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draft, Project #2

Project 2 Beloved Part 1 by Keith Smith

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Beloved Part 1 Project 2 by Keith Smith

 

In this story by Toni Morrison, I was hoping that Halle was going to be a bigger impact. But instead he mentally breaks and has no worth after that. I am going to show you how wonderful he was, and the impact of him on every one’s life According to the author’s words, and I quote from Denver’s thoughts   ”She said she was always a little scared of my daddy. He was too good, she said. From the beginning, she said, he was too good for the world.”(pg. 245). She goes on with ”My daddy was an angel man. He could look at you and tell you where you hurt and could fix it too.”(pg. 246). So like Paul D. in this story, they both seemed like kind and wonderful men. That either one could contribute to Sethe and her life. They actually almost made it together, because Halle and the others planned for the escape. This is where the book talks about the discovery of the train to freedom with “Halle was pointing over the stable.” “Sixo say Freedom is that way.”(pg. 233).  And this is where Sethe loses Halle. “But I got you out baby. And the boys too. When the signal for the train come, you all was the only ones ready. I couldn’t find Halle or nobody.”(pg. 233). Of course Sethe would go back to Sweet Home, only to find Paul D. and learn Sixo was dead. Halle could not be found. Having sent her kids ahead and alone, she is put through the psychological wringer from the taking of her milk. This is where the book talks about Halle being there. And then goes crazy. After being whipped for telling Miss Garner, she finds no reason to stay and look for Halle. Sethe claims at this point “I did it. I got us all out. Without Halle too.”(pg. 190). I also believe that she was in no shape to do this alone but she did. I think this is where she decides “I couldn’t let all that go back to where it was, and I couldn’t let her nor any of em live under schoolteacher.”(pg. 192).

But you have to admit  that having Halle with her would have made her stronger. And not only that this was the same guy that worked to free his mother. And Baby Suggs remembered her freedom on page 166 “These hands belong to me. These are my hands. Next she felt a knocking in her chest and discovered something else new: her own heartbeat.” What a wonderful feeling that must have been, for her. And one of the things I liked about Halle is he stayed true to his words and continued to work off his remaining debt, even after Baby was free. The only thing about this story was how would Baby Suggs react to not seeing her son. I was able to pull out her true feelings when in the garden she ponders “What was left to hurt her now? News of Halle’s death? No she had been prepared for that better than she had for his life.”(pg. 163). So you can see the impact that one man had on everyone’s life. I feel that this really hurt Baby Suggs the most because on page 27 she says “A man aint nothing but a man.” “But a son? Well now that’s somebody.” And what did that mean: “Sethe had the amazing luck of six whole years of marriage to that “somebody” son who had fathered every one of her children. A blessing she was reckless enough to take for granted, as though Sweet Home was really one.”(pg. 28). A rarity that this story produced is when Sethe thought back “Halle was more like a brother than a husband. His care suggested a family relationship rather than a man’s laying claim.”(pg. 30-31). Also the ramifications of Sethe escaping from there is the final stop as she thinks “The one set of plans that she made—getting away from Sweet Home—went awry so completely she never dared life by making more.”(pg. 46).Lastly when Paul D. puts things together. Even he supported Halle by telling Seethe “What Halle ever do to you? Halle stood by you. He never left you.” (pg. 80). Sethe replies “Then he did worse he left his children.” “You don’t know that.” As Paul D. continues on “He was there.”(pg. 81). So unfortunately this is how the author wrote it, but putting well placed memories and excerpts about the man Halle was. Baby Suggs implied that Halle was dead “In Eighteen Fifty-Five. The day my baby was born” (pg. 11). Thank god his friend Paul D. decided to look after Sethe once he realized the truth.  Halle would have been Proud.

 

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Project #2

My Cover Letter for Beloved by Keith Smith

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My Cover Letter by Keith Smith

 

I really feel I have come a long way in looking at Fiction in a whole new way. Especially when I read “Beloved”. This was a book that did not hold my interest but because it was mandatory, I was able to really understand the author’s theme. In my Part 1, I was able to write a 1400 word essay talking about Halle’s not being in the barn and how it affected the entire story. I put in that essay a totally different way to tell the story. Halle would become a main character instead of a remembrance. His part would be great but at the same time probably would have not changed many parts of the story (Beloved’s death and Paul D.). I had to use some creativity which I am not very good at. I feel that was a plus. Creativity was the main ingredient in Part 2 of Project 2. I was also able to focus on my topic of Freedom. I had to search far and wide for a song or poem that really put my views in perspective. When I found what I was looking for, I had to learn a new skill of applying it to my Project. I have never used Powerpoint before and it took a while to mesh things together. I am really proud of how it turned out.

