Jack Bretl

Fitz English

December 16

literary Analysis 

To Build a Fire Literary Analysis

Mother Nature is Always Stronger

than a Man's Strength

People need to be cautious because anything built by man can be destroyed by Mother Nature.

~Russel Honore

Human strength will never over come the strength of Mother Nature. In the short story To Build A fire, By,  Jack London is the story of a man’s trek through the cold snow covered area of Yukon with his dog. This trek, being done in Yukon, is happening during a time where the temperatures are at some times 70 below 0. The conditions are deadly and the ground is covered in snow as far as the eye can see, and things aren’t looking up for this man and his pup. The man knew he had to make steady progress to get to where there was shelter. The conditions were making the progress of his trip delay by a lot. Water and snow has hit his skin and  Mother Nature is striking hard. The man’s attempts to make a fire weren’t strong enough to counter the harsh temperature. His dog is walking slowly and has eyes of defeat. All hope has turned into ash. Beneath the snow that could be 3 inches deep or 3 feet deep there was some ice but then water, and any exposed skin to that water would be deadly. The snow above the water would usually be sunken in but not always, which would make it hard to see. Mother Natures skills were no match for the man and his dog. During the try the dog fall’s through into one of the water traps, here is a quote explaining it.

“Suddenly it broke through, floundered to one side, and got away to firmer footing. It had wet its forefeet and legs, and almost immediately the water that clung to it turned to ice. It made quick efforts to lick the ice off its legs, then dropped down in the snow and began to bite out the ice that had formed between the toes. This was a matter of instinct. To permit the ice to remain would mean sore feet. It did not know this. It merely obeyed the mysterious prompting that arose from the deep crypts of its being. But the man knew, having achieved a judgment on the subject, and he removed the mitten from his right hand and helped tear out the ice-particles. He did not expose his fingers more than a minute, and was astonished at the swift numbness that smote them. It certainly was cold. He pulled on the mitten hastily, and beat the hand savagely across his chest.”

 

 

Excerpt From

Fitz’s Favorite Classic Short Stories

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Mother Nature is a beautiful thing but it is also a very dangerous thing. Sadly this man and his dog were on the bad side and suffered a rather harsh time. The man’s mind wonders and he started to think of what would happen if he died and if the boys would find him the next day. He then nestles in to one of the most comfortable sleeps he has ever been in. The dog was surprised to see the man sitting in the snow without making a fire. The dog got up close to the man but scent death so it backed away. It then left the man and trotted long to where it knew the camp was, and where the boys where. Through out the whole story Mother Nature’s strength was striking hard on the man and his dog. It took the live of a man and almost the dogs. The mans perseverance and strength was strong but no match for Mother Nature’s. For the dog and the man, their bond and strength together was there but in the end were split. So, the next time you want to go out in sub degree temperatures I suggest going with more than just a dog or not going at all. 

Jack Bretl

Saturday December 15

Fitz English

Mid Year Narrative Paragraph

    Tradition

The Tradition Of Tripping

"Our son has been singing all week, and is now trying to teach me his favorites from the Keewaydin songbook. I could go on and on about how much he loves camp, about his positive experience at Keewaydin. An example: He went on a canoe trip to Bog River, a tough trip for a little kid. Usually, Luke has to be the best at something or he doesn’t want anything to do with it. And being from Brooklyn, at first, he wasn’t the best in a canoe. But the trip leaders tell me that he dug in, stuck with it, and was paddling stern by the end of the trip. He says it was hard work, but when it was over, he thought every minute of it was amazing. He’s a changed man.”,

 Paul Braverman,  Keewaydin Dunmore Parent

Traditions last for a reason. The tradition of tripping at my sleep away camp is something I fell fortunate to be a part of. At Keewaydin Dunmore, the camp I go to, everyone goes on trips, both Canoeing and Hiking. This has been a tradition at my camp since 1910 when the camp first started. Going on a trip is a great opportunity to bond with some of your best friends, and encounter some of the most beautiful wildlife. I have gone on five trips during my tenure at Keewaydin and every single one has been a dream. During my most recent trip which was a 6 day canoeing trip in the Adirondacks I experienced one of the best feelings in the world. It wasn’t just one feeling it was everything around me on this trip. On almost every day we would sit in our canoe and lie our heads back on the hard plastic and just reflect on what was going on around us. When we did this it felt like all of my senses were turned up to maximum sensitivity. I could here every bird, feel every ripple in the water, and smell the clean, crisp mountain air. It didn’t matter if we were sitting in the rain, we would take this moment of reflection to absorb everything around us, because I think we all knew we were going to be back in a classroom pretty quickly. These  trips were all special in their own way and thats what made them a tradition. You could be hiking the tallest mountain in the North East or white water canoeing down a river in Canada. Every camp has traditions but Keewaydin’s tradition was with out doubt tripping. This tradition has created endless friendships, stories, and long lasting memories. So, the next time you are participating in a tradition remember to think about has this tradition was started and respects that and don’t forget, It’s the memories made from traditions that are remembered.

