:( the worlds a scumbag

This story is about how a father pays and pays for his son to be important and noticed, but in the end the son died and that was it. It creates a creeping mood of life being meaningless. He seems to love his son and spends so much money, but after all that, no amount of money can save someone you love. The authors theme is: life is horrible and horrible things happen. “Thord could scarcely believe it” In the story, everything was going well, but suddenly his son dies and that’s that. The priest couldn’t even recognize him, a year from his son’s death. His life was so unselfish, and still he had bad things happen. Sorrow filled this great man’s life. He loved his son, but even that couldn’t save him from a random boating accident.

STUDY STUDY

You can practice writing an essay with this short story. If you post it on the blog I will grade it (for no actual credit) so that you know what to fix for the final exam!:)

PROMPT
Write a literary analysis in which you identify the theme of Bjornson's story and analyze how he uses various literary elements and devices to underscore his message. In other words, what is his message and how does he achieve it?

The Father
By Bjornstjerne Bjornson

THE MAN whose story is here to be told was the wealthiest and most influential person in his parish; his name was Thord Overaas. He appeared in the priest’s study one day, tall and earnest.	1
“I have gotten a son,” said he, “and I wish to present him for baptism.”	2
“What shall his name be?”	3
“Finn,—after my father.”	4
“And the sponsors?”	5
They were mentioned, and proved to be the best men and women of Thord’s relations in the parish.	6
“Is there anything else?” inquired the priest, and looked up.	7
The peasant hesitated a little.	8
“I should like very much to have him baptized by himself,” said he finally.	9
“That is to say on a week day?”	10
“Next Saturday, at twelve o’clock noon.”	11
“Is there anything else?” inquired the priest.	12
“There is nothing else;” and the peasant twirled his cap, as though he were about to go.	13
Then the priest arose. “There is yet this, however,” said he, and walking toward Thord, he took him by the hand and looked gravely into his eyes: “God grant that the child may become a blessing to you!”	14
One day sixteen years later, Thord stood once more in the priest’s study.	15
“Really, you carry your age astonishingly well, Thord,” said the priest; for he saw no change whatever in the man.	16
“That is because I have no troubles,” replied Thord.	17
To this the priest said nothing, but after a while he asked: “What is the pleasure this evening?”	18
“I have come this evening about that son of mine who is to be confirmed to-morrow.”	19
“He is a bright boy.”	20
“I did not wish to pay the priest until I heard what number the boy would have when he takes his place in church to-morrow.”	21
“He will stand number one.”	22
“So I have heard; and here are ten dollars for the priest.”	23
“Is there anything else I can do for you?” inquired the priest, fixing his eyes on Thord.	24
“There is nothing else.”	25
Thord went out.	26
Eight years more rolled by, and then one day a noise was heard outside of the priest’s study, for many men were approaching, and at their head was Thord, who entered first.	27
The priest looked up and recognized him.	28
“You come well attended this evening, Thord,” said he.	29
“I am here to request that the banns may be published for my son; he is about to marry Karen Storliden, daughter of Gudmund, who stands here beside me.”	30
“Why, that is the richest girl in the parish.”	31
“So they say,” replied the peasant, stroking back his hair with one hand.	32
The priest sat awhile as if in deep thought, then entered the names in his book, without making any comments, and the men wrote their signatures underneath. Thord laid three dollars on the table.	33
“One is all I am to have,” said the priest.	34
“I know that very well; but he is my only child; I want to do it handsomely.”	35
The priest took the money.	36
“This is now the third time, Thord, that you have come here on your son’s account.”	37
“But now I am through with him,” said Thord, and folding up his pocket-book he said farewell and walked away.	38
The men slowly followed him.	39
A fortnight later, the father and son were rowing across the lake, one calm, still day, to Storliden to make arrangements for the wedding.	40
“This thwart is not secure,” said the son, and stood up to straighten the seat on which he was sitting.	41
At the same moment the board he was standing on slipped from under him; he threw out his arms, uttered a shriek, and fell overboard.	42
“Take hold of the oar!” shouted the father, springing to his feet and holding out the oar.	43
But when the son had made a couple of efforts he grew stiff.	44
“Wait a moment!” cried the father, and began to row toward his son.	45
Then the son rolled over on his back, gave his father one long look, and sank.	46
Thord could scarcely believe it; he held the boat still, and stared at the spot where his son had gone down, as though he must surely come to the surface again. There rose some bubbles, then some more, and finally one large one that burst; and the lake lay there as smooth and bright as a mirror again.	47
For three days and three nights people saw the father rowing round and round the spot, without taking either food or sleep; he was dragging the lake for the body of his son. And toward morning of the third day he found it, and carried it in his arms up over the hills to his gard.	48
It might have been about a year from that day, when the priest, late one autumn evening, heard some one in the passage outside of the door, carefully trying to find the latch. The priest opened the door, and in walked a tall, thin man, with bowed form and white hair. The priest looked long at him before he recognized him. It was Thord.	49
“Are you out walking so late?” said the priest, and stood still in front of him.	50
“Ah, yes! it is late,” said Thord, and took a seat.	51
The priest sat down also, as though waiting. A long, long silence followed. At last Thord said:—	52
“I have something with me that I should like to give to the poor; I want it to be invested as a legacy in my son’s name.”	53
He rose, laid some money on the table, and sat down again. The priest counted it.	54
“It is a great deal of money,” said he.	55
“It is half the price of my gard. I sold it to-day.”	56
The priest sat long in silence. At last he asked, but gently:—	57
“What do you propose to do now, Thord?”	58
“Something better.”	59
They sat there for a while, Thord with downcast eyes, the priest with his eyes fixed on Thord. Presently the priest said, slowly and softly:—	60
“I think your son has at last brought you a true blessing.”	61
“Yes, I think so myself,” said Thord, looking up while two big tears coursed slowly down his cheeks.	62

