Compare/Contrast

In the story 'The Bet', and in the story 'Harrison Bergeron', two men are given the opportunity to either be free, or live in solitude. In The Bet, the Banker challenges the Lawyer that he cannot stay in a house by himself for fifteen years. In Harrison Bergeron, the main character Harrison, is held back from being free, due to the fact his has about 4-5 extra handicaps that nobody else has. Both of these characters are underestimated by their piers and friends; but in the end they show everybody why they deserve to gain respect.

In The Bet, the Banker doesn’t think that the Lawyer has it in him to last a decade and a half in solitude confinement with no access to socializing or stepping outside the house. After a couple years, the Lawyer starts to read many books on how life can take a drastic turn, and how society in the world is today. He reads and reads until his eyes burn of fire. He begins to realize that he himself doesn’t need anybody in the world but his heart and his mind. He made it through the fifteen-year challenge, and now knows that he can do what he believes in.

In Harrison Bergeron, everybody in the future has handicaps due to the fact that they are all special in some way. Harrison on the other hand, a teenage boy named Harrison has a variety of handicaps that he must wear. A mean lady by the name of Diana Moon Glampers is in control of the society. She’s the only person in the world that doesn’t have to wear handicaps, because she is that special. After while, Harrison realizes that he’s much better than this; he takes action on everybody and himself by taking off all of his handicaps, and it seems that nobody can stop him. For once in his life he feels that freedom that only one woman has experienced, and it feels GREAT. He takes a ballerina and dances with her and floats in the sky like a feather with her. Harrison thought he was in control, until Ms. Glampers shot him down out of the sky with a ten-gauge shotgun, pummeling to the ground and THUD. Dead. Harrison thought he had reached freedom, but his life came to a sudden halt by one woman.

These two men are very sophisticated in what they do. The only difference between these two men that I saw was that the lawyer saw his life on his own and only by himself. He had no intention on hurting anybody or being better than everyone else. He knew that it only lead to more distractions and dysfunctions along the way in life. Harrison on the other hand took all action he could to show everybody that he could take control of the world. He would do anything to try and reach the top. He would kill, fight, lie, anything, just to be the leader. The Lawyer never saw that in his eyes. In the end, the Lawyer ran away from town, and Harrison was killed.

So what I’ve learned from reading these books is that if you want to succeed in life, and try to be the best that you can, think with your heart and not with your mind. It will lead you to great ideals and views.

The Son of America

Summarization: Little old man named Berl and his wife named Berlcha (Pescha), live in a little village in Poland called Lentshin. Berl was a farmer and cropper, while Berlcha worked around the house. One day their son who traveled to America some 45 years ago, shows up at their house. His parents are shocked at what they see. Samuel wants to help them out becuase he figures they are in trouble with money and health. Berl takes Samuel into the bedroom and shows him the boot filled with the gold coins that he had sent them. He takes a walk down to the synagogue, where an old man told him that God was the meaning of life. "If god gives health, one keeps on living." Samuel traveled back home to America. He knows that his parents don't need his help and that they were in good health all along.


Symbol: Money. Shows that Berl & Berlcha don't need the money to be happy with what they already have. That's why they still have all of it stashed away in a boot under the bed. The future in life isn't always needed for everybody.

Symbol: Berl & Berlcha. They have everything they already need due to the fact that they have been living for 80+ years. Not everything in life is needed for everybody.

Protagonist: Berl
Antagonist: Samuel
Conflict: Person v. Person

Exposition: We find out what kind of place Lentshin is
Inciting Event: Samuel arrives
Rising Action:
Climax: When Samuel tries to give Berl &n Berlcha money
Falling Action:
Resolution: Samuel leaves for America

Theme: Everybody does not need money to make it through life.

The Bet

Protagonist: Lawyer; The story mainly focuses on the Lawyer and why and how he has changed. He is the pro cause he holds the way society works.

Antagonist: Banker. He holds all the money if the Lawyer loses. He is the 'man'.

Conflict: Person v. Society; Society is what leads the Lawyer to make the bet with the Banker and made the view on the lawyers life change due to all the books he read earlier. The lawyer has given up on life since the books made him realize society isn't worth life.

Exposition: Finding out who takes part in the story
Inciting Event: The bet is made between the two men
Rising Action: Fires shots into the garden
Climax: The Banker reads the letter
Falling Action: Lawyer's gone
Resolution: The Lawyer runs away from town and the Banker puts the letter inside the fireproof safe

Symbol: Books; stands for the fact of how people are these days and how they write them

Freedom:

English Words

Rori has had a very recalcitrant attitude since regionals.
The woman had a very sublime smile
The grass have a verdant texture and feel to it
The Kake Thunderbirds were quite acrimonious when the lost to the Panthers
The ephemeral was very boring
I felt tremulous when i saw Kaitlyn walking down the hall.
The shadow created a great silhouette effect and i danced the night away
Brandy, who is quite psychopathic, lost her DDF debate
Mr. Fielding sedated the girls when only 2/5 made it to state
After the man and woman got divorced, the woman's heart was full of desolation.

The Californian's Tale

Protagonist: Henry
Antagonist: Henry
Point of View: 1st Person Limited
Conflict: Person v. Self

Setting: California, 1867, After Gold Rush
Characters: Henry, Joe, Tom, Charlie, Narrator
Dynamic Character:
Static Character: Henry
Symbol: Picture, house
Allusion: Gold Rush

Exposition: Learning what the place is like
Inciting Event: Shows him picture of his wife
Rising Action: Stay to meet wife, meets miners, reads letter, set up party, Henry worries
Climax: The clock strikes 9 and drug Henry
Falling Action: Asks what's wrong
Resolution: Wife is dead