What was most challenging or frustrating was trying to find specific quotes to back up my first part of my project. A timeline book is very easy to dish out the quotes because I know where they would be at. But this book was all over the place in time, and I got fed up with reading the entire book over (or most of it) and not finding what I needed. In fact you may have done this but I don’t remember, but give the students a heads up on what to look for, like changing the storyline, and applying quotes to back them up. I did not know to do this until after I read the book. That was probably my fault though. Another thing that was very hard for me was trying to put a presentation together and it took almost the whole day to get it right. But the good thing is that now I know how to put a presentation together. I have always spoken well to sell something, or make somebody understand. But to be creative and put together creativity is definitely something I do not do well. I remember in my other class I needed to make a widget from LEGO, and it took weeks. But give me instruction I can do it right the first time. This is why I can ace Math and Software Programming because it is a science. The other thing about how I roll is that if I go to a class and the teacher teaches ( no matter what subject) I learn . My GPA is 3.87 over three years and the only classes I did not get an A in was because the teachers did not teach. Just figure it out was the themes in those classes, and I couldn’t. Please don’t personalize this it is not for you. What I learned on Wednesdays from you was really cool stuff. But Sunday Night/ Monday I had no clue what I was doing. Personally I think if you were in classes those days I would have learned a lot. That is because you are a great teacher.

 

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Project #2

Project 2 Part 2 Beloved Presentation by Keith Smith

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Project 2 Beloved by Keith Smith Project-2-Beloved-by-Keith-SmithProject 2 Beloved by Keith Smith

I am going to E-mail you my presentation of Project Two. It is too large for Open Lab (34 Mb)

Project 2 Beloved by Keith Smith

I chose the topic Freedom for the meanings of not only the song, but also the book. It is also my theme of what would have happened if Halle and Seethe would have gotten away. I am going to the book and talk about what would have happened if Halle had hidden somewhere other than the loft of the barn. He would not have seen Seethe being molested by the two Nephews. She may have told him later when they left, and maybe his protective nature would have been stronger. So my version is that they escape together. In the book she sends the kids ahead and I think that would still happen.  I will explain the story of what happens after that later on. First though I want to talk about the theme of the song. It is quite clear Freedom in the song means death to avoid the persecutions of slavery and abuse. I personally feel it is better to be with the Lord instead of being with the abusive masters and other whites during that time. This is also the belief that Seethe had, as she tried to kill her children so that they would not be exposed to the cruelty of what she knew. In my presentation I show how my storyline evolves beginning with the abuse of slaves, the desire to leave, and the actual escape. Reunited with Halle’s mother Baby Suggs, they feel free and life becomes a joy. Until the schoolteacher tracks them down. As Halle tries to stop them, he is probably subdued and Seethe who is very scared runs to the shed with her children. She goes crazy and tries to kill them (to give them Freedom). Stamp Paid and Baby Suggs are able to stop her but not before she kills the infant (Beloved). As the story goes she is whisked off to jail. 18 years later Halle is never heard from again. Thus enters Paul D. who wants to settle down, and takes Seethe and Denver under his wing. They begin to enjoy life together and live happy and free putting behind their remembrances of pain and suffering. I cannot change the way the rest of the book goes. But I can remember another retelling of Freedom. Sixo who got caught with Paul D. in their escape, chose to antagonize the schoolteacher and his posse. They tie him up and set fire to the wood around him, but as he burns he sings because he knows his seed will live on, and he is ready to be with his Lord. More upset than ever the men in the posse decide to shoot him just to shut him up. The song really sounds like a joyous song, that really shows the true feelings of how African American who were persecuted really wanted to die before going back to the abuse and discrimination that the white man dealt thinking it was justified       and they deserved it.

