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Cry, The Beloved Country

 

In the book, “Cry, The Beloved Country” Stephan Kumalo would be described as a dynamic character. In my opinion, a dynamic character would be known as someone in the book that encounters conflict and is changed by it.  Dynamic characters to tend to be more fully developed than the other characters in the book. Stephan Kumalo is the type of person that seems to go after something that he wants and does not give up. He cares a lot about his family, and wants to find his son. Stephan Kumalo can have both positive and negative attributes to make up his personality. For instance, in the book it talks about how Kumalo was robbed by a man. Then again, it talks about how his brother is not a man of god anymore. All the things that happen to Kumalo seem to change his out outlook on things.

“I gave a pound to a young man, he said, and he told me he would get my ticket at the ticket office.” (pg. 49) Stephan Kumalo thinks that this man really is trying to help him, but in real life it just shows that he is cheating him out of his own money. “You have been cheated umfundisi. Can you see the young man? No, you will not see him again.” (pg. 49) Stephan Kumalos outlook on this particular situation has changed him and his personality. He will more than likely not trust anyone again when they ask him if they can buy his ticket anymore... This has changed his trust in people, to a negative attribute.

“Msimangu paused. I hope I shall not hurt you further. Your brother has no use for the church anymore. He says that what God has done for South Africa, man must do. That is what he says.” (pg. 55) This means that John Kumalo, Stephens brother, is not a man of God any more. He is not a man of God anymore and he does have a good reason. The reason he is not is because he feels that he cannot have faith in God anymore. Later in the book Stephan Kumalo feels as though he cannot have faith anymore. When Msimangu told Stephan Kumalo this, in my opinion, it changed his belief of whether or not God can be there for him. It has changed him and his personality to a negative attribute because he does not have that faith that was once there.

“While Kumalo was waiting for Msimangu to take him to Shanty Town, he spent the time with Gertrude and her child. But it was rather to the child, the small serious boy, that he turned for his enjoyment; for he had been a young man in his twenties when his sister was born, and there had never been great intimacy between them.” (pg. 92) This changed Stephan Kumalos outlook on his sister Gertrude and her son. Stephan Kumalo is changed by these things because he is a dynamic character to this novel. He is changed by things in this novel, like this situation because he is emotionally involved with them.

Having Hope

      I believe in hope. I believe that at least nine out of then people should have it. Even if there is just that little sliver of it that’s enough. I believe that if there is hope, miracles can happen.

     I should probably introduce myself so here it goes. My full name is Abigail Morgan Welch. I’m fifteen years old and about to turn sixteen on March eighteenth. I have an Aunt whose name is Genia Wood and I absolutely love her to death!

     I remember when I was younger that how come she hadn’t had a child yet.  Later I realized that she couldn’t. I noticed she always had hope, even if it was just about the tiniest thing in the word. She always held her head high and thought about the positive things. Without a doubt she’s like more of a sister to me and I absolutely love her.

     When I began to learn she wasn’t able o have children I was a little upset because I’d always thought she would be on e of the best mother out there. I remember she and my uncle, Bryan went to the doctors for help. Yet again she had a tremendous amount of hope.

     Several months earlier the most amazing thing happened to this family. It was right after my brother and I returned from staying the summer with her in California. Actually it was the airplane home to Dallas for them when it happened.  

     I remember a phone call my mother received while we were at home. My Aunts hope and dreams finally came true. She was adopting a beautiful little girl. In the phone call we were told that my Aunt was adopting a little girl from Dallas and the entire family was so excited to meet her. My Aunt and uncle actually took her home with them the day they met her.

     To this day I don’t think I’ll ever forget the first time I met her. She was cute as a button and the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen. I won’t ever forget how happy they look as a family, it’s like they were meant o be together.  No, they are meant to be together. My Aunt believed in hope. I believe in hope.

Nonny's Chocolate Pies

Ingredients:

The Filling:

• 1/2 stick of butter (melted)
• 1/2 cup of coco
• 1 cup of sugar

Preparation:

For the chocolate pie filling, you need a half a stick of butter, melted; a half a cup of coco;and one cup of sugar. Mix all of these together to form the filling. If its too runny make sure to add flour or corn starch. Put a table spoon of filling into each four inch biscut circle, or homemade crust. Then, fry in oil until it is done. Last, but not least sprinkle powdered sugar on the top of every pie just right.

