My Favorite Literary Piece

About the Author:

       The Adventures of Ulysses was authored by Bernard Evslin, a novelist, a playwright, film writer and director. Several of his plays have been produced both on and off Broadway. He is the author of a novel for adults and co-author of Heroes and Monsters of the Greek Myths and the Greek Gods, both available in Scholastic paperback editions which has sold more than ten million copies worldwide and has been translated into ten different languages. 

        An estimated 30 million students have come into contact with Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths due to its repeated use in high school and college classrooms over the years. This bestselling anthology includes such well-known stories as "Theseus and the Minotaur" and "Perseus and Medusa." He also published non-Hellenic titles such as The Green Hero, based on the Irish mythological character Finn McCool. He also was involved in an audio book called: "Children of the Corn." It included "Whistling Boy" a Native American tale; "Pancho's Puppets," a story about a boy in Mexico, and other stories.

       Mr. Evslin lives in New Rochelle, New York. He won many awards for his writing, including the National Education Association Award in 1961, National Education Award nomination in 1975, best television documentary on an Educational Theme Award, Washington Irving Children's Book Choice Award, and Westchester Library Association Award.

        Bernard Evslin was married to author and teacher Dorothy Evslin, and is the father of co-founder and CEO of ITXC Corporation, author and blogger Tom Evslin and grandfather of the screenwriter Noah Evslin who is currently working on cinematic versions of his grandfather's works. He died of cardiac arrest in 1993 in Kauai, Hawaii.

About the Story:

         The Adventures of Ulysses authored by Bernard Evslin is a Greek Mythology which caught my interest. This story was being centered to Ulysses, the main character of the story.

        The story started with the war between Greek forces against Troy. He was the master strategist of the Greek forces. This story emphasizes on how Ulysses become victorious against the battles and obstacles he had undergone just because of his eagerness to get home to his wife Penelope, to his young son Telemachus and to the dear land of Ithaca that he had no seen for more than ten years.Together with his fifty men, they passed through the Land of Ciconians, the Lotus-Eaters and to the Cyclopes' cave where Polyphemus, the largest, the fiercest and the hungriest of all the Cyclopes lives. They passed through also with Scylla and Charybdis, nightmarish creatures who crush anyone who dares to cross their path. There are times that he  lose hope but Ulysses asked the gods and goddesses to guide him as they continue to sail back to their place.

         His strength and braveness were not  only being tested but also his faithfulness to his wife as he met  through the hands of  Circe, a sorceress and a doer of magical mischief, Calipso who possessed beautiful voice used to attract men and Nausicaa who though that Ulysses was the right man for her. These three creatures wanted that Ulysses will stay and to live with them and not to return to his land in Ithaca. 

        But because of Ulysses' determination to return to his land, all that situations and challenges were successfully elapsed by them. All of these opens a gate for him to get back home even though some of his men were not able to survived.

        Lots of changes were being noticed as the got back home, but these were not an excuse for him to persevere just to get his family back as well as his people. But then again he became victorious of all the challenges he had encountered.

 Personal Insights:

        This story captures my interest even though it's a fictional story. It gives me an idea on how perseverance and faith are important in my daily life as  I go along with my journey. It made me realized that before we can be successful in our different fields, there are lots of challenges that we might encounter. Challenges which serve not a hindrance to success but as a test whether how deep our faith  is and whether if we are worthy of that success. 

        Faith to God, this is the main ingredient for us to attain success, for God is the only source of our strength and we cannot do nothing without him just like in the story where Ulysses asked guidance to the gods and goddesses for him to survive.

         I will apply these values for me to become successful I will persevere more, deepen my faith and not to give up for all of the challenges that God allow me to experience.

       I can relate with this story, for as a  student, lots of challenges are waiting for me. Before I can be successful in my chosen career, I will first encouter difficulties and I believe that there are no  impossible things with a willing heart but still God only knows of what he wanted me to be.

        

         This story is realistic in a way that challenges are part of our life and it depends for us to face  it or to give up on it...

 

My Journey to Life

     Life is full of surprises.Sometimes there are happenings in our lives that we did not expect. Maybe happy or sad, unnecessary or not. But we still keep on going and go with the flow in the journey called life.