Imagery in the Hobbit

J.R.R. Tolkien is famous for his work on the Hobbit. One of the many things that makes the Hobbit such a widely praised book is its expert use of Imagery. From the first few pages until the end Tolkien uses vivid and descriptive words to describe creatures that many of us have never heard of before. If it were not for his in depth description of these creatures he could not really pull off the story because many of us would not feel we have a good enough understanding of the characters. 

From the very beginning of the story words that Tolkien use begin to pop out at the reader, words like “perfectly round”, “exact middle’, and “luxurious” help the reader imagine a world that is totally foreign and strange to them. As the tale progresses the need for words that create detailed and authentic pictures in the readers mind becomes even more important. Without the use of imagery in the story many people would find the story far less interesting because they simply could not imagine what Tolkien was imagining when he wrote the novel. He even describes the little things like belts and what kind of cake Bilbo likes which give the story a much more personal feeling to its audience. 

Without the all important use of Imagery in the Hobbit it fail to be as personal and relatable to the reader. 

Dont watch this...

Oh gosh... this is realllly bad....

Lyrics to the song: Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped turned upside down and Id like to take a minute, just sit right there, ill tell you how I went and chased a dragon out of its lair. Bag end, Hobbit town, born and raised, on my front porch where I spent most of my days, hangin out, smokin, relaxin, all cool and smokin a pipe outside on a stool when a big old wizard, who was up to no good, Tried to make me leave my neighborhood, I told him no way but I said im not square, He said your going to steal from a dragon in its lair.

Link to the Original song if you have lived under a rock:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBe0VCso0qs

Why Bilbo is Da shtarrr

Gandalf the reporter

i forgot lines and made weird faces..... just to explain..

