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Deep in the chaotic city, where the old skyscrapers extended from the water, lived a man named Rune. No one remembered when he had arrived, only that his lighthouse, once an office tower, now decorated with lanterns, never stopped glowing. He spoke to no one. He invited no one. He drifted through the ruins in a small boat, collecting lost treasure, books swollen with seawater-- echoes of the remaining past world. Then, one night, a second light flickered in the distance. But how? It was impossible. No one else lived this deep in the flood. Rune propelled toward it, and found a girl sitting on the roof of a sunken train station, a lantern balanced on her knee. Rune realized he was no longer the only ghost left in the city.

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Lena kept her arms crossed as she walked down the hallway, trying to ignore the voices surrounding her. The school felt louder than usual with lockers slamming and laughter echoing, but somehow, it all blurred together into a noise she didn’t want to hear.

She adjusted the strap of her backpack, her fingers tightly gripping the fabric of her sweater. The hot summer weather was way too warm for a sweater, but it made her feel covered and safe.

A group of students stood by the lockers, right where she used to stand. They talked and joked like nothing had changed, but Lena knew things had changed. She just didn’t know when exactly. Maybe it was after that group project when she had spoken up about an idea everyone hated, maybe it was when she sent that message in the group chat and got no reply, or maybe it was when she stopped getting invited to sit with them at lunch or hang out after school.

“Did you hear about—” one of the girls started talking, then stopped.

Lena didn’t turn around, but she just knew. The group gave each other awkward glances after the whisper that wasn’t meant for her to hear was too loud that even someone across the hall could hear it.

Lena swallowed the lump in her throat and looked down at her shoes. She reached the doors leading outside. Cool air hit her face as she stepped out, and for a second, she felt better. But the feeling never lasted long. Because for her, the worst part wasn’t being talked about, it was knowing that most of the time, she wasn’t even worth mentioning at all.

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Daniel lived alone in a small cabin at the edge of town. He rarely spoke to anyone and only went into town once a month for supplies. People whispered about him, calling him strange, but he didn’t mind. He liked the quiet.

Every morning, he chopped wood. Every afternoon, he read books. Every evening, he watched the sun set over the hills. It was a simple life, and it was enough.

One day, a stray cat appeared at his doorstep. It was thin and shivering. Daniel hesitated but then placed a small bowl of milk outside. The cat drank and stayed.

From that day on, Daniel was no longer truly alone. The cat followed him as he did his chores, curled up beside him when he read, and sat with him to watch the sunset.

People in town still whispered about the quiet man in the cabin, but Daniel didn’t care. He had a friend now.

And for the first time in years, he didn’t feel lonely.

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At the end of the street stood a small blue house. The man inside, Mr. Alden, never came out. People rarely saw him, and children made up stories about him.

One rainy day, a girl named Lila lost her cat. She knocked on Mr. Alden's door, scared but desperate.

After a long pause, the door opened a little. He asked if she was looking for an orange cat with white paw.

Lila nodded. He stepped back, and there, curled in a chair was her cat.

She thanked him and held the cat close. The she offered to bring him some apple pie.

Mr. Alden hesitated, then nodded. And for the first time in years, he had a visitors.

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Once there was a man named Leo who lived in a small cave deep in the woods, away from the noise of the world. He spoke to no one, relying on the trees and birds who would not judge him. Every morning, he chopped wood into a thin layer and put it around the wooden flat plate he had previously built. He began to write in these thin layers of chopped wood, creating his own narrative about what Mother Nature smells and feels. Day after day, he sat in his cut wood chair, writing down every single feeling, smell, and so on. This soon turns into days, months, and years. When he dies, a random adventurer discovers his book and distributes it throughout the world, becoming the best selling book in history.

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“Who is he?” “Who is he?” people murmured as Nigel walked in the corridors on the first day of junior year. Nigel thought to himself, “What about me is so interesting now?.” He had been in the same school ever since he was in kindergarten and yet no one even knew who he was up until junior year. It was as if he was an alien who had just landed on Earth. He didn't know a single thing about socializing and making friends let alone talking to anyone aside from his grandma. Nigel had an overwhelming amount of people come up to him and try to befriend him on the first day of school but people quickly caught on to the fact that he did not want anything to do with anyone. He felt slightly resentful towards his peers for treating him as if he was invisible for so many years and then suddenly changing up.

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The story "A rose to Emily" reflects the changing social dynamics of the American South after the Civil War, highlighting themes of traditions versus progress. The story connects to the real world by illustrating how societal shifts, such as industrialization and modernization, can leave individuals isolated when they cling to outdated values. Emily Grierson represents the fading Old South, resisting change while the world around her moves forward. This struggle mirrors historical tensions during Reconstruction and the early 20th century when traditional Southern aristocracy declined and new social structures emerged.

