Narcissus

Reader’s Response:

Title: Narcissus

Genre: Fantasy

Student’s Name: Beatriz Zambrano Serrano

Pages: 828-831

1.     Identify and explain the meaning of a symbol in the story in a complete sentence.

The water symbolizes a mirror. It is a form of punishment because when he looks at himself, he falls in love. He looks in the water, to his reflection.

2.     State the theme and defend it in a paragraph using details and examples from the story.

In this story the lesson is that you should take care of others than yourself. And you shouldn’t cheat with anyone that already has a couple, or you can get in serious trouble.

3.     Describe the main internal and external conflict in this story.

The internal conflict is that Eco wants to talk, but she can’t because of the curse Era put on her. Eco is so sad that she dies out of love.

4.     Compare the lesson learned with a similar lesson learned in your life or someone you know has experienced. 

This dude was going out with my best friend, but she cheated on her with one of my friends. My old friend knew that my friend was going out with that boy, but she didn’t care. Because of her actions, she ended up with no friends, and no boyfriend. You should be careful with the people you are going out with. And, if you know they are going out with someone else, you should stop the relationship. Eco should have ended her relationship with Zeus, the same as my old friend with my best friend’s boyfriend.

5.     Compare the symbols in this story to a similar symbol in your life, or someone you know.

Everybody has a certain amount of vanity, for example when we pass in front of a glass; we have to see how we look. We look in every mirror, even the car windows, in cups, in sunglasses’ lent, and in the computer screen. It is okay to have a little bit of vanity, but you should be careful and not concentrate too much on yourself. Vanity is a very dangerous thing to play around.

6.     Compare the struggle in the story to a similar struggle you or someone you know has experienced.

My cousin was so self-centered that all her friends didn’t like her anymore.  She changed, though.

Theseus and the MInotaur

Reader’s Response:

Title:  Theseus and the Minotaur

Genre: Fantasy

Student’s Name:  Beatriz Zambrano Serrano

Pages: 804-809

1.     Identify and explain the meaning of a symbol in the story in a complete sentence:

A symbol in the story is that the shite sail meant that Theseus won against the Minotaur. It meant freedom and rejoicing.  

Adriane’s crown symbolizes the stars that illuminate us at night. The God Dionysus brought her to heaven to be her wife, and to tell people that she was so, he planted her crown in heaven. Where each jewel became a star, and It can still be seen.

2.     State the theme and defend it in a paragraph using details and examples from the story:

The theme in this story is the braveness that Theseus had. He volunteered to fight against the Minotaur. He didn’t care if he would die, or not. He said that he won, it meant freedom for everyone. And if he ended dead, it meant that he was no longer alive.

3.     Describe the main external and internal conflict in the story:

Theseus had an internal conflict deciding whether to fight or not fight against the Minotaur.  He also had an external conflict fighting against the actual Minotaur.

4.     Compare the lesson learned in this story to a similar lesson you or someone you know, has experienced.

I have had kind of the same struggle as Theseus. His dad told him not to fight the Minotaur because it was dangerous. My aunts told me not to go to China because it was dangerous. And still, we both ended up with the same resolution. We both did what we thought it was better, and we both succeeded.

5.     Compare the symbol in your story to a similar symbol in your life or someone you know.

In this story, the white flag symbolizes freedom, and peace. Nowadays, if you are in a war, and you pull out a white flag, it also symbolizes peace, no fighting, and it will somehow stop the war. Or at least, you won’t get killed.

6.     Compare the struggle in this story to a similar struggle you or someone you know has experienced.

I have had kind of the same struggle as Theseus. His dad told him not to fight the Minotaur because it was dangerous. My aunts told me not to go to China because it was dangerous. And still, we both ended up with the same resolution. We both did what we thought it was better, and we both succeeded.

Prometheus

Reader’s Response:

Title: Prometheus

Genre: Fantasy, Ancient Mythology

Student’s Name: Beatriz Zambrano Serrano

Page: 800-803

Date: May, 28th

1.     Identify and explain the meaning of a symbol in the story in a complete sentence.

Fire. If there ever was a dichotomous element it would be Fire. Fire, the bringer of destruction, the symbolism of chaos and war. Fire burns everything, bringing nothing but ruin. And yet, Prometheus risked the wrath of the Titans to bring fire to man. Fire banishes the darkness. Fire cleanses and purifies. Lastly, sometimes Love is spoken of as an eternal flame, fire.