Jack Bretl

Fitz English

8th Grade

December 5th

A&P Literary Reflection Essay

Using Anger as Fuel

Speak when you are angry - and you'll make the best speech you'll ever regret.

Laurence J. Pete

    Anger is something you can use either against you or with you. In The Story A&P by: John Updike the Main Character, Sammy gets fired from his job as a cashier at an A&P in North Eastern Massachusetts. He does this because of his manager kicking out 3 girls for their attire. Sammy didn’t think this was a reasonable accusation and definitely expressed that to the manager. During this part of the story The author is trying to exemplify that if you dint agree with something use anger as your partner, not your enemy. John Updike wrote a whole story about 3 girls who showed up to a grocery store and ended up getting someone to quit and getting themselves kicked out, the author must have had a strong opinion to let this happen.

In this short story John Updike explains the story of a young man quoting from his perfectly fine job as a cashier at an A&P in north east Massachusetts. You would never realize how much a cashier observes but they do and thats what there author explains throughout the beginning of the story. About mid way through the story 3 girls walk into the store and Sammy instantly notices them. They’re all wearing w piece bikini’s, and Sammy knows that thats nit allowed but he is so attracted to them he decides to not tell them to leave, and go on with his business. Shortly after that the manager comes out and embarrass’s the girls and tells them to leave because of their attire. Sammy feels this is unnecessary as they are only buying 1 thing. Sammy ends up getting in an argument with his manager and becomes so angry he quits, and walks right out.

Anger can be used against yourself or with you. In this story Sammy uses it with him. He does what I think everyone in the world should be able to do. He took something that wasn’t a big deal and stood up for his opinion and proved his point. This story made me go deeper in my thinking of what the word anger can be used for. I always thought of being angry as a weakness but the way Sammy did it was extraordinary. During my life I have become angry a lot and I have never been good at channeling it. After reading this short story I now have a better understanding on how to channel it. Reading this made me feel excited in that I had learned something valuable. I can not only use this lesson in my athletic life but in my social life. This story has changed how I look at the world when I wake up. I now can use criticism as fuel instead of a put down. This whole piece gave me a sense of control of my life. When Sammy decided to quit because of a strong opinion it’s saying to me that you should only do something you believe in.  

Anger, something to be used as fuel or a weakness its your decision. You decide how you use the word. So I suggest to you that the next time you become angry to use as how you would like to but pick wisely.

-Jack Bretl

Jack Bretl

Fitz English

8th Grade

December 5th

A&P Literary Reflection Essay

Using Anger as Fuel

Speak when you are angry - and you'll make the best speech you'll ever regret.

Laurence J. Pete

    Anger is something you can use either against you or with you. In The Story A&P by: John Updike the Main Character, Sammy gets fired from his job as a cashier at an A&P in North Eastern Massachusetts. He does this because of his manager kicking out 3 girls for their attire. Sammy didn’t think this was a reasonable accusation and definitely expressed that to the manager. During this part of the story The author is trying to exemplify that if you dint agree with something use anger as your partner, not your enemy. John Updike wrote a whole story about 3 girls who showed up to a grocery store and ended up getting someone to quit and getting themselves kicked out, the author must have had a strong opinion to let this happen.

In this short story John Updike explains the story of a young man quoting from his perfectly fine job as a cashier at an A&P in north east Massachusetts. You would never realize how much a cashier observes but they do and thats what there author explains throughout the beginning of the story. About mid way through the story 3 girls walk into the store and Sammy instantly notices them. They’re all wearing w piece bikini’s, and Sammy knows that thats nit allowed but he is so attracted to them he decides to not tell them to leave, and go on with his business. Shortly after that the manager comes out and embarrass’s the girls and tells them to leave because of their attire. Sammy feels this is unnecessary as they are only buying 1 thing. Sammy ends up getting in an argument with his manager and becomes so angry he quits, and walks right out.

