Make A Wish

Dear Nobody, 

Are you done yet? Because I'm finally through with your games. Honestly, how long did you think you could keep stringing me along? For something that was so short, you made it feel like a lifetime, we've reached our expiration date. But just so you know, it's not me, it's you. 

Just remembering how everything was so perfect those first couple of weeks, makes this bittersweet. Reminiscing about that night when we told each other, comfortably, like the bed we sat on. The way I could \ just be myself, pulled me in, but it was a sham, and I was blinded. Eventually we talked less and less and then that dreadful day that ended it all. Nothing about that day was your fault, I stopped everything in its tracks, but why couldn't I have ended that chapter? You quickly moved on, like always, you find the next rebound and you bounce around until your finally lose momentum and are in some dusty corner, completely forgot about (where you should be).

And when you got bored with that other girl and hurt her, you decided to come back to me. Any sane girl would've showed you the door, right? Well that would explain the straight jacket. This time was different, I was being used, like a pawn in chess. Little old me, always available whenever it was convenient for you, but the next day you were no where to be seen, vanished into thin air.

But all hope I had is gone, like you, I've had enough.

So this is how it ends? I wish it didn't have to be like this, but it's your loss, I gained too much respect for myself to let you control me anymore. Our relationship reminds me of a trick candle: They are so mesmerizing at first, the bright flaming drawing you in, and finally its time to extinguish the flame, the magic is over, or so you think. You're happy its finally over, and suddenly its back in your face without warning, you can try to get rid of it, repeatedly putting it out, but it just keeps coming back.

Do me a favor and stay away for good, nobody likes trick candles, and nobody likes you.

                                                                                                                                 Sincerely,
                                                                                                                                  That Girl.                                                                                                                                 

Revenge in literature

                Revenge is all something we can relate to, especially in high school. Revenge, according to Oxford Dictionaries, is the action of hurting or harming someone in return for an injury or wrong suffered at their hands. We see revenge everywhere: television, movies, books, even in our own life. An all time classic example of revenge is William Shakespeare's, Hamlet, but another well known, up and coming example of revenge is the television/book series: Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard.

                   Alison DiLaurentis was the most popular girl in school, but she had a secret. Her secret was her twin sister Courtney, who was wrongly locked up in a mental institution. When Courtney came back home, she fooled her parents into taking Ali to the institute instead of her. A couple years later, a furious Ali returns to murder Courtney, and also to get revenge on her sisters friends (Aria, Emily, Hannah, and Spencer) for helping Courtney succeed in taking over Ali's life. 

                  After Aria, Emily, Hannah, and Spencer's friend "Ali" goes missing the girls part and go their separate ways. Hannah befriends Mona (a girl, the 5 of them used to mock), but what Hannah doesn't know is that Mona is seeking revenge on the 4 girls for mistreating her. She does this by finding Courtney's diary filled with all the girl's secrets, and created an anonymous persona "A" to blackmail the girls. Click here if you're confused about the books.

    

                In Hamlet by William Shakespeare we learn, along with Hamlet, that his father, the King, has been murdered. Hamlet soon finds out from his father's ghost that, his Uncle Claudius is the murderer. Hamlet now has to find a way to avenge his fathers death. He decides to act insane to hide his true emotions, which creates more of a mess in his life. His Mother and Uncle think it's because of his girl troubles with Ophelia. Ophelia's brother Laertes, and Father Polonius try to convince her to stay away from him, but she doesn't listen. When Hamlet knows for sure Claudius is the murderer, by seeing his guilty reaction to a staged play, he confronts his mother about it. But when he is telling her Polonius, who hid in the room when Hamlet came in, exposes himself, and Hamlet murders him. Ophelia, after her father's death, has gone mad, because of her grief. And a short scene later we find out Ophelia has drowned. Now Laertes is seeking revenge on Hamlet, for killing his father, and also he blames him for Ophelia's death. It's complete chaos.

              Revenge is a pretty common theme throughout life. Most revenge isn't planned out it's more an "in the moment decision". Hamlet was more emotional decisions to get revenge, meanwhile Pretty Little Liars was more thought out revenge. Sometimes getting revenge can only lead to a messier situation, so is it even worth the hassle? 

Use of Satire

                      Throughout time, satire can be found nearly anywhere. From classic literature like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, to current television and movies, such as Shrek. Shrek is a movie about an ogre who goes to rescue a princess, in order to get his swamp back. It satirizes happily ever after, and fairy tales. Instead of your regular, princess marries the handsome prince charming, Fiona decides to be an ogre with Shrek in their own happily ever after.

                Lord Farquaad in Shrek, is supposed to be the prince charming but is mocked by being short, mean, and a coward. Which is the opposite of how a prince should be. Also his kingdom parodies the very iconic Disneyland, like the mouse ears in Disney, Lord Farquaad's face is everywhere (photo above). Again in Duloc; which is his kingdom, there is an informational booth that resembles the "It's a small world" ride (photo below).

             Also in the movie reversal occurs. The roles of damsel in distress and hero switch, when Robin hood and the merry men attack. Fiona fights them all off by herself, and during this it also parodies The Matrix when time freezes and she fixes her hair. Before she fights them off we see her singing to a blue bird and it repeating her melody, familiar to the Disney movie Snow White (video below). Lastly we see a Disney reference when Fiona is being transformed into an ogre permanently. It resembles the transformation of the beast, in Beauty and the Beast. (Top picture shrek, bottom beauty and the beast).

        

               In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, satire is one of the main elements in the book. It satirizes the south, and the people in the south. It places an unlikely pair: Huck and Jim, together as incongruity. An obvious parody is the Shepardsons and Grangerfords feud, which is making fun on the Hatfield and McCoy feud. The family has been fighting for so long, nobody even remembers why they're fighting.We can also see satire with Miss Watson tries becoming a better person, but still owns slaves.

               I think the two works connect because of the unlikely pairing. In Shrek you have the big, mean, stand off-ish ogre paired with an out going, quirky talking doneky. Which would be weird in the fairy tale world. In Huck Finn there is a young white kid from the south, with a runaway slave, which during the time was illegal, not acceptable, and far outside the social norm.