snow falling on cedars

When we look at the end of the novel and at the beginning, we notice similarities and differences in the love life of Ishmael as a little boy and grown up man.

To start with, I want to discuss his childhood. He grew up with Hatsue, a Japanese girl. They were only good friends, but a closer inspection reveals, that they fell in love. Ishmael and Hatsue weren’t friends in public, because of their differences. Identical to the situation when he got older. American influences allowed Hatsue to have an affair with him, nonetheless her Japanese influences said she should forget him. They always played earlier in the wood, to a cedar. There they kissed first time. In contrast to Ishmael who was determined to keep that feeling forever and wanted to marry her, Hatsue knew that it wasn’t forever. Hatsue broke up with him and she and her family ushered to an interment camp. During her first kiss with the Japanese Kabuo, she remembered Ishmael. Identical to Ishmael, who remembered how Hatsue didn’t want him. On the contrary to Ishmael, Kabuo didn’t spend as much time with Hatsue as Ishmael did, but she married him for helping her to get over Ishmael. Alternatively to Ishmael who began to hate her, she spent her time putting Ishmael out of her life. He addressed a letter to her and told her how much he hates her, but he never mailed. When he was a grown up man, he met Hatsue in a courtroom where Kabuo was defend. They talked about injustice together and the situation was strained. She meant injustice in the trial in contrast to Ishmael, who meant the injustice that she hadn’t gave a chance to them. In the end he found proofs which would relieve Kabuo. Instead of immediately telling it to a judge, he considered if he would get back Hatsue, when Kabuo will get arrested. Nevertheless he told it to the judge and Kabuo got free. Although she didn’t come back to him he felt good, because he just wanted the best to her. In thanks she hugged him...

Dear Denise!
Yesterday I went to an art exhibition. One painting fascinated me. The title of the painting is "the problem we all live with". In the centre you can see a little black girl with a school bag and a ruler in her hand. Two white police men are walking before her. On their arms you can read the words "Deputy US Marshall." On the right side, behind the little girl there are two more police men, which are also white. On the wall in the lower right corner is a smashed tomato. In huge letters you can also read "NIGGER" in the background. I would say that black coloured people are not very liked in this town. The black girl is wearing a white dress, while the white men are wearing black and grey. Maybe the painter is infends to covery the idea, that the blacks are not save. Another ponit is that the girl has to go to school with four "bodyguards", because I think it's too dangerous for her to walk alone.
I felt sad. It's also conspicious that the police men are also a little bit brown coloured. Nobody is guilty to be black or white, poor or rich. It's the character what is important! What do you think about it? You really have to go to this exhibition too!
Yours
Sarah


For me, art is something special. The picture or sculpture has to declare something. I have to feel emotions, when I watch a painting for example. This picture or photo is not art in my eyes. The picture covers nothing and it is definite no eye catcher! In my opinion it's nothing in particular and I can't feel any emotions, while watching it. What should it express? The only good aspect is that the landscape in the background is blurred and you can concentrate on the woman in the garden. I cannot unterstand what the artist is trying to covery here? On On the one hand, if the picture were painted it would be an astonishing performance, as it lools very realistic, but on the other hand it's only a photo and much more people are able to make such a photo. This are the reasons why I say it's no art.

DEATH

What happens after death?

In my opinion, however you will die, everybody will hover above the own dead body at first. You will see your own corpse. Next your whole life passes in front of your eyes. Then you can see a dark tunnel. At the end there’s a warmly shining light. Maybe our souls will fly around the world and watch our bereaved after that. I strongly believe that, because there are many people with near-death-experiences and mostly everybody told that. I don’t believe the old traditions with heaven and hell. A hell would be very unfair! That, what the religions are telling (7 virgins, rebirth…), is also nonsense in my mind.