 

 

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Project #2

Project 2 Part 1-Curating Beloved By Keith Smith

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‘Project 2           Curating Beloved

 

 

I believe that what Paul D. told Seethe about Halle and how he ended up seeing him, was a big part of the story. When Seethe told Paul what had happened in the barn, how she was violated, held down and was taken of her milk, I believe that is when Paul put things together. He had already known that Halle was hiding in the loft as what was explained in his remembrance of all of them trying to leave Sweet Home. And he was able to understand after he was caught why Halle had lost his senility.  My belief is that if Halle was not hiding in the loft, that this story would have been a whole different tale. I am not saying that Beloved would not been present but I will show a story that effected not only Baby Suggs, Seethe, and her two Boys. But will still show Paul D.’s presence 18 years later. And I will also stay with Beloved being killed, and coming back in the story.

When Denver was 10, Baby Suggs had passed, with no hope of ever seeing her youngest child, Halle. She was tired and broken in spirit, when Seethe showed up with the last of her grandkids, who were already there. I feel if Halle had made it, she would have not given up on her spirited preaching in the clearing. When he and Seethe arrived at 124, she might have already told him what happened in the barn, he might have felt shame. He would have not known that the schoolteacher would be looking for them, and that would probably be the first place to look. Let us assume that they would have not left before schoolteacher’s arrival. I feel that Halle would have done whatever he could to not allow the schoolteacher to take his wife and children back. He probably would have been beaten or killed protecting them, and Seethe would have ran to the shed to kill the children anyway. My point is that Baby Suggs would have been decimated to see her last child put down, and probably would not have been in mental shape to save the two boys from the wounds that their mother had inflicted upon them. Beloved would still be dead. My point here is to say that these were other ways that the story could have gone. Halle could be killed; Baby Suggs would be happy or crushed. Nobody would have died or the three children could be dead. And who knows how the town would have reacted in Beloved’s death or Halle’s death.

Again let us go back to Paul D.’s remembrance of their futile escape. With Sixo shot and burned and Halle’s disappearance. If Halle had waited with Seethe, they could have gotten away like the children and the nephews would not have violated her. So even if they were caught, I doubt that the barn scene would not have happened as the men were trying to get their slaves back. Sweet home would have not been as painful for Seethe, and she might have remained there to be a breeder for more slaves. So let us discuss how this could have played out. They might have gotten away as the children did. They might have been caught as the story goes, and Halle and Paul D could have been sold away. Seethe would have her baby, and more opportunity to have more. Because I understood the story as the schoolteacher kinda done with the Sweet Home thing, that was his plan at that point; sell the men and breed the woman. Seethe would have not carried the anger of her husband not being there. And I don’t know if the schoolteacher would have gone after the children that got away, and Beloved would be alive; probably with a different name.

So now I would like to point out a good way in which the story goes. Halle and Seethe get away. They realize that they are being hunted, so they grab the kids and leave 124 which is not safe. Halle gets a job and goes to work every day. Somehow they get caught by the schoolteacher or bounty hunters, and it gets worse. Halle is at his job, and Seethe is confronted, so she either kills the children or they get sold. Halle is taken back to Sweet Home with Seethe, and the children are either dead or gone. As Beloved and her brother get older they go back to Sweet Home and burn it down and kill the schoolteacher and the nephews. They save Halle and Seethe and Paul D. and become fugitives for the rest of their life.

But let us go back to the story where Paul D. shows up 18 years later. He would have found out then that Halle was killed trying to protect his family. Baby Suggs is gone, Denver is eighteen, and the house is occupied by Beloved’s ghost. He would have felt stronger in his conviction to take care of his friend’s family. He might even felt responsible for getting caught and not being able to help out Halle and his family. So he takes it upon himself to better their lives at 124, scares the spirit in the home away and moves them to a better place. Beloved still shows up and he his conviction is stronger than the spirit’s influence. Maybe he gets the church women together and drives Beloved away.

I was not able to use quotes in the story because I found it very hard to find them because the story keeps jumping back and forth and I found myself reading the story over and over. My interpretation of those quotes is what is important here. Halle was a very good man and would have done anything for his mother, family, and his brothers, and most of all for his children. If I were to write a story about the hardships of slavery and discrimination I certainly would not talk about a selfish ghost that has no importance in the story. I would write about the camaraderie of the persecuted people, such as Stamp Paid. I would write about the hardships the tolls it took and the reason it needed to change. I would write about the families divided yet held together by the bond of blood. What was touched upon in this story was even after the Civil War there were many unnecessary brutalities and murders just because of color. And I feel that this needs to be touched on. Even today there are many hate crimes and the stories of slavery and discrimination will show people that enough harm has been committed and whatever reason for them is very sad.

