Semester 2 HW4

Andrew Krell
English 1001
Professor Young
February 21, 2016

After Frederick's death, all the brothers are ready to give up on their fight against slavery.  They have had enough.  Jason speaks for the brothers.  Owen, who is usually the leader of the brothers sits silently, even when asked by his father.  " 'Is that how you want it, Owen?'  Owen, setting atop his horse, looked away" (McBride 122).  

While Onion and Bob wait for Owen, they are found in the woods by pro-slavers named Chase and Randy.  They insist that it is not safe for Onion and Bob to travel alone on the trail, even if Onion claims he has papers.  As a result, Chase insists they travel with them and they are taken to Pikesville Hotel, a middle-rank hotel/whorehouse owned by an elderly white woman named Miss Abby.  

Along the way, Chase claims he saw John Brown get his head chopped off.  However, in Pikesville, he tries to take credit for John Brown's death.  Chase boasts, "I throwed every bullet I had at him sure as you standing there-" (McBride 140) to the several men and later to Pie, a beautiful prostitute with an explosive temper.

Upon seeing her, Onion instantly falls in love with Pie, despite her apparent bad attitude and derogatory comments towards him.  She discovers Onion's secret (the fact that he's a boy) but goes along with the coverup and even convinces Miss Abby to allow him to work waiting tables.    

One evening, Onion decides to visit the local slave pen in search of Bob.  When he sees a feeble-minded old lady named Sibonia, she starts throwing mud balls at him, stopped only by her sister, Libby.  Onion has a conversation with them both, and they can tell that he's a liar.  Once Libby leaves, Sibonia proves that she is faking her insanity when she glares at Onion and says "You sporting trouble, . . . playing folks for a fool" (McBride 164). 

  

Semester 2 HW3

Andrew Krell
English 101
Professor Young
February 7, 2016

          We are introduced to Kelly on page 58-59.  While Onion is hiding behind a tree, he witnesses a conversation between the drunken Kelly and his prisoner, Pardee.  Kelly is clearly a pro-slaver who is trying to force Pardee to sign a resolution.  He gives Pardee a paper and says, "I got several resolutions here saying the Free State men is liars and law-breaking thieves . . . You read them out loud.  Then sign them all" (McBride 59).  A discussion follows where Pardee refuses to sign, after looking at the papers and gives them back to Kelly to read to him.  Pardee blames not knowing what the paper says on poor eyesight, but it is clear from the conversation that Pardee is lying and he really cannot read.  It is not clear that Kelly can read either, because he refuses to read the paper for Pardee and even gives it to Nigger Bob to read out loud.  Later, both Pardee and Kelly admit they are illiterate, which brings a previous land title deal at Big Springs in question.  

"I can't read!" Pardee said.                                                                                                                  That stopped Kelly cold and he took his hands off Pardee like he was electrified.  "What?  You said you could!"    

"I was lying."

"What about that land title at Big Springs?  You said it was . . ."

"I don't know what that was.  You wanted it so damn bad!"

"You blockhead!" (McBride 63).

          

         The Red Shirts are pro-slavery soldiers.  Nigger Bob uses the term when he is telling Onion that  both John Brown and Dutch are murderers.  He tells Onion that, "[Dutch's] riding on Brown now.  Got a whole posse looking for 'em.  Every redshirt within a hundred miles is rolling these plains for him" (McBride 68).

Nigger Bob was a slave and the driver of the wagon in Kelly's posse.  When Kelly insisted Bob read Pardee's resolution papers, he said he could not read.  When Kelly forcefully persists, Bob anxiously says, "Een-y. Mean-y. Mine-y. Moe. One-two-three." to the amusement of everyone but Kelly.

Semester 2 HW2

Andrew Krell

English 1001

Professor Young

February 2, 2016

Nothing But the Whole Truth?

Lying in general is considered a sinful thing, and for good reason.  Dishonesty can lead to bad results for either the liar or their victim.  However, there are certain circumstances when lying is okay.  For instance, it would be okay to lie to protect yourself or someone from bodily harm.  If a violent or powerful person asked a question, and telling the truth may lead to someone getting hurt, you would be obligated to lie and protect yourself or the potential victim.  An example of this was the pre-civil war slaves who would tell any lie in order to survive.  In “The Good Lord Bird”, the main character, Onion, lies on many occasions because like other slaves, he said whatever he thought his master or any white man wanted him to say. Onion even crossdresses for several years while staying with John Brown’s army because he is afraid to contradict John Brown who mistakes his real name, “Henry” for “Henrietta”.  Onion believed his life would be easier and safer as a girl, since there was a bounty on him as a boy.  Not to mention, if he was a girl, no one would make him fight.  I also believe it is okay to lie to them if it means protecting a child’s innocence.  For instance, perpetuating a myth like Santa Claus.  It is a harmless lie that protects the innocence as a child.  How about telling a lie to protect a person from the cruelties of life?  Is lying a bad thing if no one is harmed and in fact someone is benefitting from “stretching the truth”?  While telling the truth is always the best policy, there are times when a lie is the kinder, better route.

         

Semester 2 HW1

Andrew Krell
Professor Young
1-30-16

Getting to Know Me

I run, swim, ski and bike, but all of which are for leisure only.  I don't like organized/team sports.  

I am most passionate about video games.  I spend most of my spare time playing them or researching them online.  I do not have a specific favorite game or series, but my preferred genres are RPGs and Platformers.

The most ridiculous lie I ever told was when I was only five years old.  My parents and I were at a friends house and I sat on the coffee table.  The table collapsed and when my parents came over, I told them that a monster flipped it over.

When I write, I usually like to have an outline or concept map to organize my thoughts. 

I started learning about writing papers in second or third grade.  However, I have always preferred writing fictitious stories and scripts.

The last book I read was called Looking for Alaska.  It is about a kid who transfers to a boarding school, and befriends a zealous girl named Alaska Young.

I never write on social media.  I don't even have an account.

The most important thing I want to learn this semester is learning how to write a strong thesis statement.  I know the structure of a paper.  I just have trouble putting things into words and expanding my thoughts to support the thesis.

My definition of a hero is someone who changes someone else's life for the better.

As a writer, I rate myself B or C.  As stated before, I know how to structure a paper, but I have trouble putting my thoughts into words and expressing them on paper.