Black And white

Watching Closely with the tall bridge above
A city lightened up with bright white lights
Admiring its beauty shows it our love
Details so vivid, there's so many sights

Calmness as we watch from across the lake
Clouds whip by so fast, while new ones swipe in
The view, so pretty; almost like it's fake
So many buildings where do i begin?

And as we wait, the sun starts going down
Now it is time for us to say good bye
A sad feeling, makes me have a big frown
As we leave, all i hear is a sigh

And maybe someday it will be our turn
But one day, we'll be on the other side

What matters isn’t the end; it’s what happens in the middle

Anyone can give up; it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength. After reading The Old Man and the Sea, many people probably will realize how hard a fishing trip could be. Even if they don’t fish themselves, it’s easy to get a feel of what the author was explaining in his abstract descriptions. The struggles and choices that Santiago had made to conclude in a successful trip ensured him he would accomplish his goal in catching this “mother of all marlins”. He was a determined man who knew what he wanted, and he wasn’t going to quit until he got it. This novella brings a wonderful story along with many difficult situations and problems that occur. It’s not only hard being a fisherman, but it is also hard to face fears while being alone. The things in life that matter the most are goals. Someone might be ambivalent about if they have a goal. They might not even realize it, however, everyone has to have a goal in life, whether it contains yourself approaching fears, or getting something you have wanted all your life.

Long hours of work don’t always pay off. The only pay off in the long run was the feeling of catching this fish. It isn’t just about the ending in the novella, the whole part of the book that matter is toward the middle. This is because when Santiago was not looking, a shark quickly jumped his way over to the marvelous marlin and snatched it closed: “The two sharks closed together and as he saw the one nearest him open his jaw and sink them into the silver side of the fish, he raised the club high and brought it down heavy and slamming it onto the top of the sharks broad head” (113). The shark is curious, it doesn’t care, nor does he know what the troubles of Santiago’s long journey were. All the shark cared about was getting some food to munch on. Santiago put all of his heart into this journey of catching this fish of his dreams, and he wasn’t going to put up a fight. A few times when the shark tried to get the side of the fish, Santiago also tried his best into saving it. However, in the end, he learned that a weary fisherman is much less stronger than a big shark looking for food.


Working on a small boat for hours and hours at a time could get pretty exhausting. It’s hard for Santiago to get a good nights rest and be confident without knowing when the marlin was going to pull down towards the bottom of the sea, if he even was. It’s obvious that Santiago’s hand is going to cramp up. With a patronizing, six hundred pound marlin on the other side of his pole, it’s a fight. “What kind of hand is that? He said. Cramp then if you want. Make yourself into a claw. It will do you no good” (58). He wasn’t going to give up; it was time to put up a fight with this irate marlin. Santiago didn’t feel like waiting any longer, but every patient fisherman deserves a little rest after a long days work. This was a true fisherman’s nightmare. Right when someone is about to pull up this massive marlin, they wouldn’t expect something as little, yet big, as having their hand cramp up in the middle of it. “Why was I not born with two good hands? He thought” (85). This is yet to happen throughout parts of Santiago’s complex journey, but it wasn’t expected to.


It’s not the easiest thing to be alone out at sea for a whole three, long days. In the beginning of this trip, Santiago had a sincere boy along side him, however, he didn’t say on the boat with him. It was at the first chapter of the book where the boy leaves, but it is also throughout the entire book where Santiago makes it clear he wants the boy with him again. “I wish the boy was here. He said aloud.” (50). The boy made it harder for Santiago to be alone, but in the end, he ended up with what he wanted, which was catching the fish. As a matter-of-fact, it may have even made Santiago more powerful in a way because he knew that he needed to do this alone and without any help.

Sometimes it is hard to figure out what is best to do next. Santiago’s struggles not only helped him, but let him learn of his mistakes. He may have only been by himself, but in the end is what matters. The Old Man and the Sea deals with things in life that may not happen in everyone’s world, but there are important parts in the book that a lot of people might consider doing. The most important thing that we have learned from reading this astounding journey of Santiago is that a compassionate fisherman never gives up until they succeed. He may not have been able to bring back the fish to land and show his pride, but he still had the feeling of catching the amazing fish in him. A shark may have stolen the shine upon his glory, but Santiago will always know about this wonderful story he created.

Miracles Do Happen!

