The Character of Charlie

At the beginning of the book „Perks of Being a Wallflower“ Michael a friend of the 15 years old Charlie commits suicide. This is one of many points which caused black moods in Charlie’s life. The main character is a very emotional, shy and sentimental boy. He always cares about the necessaries of the people around him and never looks at himself and says the word “no”. Charlie is weeping a lot because of Michael, his sister, his aunt Helen and about conflicts with his friends. The turning point in his life is when Patrick and Sam got in it. He becomes more open- minded and gets many new experiences. However not only good ones. Charlie gets in trouble with drugs, alcohol, smoking but through his new friends he becomes happier. Throughout the novel Charlie is in a conflict with himself. For instance when he realizes what Aunt Helen did to him and when he put up with the fact that his brother went to collage and Patrick, Sam and Mary E. are going to collage and the point that he is going to be alone again. Also the fact that his best friend Michael committed suicide. Charlie is interested in reading a lot of books and writes a lot. Those books have been given to him by his teacher Bill, who said that he is one of the most gifted people he knows. Sam and Patrick think that he is going to be an author in the future.

Review (“Perks of Being a Wallflower”)

The extremely interesting book with the title „The Perks of Being a Wallflower“ was written by Stephen Chbosky. It’s one of a very popular coming-of-age stories from the 1990s. This extraordinary and fascinating novel seems to be an autobiographic book. Writing letters to a not mentioned person the 15 years old Charlie depicts his life with all the ups and downs.In this work of literature the main character is Charlie. He is a very emotional person, who has to handle with the topics love, lose and having friends, conflicts, drugs and oppression. Charlie can’t say no and he doesn’t look at what is good for him. Weeping his eyes out and being very sentimental Charlie is getting more confident in the end of the book, whether there is such a shocking end. I find this book very interesting and especially his periods of life. Friends enable him to discover his joy of life. Charlie isn’t anymore this little introverted boy. He is much opener and likes to do all for his friends without looking at himself and that is the point. You should do things for your friends but never forget to focus one’s attention on oneself. Feeling fine, confident, contend and happy is the best chance to have good relationships. First this book has been really impressing. Second one can go through Charlie’s periods of life and see how he coped with them and that’s what made it gripping.

ESSAY: VIOLENCE IN MOVIES

Day after day we are confronted with all kinds of violence on the playground, in classrooms, on TV programmes, leisure centres and so on. Lots of children love violent movies and watch them for many hours with the result of being affected by them.


Many experts as well as lots of parents and educationists recommend a ban on violence in movies. Because too many kids and young persons are captured in this circle of violence in films as a result of watching them too often and too much. An effect is that they are unable to decide whether it’s fiction or reality. Even non violent films can be successful too. A romantic movie also has a fascination that can create some kind of tension. A ban of violence seems to be quite reasonable because of the fact that the young imitate their idols in such films.
In contrast to the former arguments I want to mention points against a ban. First, I want to emphasize that most violent scenes are so unrealistic that’s why a normal person won’t copy it. Second, the majority of people doesn’t get violent as a result of watching violent movies. Finally it seems to be a fact that we won’t turn into a non violent society just because of violent movies being forbidden.


My point of view is to protect children from being influenced in their behaviour by violent shots. Adults may judge and choose much better.

Snow falling on Cedars

When we look at Hatsue Miyamoto and Ishmael Chambers, who became friends as small children we notice that such a relationship is doomed to fail under the circumstances of that time. As a young American boy, Ishmael had a deep friendship with a local Japanese girl. They spent a lot of time together and played on the beach however they felt a strong connection between them. To be more precisely one noticed that Ishmael’s feelings were stronger. Yeats passed and the first kiss happened.
The same situation happened four years later but the importance of this kiss was more serious. For him it was an overwhelming situation and in the contrary it was just an experience for her. But then again as teenagers they often hid in a hollowed-out cedar tree in the forest to hide their love because Hatsue, however, always experienced doubt regarding the nature of her feelings for Ishmael. On the one hand Hatsue feels a deep unity with the Japanese culture and her family background. But on the other hand there exist a story desire for a world without societal pressures and prejudices. That is what made Ishmael very desirable. Hatsue felt that the love between Ishmael and her was somehow wrong. Nonetheless Ishmaels love for her never ends.
Later Hatsue followed the Japanese tradition and the wishes of her parents by marrying a Japanese man. This act cut a deep wound in his heart and he retreated into his shell because she was his one and only love. Hatsue rejection left him bitter and resentful. Finally he never had the strength to leave his shell accept circumstances that he cannot change and perhaps find a new love. In contrast Hatsue, who married Kabuo Miyamoto always struggles for the reconciliation of both cultures and she would like to live both lives.

Correction

Task 1:

Dear Susanne

I have to describe my feelings and thoughts to you about Rockwell’s painting, “The Problem we all live with”, because it has bothered me a lot and I have to speak with someone about it. First of all I want to start with the description. In the centre there is a little black girl, wearing a white dress. She has got her School things with her and is carrying those with her left hand. The little girl is surrounded by four white men, who wear suits with a yellow band around their left arms. The words on the band read: “Deputy US Marshall.” Two of them are on the right side and two on the left. In the background you can see a wall with a smashed tomato on it. The wall also has the faded graffiti “NIGGER” sprayed on. In my opinion the artist Norman Rockwell wants to show us the racism, which rules the state. Maybe he wants to provoke a little bit or he has drawn what he saw on the streets. For me it is hard to see how people with a different skin colour are threatened. I cannot understand how some people can do such a worse thing. How can they do this? Can you give me an answer? How do you find this painting?
Yours , Raphaela


Task 2:

For me also photographs are art. Why not? This photograph shows us feet and a spade in a garden. The reason why I think it is art is because there is a hidden agenda “behind” it. The artist has thought something before making the photograph. What I find interesting is the meaning of every kind of picture I see. What has the artist been thinking, while he has been making this photograph? What does he want to convey us? Does he want to provoke or to criticize us? Or did he only have a boring day and that was his first idea? On the one hand this photograph is very funny because it only shows us feet and a spade. On the other hand in my perspective it is a very simple photograph and it could be a more gorgeous one. But that is different in every angle.

What happens when we die?

I would describe the hereafter as a kind of paradise, very beautiful and harmonically. My imagination of the paradise be described like this: There isn’t any war, human being are happy and peaceful. Life there is like a warm and sunny spring day. All the flowers and trees are getting their lush colours. Leaves and buds open. When being there one should be able to communicate with those still alive. It should be possible to make the experience to be someone else, feel and live a complete different, exciting and new life. The life of someone one has always wanted to be. One should be able to speak understand all languages. I imagine that when J leave my dead body my spirit will feel on incredible freedom and fly.

Dear editor,

After having read the article about Mr. Giuliani’s reaction concerning Ch. Ofili´s painting I have to announce my opinion. Objectiveness in this matter is very important. The Mayor Rudolph Giuliani shouldn’t mingle his opinion as a private person with his opinion in his capacity as a mayor. Because there should be room for a great variety of different opinions, specifically in a Museum like this. Artists are often ahead in their way of thinking and in their creative urges. Art has to stimulate, excite, strike, change, provoke and shock. I strongly believe that shocking art has a kind of appeal because it is shocking and fascinating at the same time and that makes it special. I think that one should „never shut all the windows. One always has to leave one open, in order to have the chance to get impressions, ideas, statements which will avoid to cement our own opinions.

Yours,
Raphaela