The whole point that I am trying to make is that Halle would have tried to stop his wife’s violation or died trying. That’s how it really was back then. If they had to escape he would have made sure that his wife and children would have had a chance to get away. A man who had gotten away with them, would have protected them with his dying breath. Because Seethe was a woman that had undergone horrible acts probably would have taken her children’s life so that they would not experience the horrors that she was put through. Baby Suggs would have probably not let them stay there because she knew the convictions of the white man, and would have probably used her connections to get them safely away. I really felt that Paul D. was the rock of this story as he and Halle had been put through so much, and was able to hold his head high. In fact as the story went he was going to be there for Seethe, which further illustrates that Halle would have been twice the man. And reading a story about how the persecuted persevered would be more uplifting. Take movies like “Radio”, “Red Tails”, “Men of Honor”, and “Glory” about black American struggles in the U.S. Not a selfish ghost story that was horrible reading. I’m just saying. Keith Smith

 

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Project #2
1 Comment

Project 2           Curating Beloved

 

 

I believe that what Paul D. told Seethe about Halle and how he ended up seeing him, was a big part of the story. When Seethe told Paul what had happened in the barn, how she was violated, held down and was taken of her milk, I believe that is when Paul put things together. He had already known that Halle was hiding in the loft as what was explained in his remembrance of all of them trying to leave Sweet Home. And he was able to understand after he was caught why Halle had lost his senility.  My belief is that if Halle was not hiding in the loft, that this story would have been a whole different tale. I am not saying that Beloved would not been present but I will show a story that effected not only Baby Suggs, Seethe, and her two Boys. But will still show Paul D.’s presence 18 years later. And I will also stay with Beloved being killed, and coming back in the story.

When Denver was 10, Baby Suggs had passed, with no hope of ever seeing her youngest child, Halle. She was tired and broken in spirit, when Seethe showed up with the last of her grandkids, who were already there. I feel if Halle had made it, she would have not given up on her spirited preaching in the clearing. I also feel that if Halle had made it, he would have known that they could not stay there at 124. He would have known that the schoolteacher would be looking for them, and that would probably be the first place to look.  Though let us assume that they would have not left before schoolteachers arrival. I feel that Halle would have done whatever he could to not allow the schoolteacher to take his wife and children back. He probably would have been killed protecting them, and Seethe would have ran to the shed to kill the children anyway. My point is that Baby Suggs would have been decimated to see her last child killed, and probably would not have been in mental shape to save the two boys from the wounds that their mother had inflicted upon them. Beloved would still be dead. My point here is to say that these were other ways  that the story could have gone. Halle could be killed, Baby Suggs would be happy or crushed. Nobody would have died or the three children  could be dead. And who knows how the town would have reacted in Beloved’s death or Halle’s death.

Again let us go back to Paul D.’s remembrance of their futile escape. With Sixo shot and burned and Halle’s disappearance. If Halle had waited with Seethe, they could have gotten away like the children and the nephews would have not violated her. So even if they were caught, I doubt that the barn scene would not have happened as the men were trying to get their slaves back. Sweet home would have not been as painful for Seethe, and she might have remained there to be a breeder for more slaves. So let us discuss how this could have played out. They might have gotten away as the children did. They might have been caught as the story goes, and Halle and Paul D could have been sold away. Seethe would have her baby, and more opportunity to have more. Because I understood the story as the schoolteacher kinda done with the Sweet Home thing, that was his plan at that point; sell the men and breed the woman. Seethe would have not carried the anger of her husband not being there. And I don’t know if the schoolteacher would have gone after the children that got away, and Beloved would be alive. Probably with a different name.

So now I would like to point out a good way in which the story goes. Halle and Seethe get away. They realize that they are being hunted, so they grab the kids and leave 124 which is not safe. Halle gets a job and goes to work every day. Somehow they get caught by the schoolteacher or bounty hunters, and it gets worse. Halle is at his job, and Seethe is confronted, so she either kills the children or they get sold. Halle is taken back to Sweet Home with Seethe, and the children are either dead or gone. As Beloved and her brother get older they go back to Sweet Home and burn it down and kill the schoolteacher and the nephews. They save Halle and Seethe and Paul D. and become fugitives for the rest of their life. Or if they are dead Beloved comes back to haunt Sweet Home and drive the schoolteacher and the nephews away, because it just not worth it for them .

