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Classifying a Round and Dynamic Character

In the novel that my class has been reading, “Cry, The Beloved Country” we have become fond of many characters. For example, Absalom father, Stephen Kumalo is a unique character from the rest. We would describe him as a round or dynamic character. What is a round or dynamic character you may ask? A round character is described as, “a character in fiction whose personality, background, motives, and other features are fully delineated by the author”. Then a dynamic character is described as,” a literary or dramatic character who undergoes an important inner change, as a change in personality or attitude”. {Dictionary.com (both definitions)}.He has defiantly had an inner personality change and the rest of the description of round or dynamic character.

He can be described as a realistic character. In book one here we are seeing Stephen in chapter six as a religious figure in Johannesburg the “city of destruction”, he talks with his sister about her wrong doing and he tells her,” God forgives us, he says. Who am I not to forgive? Let us pray.(pg.61)” Then later in book one on page 105 it starts to talk about how this religious imaged man starts to question his faith. Soon to find out that’s not the only thing he starts to question as he reaches his inner conflict. It’s like reality hits him. This is because of he himself has been sheltered and yet he wants to help.

This way of life has brought him good and bad attributes that can be described by how he is reacting to all the things he has faced. Then, as it gets worse he questions things. Then just when it seems that things have almost recovered he goes back to the same questioning phase. He is just on a repetitive role through book one and spilling into book two. Then later in chapter thirteen he realizes what he is doing. In my opinion it is very ironic how they display it. When we arrive to chapter thirteen he comes to a place on how they describe it as “a wonderful place, this Ezenzeleni. For here the blind” (pg.121). Then once again he has that emotion being pulled out to question things. This is a bad attribute for Stephen Kumalo.

This experience over book one has changed him very much so. He was a very strong religious man in the beginning. Not only was he a religious man but a trusting man. On his way to Johannesburg he had an experience with a young man, “Where is the ticket office, my friend? What ticket office, umfundisi. For the ticket for the bus. You get your ticket on the bus. There is not ticket office… You have been cheated. (pg.49)” This shows the part when he loses sense of trust towards just anyone. Then once again he is QUESTIONING everything. It started off with faith then went more throughout everything.

            Life for Stephen Kumalo has been greatly influenced on this journey to Johannesburg. He is a very dynamic character. He undergoes many things in this book. In my opinion it is a book that shows a life changing experience to not only the character but then to pull that same feeling to the reader. This book strongly influences anyone who reads it. Alan Paton uses many details and symbolizes numerous things to change the way we think about the way of some people’s life.

Happiness with What you have
By: Chris Sexton

            I have always had a different perspective of life from others. Why is this? This is because my family is different. I think they are some of the most southern people I have ever met. They are from the following: St. Louis, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, and Arkansas. They are sweet people and have taught me everything I need to know.

What do I believe? I believe that everything happens for a reason. This I have learned from the southern Baptist church I have become fond of. Before anyone who isn’t religious please don’t stop reading because I brought religion to the table. You have the right to whatever religion you want and that’s who you are. You can’t judge religion.

Anyways, I believe that patients, happiness, and hard work are the keys to life an easy life. You might have realized I didn’t include education or intelligence. Well, this doesn’t mean I’m not going to get an education, trust me I am going to be a person who makes a difference. Education is hard working. Anyone can get it they just have to work for it. I believe that life is a time to make a difference for the following generations behind us.

I have always been told that you have to be grateful for what you have. Even when you feel like you don’t have anything. For example, in 2010 my dad left for Kosovo and was going to be gone for 2 years. Well, on April 14, 2011 my mom received divorce papers. She was devastated, all of us were. My mom was a home maker from 18-32. She had been going to school at ASU at the time to become. She had no idea how she was going to take care of me and my two brothers. We had lived in Cabot, Arkansas for the past 5 years and had no family there.

I had brought up the idea to my mom to move to my grandfathers in Marion, Ar. This is where I now live. Most of my family was on my dad’s side. On my mom’s side we only had our aunts, uncle, and grandfather. This was because my grandmother was a drug addict her whole life and died at the age of 57. My grandfather was all we had left basically. We were hoping to live with him until my mom could get on her own feet and finish school. Ever since then I have learned to be happy with what I have. I have never seen happiness in other things such as prosperity, material things, or being famous. It’s mostly with whom I have and what I have. This is what I believe.

 Banana Pudding Recipe

Ingredients:

ü  8 ounce package of cream cheese
ü  14 ounces of can sweetened condensed milk
ü  5 ounce of instant vanilla pudding mix
ü  3 cups of cold milk
ü  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
ü  8ounce of container frozen whipped toppings, thawed          
ü  4 bananas (sliced)
ü  12 ounce package of vanilla wafers

Preparation

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in condensed milk, pudding mix, cold milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Fold in ½ of the whipped toppings.