Imagery in The Hobbit

     J.R.R Tolkien's epic, The Hobbit, transports the reader into another realm filled with fantastic beings and objects through the utilization of imagery. The imagery used not only helps create a mental picture of the setting, but is also used to portray the main character, symbolize, and foreshadow events.
     The description of Bilbo's little hobbit-hole is the first example of imagery. The "floors tiled and carpeted" (3), the "perfectly round door...with a shiny yellow brass knob in the exact middle" (3), and the "deep-set round windows [that looked] over his garden, and meadows beyond..."(3) all show of the hobbit's particular,  calm personality at the beginning of the story. Furthermore, the imagery of Bilbo's approaching the Lonely Mountain has two different kind of effects. For instance, as he draws closer to the mountain, the trees, shore, and cliff disappear, leaving the mountain alone. This picture may signify Bilbo's taking leadership over the dwarves and over their situation. Secondly, the mountain's "dark head" (205) shows through "a torn cloud" (205) and "looms" (205). This sinister setting foreshadows the peril the mountain holds for Bilbo and the dwarves.
     Imagery plays a key part in The Hobbit. Without it, the story would lack depth and meaning. The reader wouldn't feel involved and would lose much understanding of the main character's situation and outlook on events.

Imagery in "The Hobbit"

     Tolkien used imagery profusely in his novel "The Hobbit". Through the use of this imagery, he was able to make Bilbo's great adventure come to life. For example, in chapter 10 "A Warm Welcome", Tolkien incorporates vivid imagery of Lake Town as well as the dwarfs' miserable journey over there. The wet straw in Thorin's draggled beard gave the readers a mental image of the soggy dwarf. Also, in chapter 13 "Not at Home", he describes the Arkenstone with imagery. It is described as a large gem that took in light and changed it into sparks of white with the colors of the rainbow. Through this visual imagery he describes the Arkenstone's brilliance. Additionally in chapter 11 "On the Doorstep", imagery is used to describe the ominous Lonely Mountain. Tolkien writes that the Lonely Mountain was towering grim and tall in front of them. By this description the mountain feels very intimidating. Imagery in this novel creates feelings from fear to humor. Tolkien utilizes both functions of imagery in his book thoroughly.

e s s a y

     What is a good book without vivid, descriptive vocabulary? No one likes to read a monotonous, bland story without imagery to lean on; fortunately, we do not have to face such a miserable case with The Hobbit. The Hobbit is filled with numerous accounts of imagery. Not only does the imagery Tolkien employs help to provide a visualization for the reader, but it also evokes a deeper meaning.

     First and foremost, to understand Tolkien's use of imagery, one must understand imagery itself. Imagery is vocabulary that requires the reader to use all five senses, providing mental images, motifs, or bringing memories to mind. There are two types of imagery: literal and figurative. In the case of The Hobbit, Tolkien focuses and utilizes figurative imagery more than literal.  Figurative imagery can be classified as meaning more than just what is says, mainly by applying simile, metaphor, and personification (and the like), as Tolkien does in The Hobbit.

     For instance, similes are used to describe Elrond, the master of the house, by saying, "He was as noble and as fair in face as an elf-lord, as strong as a warrior, as wise as a wizard, as venerable as a king of dwarves, and as kind as summer" (49 Tolkien). All of these similes act as foreshadows to Bilbo's upcoming journey, almost in an ironic way. Ironically because the summer months were not kind to them, for example.

     Tolkien takes advantage of metaphor in his epic as well. When describing Gandalf, he says, "Gandalf looked at him from under long bushy eyebrows that stuck out further than the brim of his hat" (5). In the same way that it provides a mental image of Gandalf's appearance, Tolkien is also implying that Gandalf is slightly shady in his ways. We do not come to this realization until further reading the story when Gandalf departs from Bilbo and the dwarves unexpectedly.

     Furthermore, personification is found in The Hobbit too. While journeying on, it is stated that the "wind got up, and willows along its banks bent and sighed" (30). Obviously, wind cannot bend and sigh as we humans can - this is personification. In addition to this personification adding imagery to the text, it leaves me feeling eerie; almost like something in the air is mysterious. A few sentences later, it is revealed the Gandalf is gone.

