age! In 2000 in England, there were 172,760 households accepted as homeless. Of these; * 110,790 were classified as unintentionally homeless and in priority need; * 8,140 intentionally homeless and in priority need and; * 52,830 homeless and not in priority need. * In 1999 30% lost their home because friends or relatives could no longer accommodate them, 23% because of relationship breakdown, and 3% because of mortgage arrears. * It is estimated that the 172,760 households represents over 415,000 people. The governments answer? Temporary accommodation, but this can never be a solution, only a aid

  • Word count: 875
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Creative Writing Coursework 'Rebirth'.

Creative Writing Coursework 'Rebirth' Where to begin, it all happened so quickly all I know is that I was happily watching the TV when I felt a sharp pain in my chest as if being stabbed, little did I know that I was having a heart attacked! I awoke just a week ago but am still piecing together exactly what went on. Only a few months before the incident I enrolled myself into a company, which claimed that they could successfully cryogenically freeze people and would revive them if and when the technology arose. I signed various documents stating that I would allow my body to undertake the procedures and revoked the responsibilities after death from next of kin. It was rather expensive as I remember over twenty thousand pounds. I truly did not believe that the experiment would flourish but contemplated, 'what if' in my fight for eternal youth. The Doctor explained that I was saved by my late wife who immediately called the special emergency number on my card. The 'Cryonics Europe' team responded quickly. They firstly put me into a bath of dry ice and then attached me to the necessary equipment to keep my blood circulating, quite strange I know. I was then apparently wrapped, submerged in alcohol and airlifted along with one hundred and twenty kilograms of ice to America not quite what I expected either. They, I say they because I don't quite know who they are yet, have

  • Word count: 889
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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To give or not to give, that is the question.

To give or not to give, that is the question Beggars and homeless people are everywhere we go: in the streets, in the subways. Whether we should give our change to the beggars or not is a question that has surely come up in almost everyone's mind. While there are a few reasons why it is considered to be a generous thing to give money directly to the people in the street, it is becoming a widespread opinion that it is a wrong thing to do. There are many arguments against giving money to beggars. It can be argued that if we keep giving money then beggars just simply will not go away and also our money will probably support their addiction to alcohol or drugs. However, there are a few examples when our money can make a difference if giving it directly to the people who need it. All in all, it is a wiser thing to support charities which are dedicated to help people without a job or shelter than to give money to the beggars on the street. Firstly, beggars are on the street because people give money to them, giving our money does not make them stop begging and go home and lead a happy life. In fact, they stay there and continue their act. Surely if there were no money given to the beggars in the street, they would not be there. Giving money only encourages their behavior. However, those people who are suggesting us to give our change to the beggars often argue that we do not know

  • Word count: 726
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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