I’m very interested in the topic “death”, but I am living now and so I

don’t want to know the solution soon…

The Adventure in Glowville

The Adventure in Glowville

„You are less than a servant, because you do nothing to support yourself. Sit down and think over your mistaken conduct”! That were the last words I heard from Mrs. Reed, after she banged the door and pushed a little girl in the room. It is the so called red room and he is used to punish naughty children or lazy servants. I am a mouse and I am living in my mouse hole since three years. In this time I met many punished and poor children or servants and I was really sorry for mostly of them. This room is a square bedroom with a heavy red rug and red curtains. It’s always very cold, because it rarely has fire, but I like it here. The daylight began to leave the red room and the girl sat on the chair and stared into space. I jumped on her knees and began to talk to her. She told me of her life, that she is an orphan and lives here in the house of Mrs. Reed, her bad aunt. Her name was Jane Eyre. “I can’t remember my uncle. I only know that he had taken me as a parentless baby to his house, and that before he died he had received a promise from his wife, Mrs Reed, that she would look after me as one of her own children”, she continued. Suddenly her face turned white and she shouted at me that the ghost of her uncle would be here! She got crazy and cried for Bessie, the nurse. Bessie tried to help her, but Mrs. Reed the little devil sent her away and closed the door. “This poor little girl...”, I thought and ordered her to come with me in my little wonderland called Glowville! After some magic, she crawled with me in the little mouse hole and when we were on the other end, there was Glowville-more beautiful than ever. Jane’s eyes got bigger and bigger and first she jumped around in the beautiful meadow full with exotic flowers. The sun shined and the trees presented us with delicious fruits. I presented Jane my friends the deer, the bird and the bunny. She was able to speak with animals! Only people with a pure heart can that. Here in this world there is no sadness and no bloodiness. I wanted to show Jane the most beautiful places and give her the best food to eat and the best drinks she has ever drunk. We rode on the horse to the waterfalls and we ate cakes and fruits and it tasted heavenly. Before we went back on the rainbow is whispered to her: “I hope I could amuse you of your sad everyday life! Not many children came with me to Glowville before you should know. But the Victorian’s Time is awful and I can’t understand why people are so cruel to helpless children and let them work so hard.” She smiled. After I told her the secret that I eavesdropped on Mrs. Reed and the Doctor, Mr. Brocklehurst and that I found out that Jane will be sent to a school in the next time, she made a dido and hugged me thousand times. Next we followed the rainbow and came back in the dark, unfriendly red room. Jane fell to the ground in a faint and I was sad about the fact that she wouldn’t remember me when she wakes up. But the thing that I made her happy and saw a smile on her face suited me. My job was done- I made one more poor creature of this cruel time from the 20th century happier..

REPORT about a burglary

CRUEL BURGLARY WITH THE EXCHANGE OF SHOTS

London. (KLIMO). In the night of the 27th March, two men and a little boy broke into the villa of Mr. Brownlow. They wanted to find money. All three thieves were able to flee, but one of them got shot and wounded.

The police is suspecting that the wirepuller is none other than Bill Sikes. He is the most wanted crook in London. Bill is a pickpocket leader and a brutal professional burglar. He sends dozens of children out to the streets to steal whatever they can get in their hands. The boy is assumed to have entered the house threw the window in the bathroom. Mrs. Bedwin, Mr. Brownlow's housekeeper, woke up in the night, because she heard a noise. When she was creeping out to the stairs, she saw the little boy. He opened the front door for the two other men. Mr. Brownlow woke up, because Oliver cried for help. Then two shoots fell from the gun of one of the criminals and one of them wounded the little boy. He is called Oliver. In a later Interview Mr. Brownlow told the police, that he knows the little boy which was crying for help. He was put up by Mr. Brownlow and some day he disappeared.
Then the boy got gripped by the bad men and they drew him out of the house. "Oliver looked so scared and he was bad wounded, but I was shocked and wasn't able to help this poor creature", said Mrs. Bedwin hysterically to our reporter team.
Nothing was stolen but the house is watched by some observant police men now. Mr. Brownlow and his housekeeper are anxious and everybody hopes that nothing bad happened to the probably innocent boy.
All inhabitants of London are called upon to watch out of the dangerous crew and their follower, before they are able to start a new burglary. Detectives are still looking for that gang of criminals, but everyones help is kneed!