I didn’t really no what to think… but it just happened so quickly, that I didn’t have time to. Hi, my name is Michael, and I live in South Hadley, Ma in a hamlet. It was a windy Sunday morning; I was feeling sick to my stomach again. Mom was upstairs, and believe me; I didn’t even want to see her gaunt, parlor face at this point. She is very malignant to me. If you haven’t noticed by now, I’m abused. Very badly at that. I love my mom, no matter what she does to me, she’s still my mom and I respect her. But it isn’t fair. And sometimes I think to myself, what did I do in life to deserve this? What part in the accident is my fault? Oh… and that reminds me, it all happened when my family got in the huge car crash about 3 years ago. Everything was fine before then. We were driving to go to my favorite restaurant of all time, Red Robin. We were turning the corner when all of a sudden, a drunk driver comes by 100 miles and hour and BAM, hits our car right on the front. All I could hear was a clamor in my head as it happened. Our windshield was totally smashed and we ended up hitting the railing next to us. And unfortunately, my dad, and my two brothers died. It was a very tragic thing that hurt our entire family, especially my mom. I always knew that my mom enjoyed having my brothers around more than she did me. It didn’t bother me much, because I got attention from my dad. But all of that went down that drain, and now it’s just me and my mom all alone. One time, the abusing got so bad that I tried to run away… that of course did no good for me. Right away my mom called all the neighbors and pretended to be worried that I wouldn’t come back. It wasn’t even a surprise to me that when I came back, she beat me, and yelled in my face. “GET IN THE BASEMENT AND CLEAN ALL MY CLOTHES AND CLEAN THE FLOOR”, she would yell. I dare say anything back to her, for she would probably try to kill me.
Yes, I go to school. It’s the only time I’m aloud out of the house. But it’s not fun, and I have no friends. A lot of the people in my school have nice, new expensive clothes, but mine are all tattered. Everyone thinks that it is wry to upbraid me about the scrapes they see on my face, and deride me about my paltry life. I’m not friends with anyone, and even if I were, then I would not be able to have them over or go to there house anytime. Did I also mention that I’m known as a recluse? I guess its part my fault that I don’t have friends. Anyways, there was this one affluent kid named Timmy that I really liked. He was always a good friend to me and I was a good friend to him. I could tell him everything, but I kept one little secret from him. Actually, it wasn’t little, it was huge. I didn’t tell him, not even gave him a hint, that I was being abused. I wish I had, because recently, he just moved to Florida. I always hesitate when I want to tell someone. The teacher asked me one day what the contusions were on my arms and legs. I lied and told her that I fell down the stairs on accident. She was a little suspicious I could tell, but I couldn’t tell her the truth, or else there would have been big consequences.
So the next day came and my mom was waiting for me at the door when the bus dropped me off. “What is it this time?” I would ask her as I saw her carrying a huge bucket of soap and water. “Clean my car and then come back inside.” She screamed. I didn’t say another word and took the bucket out of her hands and began. As soon as I started she went inside to watch me from the window to make sure that I didn’t run away. I had to do this once a week, even if her car wasn’t dirty. When I finished I hurried up inside to warm up and grab something to eat. Then the devil came back into the picture. This time scaring me, yelling me to go upstairs into the bathroom and sit in the tub until she came up. This definitely was not a good situation. “What is going to happen to me?” I would ask myself. I must have stayed in the bathtub for a half hour before I could hear footsteps coming up the stairs. “Uh, oh.” She came in with this sinister look on her face like she was going to thresh me again. But what was it this time? She made me turn on the bath water to the coldest it could go, and stay in it until it filled all the way up. I refused. I wasn’t going to take this crap any longer. I didn’t deserve to be treated this way. I quickly ran out of the bathroom before she could get a hold of me. I took my brothers old bathrobe laying on the carpet, and headed for the front door. It wasn’t long before I could see my mom running after me. But I knew that I could beat her. I was the fastest out of my brothers. And there is no reason of why I shouldn’t be able to out run my mother. I saw the front door and bolted for it. Out I ran, and I didn’t even bother to look back to see where my mom was. Finally I was free. All I could think about now was where was I headed to? I had no relatives and no friends around to go to. No one will help me in this sad neighborhood.
I thought my life was over, when all of a sudden I saw a car stopping by the road. At first I thought it was my mom, and then all of a sudden I notice a man sitting in the driver’s seat. I don’t know who this man was, but I needed someone with a car to take me out of this place. There was a little kid sitting in the back seat and right away I knew that I had seen that face once before. “TIMMY!!!!!” I yelled out loud. “YOU CAME BACK!” I was so excited to see someone that I knew was going to take care of me. I was so thankful that day and hopped up into the truck. They explained to me that they were coming back down here for vacation to remember the old times. I didn’t hesitate anymore, I told his dad and Timmy that I had been abused. We headed straight for the police station to report my mother right away because anymore “accidents” would happen.
That very day was like a miracle. I was about ready to lament at this point. I thought that my best friend from long ago I was never going to see ever again. I guess miracles can happen in your life!
* * *
So there you have it, the story about my whole life, and the people who saved me. Currently, I am living with my friend Timmy. And his father ended up adopting me a few months later. I am 25 now and Timmy and I even have our own apartment. We found out that right when Timmy’s dad called the police to report my mom, they went after her to put her in jail. I haven’t talked to her ever since and I am not planning on it. Although I still miss her, and my dad and two brothers, I am so very thankful to be in a family with people who I know care about me.