Greek Life

     Throughout society and in life, children constantly try to break away from their parents's expectations. Children try to establish their own identity, and even differ from their siblings. 

     My parents both came to the united States from Greece for grad school of college. They started a new life away from all their family and support. Raising a child alone is hard, especially when trying to keep your own culture and tradition, yet assimilate into a new one. My older brother was born first, and connects more closely to Maggie from Everyday Use.  He fit perfectly into their expectations; a great student (valedictorian), pianist, tennis player, and intelligent beyond his age. Like Maddie he's more loyal and stuck to his family. 

     I on the other hand, differ from him. Where he is quiet and reserved, I'm smiling and amiable. Where he excels in academics, I have to try harder,and still can't reach him. Is it a bad thing? Is it wrong that I didn't fit into the same mold? Not even a little. 

     What good could I do being a replica of my brother? There already is one of him. By breaking out of the expected shell, while I may disappoint some, I prove myself. I shape my own decisions. Like Dee, I see the results of the shell, and chose to not fit. While not all of it is choice, once I saw the shell wasn't for me; I had to make a new one. 

     The only difference is, while making this new shell, and new character, you don't have to shun your values and teachings. Coming from a Greek family I embrace my culture, dancing, speaking, writing, eating. By mixing both my past and choices I can escape the mold yet not stray from my beliefs. 

     While I'm not exactly Greek, I'm not NOT Greek. I go home to Greek culture, and visit Greece and my family every summer. Its not only the legal term, its how you express and feel. I am Greek. I am American.

~Georgia

 

Haunted

What makes up a good scary story?

Is it the suspense, the creepy setting, the questionable ending, the creepy house, the creepy coincidences?

Edgar Allen Poe uses all of these to create his story, The Fall of the House of Usher. He creates the original haunted house where the house is the thing doing the haunting. The house, and its residents all are a little off. He describes the cracks and the darkness throughout. 

He describes the setting as a hidden and mysterious place. Through his descriptions, one can't be sure where this story takes place increasing the suspense. It could have happened anywhere. The fog make the location and existence of the house questionable leading to the next important factor; the questionable ending

Those scary movies that leave you wondering what happened if it really did isn't anything new. Poe used the questionable ending in his story. Did the house really exist? Did these events really occur? Its this mystery that makes the story all the more creepy. It leaves it up to your interpretation, and leaves you with the uncertainty and fear. 

Poe also uses the creepy coincidences. When the narrator decides to read a book to soothe Roderick Usher, the events in the book start to happen in real life rising that creepiness level. Not only that, but the sister which they buried alive comes back all bloodied.. right on cue. This takes things to a new level of scary. Imagine reading a story where all the events happen as you read.. creepy!

Lastly, Poe uses the darkness. You know how you always scream at the movie characters to turn on the lights? Well its the same thing here too. Naturally, bright lights hurt Usher's eyes and so he keeps the house dark. Perfect for all the creepy things to happen. Just turn on some lights!

In conclusion, Poe was masterful at creating the first haunted house story. He incorporated all the basics to make this a scary and suspenseful book. Although there aren't any pop-ups, You can easily imagine everything happening in a place like that

~Georgia