Medusa

Author's Note: This was written to put a spin on a classic character, Medusa. This story was written by Savannah Padilla, Christa Buth and me. This is about a young teenage, 21st century Medusa. 

“I don’t understand why she gets bullied at school! It’s not like she’s ugly. We didn’t have an ugly child, did we? No. We didn’t!”

I heard my mom scream at my dad as I was rubbing neosporin on the new additions to my bruised legs. Today it was a group of cheerleaders. As I walked out of class, and rounded the corner to my locker, they got me. Sky, their head honcho, grabbed my blonde curls and hurled me to the ground. Her prissy followers then proceeded to kick and slap me. Just another typical addition to my day. And like my mom said, I’m not even ugly.

I know exactly why she hates me. It’s because of the stupid, useless Brad. He asked me out and I said yes, but I had no idea that Sky and Brad were still going out. If I had known there is no way that I would have ever said yes, I would have been smart enough to realize that she would torture me for the rest of my high school years. One thing’s for sure, I wouldn’t be in this mess if Brad had never asked me out.

And because of him, my highschool life is demon infested. It’s as if the God’s themselves had come down and cursed me. I can’t wait till I’m out of this stupid school. I am so done with these people acting like they can talk to me and bully me the way they do. One day I will get my revenge, I swear it. One day they will fear me as I walk through these halls, they will fear my power, and my social ranking in this school.

Slowly, I am making my way through the halls, attempting to scoot by Sky and her possy. But I do not succeed, Sky steps in front of me, stopping me in my tracks.

“Hello Medusa. Or shall I say snake,” she hissed at me.

“Snake? What are you talking about?!” I asked confused.

“God, do you know anything? Snakes are hunters. They prey on the weak, and they have no heart. Very selfish indeed, they just go in single minded. All about themselves. And that is exactly you. Medusa the snake: Stupid, rude, ugly, cold hearted.”

“What!” I scream. That’s it I am so done with these people. I’m thirty seconds away from losing it. If I don’t walk away now I’m going to hurt someone. Too late, bringing my arm back for a wind up I swing forward, hitting the queen herself straight in her surgically enhanced nose. With a scream, she falls straight to the floor. Her minions crowd around her like vultures. Then in unison, they all turn towards me and give me the death stare. Like I had just murdered someone. I was so hyped up on adrenaline that I didn’t care that these blonde twigs were about to come after me. I stood there proud of what I’d done, glad I did it and ready to accept the punishment I’d be receiving.

Sitting in the principals office with my parents sitting across from me, staring down, not even making eye contact with me like, I was a total disgrace to the family. But still, I didn’t even care, I don’t care how mad I made someone, or how embarrassed my parents were. I am just so glad that Sky had gotten what she had coming to her. As the principal starts to lecture me, I stop him, cutting him off I say. “I’m dropping out of school.” Shock spreads to my parents faces, they stutter trying to say no, no she’s not, but I just look at them and say, “I’m done with this school, I’m done with these people, I’m just done in general.” I get up and walk out the door, with a wide grin spread across my face.

Analysis of Helen

Author’s Note: I wrote this to analyze the short story, “The Hysterical History of The Trojan War- Parody.” I will compare the character of Helen to the character, Karen from the movie, Mean Girls.

In the Trojan Horse parody, the character, Helen is a ditzy girl, who is considered to be extremely beautiful.  Helen is very popular in this parody and is wanted by many guys. She ran away from her husband and with Paris, and for no reason but because she felt like it. Helens character type is a common character type in movies, books and more. In movies, there is always the mean or ignorant pretty popular girl, who is only wanted and cherished for her extreme beauty. Helen’s character is similar to that of the character, Karen Smith in Mean Girls. Karen is a total “blonde” in the movie, talking with her is almost like talking with a 5 year old. But because she is so beautiful she is considered popular and has many friends.

In the parody the author tried to emphasize the pretty girl type of person Helen was, by making her a ditz, and a snotty popular girl. Helen’s character and Karen are two very similar characters. For example Helen made a stupid, not very thought out decision to run away with Paris and leave her husband behind, who thought that Paris had kidnapped her, and not ran away with Paris. Karen is similar to Helen, because of the fact that they both don’t think about their actions and what they say or do before they act upon their thoughts. Both these characters are considered to be beautiful and they both get whatever boys they want, but they are also very ditzy and ignorant.  They both use their looks and popularity to get them through life.  

The Truth In The Story

Author’s Note: I wrote this to analyze the historical events within the book, The Book Thief, which make the book historical fiction and if the historical events in the book stay true to what actually happened.

What makes historical fiction, historical fiction is true facts and references throughout the book or story. The novel, The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, is an example of historical fiction. The book is a made up story, but it has accurate references and facts from history. The Book Thief is about an orphan, Liesel, who falls in love with books, but is very poor so she must steal books in order to read them.  This story talks about Liesel’s life and things that are going on around her and how these things are affecting her life. The novel makes true references to actual facts and events in history, which is what makes it historical fiction, and it does a good job of staying true to what actually happened.

One example of true facts and references that the author used to make this book historical fiction is when the author refers to Adolf Hitler. Many times you will hear the characters say, “Heil Hitler,”(50) or questions like, “What does our fuhrer say?”(273) Adolf Hitler was a dictator in Germany in the time that the story takes place, and he was a very important person in history and affected the way this story was told majorly.  Throughout the book the author stayed true to the events, and made true references about and involving Adolf Hitler.

Not only did the book stay true to the facts and events in the time when talking about Adolf Hitler, but also when the author talks about Jesse Owens. Jesse Owens was a famous black Olympian for track and field. The quote, “Jesse Owens had just completed the 4x100m relay and won his fourth gold medal,” (56) shows how the author stayed true to facts about the time that the book took place in. The Author used real facts and events about Jesse Owens to help create a made up part of the book and made sure to stay true to the facts and time frame of the book.

Although the author talked about Jesse Owens and his story, and made sure to stay true to the facts, he also talked about how many Nazi’s boycotted and vandalized Jewish businesses. Throughout the book the author talked a lot about how Jewish businesses were being vandalized by Nazi’s and how they were being boycotted because they were Jewish businesses. The quote, “the Kaufmann Shoe Shop was reduced to broken glass, and all the shoes were flung aboard a truck in their boxes, (61)” shows how the book refers to this. Also, it shows how the author stayed true to what was constantly happening throughout that time and place. The author did a good job of staying true to what was happening in the time in history  that the story took place.

In conclusion, many times throughout this book the author proves to stay true to the time by writing about actual events and people in history. When readers read historical fiction novels, that stay true to the time and place, it seems that they typically get more engaged in the story. I believe that this happens, because they read about the true events and people from history in a new way, with a new story while  not changing what actually happened in history.