The Opportunity by John Cheever

The Oppertunity is desent short story, about a sixteen year old girl named Elise. The story is been told in Limited Omniscient point of view. The author only lets us know about Elsie's mom's feelings, but not Elsies'. Anyhow, we do get to know about the actions done by Elsie, and what all is going around her, and the dialogues of the other minor characters. Through out the story, there are three settings in total, one at Elsie's house, second, at the Cogswells house (where Elsie babysat), and the theater. The settings in this story weren't the the effective elements. The story didnt develop around them. The characterization on the other hand; Mrs. Wilson is a round character, and Elsie is a dynamic character. At the beginning of the story, Mrs. Wilson did not want Elsie to become an actress, as she didnt expect her to be granted with such an oppertunity. But towards the end, when Elsie did get the opportunity, ironicly Mrs. Wilson was over-thrilled, and didnt want Elsie to let go the opportunity. And what made Mrs. Wilson a round character, was that she didnt stop Elsie from making her own decision, and was happy with Elsie the way she was ( a babbysitter). Elsie on the other hand, always wanted to be an actress. She wanted to act, it was her dream. A dynamic character is a character who changes, through out the coarse of the story, like Elsie. By the end of the story, she refused to be in the play, as she said it "stinked". It was again, ironic, how she gave up something that had meant so much to her.
The conflict of the story was mainly man vs. man, as Elsie went against her mothers' will, and the producers and directers of the play called her a tramp and called her other names. And, ignoring all the insults, Elsie stood by her decisions.
The theme of the story could be summarized to: Making the right decision. i.e. if Elsie wouldnt have quit the play, she would have been critisized to be in the stupid play.
Going on the Plot, the turning point in this story would be when Elsie tells her mom her decision about quitting the play, because she thought it stinked.
The mood of the story was easy going, yet sort of glum, keepin in mind, the slow pace, and the soft diction: beautiful, wonderful, indolent etc. The word choice was easy to follow and consisted of common words. And hence, according to me, the story seemed a bit dull, the moody spark could be fixed.

My point of view about this short story: The Oppertunity was an average story. Nothing too moving, or too engulfing. It wouldnt have made a difference if i hadnt read it. Elsie didnt choose to be an actress in the end, something i would've done if i didnt like the play. But i didnt like her mother's part in the story. She was soo moody, and a person who would go with the flow. At firs she didnt believe in Elsie, and discouraged her about acting, and later when Elsie did get the opportunity, she goes all physced about it, and starts picturing things that would have happeneed if Elsie didnt quit it. I think, the mother was selfish, and put Elsie under alot of pressure. Altough her husband had abandoned her, i think it was her who had to move on, and it was Elsie, who made the right decisions, and was sort of like the adult in the house. As she could think and decide for herself at the age sixteen.

Setting: 3/5
Plot: 3/5
Character: 4/5
Conflict: 4/5
Problem/Theme: 4/5

The Turtle

This was the second piece of work that i read, that was written by John Steinbeck. It was intense. haha. I had read another descriptive piece by him, on Sir Lansalaut, which i did like. This on the other hand, was really really really descriptive. He uses ALOT of metaphors, and an immense amount of figurative language. It got annoying. I mean, the story is about this turtle who is trying to cross this road. He faces various conflicts on his way, like pointy things stuck on his leg, etc, but he is still determined to get on the other side of the road. The whole story being a metephor, for not giving up, no matter how many conflicts we may face in our lives. On the good side, I did like the metephors Steinbeck used, and he did a good job giving the oh-so-slow pace to his piece, just like the way a turtle walks. It was a very very descriptive piece on this not-so-ninja trutle, who is willing to put his life in risk, just to get across. Yup, i was expecting this piece to be better, however the first piece was better. I would not, ever read a novel, written like this short story. :)

Despite all that i said, i did like his novel, Of Mince and Men :)

The Sunrise

The edgy huts lay still under the shadow of the sky. Every single one inscribed at a constant distance. Fences gaurded those huts, parting a hut from another. Inside the fences grew lucious, flowering shrubs, which engulfed their surrounding with a tastey fragerence. Beyond all the huts was a thick layer of evergreen trees, that formed a canopy over the sleeping creatures. To elaborate the scence, there were elephantine mountains that jolted towards the sky, as if trying to poke the delicate balck bubble.
There was no sign of sound, except the scatters of tiny crickets crooking. Everyhing was at rest. The small huts, the tangled bushes, the wooden fences, the evergreen trees, the thin tributeries, the gigantic mountains, the smallest dust particles. Everything was asleep, from the grass-coated ground, to the star-sparkled sky. Everything at peace, waiting to awaken.
At frist a seam of bright yellow was revealed from behind the magnificent rocks. Just one at first, and then another. And keeping its pace, a shy arc exposed itself between the two triangular rocks. It slowly grew, depicting its potentials of a semi-circle. It was bright, it was glittering. It was fiesty, it was a speachless site. As it grew to be a glowig ball, above all the huts, above all the fences, and above all the canopies, and above all the mountains. It shined, as it corroded through the shadows, making them fade away, it was overwhelming.
Everything had come to live. The tiniest due drom, that had rested motionlessly on the sleepy leaf, gleamed. Evertyhing was alive, from the shaded creatures, to the dark mountains. Everything was alive, under the shadow of the burning sun.

The Third Twin

The Third Twin, by Ken Fllett. The Trid Twin is one addicting book, that was hard to put down. It is about identical twins, who dont belong to the same mother. One born by one, and the other by another. One is the good guy, and the other could be a lover, your friend or your killer. It is unpredictable throughout the nevel, what lies next. A genetic researcher, putting all she got, to solve the complicated mystry, to who mercylessly raped her best friend. Which one of them did it, who knows? It is a great novel, that comes under the genre, thriller, and horror. It is not a normal, or cliche novel, as there was absolutely NOTHING, that took place, that i guessed right. And no, im actualy pretty good at guessing the endings. it was great! :) Read it.

Character: 5/5
Plot:5/5
Setting:5/5
Problem:5/5