Anger can be used against yourself or with you. In this story Sammy uses it with him. He does what I think everyone in the world should be able to do. He took something that wasn’t a big deal and stood up for his opinion and proved his point. This story made me go deeper in my thinking of what the word anger can be used for. I always thought of being angry as a weakness but the way Sammy did it was extraordinary. During my life I have become angry a lot and I have never been good at channeling it. After reading this short story I now have a better understanding on how to channel it. Reading this made me feel excited in that I had learned something valuable. I can not only use this lesson in my athletic life but in my social life. This story has changed how I look at the world when I wake up. I now can use criticism as fuel instead of a put down. This whole piece gave me a sense of control of my life. When Sammy decided to quit because of a strong opinion it’s saying to me that you should only do something you believe in.  

Anger, something to be used as fuel or a weakness its your decision. You decide how you use the word. So I suggest to you that the next time you become angry to use as how you would like to but pick wisely.

-Jack Bretl

Jack Bretl

Fitz English

8th Grade

December 5th

A&P Literary Reflection Essay

Using Anger as Fuel

Speak when you are angry - and you'll make the best speech you'll ever regret.

Laurence J. Pete

    Anger is something you can use either against you or with you. In The Story A&P by: John Updike the Main Character, Sammy gets fired from his job as a cashier at an A&P in North Eastern Massachusetts. He does this because of his manager kicking out 3 girls for their attire. Sammy didn’t think this was a reasonable accusation and definitely expressed that to the manager. During this part of the story The author is trying to exemplify that if you dint agree with something use anger as your partner, not your enemy. John Updike wrote a whole story about 3 girls who showed up to a grocery store and ended up getting someone to quit and getting themselves kicked out, the author must have had a strong opinion to let this happen.

In this short story John Updike explains the story of a young man quoting from his perfectly fine job as a cashier at an A&P in north east Massachusetts. You would never realize how much a cashier observes but they do and thats what there author explains throughout the beginning of the story. About mid way through the story 3 girls walk into the store and Sammy instantly notices them. They’re all wearing w piece bikini’s, and Sammy knows that thats nit allowed but he is so attracted to them he decides to not tell them to leave, and go on with his business. Shortly after that the manager comes out and embarrass’s the girls and tells them to leave because of their attire. Sammy feels this is unnecessary as they are only buying 1 thing. Sammy ends up getting in an argument with his manager and becomes so angry he quits, and walks right out.

Anger can be used against yourself or with you. In this story Sammy uses it with him. He does what I think everyone in the world should be able to do. He took something that wasn’t a big deal and stood up for his opinion and proved his point. This story made me go deeper in my thinking of what the word anger can be used for. I always thought of being angry as a weakness but the way Sammy did it was extraordinary. During my life I have become angry a lot and I have never been good at channeling it. After reading this short story I now have a better understanding on how to channel it. Reading this made me feel excited in that I had learned something valuable. I can not only use this lesson in my athletic life but in my social life. This story has changed how I look at the world when I wake up. I now can use criticism as fuel instead of a put down. This whole piece gave me a sense of control of my life. When Sammy decided to quit because of a strong opinion it’s saying to me that you should only do something you believe in.  

Anger, something to be used as fuel or a weakness its your decision. You decide how you use the word. So I suggest to you that the next time you become angry to use as how you would like to but pick wisely.

-Jack Bretl

Jack Bretl

Power Of Hard Times

Fitz 8th Grade English

December 2 2018 

Tough Times

Tough Times On The Portage Trail

Tough times never last, but tough people do.

~ Robert H. Schuller

Going through tough times is what makes a boy a man. Over the summer I went through one of the most physically tough time. I was on a Canoeing trip in the Adirondack’s and a ahead of me was a 2 mile portage. I was on this Canoeing trip through a summer camp located in Salisbury Vermont. This was my 5th year at the camp and my first portage. Portage is a French word from the root porter. It means to carry boats or cargo from one water source to another. This was by far out hardest portage on the trip. I was there with 6 camp friends and 2 staff-men. I was in charge of carrying two 30-40 pound boxes for two miles. I made three trips because I was also in charge of getting two river bags. This was probably the most strenuous and physically hard time I’ve be through. I was one of the most efficient carriers in my group so I was told to go back and help my friend who was portaging a canoe. This was a a 16 foot Penobscot canoe that had to be moved  2 miles through a hiking trail. My friend and I got low grabbed the gunnels and threw It up over our heads. We started to move pretty fast but we kept getting slower but before we knew it we had sight of the water and off we where. This experience was one of the toughest times of my life. It was also one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. My friend and I after that became best friends and are still in contact. When you go through something as tough and strenuous you instantly create a bond with whoever you do it with. Going through a tough time wether it’s the death of a loved one or a 2 mile portage it all counts.

Jack Bretl