     In my seventeen years of existing here in world as an eldest daughter of my parents, there are lots of duties and responsibilities that I am going to meet. There are lot of expectations that I'm going to fulfill. That's a life of being an eldest especially as an eldest daughter. All of the eyes are looking at you and every action that I'm going to make means a lot of them. Maybe because I serve as the model to my brother and sisters and I look it in a positive way. In a way that all they want is what would be the best for me and also because they are caring for me not to be in a wrong path.

     Being an eldest daughter is a challenge and also a privilege to me. A challenge because they are looking forward of a brighter future for me and also a privilege in a way that my parents really trusted me. That's what I like to my parents. Their full trust and support was being shown to me. And in return I will take an initiative not to break their trust on me. I am so grateful because their trust and support is really there even though I enter into a boy and girl relationship. Most of the parents don't want their daughters to be involve in that maybe because they see that I can be trusted and they're also see the sincerity of my boyfriend they accepted him, they accepted us. 

     I am so happy with the family I have.Even though my parents are busy because both of them are working but still the bonding is there. The kind of treatment that my parents shown to us is not like an authoritative way but in a gentle manner.Yes, I really respect them, they are doing their role as a parents but not in a sense that we are afraid or ashamed to them particularly with my father.

     I have a kind of attitude which is not so vocal with my feelings more so in expressing it in actions.  Maybe because I don't know how to express my feelings, but this is me. I am a silent type of person but deep inside of me I really appreciate those persons who really love me and accepted me as who I am and what I am.

     My goal in life is to help my family especially to my parents someday. They are the one who make sacrifices just for my own sake. I want that both of them will stop working to earn money. I want that someday I will be the one working for them and to return the sacrifices they have done to me. Seeing my family stable and satisfied is what I wanted most. They serve as my inspiration to do good and to be successful in the future. And also by the grace of our God, this will be possibly made.

     Life is too short. All I do is to value all the persons I have presently and to cherish each moment of my life. Honestly, I did not give much effort to excel in every aspect of my life because all of these are temporary and all of these will perish. I just want to live life in a simple way together with my family and loved ones and also to enjoy the life that God given to me.

ELEMENTS OF SHORT STORY

1. PLOT
     Exposition:

           Mr. Melvin B. Tolson an outspoken Wiley College professor was the mentor of his young debate students named James Farmer Jr., Hamilton Burgess, Henry Lowe and Samantha Booke who is the first ever female ever to join the Wiley College debate team. Mr. Tolson is  the kind of educator who truly recognizes the remarkable power of knowledge. At first, his students are awkward to each other but later on because they have one goal which is to become a good debater who will fight for the injustice they have seen done by the white American people among the black Americans, they strive hard to fight for it by the help of Mr. Tolson and by the guidance of James Jr.'s father Mr. James Farmer Sr. a renowned scholar and an important presence in the emerging student's life together with his wife Helen Farmer.

     Rising Action:

             There was a party attended by the four young debater students. When James was walking way back to his home, he saw Mr. Tolson and he followed him. He found out that Mr. Tolson was an organizer of the Southern Tenant Farmers Union. James has seen the raving effects of racism all around him and longs to live in a future where no one must be in fear simply because of the color of their skin. Mr. Tolson help him to escape from the authority trying to arrest the member of the Union. It was one o' clock in the morning when James came home and was scolded by his parents.

     Climax:

              The young debate students begin to experience a series of consecutive victories but one of the member of the debating student, Hamilton Burgess decided to quit when they have receive the notice that they will going to debate with the Harvard University as their opponent. On the other hand, the three students are preparing for the incoming debate. They read books and gather several of information that will support to their stand. When they have arrived at Harvard University, they saw the difference of   Black and White Americans and also they felt the excitement and pressure for the incoming debate. The day before they debate, they have received a letter contains that the topic to be argued was changed. They felt the tension on that time. There are some misunderstanding between James Jr. and Henry but because of what had happened, they have the perseverance to continue what they have started. The day they have waiting for has come. Their debate with the Harvard University was being telecast all over the world. Different personalities have witnessed how each young debaters deliver their speech. It was full of emotions especially to the young debate students of Wiley College who undergone different experiences for them to fight their right and to hear their voice through debate. After the argument of each opposing team, the judges came to a decision that Wiley College deserves to win and they are the first debating team who defeat Harvard University.

