Essay #6

Fire, Flames, “And Then It Goes Back”:

       The Connections Between Quotes from a Song and a Book

An Essay by Mia Perry
8th Grade
      December 15, 2011

Who knew that an anthem for the World Cup could be related to a house burning down? In the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Miss Maudie Atkinson’s house is consumed in flames. On the other hand, there is a song by K’naan called “Wavin’ Flag” that is about overcoming and going back. There are interpretations of the connections between the quote and song that no others have ever thought about.

(TS) In the end, everything goes back to its beginning. (SD) Like in the song “Wavin’ Flag”  by K’naan, everything repeats itself, which is the same when I play basketball. (CM) At the start of a basketball game, you have an adrenaline rush and become hyperactive, which is the same in the final quarter of the game when you are determined to win, like the sports aspect of “Wavin’ Flag”. (CM)  When you lose, and even when you win, you have to go back to square one, and learn how to improve on your skills of handling and passing the basketball. (SD) Another repetition is found when the year ends and a new year begins, not many people can comprehend how life repeats itself. (CM) You start again with a clean slate, and new goals that you set for yourself, which may be the same ones that you hadn’t accomplished the previous year. (CM) Laughing and celebrating, people all over the world gather with their family and friends to celebrate the birth of a new year, but never think about how the years have patterns of repetition. (CS) Things go back as the song “Wavin’ Flag” says, and sometimes without you even realizing it.

Miss Maudie Atkinson

(TS) In addition, in To Kill A Mockingbird, there is a quote that talks about things “going back” without you realizing it; “Don’t you worry about me, Jean Louise Finch. There are ways of doing things you don’t know about”. (SD) Miss Maudie Atkinson said that gleefully to Scout after her house had burned down. (CM) This quote made me think about how Miss Maudie is forced to start over, or go back, to her beginning without a home. (CM) Also, she lost all of her memories that were in her house, and now she has to find a new place to make memories in. (SD) On the other hand, Miss Maudie losing her house has a good side to it. (CM) She clearly stated that she was pleased that her house burned down, because it was old and tired and that she would’ve burnt it down herself. (CM) She can start new adventures in her life without worrying about her old crumbling house, which means she has a copious amounts of journeys to look forward to. (CS) Things can re-occur without you even realizing, but just because you don’t realize it, doesn’t mean that other people will not recognize the repetitions.
Miss Maudie’s house burning down surprisingly reminds me of a forest fire. This situation reminds me of a forest fire, because the inhabitants of the forest must relocate and start their lives over in a new place where they can stay out of harms way. Miss Maudie also had to begin again when her home went ablaze. The quote from To Kill A Mockingbird made me think about how many different songs and situations.

      Self Assessment
1) One writing issue that I am continuing to work on is making sure that my commentaries make sense and connect to the supporting details.
2) A possible strong point in my essay is the flow of my sentences, and including FAST words.
3) One possible weak point in my writing may be that I have a few short sentences, and some longer sentences that I could even out so they are both full, long sentences.