Things Are Not Always as They Seem

Author's note:

this is a summary of the story The Trojan Horse, and a look at how this is used in modern times. 

For ten long years, the Trojans and Greeks have been locked in a vicious fight. For ten years they had lost countless good men in the battles, but soon it was all over. The Greeks had constructed a large horse and hid in it. They had presented it as a peace offering to the Trojans, but they were really going to kill them when they came out. Hey had used manipulation to fool them into thinking they got a trophy. 

These kinds of things can happen these days. On your computer, a Trojan Horse can go into your computer and insert viruses without you ever knowing. Or when you are applying for a job, the employer may display the workplace as better than it actually is. These kinds of things have been seen in countless media and TV. One example is in the video game COD: Black Ops II, the main terrorist surrenders to the US Army intending to be brought aboard their ship for interrogation. But soon he breaks out with the arrival of his army attacking the ship, then hacks the entire military network, hacking all their drones and using them on countless innocent major cities. 

The Man Standing Next to Them

Authors note:

This is a research report about the US Navy. It goes through the origins up to the modern day. I named this piece what it is, because whenever someone is fighting in a war, they do it for everyone there with them. I was trying to be able to implement transitions into this piece. 

Whenever our nation has been threatened, or in need of protection, our military forces have been there. When we are faced with a threat regarding our world's waters our Navy has been ready to answer the call. Since their origins in the Revolutionary war, to the lethal fighting force they are today, they have they have defended our nation with the up most regards. 

The origins of the US Navy date back to the Revolutionary war. When George Washington began the force, it was made up of only seven warships. It later grew in size drastically toward the end of the war. Due to the loss of ships, and men, the Congress started to question the reason for a Navy, until they heard of the success of the remaining ships.  The total number of lost ships was 24, to the British forces. 

After the Revolutionary War the Navy fought substantial battles in the various wars during the 19th century, but noting compared to the fights it would encounter in the 20th century. Although the Navy saw little action in World War I, they engaged in the most battles during World War 2 than any country. Since the war had started when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, the Navy was the head of the fight in the Pacific. But they did not only see combat in the Pacific theater, but they also engaged in the European region against the Germans. The Navy had pulled off what was thought impossible after the attack. They had come back with full retaliation against their enemies. 

Although the art of naval warfare was set in World War 2, it changed drastically in 21st century and the years leading up to it. Around the time of the "Black Hawk Down" incident in Mogadishu, the Navy had changed its entire face. They had upgraded to the biggest and best ships that money could buy. They had state-of-the-art equipment that could do almost anything that they wanted it to. They could spot enemies thousands of miles away, or relay communications to the US from the middle of the ocean. Their elite ground force the Seals had made a new name for the Navy, making it the most elite maritime fighting force the world had ever seen. This was the new face of the Navy

Thought history of the free America the Navy had been ready to defend us. From the somewhat primitive fighting force in the Revolutionary war to the catastrophe at Pearl Harbor, and to the 21st century, they have been there. Ready to answer any call from our nation. They did not do it only for the country, but also for the man standing next to them.

SOURCES:
Director, Rear Adm. Richard Breckenridge, Undersea Warfare, OPNAV N97 There has been a good deal of conversation recently debating the size of the Navys ballistic missile submarine force, and .... "Navy.mil Home Page."Navy.mil Home Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2013. <http://www.navy.mil/>.

"America's Navy - A Global Force for Good: Navy.com." America's Navy - A Global Force for Good: Navy.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2013. <http://www.navy.com/>.

Dancing Shoes

Author's note:

In the story Ribbons, that the main character does not believe that her grandmother loves her. She will soon find out her intentions.

We see in the story Ribbons  that Stacy's grandmother still loves her... in her own way. Stacy believes that when she first arrives she does not even care about her, only her brother. But when she tries to bond with her by asking her to fix her dancing shoes she finds the reason for the way she acts. And how she loves her. 

When Stacy asks her grandmother to fix her dance shoes, she freaks out. When she was a child in China, the people would bind their feet with ribbons to keep them a certain way. She thought that Stacy was trying to do that to herself with those shoes. When Stacy learn of this from her mother, she talks to her grandmother and finds her true love for her. And that is all Stacy ever wanted. 

Reversed-Racism

Looking at how the woman acted toward her son's friend, shows that she is very stereotypical toward colored people. She displays that she believes that she knows everything about them. She seems to be over-nice to him, by offering food, clothing, and other things. In her mind, she thinks that all black people are poor, adults have terrible jobs, and have no clothing. And she displays little respect for them. 

She displays a stereotype when saying that her son's friend "will eat anything." She thinks he is poor, and does not have much food. But the kids do not pick up on this. She is just treating him this way because of his race, that is not right.

Through the story, the woman tries too help him in situations that are non-existent. He does not need a lot of food. He has enough cloths to keep him warm.The only thing that is out of place in this story, is the woman, and her act of reverse-racism. 

Hard TImes

Author’s note: This was a piece I wrote about the main conflict in the book The Art of Racing In the Rain. I was working on using a/b transitions, and text analysis.

When almost everything you own is taken from you in a matter of weeks will you still fight for what’s yours? The main character Denny from The Art of Racing In the Rain, looses almost everything in an instant. His wife, daughter, money, and home, are all taken. But he still fights for what’s his.

Denny’s first problem starts when his wife gets brain cancer, and dies 6 months later. Denny is heartbroken, and starts to set into depression. His parents-in-law, offer to take Zoe his daughter for a while, and eventually stay with them forever. Denny refuses, then the problem escalades to a level uncontrollable by anyone. The “Twins” (his parents-in-law), sue him for custody rights over Zoe. Denny is then forced to shove out huge amounts of money for a lawyer. But this is only his first obstacle.

Denny is still going through incredible adversity, but possibly the worst is yet to come. Along with the “Twins” law suit, they then decide to charge him with assault. They claimed he had inappropriately assaulted a 15 year old relative. This is all false. Now Denny is forced to get another lawyer to help on this front, all the while sinking deeper into debt. At one point Denny tries to get drunk and utters the words “I honestly don’t think this is worth fighting for anymore.” Denny is forced to sell one of his cars, his home, and move into a small apartment, just big enough for him and his dog. Denny appears to have hit rock bottom.

But when you have hit rock bottom, for some people, it gives them even more motivation to fight. And within a few more months, Denny is proven innocent on the assault, and the Twins finally give up trying to take Denny’s daughter. Denny’s live is now back on track, and when a famous racecar driver offers him a job in Italy for Ferrari, his spirits are soaring. But two weeks, his dog Enzo dies. Denny is heartbroken, but understands that he needed to go. Denny, with an open mind agrees to move to Italy, and become a driver for Ferrari.

Through all the struggles Denny faced, it turned out the way he wanted it. He lost his wife, home, job, all his money, and almost his daughter. But he does not stop fighting. He did not let someone take from him what was not theirs.