2.     State the theme and defend it in a paragraph using details.

The theme in this story is that the fire can be really destroyable for us. We can hurt a lot of people, and cause a lot of damage.

3.     Describe the main internal and external conflicts

The main internal conflict is that Prometheus doesn’t know whether to go against Zeus or not.  The main external conflict is between Zeus and Prometheus. There is also an external conflict in between the humans, because they are destroying themselves.

4.     Compare the lessons earned in this story to a similar lesson you or someone you know has experienced

My friend, Melissa nearly got killed because of fire. She wasn’t careful and when she was three years old, she opened a lightener.  That is the same that happened to the humans, because we are not careful with the fire and what we do with it, we can cause a chaos.

5.     Compare the symbols in the story to a similar symbol in your life, or someone you know.

Mars was the roman god of war, and is symbolized by a spear and shield, fire also symbolizes war. War is horrible; it destroys everything that gets on its way.

6.     Compare the struggle in this story to a similar struggle you or someone you know had.

Someone tells you not to do something, but then you do it. Everybody has struggles like that. My dad told me not to watch American TV, and I still do. What is the punishment going to be? I don’t know. However, people don’t think of the consequences, and do what they think is the correct thing. I think it is good for me to watch American movies, so I do it.

Young Arthur

Reader’s Response:

Title: Young Arthur

Genre: Fantasy

Student’s Name: Beatriz Zambrano Serrano

Pages: 832-835

1.     Identify and explain the meaning of a symbol in the story in a complete sentence.

The king’s sword symbolizes power, the right to reclaim the throne and be the king.

2.     State the theme and defend it in a paragraph using details.

If you lie, someone eventually will know the truth. Kay told the population that he took the sword out of the rock, but that wasn’t true. When Merlin told him to pull it off again, he couldn’t. Then, Arthur took it off without any problem. The true will always be out when you least expect it.

3.     Describe the main internal and external problem.

The main internal conflict is that Arthur knew that he was a true knight, but he had to show it to everybody because they didn’t know he was the king’s son.

The main external conflict happened when the king died, and the rebels wanted Arthur dead so no one could claim the throne.  However, Merlin saved the poor baby and gave him to a new family. That way, no one but Merlin knew his true identity, not even Arthur.

4.     Compare the lesson learned in this story to a similar lesson you or someone you know has experienced.

My friend was adopted and he didn’t know his real identity until he saw in the papers that a mom was looking for his son. It was a coincidence because she said that his child’s birthday was the same as my friend’s. Their adopted parents told her the truth, but it turned out that she wasn’t her mom, a tragic story.

5.     Compare the symbols in this story to a similar symbol in your life or someone you know.

A pyramid is a symbol of a power mainly because they were built and what lies in the main chamber was someone of a great importance.  Another symbol of power is a crown or a sword in this case.

6.     Compare the struggle in this story to a similar struggle you or someone you know has experienced.

My sister lied to my dad and told him that she was best in her class, but when Open House came, my dad found out that she wasn’t saying the truth because she was the second best.

Lazy Peter and His Three-Cornered Hat

Reader’s Response:

Title: Lazy Peter and His Three-Cornered Hat

Genre: Fantasy

Student’s Name: Beatriz Zambrano Serrano

Pages: 836-839

1.      Identify and explain the meaning of a symbol in the story.

The bags of money represent the trick that Peter plays on the greedy, rich farmer.

2.     State the theme and defend it in a paragraph.

Be happy and satisfied with what you have, don’t try to have more and more because greediness ends badly.

3.     Describe the main internal and external conflict.

The external conflict is between Lazy Peter and the farmer. The farmer wants more money so he tells Peter to prove that whenever he puts his hat on, people give him money.

The rich farmer has an internal conflict in whether to believe it or not.  He finally believes it, though.