But let us go back to the story where Paul D. shows up 18 years later. He would have found out then that Halle was killed trying to protect his family. Baby Suggs is gone, Denver is Eighteen, and the house is occupied by Beloved’s ghost. He would have felt stronger in his conviction to take care of his friends family. He might even felt responsible for getting caught and not being able to help out Halle and his family. So he takes it upon himself to better their lives at 124, scares the spirit in the home away and moves them to a better place. Beloved still shows up and he his conviction is stronger than the spirit’s influence. Maybe he gets the church women together and drives Beloved away.

I am not using quotes in the story because I feel my interpretation of those quotes is what is important here. Halle was a very good man and would have done anything for his mother, family, and his brothers, and most of all for his children. If I were to write a story about the hardships of slavery and discrimination I certainly would not talk about a selfish ghost that has no importance in the story. I would write about the camaraderie of the persecuted people, such as Stamp Paid. I would write about the hardships the tolls it took and the reason it needed to change. I would write about the families divided yet held together by the bond of blood. What was touched upon in this story was even after the Civil War there were many unnecessary brutalities and murders just because of color. And I feel that this needs to be touched on. Even today there are many hate crimes and the stories of slavery and discrimination will show people that enough harm has been committed and whatever reason for them is very sad.

The whole point that I am trying to make is that Halle would have tried to stop his wife’s violation or died trying. That’s how it really was back then. If they had to escape he would have made sure that his wife and children would have had a chance to get away. A man who had gotten away with them, would have protected them with his dying breath. Because Seethe was a woman that had undergone horrible acts probably would have taken her children’s life so that they would not experience the horrors that she was put through. Baby Suggs would have probably not let them stay there because she knew the convictions of the white man, and would have probably used her connections to get them safely away. I really felt that Paul D. was the rock of this story as he and Halle had been put through so much, and was able to hold his head high. In fact as the story went he was going to be there for Seethe, which further illustrates that Halle would have been twice the man. And reading a story about how the persecuted persevered would be more uplifting. Take movies like “Radio”, “Red Tails”, “Men of Honor”, and “Glory” about black American struggles in the U.S. Not a selfish ghost story that was horrible reading. I’m just saying. Keith

 

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Discussion, Week 8

Questions about Beloved

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Hi this is Keith, and I have some questions about where I am at in Beloved. First why is Beloved(the child) not mentioned in the story until her death. There was many mentions of Seethe’s sons throughout the story. It would have been nice to know her before her death. Also the Beloved that is living with Seethe and Denver was contemplating her body parts falling off. I would imagine that if she was a zombie, but she is not. She is a living person. I also have questions of Denver, such as why she let Beloved choke Seethe, and did not talk about her activities with Paul D. If she wanted to get rid of Paul D, It would have been the perfect way. About Paul D. it was something I would not have seen. That he was being controlled by Beloved totally shot dead my theory that he was the only normal person in the story. How could he do what he did with Beloved (more than once), and how could he leave Seethe for what she did 18 years ago. She was frightened and delirious back then. The only thing I did notice is that he stayed in town so I feel he still has a big part in the story. I have to assume that Baby Suggs ability to endlessly feed the party that day is probably a symbolic gesture that she was more than a person but someone who held special powers. Though I don’t see why that was important. It has been a hard book to read when it is constantly phasing in and out of different times. But now I am interested in how this will play out. That is usually a good sign that the story is well written, even though I would have never thought to read it. So I give Toni Morrison a lot of credit of being a good author.

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Discussion

Beginning the story “Beloved”

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In Beloved, We focus on the three main characters; Seethe, Denver, and Paul D. with Beloved’s entrance into the story. I think this is around the time of the Civil War, because there is mention of a war. I believe this is a third person narrative (omniscient) because we are really in the thoughts and memories of all the characters. I also feel that this is an unreliable narrator, that a lot of symbolism is incorporated in the story. In fact, I had a real hard time of following the story in the first 30 pages. I really felt the author could have been a little more real in her telling. After that she seemed to space out her imagination and really tell the story. I really liked how Paul D. came around in trying to start his life over. Becoming a supporting man and helping to take care of Seethe and Denver. The carnival was a great way to open their eyes to more than what they thought about themselves. I personally do not like to read about rape and abuse, so this story already leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I have to assume that the author is portraying these hardships so that there is a happy ending. I personally came from a place that no human would want to be in, and now I getting ready to land my second degree in four years, so that is what I am hoping;– that the author is going to turn this pain around. Beloved’s entrance in this story is really amazing as she describes things that are in her memory. It really makes me think that she is really Seethe’s daughter. I also see Paul as the mediator between what is real and what is fantasy. So at this point in the story, I think the main symbolism is that Seethe and Denver have opened their arms in being able to accept Beloved, which negates the painful way she died. Which actually I am not sure of yet. I see Paul D. trying to figure out what is really happening. Though showing the house as haunted early in the story tells me that this is about a girl who has come back to life. So I assume that ghosts are real in this story. And it is up to me, not to read to much into it. I have read many great stories that has things that are not real. The Redwall Series of animals running their kingdom. Hobbits and elves having great adventures. And the Shannara Chronicles written by Terry Brooks. This is not a Tom Clancy novel and I shouldn’t expect it to be.

