Crossing Narrator and Story - 1208 Words

Crossing Some fathers take their sons out on camping trips to create a closer bond. These trips are cozy and relaxing and are done under safe circumstances. Most fathers would never dream of taking their sons out on dangerous trips, which is not the case in Mark Slouka’s short story, Crossing, which was published in 2009. It’s a nerve racking story about a father who takes his little son on a survival trip in a forest, which turns out bad. It is an interesting story and this study will analyze and interpret the narrator, setting and structure and will finally conclude on the story as a whole. The story is being told from a limited omniscient third person narrative. â€Å"He remembered†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"He’d been in at the house by dawn, as he’d promised. He as in the driveway for a while looking at the yard, the azaleas he’d planted, the grass in the yard beaten flat by the rain. For a long time he hadn’t wanted her back, hadn’t wanted much of anything, really. He went inside, wiping his shoes and ducking his head like a visitor (†¦)† We’re told that he and his wife split up and she got their old house, and lives there now with their son, through his thoughts and actions. A lot of dialog can often feel very confusing for the reader, so by letting the father’s thoughts tell the story, it becomes flowing and lighter to read and gives a greater understanding of the situation. The story is taking place in a forest, in the wild, and is a dangerous place. â€Å"Of course they’d have a campfire – there was a fire ring right there and sometimes, if you were quiet, herds of elk would graze in the meadow at dusk† They are in the wild, with elks grazing near them, which are dangerous animal, should they feel threatened. This gives the reader a clear image of the location of the story. There are two different locations, the one which most of the story takes place in, and the tour to the main location. â€Å"It was raining as they drove out of Tacoma that morning† â€Å"When they came out of the trees and onto the stony beach he felt a small shock, as if he were looking at a house he’d grown up in but now barely recognized.† TheShow MoreRelatedAnalytical Essay of Crossing by Mark Slouka790 Words   |  4 PagesAnalytical essay of †Crossing† - Mark Slouka â€Å"No love is greater than that of a father for His son† – This quote can be related to the short story crossing, which is written by Mark Slouka. The father (Narrator) has a past where he failed a lot on the family-front, now he is trying to make things better by trying to improve his bond to his son. A relationship between a son and his father is difficult to maintain when the sons father and mother are divorced. The custody is typically awarded toRead MoreAnalytical Essay1197 Words   |  5 PagesFurthermore, these trips are a possibility for fathers to pass knowledge to their sons. In Mark Slouka’s short story â€Å"Crossing† from 2009 a father takes his son on such a trip. But nature is not an opponent that should be underestimated, and the family gets to experience just how brutal nature can really be, when you do not watch your every step. The main character in the short story is a father. The reader has access to his thoughts and emotions and through these he is portrayed. It is obviousRead MoreVictorian Literature of Quests800 Words   |  3 Pages The idea of a character on a quest is quite common in Victorian stories and poetry. A quest is a journey made in order to seek something out such as treasure, knowledge, or just for the mere enjoyment. The people of the Victorian Era are respectable, energetic, and conventional; yet, the literature of their time reflects doubt regarding different aspects of society like religion, class privilege, and gender roles. Because of this, many Victorian writers and poets chose to integrate the ideaRead MoreSummary Of Balzac And The Little Chinese Seamstress756 Words   |  4 PagesDai Sijie’s book â€Å"Balzac And The Little Chinese Seamstress† is a novel about the life story and adventures of a boy (Narrator) and his friend Luo. They are being re-educated in a mountain village in China. Once in awhile, when they would have a day off of working in the fields/mines, they would leave their vill age to visit either the Little Seamstress (Luo’s girlfriend) or their friend Four Eyes. One day, Narrator and Luo went to Four Eyes’s house and discovered that he had a mysterious suitcase hiddenRead MoreCrossing Af Mark Slouka Essay950 Words   |  4 PagesCrossing The short story, ‘Crossing’, is written by Mark Slouka in 2009, and takes up father and son relationship together with man vs. nature. From the beginning of time fathers have taken their sons on camping trips or similar to pass on their knowledge about how to conquer Mother Nature. But more important it binds them closer together, and this is exactly these two purposes the father here wishes to obtain. Through a third person limited narrator the reader is presented to a father who hasRead MoreEssay of the Short Story Crossing.1002 Words   |  5 PagesA. Crossing Crossing is a short story written by Mark Slouka. The short story was written in the year 2009. The short story revolves around the nameless main character and his son. They are going on an annual traditional trip. The trip is a one day where they drive to a place in the woods where they spend the night at an old settler’s barn. The name of the main character is not revealed – no names at all are revealed, so every character mentioned in the short story is nameless. That gives theRead MoreRacism In Sonnys Blues By James Baldwin935 Words   |  4 Pagesone simply cannot comprehend. In the short story â€Å"Sonny’s Blues,† the author, James Baldwin, emphasizes on the lasting effect of racism throughout the story. Baldwin vaguely expresses the impact of racial bias on the character Sonny. The audience has to infer the reasoning behind what the author is trying to convey. In the story, racism is a significant factor of symbolism portrayed through the overall hometown setting, key events told throughout the story, and the overall language used. This argumentRead More In the Skin of a Lion Essay996 Words   |  4 Pagesforgotten stories of those who contributed to the building of the city Toronto, particularly immigrants and marginal individuals. In the very first page of the novel, Ondaatje stresses the concern with personal narratives and the act of storytelling: This is the story a young girl gathers in a car during the early hours of the morning [...] She listens to the man as he picks up and brings together various corners of the story... (4). Similar to Crossing the River, there is a framework story, that ofRead MoreAnalysis Of An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge750 Words   |  3 Pageseerie short story about a man who believes he has escaped from death but in reality, he was dreaming the whole time and is killed by the Union soldiers. I found it interesting that Farquhar truly believed that he escaped his death. Narration is a huge component with this story. Without the literary devices used, the story would not flow and the readers would not understand why the story is told the way it is. Themes that stand out within the text are the war, perception and death. This story reflectsRead MoreComparing and Contrasting 2001: a Space Odyssey and â€Å"the Sentinelâ⠂¬ 929 Words   |  4 Pages2001: A Space Odyssey and â€Å"The Sentinel† 2001: A Space Odyssey is a film based on Arthur Clarkes short story, The Sentinel. The purpose of this paper is to explain the similarities and differences between â€Å"The Sentinel† and 2001: A Space Odyssey. There are many similarities and differences between â€Å"The Sentinel† and 2001: A Space Odyssey. The obvious similarity is the crystal pyramid in the story and the monolith in the film. According to Dictionary.com a sentinel is described as a) a person or thing