     Falling Action:

               Most educators may not have recognized the remarkable potential of assembling such disparate team, Tolson's unique vision truly set him apart from the pack as the team experience victories in their  road to challenging Harvard University at the national championships. As the time goes by, they continue their journey through their own chosen career / field but still these kind of experiences they had undergone remains on them and in the minds and hearts of the people.

     Conclusion:

               The young debating team of Wiley University had shown to the world what they want to impart. The discrimination of the white Americans towards them did not hinder their way to the top, instead, this serves them as their inspiration and strength to pursue what they have started and also to be an instrument for all the black American people to hear their voices and to change the system especially in education that their will be an equality among each people living in this world.

2. CONFLICT

               On their way, when Mr. Tolson and his students was in he car, they saw many people and a man hanging and was burned surrounded by the white American people. They decided to return to their house because Mr. Tolson thinks that it is not safe on that place. When the white American people saw them, they chase them and throw stone to them in which you can see the anger that they felt among the Black American people. 

 3. CHARACTERS

          Protagonist -                                 James Farmer Jr.

                                                              Samantha Booke

                                                              Henry Lowe

          Antagonist -                                 Sheriff Dozier
                                                              White Americans
                                                              The opposing Debaters

          Round/ Dynamic -                        Sherrif Dozier
                                                              Hamilton Burgess
          Flat/ Static -                                 James farmer Jr.
                                                             Samantha Booke
                                                              Melvin Tolson
                                                              Henry Lowe
                                                              Dr. James Farmer Sr.
                                                              Ruth Tolson
                                                              Helen farmer

          Main/ Principal Characters -         James Farmer Jr.
                                                             Samantha Booke
                                                             Henry Lowe

          Minor/Supporting Characters -    Melvin Tolson
                                                             Dr. James Farmer Sr.
                                                             Helen Farmer
                                                             Ruth Tolson
                                                             Sherrif Dozier
                                                             The Opposing Debaters

 4. THEME

               The story was all about the young debating team of Wiley College where in they are being trained by their professor to be a good debaters. They had seen the racial discrimination done by the White Americans among the Black American people. They have witnessed the inequality and injustice done to them. Because of this, they strive hard to have a change and also to uplift their living especially in their educational system. The theme of the story is that there should be an equality among people. Even though they have different color of skin, they have their own right to be attain.

 5. SETTING

           The story explores the social constructs in Texas during the Great Depression including not only the day-to-day insults and slights African Americans endured, but also lynching. Marshall, Texas, described by James Farmer, Jr. as "the last city to surrender after the Civil War," is home to Wiley College, where, in 1935-36, inspired by the Harlem Renaissance and his clandestine work as a union organizer, Professor Melvin Tolson coaches the debate team to a nearly-undefeated season that sees the first debate between U.S. students from white and Negro colleges and ends with an invitation to face Harvard University's national champions.

 

6. POINT OF VIEW

             The first person's point of view is that as long as we strive hard and our desire is for the good of our countrymen, we can attain our goals in life. Moreover, there is always a positive outcome if there is a willingness of a person's heart to do such thing and if we aim for the better among people.

reaction for karma

KARMA

REACTION:

    The story explains the present phenomena that there are some people who wanted other people look at them as higher than those of other persons. Some people wanted that all of the attention is with him/her. Just like Sir Mohan Lai in the story, he is too proud of what he have and on what he had attain. He wanted to be recognized by others as an intelligent, educated and a person who is in a high class of society. Another thing that the story wants to convey is the thought of " colonial mentality ", it was being portrayed in the story especially to the main character. Sir Mohan had already adapted how an English man speak, act and even on how they dressed. It is really a fact that most of the people are putting the English people on a pedestal. If we talk, dressed and act like thgem we think that the attention is on with us and we can gain respect to others. We are trying to adapt different culture and tradition that we are not used to but because it is a great feeling the other people on their part they keep on doing and imitating it.

     This kind of situation is really existing in our times now. There is nothing wrong on adapting other country's practices. The thing which is not good is when we are neglecting our fatherland and in the community where we belong. because of this colonial mentality, some people tend to forget where they came from and on giving importance of their nation.

     The story karma implies that in every negative action we did, there is and corresponding consequences and we must expect on that.