ENGLISH 102 ESSAY 1
Essay 1
English 102
Composition and Literature
Fall 2009
FIRST NAME LAST NAME
FIRST LAST
English 102
PROFESSOR
DATE
When I read stories somehow my mind takes off and starts to see the unseen. Often times when I read, different thoughts take my mind captive, and at times that can seem a bit sublevel. I began reading two short stories, “The Rocking Horse Winner” by D.H. Lawrence, and “The Destructors” by Graham Greene. Immediately these stories sent chill bumps up my spine. It is amazing how two totally different stories can share so many similarities. That is the beauty of fictional literature; it can play tricks on our minds. I see some rare and different qualities between the characters in these stories. First, in “The Rocking Horse Winner” the main character Paul is the son of two unlucky parents. This is shown as Paul overhears his mother talking about her unlucky streak. The young boy then starts seeing luck as money because if money and luck bring happiness, they must somehow be intertwined. In the story, it is this mindset that pushes Paul over the edge to become some sort of hero. The mother does not love Paul, much as described in the story, but when she sees the change in Paul for the worse she immediately begins to worry as most mothers would for a suffering son. The father of Paul is mentioned, but they do not say much about him, except he works in town and previously had a gambling problem. Uncle Oscar and Bassett are just riding on the coat tails of Paul, trying to hold on until something breaks. Second, in the story “The Destructors”, the main character is Trevor who is known throughout the story as “T”. Trevor is a young man with high aspirations, just as Paul in the other story; Trevor seeks to be embraced by an inner city gang, which he is brought into without any initiation. He comes in, and after a very witty plan takes charge of the gang, and replaces the leader Mike.
English 102
Composition and Literature
Fall 2009
FIRST NAME LAST NAME
FIRST LAST
English 102
PROFESSOR
DATE
When I read stories somehow my mind takes off and starts to see the unseen. Often times when I read, different thoughts take my mind captive, and at times that can seem a bit sublevel. I began reading two short stories, “The Rocking Horse Winner” by D.H. Lawrence, and “The Destructors” by Graham Greene. Immediately these stories sent chill bumps up my spine. It is amazing how two totally different stories can share so many similarities. That is the beauty of fictional literature; it can play tricks on our minds. I see some rare and different qualities between the characters in these stories. First, in “The Rocking Horse Winner” the main character Paul is the son of two unlucky parents. This is shown as Paul overhears his mother talking about her unlucky streak. The young boy then starts seeing luck as money because if money and luck bring happiness, they must somehow be intertwined. In the story, it is this mindset that pushes Paul over the edge to become some sort of hero. The mother does not love Paul, much as described in the story, but when she sees the change in Paul for the worse she immediately begins to worry as most mothers would for a suffering son. The father of Paul is mentioned, but they do not say much about him, except he works in town and previously had a gambling problem. Uncle Oscar and Bassett are just riding on the coat tails of Paul, trying to hold on until something breaks. Second, in the story “The Destructors”, the main character is Trevor who is known throughout the story as “T”. Trevor is a young man with high aspirations, just as Paul in the other story; Trevor seeks to be embraced by an inner city gang, which he is brought into without any initiation. He comes in, and after a very witty plan takes charge of the gang, and replaces the leader Mike.