     J.R.R. Tolkien does an excellent job providing readers imagery that will hold attention. He does so by leaving the reader to ponder the deeper meaning of similes, metaphors, or personification. All readers appreciate something to visualize; and it is because of that, that Tolkien holds a high place in literature.

    

     
     
    

Homework

- finish The Hobbit

The Blog

-essay how does tolkien use imagery to create meaning
 (OR)
- 3 minute video blog explaining why Bilbo is the real hero, rather than Thorin who the leader of the quest.

Next week is Review week. come with questions!

Also- if you need video blog inspiration, youtube Jordy Searcy- The Author Project. 

Homework

Easy Week!
Just read the first half of the Hobbit!
Make sure you annotate and I suggest you take a few minutes every day looking over the material we've covered to prepare for the exam in a couple weeks! (definitions in each chapter, character arcs, essay tips etc)

have fun!

The Life of J.R.R Tolkien

Born January 3rd, 1894 J.R.R Tolkien is one of the greatest authors in our history. Growing up was no walk in the park for Tolkien. His father died when he was young and then was home schooled by his mother before heading to oxford for collage. Starting out as a poet, Tolkien soon discovered that writing was his true calling. He also enjoyed making up languages which eventually turned into elvish. Lord of the rings was Influanced strongly by Germanic mythology, Greek mythology, and the bible. The Lord of the rings trilogy and the hobbit were by far his most esteemed and popular work. Sadly, Tolkien died on The 2nd of september 1973 and was buried next to his wife Edith. 

J.R.R. Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien was born to an English banker and his wife on January 3rd, 1892. When he was still a young child his father died of a fever while J.R.R. and the rest of the family was visiting family in England. Until attending college at King Edwards’s School he was exclusively schooled by his mother. Tolkien did not immediately join the fight upon the outbreak of World War 1, but instead waited until he graduated from college so that the could commission instead of enlisting. In 1925 he took a job at Oxford as a professor. During this time he would go on to write The Hobbit and the beginning of the Lord of the Rings series which are considered his greatest works. Tolkien would eventually die in 1973.

Drinking Writing, and Puffing on a Pipe.

             John ronald Reuel Tolkien was born in 1892 in Bloemfontein, in what is now South Africa. His name was fairly normal but Reuel was a family name that meant “friend of God” in Hebrew. Arthur and Mable, his parents, were from england and met and married in africa. Tolkien was a weak child and the wildlife and climate didn’t agree with him and his brother Hilary. A tarantula bit him and that began his lifelong fear of spiders. Maybe influencing Shelob in the Lord of the Rings and the horrors of Mirkwood in the Hobbit. Mable finally decided to take the two boys to England and meet back in Africa with Arthur when the boys were strong enough. Soon after they left, Arthur died of an untreated flu. Tolkien always felt like it was his fault, because his mother could have helped his father if he hadn’t been weak. Tolkien and the rest of the family settled in Sarehole, a town near Birmingham. When writing, Tolkien would base the shire and hobbits from the people who lived there. The long walks through the fields were good for Tolkien and inspired his imagination. He invented three or four languages before he was 10. Mable disapproved of such activities because they took away from studies. Tolkien was already a lazy student but so smart that he learned wether he wanted to or not. In 1903 he won a scholarship to the King Edward the sixth school in Birmingham, the best school in the area. Mable died in 1904 but Mable had prepared and they were sent to an private orphanage.

             Tolkien never stopped loving languages, and by the age of 16 he mastered Greek, Latin, and was very close to mastering Anglo-Saxon. He also fell in love with another orphan, Edith mary Bratt, she was two years older than him. She was worried that him and his brother did not get enough to eat so she persuaded a maid to help her create a trolly between the kitchen to their bedroom. When they were found out, their relationship was also uncovered and she was forbidden to see, visit, or write to each other. That kept them apart until she was an adult and he was in oxford.

