Painting Pictures with Words: A Favourite Essay
Choose a favourite essay from the three and briefly explain what it is you like about the writing. Write about 100 words and include at least one direct quoted reference to the essay in your response (keep quote to 10 to 15 words or so)
22 comments:
All the writing is solid, but Michelle Tocher’s piece, perhaps because of its subject, but mainly because of its direct honesty, is my favourite. It is devastating to read of a doctor who in his hurry “to have breakfast with his wife” left Tocher’s sister “not entirely here.” Not only does Tocher address the particulars of her sister’s life, she also articulates her anger (and I feel it too) at our society’s disregard for those different from the norm. Her sentence—“We are not a village”— brings to mind our appalling blindness to the suffering of others. Honest, beautiful and heartfelt, Tocher’s writing shines.
—104 words
I prefer Michelle Tocher’s piece because of the title “My sister lives in this world but isn’t entirely here.” I prefer heroes in my childhood because they are strong. I prefer children when I grew up because they are very young and innocent. We can understand them because we all have been young. They live in this world. However, Michelle’ sister sometimes lives in another world because “she can sit there like a Buddhist”. She is an innocent by an accident unfortunately, but she needs love, safety and concern rather than indifference because she is a member of our world.
-100 words
I liked the short story I wasn’t prepared to be a single dad. It is not often that you get to see a mans perspective . He expresses his fears and relates the trials, tribulations and triumphs of parenting. He shares custody, however, for the most part he realizes how hard it is to do alone. He calls his son an inconsiderate roommate, “Loud ,moody, demanding, prone to tantrums and never forthcoming when it come to bucking up for rent.” This made me laugh and wonder if I am lucky to not have any children of my own. I enjoyed the way McRanor injected comedy.
Word count -105-
-My favourite essay:
This time, I had no doubt to choose my favorite writing over three of them—Michelle Tocher’s writing for sure because whenever I try to read last couple of paragraphs, I couldn't read them because it was so emotional. Especially, whenever I read a paragraph about when she was eight years old and wished fallen stars and at the end, “[she] thank [her] lucky stars for her [sister]” because I feel Tocher doesn't care what her sister is capable of because she learns to appreciate everything she took them for granted from her sister. And that made me cry.
-101 words.
I enjoyed all three stories, but Michelle Tocher’s story about her forty-eight year old sister was by far my favourite. This story evoked a lot of emotions, because I work with children with special needs and I have a close relationship with my sister. I have a lot of respect for Tocher as she observers’ life with her sister and what society may preseve as abnormal. One of my favourite lines was “You know, sis, all those people were dancing with you because you have such a beautiful soul.” I believe people with special needs have an innocence that touches us all.
-102 Words
"Much like babysitting a drunk,you just need to hold on until they pass out." That made me laugh. Toddlers are a really funny kind of person: demanding, egocentric, insanely curious and clumsy. I have two little nieces and i love the two tyrants. The good news is that under all their chaotic need to do things their way, they can learn! I'm always surprised that they always follow my sister's instructions i guess its true what they say never bite the hand that feeds you.I highly recommend getting a decent camera. Not one of those pocket things, but a digital SLR, like one of those Canons or Sonys or Nikons.Take videos people!
-90 something words
Life Lessons
Life Lessons from My Uncle Charlie is an extremely inspirational essay. It demonstrates a genuine story that almost everyone goes through in their life time. I have huge respect for people who help other people. Uncle Charlie helps George understand the value of education. “Georgie, every job has value and you can be proud of what you do if you try your hardest.” George goes to school and gains a respectable career. Charlie’s inspiration and guidance helped George to realize that he needed to go back to school. I believe that everyone is capable of achieving what they want in life, each on their own way.
106 words
All three stories are amazing and heart touching. But my favorite is I wasn’t prepared to be a single dad. This story seems to full of sun light and warmness. The way how Graeme McRanor tells about his son is humorous and encouraging. Reading this story, I could feel all father’s love and anxiety. The man who decided to be a single dad deserves double respect. As he mentions, “being a parent is hard. And being a single is twice as difficult.” However, he manages with his son and housework so perfect that I hope his son does not feel mother’s absentee.
-102 words
All three essays made a huge impression on me, but George Brooks’ story touched my soul and heart more. Listening to Brad’s reading who could not keep his emotions, I felt that I was in the same boat with him. It forced me to reminisce about my grandma who studied me the same way that “every job has value and you can be proud of what you do.” It just is not words it is the collected wisdom of many generations. I thank my grandma and other elderly people who helped me to become the person who I am.
-99 words
The three writings are absolutely fantastic, but my favourite story is George Brooks ‘piece Uncle. Some teenager especially boys are not interested in studying when they think they are mature enough to change their lives. If someone like Uncle Charlie helps them “straightened out”, they will be successful people in the future. Although he was not an educated person, he taught George precious lesson about life base on his experiences .This story is energetic, exciting, and happy ,and it encourage readers to respect their job as “every job has value and you can proud of what you do if you try your hardest.”
I like the short story “My sister lives in this world but isn’t entirely here,” by Michelle Tocher because she uses specific details that make it easy for me to create a vivid picture about her disabled sister. Also, she makes me think and recognize the hard work that caregivers do in order to provide a good care and company to the ones that are in need, as she mentions, “I have infinite regard for people who do this for one another.” This job is remarkable as it require of a lot of patience, dedication, love and sympathy to those who have special needs.- 104 words.