I would always lick the batter off the spoon, while sitting at the island. My grandma would put the mixture in the fridge. Then, she would say, “How is school going?” and I would say,” It’s going pretty good”. She would ask if I was still making those good grades. I would tell her my grades for each class, and she would help me by explaining how I could work harder on that subject. She was always the smartest when it comes to school work. Just at that time, my grandpa would walk in and hear the end of the conversation between me and my grandma. Then, he would say, “Chris, back when I went to school they didn’t tell us the importance in an education.” He would also go on and say, “Keep up the good work and you won’t have to join the army like I did.” He would then randomly start telling a war story that had something a little different each time he told it. Yeah, you know Duck Dynasty with Si Robertson? Okay, he and my grandpa would be the best of friends.         

We would grab a couple of 9X13 inch pans and would prepare it by lining the bottoms with vanilla wafers. My grandma would always talk about how crazy my grandpa was and mock him, “When I was in the war we didn’t get blankets.” I would laugh at her jokes even though my grandpa thought she was being serious. Then next step was to lay the fresh cut bananas on the top of the vanilla wafers. The banana slices would slide across the wafers like they were on an ice ring. They would stop sliding when we added the pudding mixture later.

Then for the final part, we would grab the pudding mixture out of the fridge and place it evenly over the vanilla wafers and fresh cut bananas. Then once again put it in the fridge to chill until served. We would then clean up any messes left and go watch TV until the family arrived. My grandma would turn the television on with it instantly being on the news. My grandparents became grumpy because Obama was on the TV. I couldn’t help but laugh; although they were raised in age where that was normal.

Then, the family arrived, and we would all help the rest of the family bring in the variety of foods. We would all gather around and say a prayer.  We would line up and grab our plates, silverware, and napkins. Let the feast now begin! Once everyone gathered all their food we would all sit around and talk. This image also makes me think about Duck Dynasty again when they are all sitting together at the end of the show eating together. Once again, this is my type of family. You would hear all kinds of conversations going on throughout the house. You could hear in the living room (about wrestling) Sam would say something like,” One day I am going to quit watching wrestling because now-a-days it is so fake.” Freddie would reply, “I hear you, I hear you” or “you got that right.” The women would be in the kitchen having a conversation about new recipes they had discovered or what the newest prices of the groceries were. My father and I were the odd one of the family because we were the one who just sat and listened with an occasional “yeah” or “oh”. We both still enjoyed the time with our family. Oh, how great get to togethers are! Next month’s recipe is Christmas Tree Cake.

thINK #2

 How Could They?

            Can it be? In the story, “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” By Gabriel Garcia Marquez there is a very different entrance of the main character. This main character, the angel, is mistreated. This is until they find a use for him. If this was an angel is this really how you would treat it?

           If you haven’t read the story you may ask how an angel could be mistreated. Well, this angel first off was put on a raft with fresh water and provisions for three days. This sounds bad right? It gets even worse. The only reason it was for three days was because these people decided they could make money off the angel. This may sound so cruel, but guess what? Believe it or not there are situations like this all around you.

I can relate to this. I can because my parents got divorced. Okay well you’re probably thinking so what that’s an everyday thing sadly for average American families. Well, my dad left my mom oversea, and my mother had been a homemaker for 13 years. We were like the angel. My father was like Pelayo and Elisenda. He got his own business, and was living “the good life”. We were just left behind and in bad condition. Well, to get to the point he now regrets it, and we are back on track in life with my stepdad and new family.

The story “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” and my life story are alike because in both endings where there is a desire to push away, there is a desire to help. Both stories show that in “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” Elisenda lets the angel go with no regrets it seems like. Then, in my life story my dad regrets what he did, and is trying to help my family because he has compassion for us in the end.

thINK

          
            Do you know the prognosis of colon cancer? The cancer in your large intestines is colon cancer. Colon Cancer has some options and treatments to control the outcome. The options of these treatments are completely up to the patient.

            The article “Stage Four of Colon Cancer Prognosis” by Nancy Maloney gives the step through of the outcome of colon cancer and the statistics of death. Many times those who have colon cancer don’t even know they do until later on. This is because the symptoms don’t kick in until later on in the process. In my opinion, I do believe this is a fact because my aunt is diagnosed with stage four colon cancer and she didn’t even know before. When she went to the doctor for something else and they recognized it.

            Since my aunt has been diagnosed, I think I am aware of colon cancer and also understand the prognosis of colon cancer. The outcome can be changed by the type treatment is given there is two types of treatment, chemotherapy and radiation. Both of these treatments shrink the tumor and relieve pain from the patient. There are other complementary treatments. There are things such as a balanced diet, supplements, relaxation techniques, and acupuncture.

They are coming out with new medicines as time goes on. In the article it said “National cancer institute survival rate was 6% for stage four colon cancer.”  I’m guessing you can see where the outcome is going. One way to make it easier to understand is by saying you have a dollar worth of nickels and you take one out, that’s the percentage of surviving. The outcome is very rare of surviving stage four colon cancer. When you have a family member or someone you know that has colon cancer all you can do is have hope and faith, trust me I know what I’m talking about.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/257383-stage-iv-colon-cancer-prognosis/

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