           The war was coming quickly when he was in Oxford, but he was determined to finish before going to war. When he did, he was rewarded second lieutenant because of his degree. The war left scar after scar on his life until he went down with trench fever. While in the hospital he wrote the Silmarillian to create a mythology and background for his Elvish language. He was released from the war in 1919. when he returned, he found most of friends dead.

             He had recently married his childhood love, Edith, and they had their first son John Francis Reuel Tolkien. He became a tutor and substitute teacher. He had his second son in 1920 and in 1921 he was named Reader of the English Language at the university of Leeds. later he was named the Professor of the English Language in 1924. His students remember him puffing on a pipe, drinking large quantities of beer and telling jokes. A year later he accepted a position at Oxford, The chair of Bosworth and Rawlinson Professor of Anglo-saxon. Tolkien had a group of friends like C.S. Lewis and Owen Barfield that met and conversed about their writings, for 30 years, they were called the inklings. The Hobbit was published in 1936 and he began on the Lord of the Rings in 1937. the Inklings helped to shape these great books through the years. The final draft was in 1949. At first he opposed the though of splitting them up but he was soon persuaded. He became outrageously famous. Receiving many awards. His mail was always full and he spent a lot of time writing back and answering question after question. He was one of the most famous writers in the world, as was his friend C.S. Lewis.

            In 1972 Edith died from illness and Tolkien was never the same. He was very lonely for the last year of his life, no matter how many visits his children made. He died in 1973.

--J.R.R. Tolkien--

     John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, or better known as J.R.R. Tolkien, is a greatly admired author. His two most popular stories, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, offers readers a chance to escape to another world inhabited by magic creatures. His life followed the classic rags to riches pattern. He began on the upside of poverty and ended life rich and well-known.
    J.R.R. Tolkien was born January 3, 1892 in Bloemfontein, South Africa to an English couple. After his father, Arthur Reuel Tolkien, died February 15, 1896, Tolkien, his brother Hilary and their mother Mabel moved to England. In 1900, Mabel decided to be part of the Roman Catholic Church. As a result, her boys grew to be strong Catholics. Mabel passed away from diabetes November 14, 1904. Her boys stayed at a boarding house and were taken care of  by the parish priest, Father Francis Morgan. At the age of sixteen, Tolkien met his future wife, Edith Bratt, at the boarding house. Father Francis disallowed him to have any contact with Edith until he reached the age of twenty-one. When Tolkien was nineteen, he studied at Exeter College, Oxford, quitting the Classics course after finding he was more suited for the English language and Literature courses. Instead of admitting himself for service at the beginning of World War I, he studied more, earining a first-class degree in June of 1915. Eventually, he entered the war as a second lieutenant in the Lancashire Fusiliers. After finding he needed to fight in France, he married Edith. Four months later in France, he contracted "trench fever" and had to return to England. Tolkien and Mabel had four children together and lived a happy life in England. He held jobs as a professor, a tutor, a philologist, a poet, and an author. He lived until September 2, 1973. He is buried with his wife in Oxford.
     Tolkien published many works over his life. This includes Mr. Bliss, The Father Christmas Letters, The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays, The Hobbit, Smith of Wootton Major, and The Lord of the Rings among others. The Lord of the Rings brought him fame and wealth. People would visit his house and call him asking questions about the story. It got to where he had to change his address and take his phone number out of the directory. Tolkien and his wife finally had to move to Bournemouth to get away from the attention.
     Tolkien was one of the founders of the Inklings, a group of friends who lived in Oxford. They met to visit and discuss their unfinished literary works. Some of the members include Neville Coghill, Hugo Dyson, Owen Barfield, Charles Williams, and C.S. Lewis.
     J.R.R. Tolkien was a brilliant writer who could stimulate the imaginations of others. He had a special talent that many people don't have. He employed it by using words to transport people to another world that didn't exist. His stories are enjoyed now just as they were then and will still be loved for generations more.