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Week 7

A comparison of The Stoy Of an hour to Richards worst day

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Richard’s worst day by Keith Smith: Project 1

Personally I feel that “The Story of an Hour” is best told by Louise Mallard. To go through her emotions and feelings, really shows me the life of women in the late 19th century. At first you really think that being married is wonderful You have a home and children. You have a man who supports you. You are able to do things together, and you are never alone. So I have to assume that marriages were looked upon as the completion of becoming an adult. I would also assume that if you were not married, you might go through personal and public scrutiny. Lastly I would assume that the parents of the woman would chase away would be suitors, (which might be the woman’s true love) so she could marry into a better husband.

I decided to change this story to Richard’s view to show the uncomfortable position of a man in an emotional setting. I would know that as he was giving the news to other women he experienced a nauseous feeling from their reactions. But to tell the wife of his friend had to be very hard because it was more personable. He knew them well and could not tell her. Plus the fact that this is where he finally had to accept his own personal loss. The loss of his friend, Brently. This also enabled me to really tell this story in a unique way. What was Josephine going through, and what was he going through. I also need to show how Louise’s epiphany of having a new life, really made her happy. Josephine did not seem to realize this herself, the way the story was written. So I wanted to show a neutral view on what took place. I made him unmarried to portray a working man who has only his work to come home. I was trying to emphasize his uncomfortability with Louise.

I decided not to bring up the heart symptoms until it needed to be brought up. Because I know that when I read that in the first line of the story, I knew it was going to be the deciding factor of the ending. So I was not surprised when she died. I felt that if I am writing about Richard’s worst day, it was not about Louise. From the news of his colleagues dying in a horrible accident. The death of his friend. To witnessing Louise’s breakdown and death. And Brently going through a frightened panic of his wife’s death. I feel this would be a horrible day for anyone. By telling this story through Richards, I was able to show that even through all these emotions it would not be the cause of death for Louise. I was trying to show that Louise’s death came from losing the joy, of her of being finally happy. I felt that the confusion that Richards had, of seeing happiness on Louise’s face, was not something he expected. Changing the characters around really showed a different kind of story. The original was very eye-opening on Louise’s views of being married and the news of becoming independent. Where, as my story, is about a man and his uncomfortability with bad news, and events.

 

I also wanted to show more of Josephine. How she had to talk to her sister. How she wasn’t sure of what to do about her sister’s emotional health. Maybe I could have revealed what she knew about her sister’s unhappiness with her marriage, but I felt that the original story just did not leave me enough content to say it was true. Also when Louise finally came out, she held Josephine around the waist and walked with her. There was no mention of Josephine seeing the emotional change that Louise had. That was another reason I picked Richards. He would see the difference. I assumed there were vehicles in the story so I changed it to a horse drawn cart. How else would the doctor get there. Josephine had to get him. This also enabled me to keep Richards at the scene to really show his horrible day becoming worse. I also needed to change the ending that I had, to portray his point.

All in all I see now why authors choose how they write their stories. By telling them through a specific narrator, they can really provide a better picture of what they are trying to portray. They are able to provide the scene, thoughts and emotions. Using a reliable and unreliable narrator can give their stories a different feel. Allowing the narrator to use only the main characters thoughts only gives you an insight of how things unfold. In a story of an hour, it all made sense. Using a first person like I did, can only give you a certain feel of what is happening and changing the whole story around.

