Some Things are Unforgettable.

Author’s Note: This is a piece explaining the main turning point and what had led up to it. The purpose is to explain the main cause/effect of Where the Red Fern Grows.

     Have you ever had something really tragic happen to you? Maybe your parents are having problems, or something bad happened at school, or some kid threatened to beat you up. Billy, in Where the Red Fern Grows, lost both of his dogs. This is something that changed his life. The main turning point of the story is when Billy's dogs get attacked by the mountain lion, because they are so injured that it's unfixable.

     When Billy was just a young 11 year old boy, he desperately wanted two dogs. He asked his parents over and over again, but every time, they told him that they could not afford it. He understood, but somehow felt the need to continue asking. Until one day, he decides to take matters into his own hands. He worked very, very hard over the next two years, and finally earned himself enough money to buy two dogs.

     He was so overjoyed to finally have the two dogs he had dreamed about, and so he put a lot of time and effort into training them for the upcoming hunting season. After training and feeling like he had taught them everything the needed to know, it was finally the time to show off what they had learned.

     Billy was so excited that without thinking, made a bargain with his dogs that was going to be a lot harder to accomplish than he thought. After that, every single time they went hunting, they always had some sort of problem. They just couldn't win. This pattern showed how obvious it was that sooner or later, something absolutely devastating would happen that they wouldn't recover from.

     The last time they got to go hunting was the worst thing that could've ever happened to Billy. While stalking their prey, they ran into a mountain lion. The mountain lion was not satisfied with their appearance, so he attacked them. This resulted in one of the dogs stomach cut open, guts spilling everywhere, and the other one badly bruised and sore. When they got home, Billy's parents did everything they could to revive the animals; but it was no use. One had died; and the other could not live without him, so out of loneliness, she ended up dying too.

     These dogs had meant everything to Billy; how hard he had worked, how long he had trained, and most importantly, how long he had waited.. It all just seemed to unreal for him. He felt as though it was a punishment from God, although he could not figure out what he had done wrong. This event is something that can't be recovered from, therefore shows why that is the turning point.

Letter to Billy

 Author's Note: This is a creative piece.

Dear Billy,

     Hi. You don't know me, but I know all about you. A little stalkerish, huh? Well, I know. Anyway, remember when you were 11? And you wanted two dogs SO badly? No offense, but you went a little crazy, there. I was thinking, "Woah, what is he doing? He's going to kill himself, his health is so low!" Well after I was worried about you, I was really proud of you.

     I thought that is was really stunning what you did over the next two years. I mean, I've never seen a boy work that hard for something! Or even a girl. That was really impressive. Well, on the other hand, I've never seen anyone want something so badly.. But still. You inspire me to work harder to get what I want.

     When you turned 13, you finally got your dogs. You instantly matured, and became more responsible and brave. You were just so happy. I admired that. I think that it's normally difficult for someone so young to be able to mature so quickly, and so perfectly. But, you did. You see, Billy, these are the types of qualities that stand out and make you who you are.

     Oh, and who could forget the time you chopped down that tree all by yourself just to get one raccoon for your dogs? That takes some courage and definitely some manliness. Well, I guess that it's time for me to go to bed. But just don't ever lose you're qualities, okay? Those are what makes you gold.

Your friend (that you have never met),

Kasia

Prediction of Clockwork Angel

Author's Note: This is a prediction for what I think will happen next in Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Claire.

     So one day, somebody tells you that you can change into anybody you want by holding a possession of theirs. What do you do? Scream? Just stand there? Stare in amazement? Or maybe you just don't believe them. Maybe you think that this is the silliest thing you've ever heard until it's been proven to you. Well, this is what happens to Tessa in Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Claire, and she chooses to follow that someone into the life she never would've even known she had.

    After all of the events Tessa had gone through, the miserable hours and hours of torturous training, the lies and the bitter truths, the new people she had met and the ones that had died, she ended up in the Institute with her brother; the one everyone was looking for. So, really, I suppose you could say that she got what she wanted. But her brother had been heavily drugged by vampires for feeding purposes and might not recover. After that, she talks with Jem, who seems to flirt with her all the time, and then goes up in the attic to talk to Will. After they talk for a bit, Will leans in and kisses her. After a minute or two, he pushes her away, hard, and she hits the ground hard. He screams at her to leave, and she is the most confused person who ever lived.

     After all of these events, I think that she will walk downstairs crying because of being so rejected, and Jem will comfort her because he has a crush on her and is trying his best to look good in front of her. I then think that when Will cools down, he will walk downstairs to find Jem and Tessa talking together. Being the selfish one that he is, he will probably split them up so that Will can have Tessa all to himself, only Tessa will have felt so rejected, that she will reject him right back.

Where The Red Fern Grows Quote

Author's Note: This is about the quote I liked most in the book Where the Red Fern Grows

     What would you do if you had made a bargain with your dogs? When they finished their half, would you do yours? Or would you just walk away because they made your half as hard as hard could be? I admire this 13 year old boy Billy, because this is the scenario that he was in, and he chose to stay and finish his part, no matter how hard it was.

     When Billy took his dogs out to go hunting, he made a deal with them, saying that he would chop down any tree that his dogs chased a coon up. When they chased a coon up the largest tree in the forest, he almost backed out. Then he thought it wouldn't be fair. So, of course, he started chopping away. When his dad came by, he asked him why. When he told him, his father offered to help, and this is what Billy said. "No, Papa. I don't want any help. I want to cut it down all by myself. You see, if someone helps me, I wouldn't feel like I kept my part of the agreement."

     I admire this because I think that he was brave to stay out there night and day and all alone just to please his dogs. I thought that he was being a good master to them, for most people would have just walk away. And keep in mind, this boy is only 13 years old. It was important because most people would've just walked away and disappointed their dogs but Billy didn't. He was brave enough and had the courage to stick with it. That is such a good quality to possess.

Where the Red Fern Grows Prediction

Author's Note: This is what I think what will happen once he starts cutting down the tree. I think this is what's going to happen because he said he was going to finish his part of the bargain, and he seems loyal enough. So this is a scene i made that may or may not have happened. I mean, I wouldn't know because I haven't read that far yet.

     He worked for days, maybe even weeks, he didn't know. He didn't count the days. All that mattered was satisfying his dogs. Once he had finally made that tree fall to the ground, the dogs sprinted to it. The ran up and down the tree, scanning it over and over. The started whimpering, and he didn't know why. He then check the tree, finding nothing. He was not a happy camper. He was upset that he had spent that much time on a coon that got away, but he was still happy that he made his dogs keep their faith in him. They all walked home in disappointment. He ran into his sister on the way home. She had a lunch box, so it had to have been around noon. He told her what had happened, and she just started ranting about how he should've thought it through and how he should've just come home. But no matter what she said, he was still happy he made his dogs happy.

     When they got home, his mother had hugged him so tight that he felt as though he was getting the life squeezed out of him. He told her that he was okay, but they didn't catch the coon. He went to his room, and he just sat there, staring at his dogs. He praised them for being so patient and caring, and they went out again the very next day. With that big tree out of the way, hunting was much easier cutting down small trees instead of the one. From then on, hunting went well for them, and he was a very successful boy.