Of all these three articles, I get more feeling on "Life Lessons from My Uncle Charlie". I have two nephews in their early twenties, I always can feel their perplexities and inner struggling by reading their twittering in their spaces. I tried to offer my suggestion and help to "straighten out", but always, I was not recognized. George was lucky, his Uncle Charlie could "teach him a lesson" and "make a big difference in the direction of his life" without being realized. Uncle Charlie provided us a good example on how to coach a youngster.
- 94 words
All the three stories are small but influential pieces of authors' lives; however I like George Brooks' writing the best. It makes sense to me. I've been taught that “every job has value” the same way by my grandparents – people, who all life reap the fruits of their own labour. George Brooks, guided by uncle's words that “you can be proud of what you do if you try your hardest,” changed his life in better way. I see how author is thankful for the life lesson his uncle gave him; he is ready to pass on this wisdom to his son.
~ 101 words
All three stories are wonderful. My favorite short story is “Life Lessons from My Uncle Charlie” by George Brooks. In this story, Brooks’ talking about his Uncle Charlie, who left school at 15 and start working his family farm in Saskatchewan. Although, Uncle Charlie quit school, he gained all the knowledge from his everyday experience. I really like the Uncle Charlie’s words, “Georgia, every job has a value and you can be proud of what you do if you try your hardest.” Uncle Charlie always encourages Georgia to get better education. No doubt, George’s uncle was a wonderful personality.
---101 words
Graeme McRanor’s essay, ‘I wasn’t prepared to be a single dad’, is a funny story that enlightened me to handle unexpected situations in life. McRanor’s story is about a man that “quite unplanned”, “becomes a [single] dad”. As the narrator overcomes many challenges to raise his son, I questioned myself, “What if I become a single dad?” A quote from the movie Forrest Gump came to my mind;”Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are gonna get.” The best way to be prepared in life is to embrace the unexpected and to live your life to the fullest.
The three stories are all heart touching but I like most I wasn’t prepared to be a single dad; Graeme McRanor did a good job for the sake of his son though he said; “being a single parent is twice as difficult.” I’ve seen rarely a dad taking care of his children or walking with them to schools. So, I have high respect on dads that hop in a bus or in the sky train pushing a stroller of his baby. For Graeme, the sweetest reward he could get is by hearing his son saying, “Dada”. Parenting is difficult but rewarding.
- 101 words
How a “small” neglect of some people could have an huge effect on the entire life of some others! Is that at all acceptable or forgivable?!
Brain asphyxia , necessity of forceps use, or doctor neglect for whatever reason, a life was changed. Can we go to the past and change that? No. All what we can do is to have tolerance for those affected.
Though mentally challenged, we can see how sensitive she really is in her own wording as she answers to her brother: “Oh!. Recognition now. You mean myself.” And that should tell us a lot.
I liked that essay because of its deep social meaning.
109 Words.
’I wasn’t prepared to be a single dad’’
By Graeme McRanor
This is a very touching situation, full of good moral. Through this story, MacRanor explains how much in this world we should be prepared for anything. He said that “being a single parent is twice as difficult.” Which is very true, but at the same time he shows how brave a responsible person should behave like the unplanned single dad in the story. The man was really brave, according to all men’s behavior when it comes to single parenthood. He was very responsible and a good father, though he called his son “An inconsiderate roommate.’’
-107Words
I liked all three writings, especially George Brook’s “Life lessons from uncle Charlie” and Michelle Tocher’s story about her sister who had unintentional trauma in her life. However, I found Graeme McRonar’s story very interesting and how he expressed hardship of being a single dad in a humorous way. Also, as I listen to Brad’s reading, this story reminded me of my sister who gave a birth last year while her husband was in Turkey. It was such an amazing experience to see new born baby, and as with Graeme “the first thing he looked upon in this world was me and my mother’s smiling face. :)
-107 words
All the writers touch salient social problems in their essays; however, George Brooks` story, mostly because of author’s sincere gratitude in the end, is my favourite. It is interesting to read about a young man who aimlessly starts his adult life with “at 16 I decided to quit school” and then drastically changes his decision to “eight years later I graduated from university as a teacher.” This piece of writing has the life lesson of hard and dirty labour that is perfectly taught by George’s uncle in just one summer. Stories like that encourage other people to define their goals and achieve something better in the future. -105 words
I enjoyed all those three inspirational stories, especially Michelle Tocher’s story ‘My sister lives in this world but isn’t entirely here’, which touched my soul deeply. She used the most simple words to make you cry. When she used the word “fate”, which liked a sharp knife pierced my heart, I felt so despairing. Sometimes life is cruel, you have to accept it when you can not change it. But she showed how strong she was when she took responsibility for her sister and met her needs. It can still make you laugh with tears when “she chuckled. ‘Sorry, Michelle.Ha-Ha.’” It is a emotional, inspiring, and thought-provoking story.
- 110 words
Love watching shows in the room, feeling the coziness of blanket, texting my friends (when they play commercials), break silence as I laugh hard, finding perfect outfit making my way out to have fantastic time, smelling my favorite food at door steps.
Loved waking up so late, but stopped when I had school early in the morning. Loved walking at the park feeling worm air, but the season has changed.
-99 words
Look at life as full of surprises; never too late to learn from our mistakes to overcome challenges.
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