Richards Worst Day by Keith Smith

It was the worst day of my life. As I looked on, I could only feel the sadness of losing my friend Brently. But somebody had to tell her, and I was so glad that Josephine was there. Josephine was her sister, and I think Louise already knew that there was something wrong. Why else would Josephine and I appear at her home? But in a very careful way Thank God, she spoke slowly looking at her with teary eyes, as the words started to take meaning. “Louise, I have some bad news, but I feel I should be the one to tell you. Brently was on a train and well the train had a problem. Louise I’m very sorry to say that he did not make it.” At this point I looked down, I felt so helpless, and then I heard Louise cry uncontrollably and Josephine just grabbed her and held her close. The crying just continued and it tore me up inside because now the truth was so painful. My friend was gone and a lot of my associates that I had worked together with for a long time. Well I would never see them also.

Louise’s crying turned into sobbing as she let go of her sister. She then turned around and walked slowly to her room. Josephine decided not to walk with her, probably because she knew her sister just needed to be alone. I heard the locking of the door, which meant she was probably right. At that point I looked at Josephine, and said “ I‘m really thankful that you came with me. I don’t think I could have done this. Do you think she will be OK.” “ No” she said, “I mean nobody who loses their husband would be.” I then realized the stupidity behind that question. It was just I had never been married. But she was right. At that point, I asked her if she was going to stay with her. She said “maybe I can take her to my home for the night. I certainly don’t want her to stay here it might just make her even sadder.”

“Well, I think you are right. Maybe you could take her on a little getaway. It probably would be good for her.” She just looked at me, and I could see the wheels turning as what she should do next. “Yeah maybe a trip to the city or something”, she said. “But now we are going to have to make arrangements for his funeral, and then yeah a trip to the city.” She started to sob, and then said “I should go check on her.” “Yea that would be a good idea I guess”, I said. “I’ll wait here let me know if you want me”. I was hoping she wouldn’t. She said “Thank you I’ll be back.” She then walked toward her sister’s room.

She knocked softly and said “Louise, can I come in?” There was no answer. She knocked again, but louder. “Louise are you OK please let me in.” Again there was no answer. I got really scared at that point, because Josephine had told me that Louise had a heart condition. I saw that Josephine started to panic, and I said “can you hear her?” “Yes she is moving around.” She then got on her knees and put her mouth to the keyhole and said excitedly, “Louise open the door! I beg; open the door—you will make yourself ill. What are you doing, Louise? For heaven’s sake open the door.” And then I heard Louise.” Go away. I am not making myself ill.”

Well I am glad that she was alright, and my fear lifted. The emotions that swirled around me made me light-headed. And then I heard Louise unlock the door, and as she opened it, she came through and put her arm around her sister’s waist as if she was consoling her. There was something different about her. She walked erect and had this look like nothing happened. She almost seemed happy, but that couldn’t be. And yet the closer she came to me, she really seemed happy. I could not understand why though. Did Josephine notice it, I wondered.

All of the sudden I heard a noise behind me. It was the sound a latchkey and it was opening the front door. No it couldn’t be! They had confirmed his death in a second telegram. The door opened and to my surprise it was my friend Brently, and he was alive! And then I remembered his wife Louise and the uncontrollable sadness that she went through. Then I heard Josephine’s high pitched cry and I started toward Brently to take him outside, so I could explain to him what was happening. There was a thump and I turned around to see Louise had fainted and was lying on the floor. Brently rushed past me to aid his wife and yelled, “get a doctor here right now,” and before I knew it Josephine was out the door and in her cart. The horse drawn cart turned and headed down the road.  I turned around and asked;” is she OK”, and Brently looked at me, his face lost all color, and he started to cry. What was going on? Why was he crying? He kept repeating himself through his tears “Louise wakeup please Louise wakeup” as if he was trying to will her back to life. “Brently is she OK”, I asked again. But he didn’t hear me; he just kept talking to Louise: “Wakeup Louise Please wakeup.” My mind started racing with bad thoughts and I got down to help Brently.” C’mon let’s get her to a couch”, but he just pushed me away and kept rocking with her head in his lap.

When the doctor finished examining Louise, he motioned for Brently and Josephine to come with him. They were both crying still but I heard him tell them, “she seems to have suffered a heart problem and I cannot do anything else.” He then said “if what you told me Josephine, was true she probably was overcome with joy that Brently was alive. She did go through an emotional ordeal, and maybe it was too much. I will make arrangements to have her taken to the morgue”. It was a very bad ending to my day, even though Brently was alive, he lost his wife, who was also my friend. When I left, I realized that this was the worst day of my life. I left and got drunk.

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