For details or tips to this fall- please go to the next police station

Interview about the VICORIAN TIME

One day Amy and best friend Lilith had the idea to make necromancy, because they were totally bored. Suddenly something strange happened. They called up a ghost, who was a poor Girl in the year 1869 [the Victorian Time] The two friends were very interested about this Girl- or better about her spirit and Amy began to ask her some questions about her life...

Amy: Please, tell me something about your childhood! What kind of games have you played?

Ghost: Victorian children were able to play out in the street, because there were no cars! We also made up games like tag or catch or we made footballs from old rags, and bats from pieces of wood.

Amy: Great ideas! How was it in school? There were dire teachers weren't there?

Ghost: I'm sorry but I can't tell you much of school. Only a few children attended school at the beginning of Queen Victoria's reign. Most poor children like me worked.

Amy: I'm so sorry for you...What do you had to do in your job? Was it really allowed that so young children had a job?

Ghost: Oh yes. It was a point of the agenda. Most factories and mine owners did not think anything was wrong with giving nasty jobs to children. I have worked hard since I was 7 years old. We had to work long hours for little pay and the most jobs were really dangerous. My termination was repairing broken threads in cotton mills in a factory.

Amy: wow. Excuse me my stupid question, but what was dangerous?

Ghost: Some fell ill or had bad accidents. It wasn't unusual that someone lost a finger in one of the big machines. One good friend of me was a chimney sweep and when he climbed up a narrow chimney in a big house, he fell down one day and died.

Amy: What? Unbelievable! It's really irresponsible to employ little boys on a high chimney were he could fall down anytime.

Ghost: Sure, but he needed the money for food or other important stuff. After some years Queen Victoria made some new laws, which made it illegal to employ young children. 1875 it wasn't allowed to send boys up chimneys.

Amy: And what was with the children who worked for example in a mine?

Ghost: One day Inspectors (called commissioners) were sent round Britain to collect evidence from working children themselves. Reports were debated in Parliament. Throughout Queen Victorian's reign and the new laws were passed.

Amy: I think you must have a really strong psyche. Maybe I would have committed suicide when I was in your situation. What did keep you alive?

Ghost: I always had a firm reliance on god and I carried me with credit and respectability. My example was Mrs. Goodbye, who was pious, respectable and busy. Her diligence and evident constant devotion to her husband as well as to her god fascinated me.

Amy: I am sure that Mrs. Goodbye was a amazing person. This time was horrible! We learnt only positive things like Elizabethan England and Victorian England, which saw great expansions of wealth, powder and culture.

Ghost: There also were positive things too. In science and technology, the Victorians invited the modern idea of invention. In religion they experienced a great age of doubt that first called into question intuitional Christianity on such a large scale. But I will never forget the bad things. For example the wicked work and the racial divide between the poor and the rich ones.

Amy: How lived the rich children in this time?

Ghost: Rich children lived in special rooms in their houses called nurseries. These were often found at the top of large houses. In the nursery younger children ate, played and slept. They also could go to school.

Amy: Aww that's unfair! But was the Victorians time really so bad? We heard about some great things on school about feminism, unionization of workers and other great modernisations.

Ghost: Sure! There were some awesome Ideologies too. For example the politics, society changed and the Victorians created amazing innovation. There for example was Democracy. Finally everybody was able to elect and the basic idea of Marxism was not bad too. It was a age of paradox and power and my family and me were expecting about the situation first. Everybody was different, but all the religions and movements were all in their own ways characteristically Victorian.

Amy: That's interesting! Please tell us more about that!

Ghost: hmm..There were the prophetic writings of Carlyle and Ruskin, the critics of Arnold, and the empirical prose of Darwin and Huxley. Maybe you know some of these names. There also were the fantasy of George MacDonald and the realism of George Eliot and George Bernard Shaw.
You see- it was a very hard, but also creative time.

Amy: Thanks a lot! It was a arrestingly story. I think we have learnt much about the Victorian Time and I hope you are not angry with me, but we have to go to bed now. Thanks for everything! Have a good time and Rest in Peace!
bye bye..