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Miss Emily was coping through a mechanism called denial when her father died. She refuse to believe that her father is no longer alive even when it is evident. This is a normal and common reaction when one of our loved ones passes away but Emily seems to be in denial about a lot of things and struggles to accept change. This reminds me of myself because it takes me a long time to process change and accept things as well.

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A Rose for Emily connects to my own life through the theme of change and resistance. Just like Emily struggles to accept the changes around her, I have experienced times when adapting to new situations felt difficult. Whether it was moving to a new school, adjusting to unfamiliar routines, or letting go of past experiences, I sometimes felt like holding onto what was comfortable. However, unlike Emily, I have learned that change is necessary for growth. Her story reminds me of the importance of accepting new opportunities rather than staying stuck in the past.

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Miss Emily's will not follow trends and to stick to conventional forms is similar to mine when learning new things. I try to learn with my basic knowledge, even though there might be better ways to solve or approach those questions or subjects.

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The novel (A Rose for Emily) itself explores real world topics such as solitude, and the long term consequences since in the book Emily clings to the past in a rapidly modernizing South, many people like me today battle between tradition and most likely mordernization which this can be evident in discussions about technology breakthroughs that some could oppose.

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Miss Emily’s resistance to change reflects a struggle that many people and societies face in the real world. Similar to how she refuses to let go of the past, some communities resist modernization, whether its in the aspects of technology, culture, or social values. For example, older generations sometimes struggle to adapt to the quick technological advancements occuring in the modern world, just like how Emily isolates herself as the world around her moves forward.

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Miss Emily’s refusal to pay taxes can be connected to the 2019 college admissions scandal (Varsity Blues scandal), where wealthy families used their influence to gain advantages that others did not have. Just as Miss Emily expected her tax exemption to continue despite changing leadership, some wealthy parents in the scandal believed they were entitled to special treatment in college admissions. When exposed, they resisted accountability, like Miss Emily refused to acknowledge the town’s new tax policies. Both cases highlight the clash between outdated privilege and modern expectations of fairness.

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This book reminds me of COVID-19 as during the pandemic, many workers were treated poorly as they worked for long hours in dangerous conditions, just like Gregor. Similar to him, they were trapped in exhausting routines with little societal support being provided while sacrificing their own well-being to support their family. This is evident as Gregor states,"what a demanding job I’ve chosen! Day in, day out on the road... The stresses of trade are much greater than the work going on at head office... To hell with it all!" This illustrates his frustration with his exhausting job, similar to the challenges of workers during the pandemic. Thus, the relation between both perspectives of working in unfit fields underscores how society can dehumanize people by prioritizing the output instead of valuing people, creating feelings of isolation and neglect.

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I might relate to Gregor's transformation in "The Metamorphosis" as a metaphor for sudden, life-altering changes. These changes could make one feel alienated, misunderstood, or trapped in circumstances beyond their control.

For instance, if I woke up one morning to find myself drastically different in some way—whether physically, emotionally, or in my social role—it might evoke a sense of helplessness similar to Gregor's. The struggle to adapt and the impact on relationships with family and friends would be profound. This story could resonate with anyone who has experienced significant life changes, such as a major illness, loss, or even a shift in identity.

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This text reminds me of having workplace stress because one of the characters in the book, Gregor, thought about his demanding job, the pressures of his boss, and his longing for freedom, which frequently remind me of some of the struggles with school life balance and burnout.

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- He discovered that in bed he had been changed into a monstrous verminous bug. -

This quote reminds me of a short story called " The Yellow Wallpaper" written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. As the story is about a girl seeing people living in the wallpaper of her room. She could see the people fighting, and trying to come out of the wallpaper. Thus, both stories illustrates the same psychology facts about people feeling tired due to exhausting society around them and convey the attitudes of them trying to escape.

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The quote, "One morning, as Gregor Samsa was waking up from anxious dreams, he discovered that in bed

he had been changed into a monstrous verminous bug." reminds me of all the nights I had nightmares and stuggle to sleep. The story starts off by talking about how Gregor Samsa struggles to sleep because of a weird dream where his bed turned into a bug and he can't seem to sleep on his side because he keeps rolling back on his back. I tend to get scared easily; especially, after watching a horror movie at night. Like Gregor, I also struggle to fall asleep because I feel like I am part of the horror movie I previously watched.

This also reminds me of the condition called sleep paralysis.

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A text-to-world connection can be made between Gregor Samsa's transformation and the things people often experience in the real world, dominated by societal expectations and work pressure. Gregor's metamorphosis into a "monstrous verminous bug" can symbolize how the work culture dehumanizes people, making them feel like subjects of labor and nothing more. This reflects the struggles many face in today's societies, where people often feel trapped by their responsibilities and undervalued in their roles. As Gregor stated, “O God, what a demanding job I’ve chosen! Day in, day out on the road... the stresses of trade are much greater than the work going on at head office.” This reflects the burden he faces because of his profession, which reflects the experiences of those who feel drained by their work and have to sacrifice personal well-being and identity for economic survival.

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Guess Who