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

     John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born January 3, 1892. He was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa to Mabel Suffield and Arthur Reuel Tolkien. When he was only four years old, his father died, leaving him, his brother Hilary, and his mother to take care of themselves. After his death, the three moved to England where Tolkien would later find inspiration for his books. He was taught by his mother and by the age of four, he was able to read. As a child he enjoyed reading and preferred the fantasy styled books over books like "The Pied Piper" and "Treasure Island". When he was twelve, his mother died and he went to live with Francis Xavier Morgan, his assigned guardian. Later he fell in love with Edith Bratt who he would later marry. They were happily married for over fifty years and had four children. Tolkien was devoted to his wife and children and would write stories for them. In 1945 he became a Merton of English Language and Literature during which time he completed "The Lord of the Rings" that he had started nearly a decade earlier. He had begun the task after recieving the request for a sequel for "The Hobbit". Initially, Tolkien had not planned for "The Hobbit" to be published until he was convinced to by Susan Dagnall of a London publishing firm. At the age of eighty-one he died, but he is still remebered for his beloved works.

J.R.R.

        Best known as author of The Hobbit and its sequel The Lord of the Rings, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born on January 3, 1892 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. At the age of 4, his father Arthur Tolkien died. In order to save money, Tolkien’s mother Mabel moved the family to England. Not long after, his mother died and he was sent to live with a relative. He enlisted as a lieutenant in the Lancashire Fusiliers and served in World War 1, but was eventually released from duty due to illness. During his term in the war, Tolkien married Edith Bratt. Only a few years later he became a professor at Oxford university where he remained until retirement. He began a writing group called the Inklings and discussed his upcoming books with men in the group such as C.S. Lewis and Owen Barfield. In 1937 his award-winning fantasy novel The Hobbit  was published. Following this work, he finished up the trilogy in 1954 with The Fellowship of the Ring and in 1955 The Return of the King. Tolkien retired from his professorial job in 1959 and went on to publish his essay and poetry collection. On September 2, 1973, at the age of 81 J.R.R. Tolkien died.  

Tolkien

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born in South Africa in the year of 1892, on January 3 into the parents of Arthur and Mabel Tolkien. After Tolkien's father past away, he and Mabel both moved to England; they lived there until 1904, when Mabel's life was taken from her. As a result of the Tolkien boys being without parents, they moved into the care of a Catholic priest, Father Francis Morgen. While residing there, John and Hilary experienced education. Furthermore, Tolkien extended that education into Exeter College, where he earned a minor degree in Language and Language Arts. Following that achievement, he joined the military during World War I, becoming lieutenant in Lancashire Fusiliers. When Tolkien began dealing with sickness, he left the army, later marrying Edith Bratt in 1916. Following his marriage, Tolkien enrolled in Oxford University as a linguistics professor. The year 1930 rolled around and sparked Tolkien's famous works: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In 1973, J.R.R. Tolkien's life came to a close. All remember this man as a notable author who produced well-known works, which are still being purchased and read today.

J.r.r. Tolkien and his oh-so interesting life.

     John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born on January 3rd 892 in Bloemfontein South Africa to Mabel and Arthur Tolkien. Directly following his Father's sudden death was the move of Mabel and John to Birmingham, England where they lived until 1904 when diabetes claimed the life of Tolkien's mother. Both the Tolkien boys; John and Hilary moved under the wing of Catholic priest Father Francis Morgen where they worked through school. John attended at Exeter college where he earned his first minor degree and strived for more in the field of Language and language arts. He enlisted in the military for World War One as a lieutenant in Lancashire Fusiliers. Due to illnesses he was released from the army and he pursued marriage with his childhood love Edith Bratt in 1916. Shortly thereafter he became a professor at Oxford University and there he furthered his knowledge of languages.  In 1930 he kicked off what would be his best known works; The Hobbit and in 1954-55 would end the trilogy of The Lord Of The Rings. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien died in 1973 at the age of 81 a successful and well-loved author.