HORSTMANN COMPII COMMONPLACE BOOK by Kyle Horstmann

The Chaser

kyle_horstmann — 2014-01-17 17:32:32 UTC

by John Collier

Interesting take on love and what

some people will do to get it. I'm sure Alan Austen can relate to this video of "I Put A Spell On You" sung by Jacquie Lee from The Voice.

Updike's "A&P"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-01-22 18:32:21 UTC

The A&P needs a sign like the one below!

Munro's "An Ounce of Cure"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-01-23 22:59:17 UTC

Munro tells the story of a typical teenager and the choices she makes and the consequences she later faces. It is stories like these that won Alice Munro the 2013 Nobel Prize for Literature.

Chopin's "The Story of an Hour"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-01-24 20:15:28 UTC

The title is very fitting; for an hour Louise Mallard had a new life. Interesting twist in the plot.

Packer's "Brownies"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-02-04 04:51:28 UTC

Fun story about two Brownie troopsfrom Atlanta. The quote "When you lived in the south suburbs of Atlanta, it was easy to forget about whites," made me think the book was written back in the sixties. I guess because most of the schools I am used to are more segregated.

kyle_horstmann — 2014-02-04 05:10:50 UTC

Joyce' "Araby"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-02-04 05:11:27 UTC

A story of adolescent disillusionment.
The main character idolizes his friend
Mangan's sister. When he finally talks to
her she mentions the "Araby" or bazaar.
He swears he will get her something from
there. After he makes it to the Araby and
comes away with nothing; he is dis-
appointed. He then has no interest anymore
in the sister or the Araby.

Alexie's "Indian Education"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-24 03:18:23 UTC

A great story about a boy growing

up on an Indian reservation

in Washington and how he escapes

the repression of its surrpoundings

and betters himself.

Jackson's "The Lottery"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-24 03:55:13 UTC

A haunting tale of an unassuming small town that has a shocking ritual of stoning the lottery winner. This is one time it pays not to win.

Collin's "Introduction to Poetry"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-24 04:13:48 UTC

A short poem with a huge visual impact. Collins draws his readers a picture of students being introduced to poetry and how to explore it.

Roethke's "My Papa's Waltz"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-24 04:19:41 UTC

Poem about an alcoholic father and a young son who adores him as he dances around the kitchen with his son hanging on.

Brook's "We Real Cool"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-24 04:28:49 UTC

4 words, 8 lines, big impact! The reader know exactly that happens to these young boys who drop out of school.

ROBINSON'S "Richard Cory"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-24 18:12:18 UTC

Is a poem about perception.

Richard Cory is thought to be

a man who has everything and

makes the others envious.

When in reality he was not

happy and "...put a bullet

through his Head."

Piercy's "Barbie Doll

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-24 18:18:13 UTC

A poem that is true about how mean girls can be and how some girls feel they must be perfect like a "Barbie Doll". The title is perfect for the sad story.

Harjo's "Morning Song"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-24 18:27:53 UTC

I did not really care for this

poem and could not really understand

it. I'm not sure why the author kept

repeating "Thought by thought

Beauty by beauty"

Cumming's "In Just"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-24 18:36:07 UTC

A fun poem about spring. Cummings does a nice job creating a visual picture of spring with words like "mud-luscious" and "puddle-wonderful."

Jarrell's "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-24 18:41:21 UTC

Very effective poem for being so short.

Jarrell tells the story from the voice of the

soldier that sits in the ball turret. He is

killed and in the end his remains are

washed from the "...turret with a hose."

Collin's "The Names

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-24 19:06:18 UTC

Great poem written about

9/11. Watch the video of Billy Collins reading his poem.

Auden's "Funeral Blues"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-25 03:33:12 UTC

Watch John Hannah recite

WH Auden's poem "Funeral

Blues" in Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Browning's "My Last Duchess"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-25 03:54:51 UTC

A weird poem about a man who was displeased with his last lover. She smiled at others and this made him mad. He ordered her to stop. Now he enjoys looking at her portrait he keeps behind

a curtain.

Miller's Death of a Salesman

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-25 04:08:27 UTC

Arthur Miller's iconic story of Willy Lohman and his dysfunctional family. The quote "Biff Lohman is lost. In the greatest country in the world a young man with such-personal attractiveness, gets lost," shows just how twisted Willy's thinking is.

Mansfield's "Miss Brill"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-27 03:31:17 UTC

Sad story about a lonely old woman who lives her life through others conversations.

Faulkner's "A rose for Emily"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-27 03:52:40 UTC

Faulkners story of Emily Grierson,

a young woman who has a hard

time letting go of those she loves.

Literally, even in death she likes to

keep the dead bodies around. The

last sentence in the story is the best.

Faulkner describes how the town people

discover a room with Emily's dead lover

and in the pillow next to him they find "...a

long strand od iron-gray hair." Yuck!

O'Brien's "The Things They Carried"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-27 04:11:19 UTC

An interesting story about Alpha Company

in the Vietnam war and it's members. First

Lieutenant Jimmy Cross is in charge of the men

in his troop and is one if the main characters.

The men all carry something tangible like an

important letter or good luck stone or something

intangible like fear, to help them deal with the

stress and terrible conditions they experience.

Good story. I read this in high

school and enjoyed it even more the second time.

Erdrich's Red Convertible"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-27 17:50:14 UTC

Good story about the horrors of

war and the conflict it imposes

on two brothers, Henry and Lyman.

During the story the red convertible

is a symbol of the relationship between

the two brothers. I enjoyed this story more

than "The Things They Carried" because

I felt in had more depth and explored

the war and then what the affects are

on its participants and their families.

Walker's "Everyday Use"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-27 18:00:57 UTC

Great story by Alice Walker about

family and how one of the daughters,

Dee, feels entitled to some precious

quilts because she is more schooled

and worldly. She feels slighted when

Mama tells her to chose other quilts

because those quilts were promised

to her less fortunate sister Maggie. My

favorite part is in the end of the story,

Mama takes the quilts out of Dee's hand

and gives them back to Maggie.

Bender's "The Rememberer"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-27 18:10:37 UTC

I did not particularly care for

this story. I didn't really like Benders

use of animals when her lover begins

to regress. The comparison of those

afflicted with dementia or Alzheimers

is evident.

Welty's "A Worn Path"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-27 18:20:40 UTC

I liked this story because it shows

the power of love Phoenix Jackson

has for her sick grandson and the

obstacles she goes through on her way

to Natchez to get his medicine. I reminds

me of the unconditional love my grandmother

has for her relatives.

Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-27 18:29:49 UTC

A poem about father/child relationships

and all the feelings that are involved. So true

about how kids will take their parents for granted and not realize the sacrifices and

love they are given. I like the last line where

Hayden says "What did I know, what did I know

of loves austere and lonely offices?" Explaining that maybe even he did not recognize his fathers expression of love when he was younger.

Lawrence's "The Rocking -Horse Winner"

kyle_horstmann — 2014-04-27 18:44:22 UTC

A story about greed and what tragedies can come from it.

Enjoy this excerpt from the 1949 movie

of the same name.