On Dumpster Diving

Bailey Ralston 

Ms. Parkinson 

English IIIB 

5 April 2016 

"On Dumpster Diving" 

Scavengers have a rough life. Many our forced to become scavengers because of their poverty or their last layoff. But often those well off do not experience these hardships and do not understand them. In an article by Lars Eighner, whom was once homeless himself, he looks back at his experience. In this retelling of his story Eighner uses the appeals of pathos. Pathos is the appeal to your emotions. Eighner wrote, "No matter how careful I am I still get dysentery at least once a month, often in warmer weather"(Eightner 718). In this sentence within the chapter you can feel for the author. Connecting to the author through his experience as well as knowing what he went through lets you understand the conditions that he goes through. You can understand that the author put himself through these experiences every month for years at a time, this creates an even deeper relationship to him. He wrote this line as if this was a normal experience and nothing was unusual with it. It was normal to him. What this does is allow for the readers to see that he subjects himself to these conditions that are considered lunacy to everyone who is not impoverished, which allows for more empathy towards the author. 

Staying Together

Ralston 1

Bailey Ralston

Ms. Parkinson

English IIIB

14 March 2016

Staying Together

            Throughout the book so far George and Lennie have been traveling together from town to town chasing after their American Dream. What keeps these two together is this American Dream. George has the brains to make it on his own. The one thing he lacks is the strength to work on a ranch and stay competitive in the workforce. Lennie however, provides this strength for George, “He can put up a four hundred pound bale” (Steinbeck 22). George can use Lennie’s strength and his obedience so that he can live The American Dream. It seems as if Lennie is being taken advantage of. But this however is not the case, by following George’s leadership Lennie is able to work towards his American Dream. This American Dream that they are pursuing is the hope that all who survived the Dust Bowl have ever wanted. A Dream that they can live on their own land and become independent. This common goal is why these two stick together.

Harlem Renaissance Writer: Countee Cullen

Bailey Ralston 

Ms.Parkinson 

English IIIB 

7 March 2016 

Lessons from Harlem 

From the poetry of the Harlem Renaissance writer Countee Cullen, it can be learned that when a person takes an action that goes against society it opens a path. If someone takes an action against social norms it opens a path. This path can and will be followed by others that believe in the same idea. In the poem Tableau, it is said "That lightning brilliant as a sword should blaze the path of thunder"(Cullen 11-12). In Tableau, this lightning is the action of a black boy and a white boy holding hands. This is seen as unorthodox to both blacks and whites.During this time there is a lot of path making. These actions allow for others to be inspired to stand up for what they believe in. This can be seen later in the civil rights movements.