Mark Peters: Are We Admire Shape People?

Night, with mum and dad huddled on either side of the kitchen table, scribbling on pads of paper, and dad punching in sums on the calculator with his clumsy, blunt fingers. Night, with long discussions in low voices that stopped if we into the room. Night, dad with a fresh beer at his elbow and an empty on the floor beside him, holding onto a flake of chocolate like a cigar, twirling the thing between his thumb and forefinger, crunching onto it and shards flying everywhere. Night, when Mum and Dad had sank what was left of the insurance money and all their savings into a little old town house and a car franchise, signing all the leases, contracts, papers. Night, when Dad was his own boss, answering to no one. And overnight, when the journey abruptly turned its direction. Down in town, a high speed railway station had emerged. But dad couldn’t go anywhere, he was trapped by the crossroads. Juggled a few part time jobs, handy work around town limping in pain. No more notions of independence. All he could do was try his best to make it work. And he did. We even did some paper runs with

Parenting played a big role in shaping the two boys lives. Having a parental mentor is important because they assist and guide children to take the right decisions about their lives. The author had his two parents at the beginning of his life. Also, the author’s parents, especially his mother, tried to raise him in an effective way wanting him to know the right from wrong at an early age. “No mommy loves you, like I love you, she just wants you to do the right thing” (Moore 11). This quote was a live example of the author’s life with his parents. It reflected the different ways his parents used to teach him “the right thing.” Though his mother was upset from his action toward his sister, his father

Tim was lifting heavy weights, at least dumbbells that were 55 lbs. Tim had been eating right, 3 apples every day, and 2 glasses of milk every night. Tim knew that he had to work hard because a few years ago, the Victorians had been in a brutal battle with the Chinese Sommba’s. It ended with at least 40 Sommba’s dead, and 1 Victorian dead, so Tim knew what they could do to him. There was also a good side of Tim. Tim always obeyed what his mother had told him. He would do community service, and even feed the poor. His Dad was off in the military, so Tim barely had enough time to hang out with his dad. Tim didn’t really speak about his dad much because whenever he brings his dad up, Tim gets very anxious. Tim has not seen his dad in over 6 years, so it was probably going to be tough to get over. Tim already knew that he was ready to go onto the streets. So Tim grabbed his backpack and was ready to

Once there was an eight year old boy named Archie Smith. He was a young boy who loves to play with his wooden ship and his yo-yo. He loves his family more than anything but sadly, his dad had died from an accident when he was younger. Now, he lives with his mom, Lisa, the only important person that he has left. The next morning he went off to school with his baseball bat with him to school for practice. Archie's dad had given him this baseball bat before he died as a gift that Archie wished for. Archie is a very bright, respectful, and an organized student. When his homework and chores were done, he was allowed to play in his room or with his friends in the neighborhood.

You wouldn’t think a fourteen- or sixteen-year-old boy could hoodwink a father, but he could, he could. Zach lied over trifles, and periodically stole money out of wallets that were left lying around. He started smoking at thirteen, and was into the liquor cabinet by fourteen. At sixteen, he smashed up our car one night after a poker party. Once he dumped Dad’s red tool box, tools and all, in the river, during one of his rages. The tool box seemed to bother Dad more than the car. But afterwards, Zach delivered apologies that would have brought tears to a preacher’s eyes… Zack’d been in Sunday school himself long enough to be able to quote from the parable of the prodigal son on appropriate occasions, and the first twenty-two or so times he did it, he really convinced us when he said he was, ‘no longer worthy to be called thy

After reading Pericles funeral oration it is defiantly clear that he strongly believed that democracy was the best possible form of government. Pericles saw Athens as superior to other city states based on their implementation of democracy which ultimately represented freedom, liberty, courage, honor and justice. In his funeral oration, Pericles refers to the Athenian democracy as a system of government where men are able to advance in society as a result of their merits rather than on class or wealth. In the Athenian democracy “class considerations are not allowed to interfere with merit” and therefore any man who showcased his ability to rule could do so, even if he wasn’t part of the upper class or had some wealth to back himself up. Pericles

Homer applied, got the job and was a coal miner. For weeks all he did was get up at the crack of dawn and not come home until late at night. For once, Homer’s father was proud of Homer, and showing it. Homer’s mother, Elsie Hickam, had shown she believed in Homer, but until Homer got a chance to go to the science fair, she did not show it. She stayed out of Homer and his dad’s fights, which is almost as bad as following John blindly. But, when Homer needed her most, she was there, fought John and had John help Homer. “Homer once said you loved the mine more than your own family. I stood up for you because I didnt want to believe it. Homer has gotten a lot of help from the people in this town. They’ve helped him build his rockets. They’ve watched him fly ’em. But not you. You never showed up, not even once.” Now, Homer’s brother, Jim Hickam, on the other hand had still followed their dad but he was closer to helping and believing in Homer than their dad was. Homer’s brother had told everyone about the rocket launch and told them all to come and see it without Homer’s consent or knowledge of everyone showing up. Originally, Jim wanted to embarrass Homer in front of everyone, but it backfired and worked well for Homer in the end. Although Family doesn’t show it much, they still do love you, they may disagree with your beliefs, and your dreams, but they should still help and support you, even if they do not have the money to help.