Nonny spent these wonderful moments making these pies talking to me about everything under the sun. I absolutely loved every minute we made these together. She would stand over the counter kneeding the dough while I sat there stirring this sugery, brown, tasty, goodness. In my opinion there was no other chocolate pie filling like she made hers out to be.

We would always sit there telling each other about our day and what happened. I remember she would always say to me, "Abigail, honey I sure love it when you come out here with us." "Well I sure love to come out here!" I would exagerate. She would also put both of her hands on my cheecks, squeeze like there was no tomorrow and shout, " Ohh! I love you to death!" She would shout it so loudly my Papa in the living room watching old, black and white television shows could here us yapping from the kitchen.

Nonny would always listen to anything anybody had to say. She would listen to all my stories that I had told her while we baked those pies. It was like she could stand there forever and listen to me talk while I twirled right and left in the counter chair by her. The morning sun light would always shine across the wooden floors and white cabinets. It was as if every spev of dust was shining bright as gold through the big window above the sink. There was always that dainty smell of lavender because she had the laundy going at all times of the day. Honestly, the kitchen had a warm feeling to it. Another warm, fuzzy, loving feeling I had was when she gave me a look. That look meant it was time for us to start filling the pies with chocolaty goodness.

"Alright!" she sang.
"Its time to fill 'em up with this stuff." she explained.
"Whew! I was wonderin' when it would ever be ready!" I would say waiting anxiously.

When it was time to serve the pie out Nonny and I saved the best part for last. This part is my favorite because it meant that the pies were almost done and that it also made them look so delicious and yummy! Nonny would get a handful of powdered sugar and I would get a handful too. After we did that we took turns making every pie look as beautifully powdered as possible. We made sure they all looked perfect. Then after we finished powdering the pies we served them to the family.

Nonnys chocolate pie recipe will always be the best in the world to me. I'll never forget the wonderful memories we had while making them. Without chocolate pies there wouldnt be any meaning to any holiday at all. Her pies make my life complete.

“The Handsomest Drowned Man In The World” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

      In my Opinion, the short story, "The Handsomest Drowned Man In The World" means many different things. The story shows us how humans care for others that we hardly know. It also shows how we are curious about things and how we want to understand what is going on around us. Most important, this story shows how we appreciate things more and more throughout our lives.

      In this short story the people in the village care for a dead man. Now, in this day and time it might be a different to care for a dead man if your not a doctor, but it is still, somewhat the same. How this village cares for this dead man is in a strange way. These people clean him up, find new clothes for him and even prepare for his funeral.

      We people are curious about a lot of things. It might be from wanting to know what your having for lunch to wanting to know if your pet loves you or not.. In this story the women seem very curious about this handsome, dead man. The women even gave the man a name, which is Esteban. The women were curious enough to even clean the sea leftovers off of the man. This shows how curious people can be.

      In this story, this village cares a lot about this dead man. Usually if a town found a dead man now, they wouldn't want anything to do with him.. But in this story these people went out and beyond to care for this man. What these people did for this man is very sweet. It says in the story that the man was rather taller, and more built than a man in the village. After the people rest the man in peace they built their house taller and their doors wider, in appreciation for the dead man. 
     
     

Ice Cream Cone and Ice Cream Origin

      On July 23, 1904, Charles E. Menches established the idea of using the ice cream cone. There are several others who have had the same idea:Ernest Hamwi, Abe Doumar, Albert and Nick Kabbaz, Arnold Fornachou, and David Avayou. All of the people listed have invented an edible ice cream cone. These people have all sold or either made ice cream cones at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Expedition. This is known as the St. Louis Worlds Fair. From the time of the Fair, the edible "cornucopia," a cone made from a rolled waffle, became popular in the United States.
     
      Italo Marchiony, received a patent in 1903 for a device to make edible ice cream cups with handles. However, the patent drawing showed a container rather than an rolled waffle cone. Metal and paper containers were used by Europeans to hold ice cream and pita bread, while Middle Easterners used it to hold sweets. The ice-cream cone had come to America by "The Pike" (as the St. Louis Worlds Fair was called).

      In the fourth century B.C., a Roman Emperor Nero ordered ice to be brought to him and mixed with fruit toppings. Although there is a legend told that Marco Polo brought back to Europe a Chinese method for creating an ice and milk desert, recent scholars say that if he did bring back a recipe like that, it would not be from China. Over time, recipes for ices, sherbets and milk ices became popular and went to Italian and French royal courts. After the desert was announced in the United States, it was served by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Dolly Madison.