4.     Compare the lesson learned to a similar lesson you or someone you know has experienced.

When I was four, my uncle gave me two coins with one euro in each one. I had two euros in total. Then, my cousin came and he told me that he would give me three coins of fifty cents each. He said “Three coins are more than two. I am practically giving you more money.” I was so innocent and happy that I accepted. Then, my other cousin came and told me “Bea, I’ll give you five coins if you give me your three coins.” I was so amazed and thought that she was so stupid, so I traded it. However, she gave five coins of five cents each.  I started having two euros, and ended having twenty five cents. When my dad found out, he made my cousins give me the money back. But, I learned that it doesn’t matter the number of coins, what matters is the value of those coins

5.     Compare the symbols in this story to a similar symbol in your life or someone you know.

In biblical references greediness is represented by a frog. However, in some mythology greediness is represented by a dragon. There are not a lot of symbols to represent greediness, beside money.

 

6.     Compare the struggle in the story to a similar struggle you or someone you know has experienced.

Well, like I said my struggle with my cousins was practically the same as Lazy Peter’s struggle with the rich farmer.

The Force of Luck

Reader’s Response

Title: The Force of Luck

Genre: Fantasy

Student’s Name: Beatriz Zambrano Serrano

Pages: 845-852

1.    Identify and explain the meaning of a symbol in a complete sentence.

The money represents bad luck and the lead represents good luck.

2.    State the theme and defend it in a paragraph.

The theme if the story is that luck is more important than money. If you have a lot of money, but bad luck, there are a lot of different ways you can lose the money.

3.    Describe the main internal and external conflict.

The main internal conflict is that the wealthy men didn’t know what was better, luck and money. They sure know it after the poor mild experienced that a piece of lead was better than four hundred dollars. The main external conflict is that a hawk took the farmer’s money. His wife also lost the money by trading it with their neighbors. However, the farmer got the money back in a force of luck.

4.    Compare the lesson learned in the story to a similar lesson you or someone you know has experienced.

My uncle Jose didn’t have a lot of money, but he still bet in a horse raise many years ago. He thought that his horse was the best, however the odds weren’t in his favors because there were a lot of rich men that had wealthy horses. He bet a hundred euros that his horse would win, everybody laughed at him. The richest men in the raise bet a thousand euros that his horse would win, and nor my uncle’s. Well, because of luck my uncle’s horse won and my uncle got super rich because he got all the money that the rich men had bet. So, sometimes luck is better than money.

5.    Compare the symbols in the story to a similar symbol in your life, or someone you know.

Nowadays, the symbol of greediness is money, and greediness is bad. I am not saying that money is bad, but sometimes is just not what you need. A lot of people wear a talisman or a good luck charm, however not everybody believes in good, and bad luck.

6.    Compare the struggle in the story to a similar struggle you or someone you know has experienced.

In Spain when I was in second grade, we had a huge final test in Spanish Class. I couldn’t study because I was sick and had a forty degrees fever. But, I was really lucky and I got a ninety seven percent in my test!

Phaethon

Reader’s Response:

Title: Phaethon

Genre: Greek Mythology

Student’s Name: Beatriz Zambrano Serrano

Pages: 842-843

1.    Identify and explain the meaning of a symbol in the story in a complete sentence.

Styx in Greek Mythology symbolizes the river around Hades, which is the kingdom of the dead. When the dead approaches you, a ferry takes the people across the river.

2.    State the theme and defend it in a paragraph using details

The theme in the story basically explains how we have the present deserts in Africa and Arabia. We have deserts because Phaethon, the Sun’s god sun wasn’t powerful enough to carry the Sun with the horses across the heavens.

3.    Describe the main internal and external conflict

The main internal conflict is that Phaethon doesn’t believe that he can’t do his father’s job. He thinks that because he is his son he is as powerful as him, but no mortal is as powerful as a God.

4.    Compare the lesson learned in this story to a similar lesson you or someone you know has experienced

When someone tells you that you can’t do something because it’s dangerous for you, you have to obey. My sister didn’t when our father told her not to go to a party in the Capitol, and she got hurt, same as Phaethon.

5.    Compare the symbols in the story to a similar lesson you or someone you know has experienced.

The river Hades is a symbol of death, as it is a human skull, or cadavers. A Stop signal is a symbol that tells you to stop because it is dangerous, and we have to obey because we can hurt someone by not following directions.

6.    Compare the struggle in the story to a similar lesson you or someone you know has experienced

When someone tells you that you can’t do something because it’s dangerous for you, you have to obey. My sister didn’t when our father told her not to go to a party in the Capitol, and she got hurt, same as Phaethon.