Homework Blues

As I shuffled into the classroom, I knew that Mr. Van Camp would never believe me. I looked at my scuffed shoes and mumbled, " My homework is not done, Sir. I do have a good excuse though."

Mr. Van Camp scowled as he looked up from the papers he was marking. "This is not the first time your homework has not been completed. Perhaps," he suggested, "it's time to speak with your parents."

"Please, you have no idea what will happen to me if you phone my home," I moaned.

"Well, let's hear your excuse. It better be good."



"Yesterday," I started, "I was walking my pet chicken and I..."


Mr. Van Camp interjected, "Wait, you have a pet chicken that you walk?"


"Let me finish my story!" I yelled angrily.


"Okay," apologized Mr. Van Camp, "continue then."


"So I was walking the chicken, and writing my essay on my brand new iPad. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a ferocious kangaroo. It was charging right at me and..."


"Wait, a kangaroo in Penticton?"


I was getting frustrated with this man's need to interrupt me in the middle of my story. Softly, I replied, "I visited Australia last night."


"You really expect me to believe that?" he responded, raising an eyebrow.


"Yeah, don't worry, I have pictures." I refuted, pondering how this half-witted oaf can't apprehend my story.


Mr. Van Camp looked at me mindlessly, a steady flow of drool escaping the corner of his mouth.


"Mr. Van Camp?" I inquired, worried.


He snapped out of it. "Sorry, that happens sometimes when I think really hard."


"I'm going to leave now." I announced, slowly stepping out of the class.


And so, I parted and left Mr. Van Camp standing there in the class, alone. He forgot to call my parents. I excelled the rest of the year, getting a 103% final mark, and never missing another assignment.

O Essay! My Essay

One person can change many lives. In Dead Poet's Society, directed by Peter Weir and starring Robin Williams, an English teacher urges his students to "seize the day", while giving them a love for poetry. Throughout the movie, three main themes emerge: self-realisation, rebellion, and carpe diem.

From beginning to end, the boys of John Keating's english class are recognizing who they are as people. During the first poetry reading in the class, painfully shy Todd Anderson is pushed by Mr. Keating to describe what he sees when he closes his eyes. Through motivation and assistance from Mr. Keating, Todd realizes his poetic potential. Neil, the son of a very strict and oppresive father, realizes that he wants to be an actor. When he joins the school play (A Midsummer Night's Dream), he must keep this a secret from his father. In the end, Neil acts in the play, despite his father finding out and instructing him to quit the performance.

Rebellion, such as Neil rebelling against his father to act in the play, is a major part of the movie. The students resurrecting the Dead Poet Society is a rebellion in itself.  The club disobeys school rules by reforming the outfit their English teacher, Mr. Keating, was a part of when he attended Welton Academy as a child. Charlie, a student of Mr. Keatings, speaks out against the school by writing an unauthorized article in the school's newspaper. He takes this a step farther when all the students are gathered together for a inquisition about the article. Charlie stands up in the middle of the questioning, with a phone ringing in his hand, answers it, and states that it is a phone call from God, reporting that God wants girls to be admitted to Welton, which is the subject of the article. This is an instance in the film where Charlie seizes the opportunity to stand up for his beliefs.

Carpe diem (which translates to "seize the day" in Latin), is the central point of the whole movie. This is a lesson taught by Mr. Keating many times throughout the story. A student named Knox, inspired by his teachers words, goes after a girl, Christine, who has a overprotective and watchful boyfriend. Although he is rejected all the time by this girl, he continues to be fascinated with the idea of being with this girl, no matter how impossible it seems. Near the end of the movie, Knox finally gets Christine to go on a date with him, to a play, and they are seen holding hands while watching the company perform.

Dead poet society reminds us that we have to make the best of the lives we have, and to let no time go to waste. To truly embrace life, you must live it to the fullest, and "suck all the marrow out of life."

The Mission

After Mrs. Mitty came out of the drugstore, they climbed into their automobile, Walter fastened his seat belt, turned on the windscreen wipers and carefully pulled away from the curb. As they drove out of Waterbury he noticed...

a storm, as dense as a London fog. Darn, and he thought he was as good as gold for the rest of the trip. But this was the moment he had always been waiting for; his time to shine. Walter told his wife this, and she told him to put his money where his mouth is. He was a Jack of all trades, he could handle anything.

The buttons were beeping furiously, and Walter stood there with no expression on his face. He had nerves of steel. At this moment in time, it was all work and no play. He had to give it 110%. He was planet Earth, there was a glimmer of hope. If he could just concentrate....just don't rock the boat Walter...it's now or never....

"Walter? Walter what are you doing?" Mrs. Mitty was screaming. Walter sighed. She is driving me crazy, he thought. He thought that maybe she would be quiet for the rest of the trip. When pigs fly, he thought instantly after, laughing to himself.

"What are you laughing about now?" Mrs. Mitty asked angrily. "You know, sometimes I don't think you're the sharpest tool in the shed."

Feeling defeated and small, Walter continued driving through the heavy fog. The car drove through the storm like a knife cutting through butter.  Walter Mitty, the man who led a secret life, continued to think.

Assignment #1

It is a warm sunny day in Dallas, Texas. The date is November 22nd, 1963, and I have travelled back in time to stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States. I look at my watch; I'm running out of time. I look to my right side; I see a flock of Kennedy supporters eager to see their leader. I approach a man sporting a fedora and a fine tailored suit, talking to a lady, most likely his wife, with a flowing pink dress that waved in the wind like a proudly raised flag.

"Sir," I interjected, moving towards them cautiously, "this may sound crazy but...the president is in danger, and I need your help." The man, with a look of worry on his face, looked at me like I was insane. I looked at my watch, the second hand looked as if it was ticking faster than it usually does. The entire situation painted the look of distress and worriment on my face. I needed to act fast.

"How so?" he asked slowly, a curious look on his face.

"When the president turns from Houston," I pointed up the street, "onto Elm Street here, a shooter from the book depository right there" I pointed again up the street, this time to the old, red-bricked building, "will fire several shots with a bolt-action rifle at the the president's limousine."

The man looked at his wife uneasily, then back to me.

"How do you know this?" he inquired cautiously.

"I'm from the future" I responded, realizing I must sound crazy almost instantly.

Before he could respond, a monstrous roar arose from the crowd.

The president just turned onto Elm Street.

I thought I had more time. I had to think fast. I looked around, trying to find a way to get the driver of the limousines attention. I started screaming at the motorcade, but was drowned out by the cheers of the people surrounding me. There was nothing I could do. The world as I knew it vanished to white, and I found myself back in the year 2010.

I had failed.