During the winter of 2014, Shelly Miller was noticing something wrong with her son, Paul. Paul a 16-year-old junior in high school that hasn’t been eating nor has he said one word to any family member. Shelly’s son was a popular guy on Staten Island, known for his exceptional skills in the sport of soccer and his fervent ways. But at times Paul’s actions were ignoble that he needed to be rectified various times by his parents and other teachers in his school. Shelly would always reiterate to Paul saying, “friends will take you but they will never bring you back.” Well in that case, it took Paul multiple times to learn his lesson. The winter of 2014, every thing seemed to go left. Paul couldn’t fulfill his dream to become the next Cristiano Ronaldo of his generation; he dropped out of high school; ran away from home various times all for one foolish reason and his parents getting evicted from his house. He followed his friends to the point like mother always said where they couldn’t bring you back. Paul’s perspicacity skills weren’t as expert as they should be. In this case he couldn’t distinguish between the correct friends to chill with. So one day, Paul decided to try something new for the first time. So Paul was dared to consume numerous amounts of alcohol and then drive to his “friends” birthday party. So of course he did it, so he wouldn’t be name called and intimidated. Paul snuck out the house that day after being punished for smoking weed. Shelly called for Paul

The day had finally come to open the beanbag. Mitchell had been helping his dad plan for this day for what seemed like forever. They worked long hours and bonded over how to run a retail store, talking about how maybe someday the store would be Mitchell’s. Mitchell, at 12 years old, looked up to his father and savored these moments working in the store. At the store, any father-son conflicts went away, and they just had fun. Mitchell loved his father’s companionship and his devotion to the store grew to that of his father’s.

Once upon a time in the dark gloomy household of the Kelly family lived John (Father), Mary (Mother) and Jimmy (Son). Jimmy is 16 years old and is an only child. His parents are very over protective and struggle to accept he is growing up and not letting him go out and enjoy life. This family has just recently lost their sister and grandparents in tragic car crash leaving 45 people dead. They are facing being sued over dangerous driving and mounting a curb causing them to run down and kill 42 other people. The stress level for all of them have hit the roof, and are to starting to fight between themselves while people protest outside their house.

Sammy is a nineteen-year-old boy who works at an A&P grocery store in a small conservative town. He’s been working at this A&P for quite some time now so much that he’s become bored with it. He works at the register and to keep himself entertained he pretends that the register is singing a song every time he uses it. Although he’s been working there for some time, it becomes clear that he doesn’t wish to be in that store much longer. It’s also clear that the town that he lives in isn’t somewhere he wants to be either and it isn’t until the day girls came to the store that he begins to act on these dreams by quitting his job.

Stephen is a young man working with his father and several other men as pulp-cutters. These men barely talk and they spend the time they aren’t working playing card games. Working together everyday, Stephen looks at his father as one of the most important people in his life. As his

Once there was a girl named Anna. She was a pioneer, and she grew up in Texas, but when she turned twelve her family decided to move to California during the gold rush. She was the second oldest child of three, she had a older brother named Tom and a younger brother named Ted. They wanted to move because of the gold rush of 1849. She was a very busy girl because her mother died after she had her youngest brother three years ago. Anna took the jobs of her mother, cleaning the house, taking care of her youngest brother Ted, curing meat, and making dinner every night. When her dad brought up moving many miles away everyone was scared, but Anna was the most scared. They are not very rich so her father wanted to make money to help his kids grow up and have a better life. “I want my kids to have a good life,” the father said.

There once was a man named John Smith. He woke up, got dressed, ate, and went to work at eight am every day for the past ten years. He drove to the bank where he he works as an accountant. He does his usual routine of getting coffee with two pack of sugar and a fourth cup of creamer. He goes to his desk where he checks and manages his clients accounts. He works his regular nine to five then goes home tired to watch tv until he goes to bed.

He once told me of his father, a hard man, who came home at nights blackened by coal dust, and of his mother, a hardworking woman who seems always to have been a source of comfort. Not wanting him to follow his father and grandfathers and great-grandfathers into the tunnels beneath the town, his parents encouraged him to get a trade. And he did. He got an apprenticeship in carpentry and joinery at the local funeral parlour, building coffins for the dead.