Animals in Animal Farm

The main characters in Animal Farm were animals, obviously, but they were more like real people than animals. This was probably done to show what Orwell thought about utopia. He obviously didn't think that utopia was possible or a good idea, but he showed this well through the animals.

Usually when people think about utopias, it is for people, but animals may have there version of utopia. Orwell addresses this throughout the book, showing how one animal's utopia may be another dystopia, like Snowball and Napoleon's different utopias. People do that also, with differing opinions keeping everyone from being in agreement. Orwell was saying, at least I think so, that you can't have utopia, because there will always be disagreements between everyone.

So, there you go. Orwell's use of animals in Animal Farm. Another blog done.

The Giver review

"Call me the Giver."

This is what the Giver told Jonas when he asked him what he was supposed to call him. All through out The Giver, the supposed utopia that Jonas lives in comes under fire in his mind, and he wonders if this is how the world really is. The Giver was a strange book, but the underlying theme that it had was familiar and comes into many aspects of our lives today.

The setting of The Giver was one of the aspects that caused me to become more involved in the book. The world Jonas lived in had no color, no landscape (flatlands), and had everything planned out for them. The community council chose the jobs for the people, created commities to run the town, and even determined when children could do normal tasks, like ride bicycles or wear different clothes. Every detail, like the food they ate to the people they married, was taken care of for them. This just baffled me at how something like this could work.

The story in the book was another element that interested me. The way Jonas goes from being a normal kid to becoming the receiver of memory is very interesting, and then what he does with his memories helps to add tension to the story. Jonas' night escape from the community also complicates the plot further, especially the ending.

The ending did make me a little mad though. I hate it when books leave you hanging at the end of the story. It's just like AAAANNNNNDDDD..... But I guess this helps your imagination to come up with an ending, so that works too.

The Giver was a fairly good book that showed how everything may not be how it seems. So, if you like crazy, future stories like this, then by all means read this book. I won't stop you. Maybe.

Cross-Examination

People cross-examine each other all the time. Whether they are trying to find out some dirt they could use against you or if they are just plain curious, cross-examining has many uses. When people cross-examine each other, it just makes me want to tell them, "hey, they have their own reasons, let it go", especially if I'm the one being cross-examined.

Anyway, this blog is about something that people could cross-examine me about, and yes I do have several faults that can be examined. Frankly, anyone who has known me for more than ten minutes could tell you that. But, I think if I was cross-examined, it would have to be over my obsessive compulsive disorder, of sorts.

Truthfully, I don't have OCD like most think about it; it's mainly over things like music, games, girls, homework, and other things that I horde and become obsessed with. For instance, I have eleven Jimi Hendrix CD's, pretty much everything he ever recorded, mainly because I am obsessed with his music and guitar playing. Excessive, I really don't think so.

Hopefully you get my point. I'm obsessive. Sue me. Cross-examine me or whatever you wish. It doesn't bother me. And that's why you can't hold me down; I got to be free. Stone Free!!! That was from the Hendrix song "Stone Free" by the way. See, my obsession is spreading.

William Carlos Williams poem

Here is a poem styled after the Williams poem The Red Wheelbarrow. It's called The Blue Wheelbarrow. No, not really, but here comes my real poem.

Simple Notes by Chris Elms
how can one
note

convey so much
emotion

without even speaking
words

or even being
thought?

There you go. A poem by me. Think about the meaning and see if you can figure it out. I dare you.

What to Celebrate

There are many things to celebrate in life, but one of the best is to celebrated your sixteenth birthday. Just the freedom and the fact that your parents aren't nagging at you all the way to school is enough to cause anyone to celebrate.

My sixteenth birthday was such a big deal and a cause of celebration for me because my birthday falls nearly at the end of the school year. This doesn't seem that bad at first glance, but when you take the fact that everyone, except me, can drive and doesn't have to wait on parents, it gets pretty bad real quick. During basketball season especially, everyone could go to get food before games, but there I was in front of the gym waiting like a sad little puppy that got left in the rain.

Well, if you feel sorry for me after reading this, my apologies. There is no need for the sympathy right now, because I do have my license now, so we're all good. Anyway, I guess that's a pretty good thing to celebrate.

Mask poem

Here is my mask poem that I had to write for English a while back. It is titled "No Mask I Wear". Cue dramatic music and begin reading.
No Mask I Wear
by Chris Elms

No Mask I Wear today,
Or even yesterday.
Their mask, it smiles and jives,
As they try to live easier lives,
Waiting for someone to save them.

While I'm not a hero, or even a saint,
I always refuse to hide behind depraved war paint.
The world turns its head, but still
No Mask I Wear.

Sugar-coated and looked over; there has to be a better way.
The time is near when you can't take what they say;
Deception and misery love company, almost like wives.
The world may not give approbation, for questioning their ways,
But soon they will see why
No Mask I Wear!

Please hold your applause, unless you are just about to bust. Then go right ahead. I don't think it would be good for someone to bust. Kinda messy.