George Orwell

"Let’s end here as Orwell does: first with his self-deprecating (and oh-so-British) claim that this is but “a fairly trivial story” and his acknowledgment that he has experienced no more than “the fringe of poverty,” and then, casting off his beggar’s cloak, a call to arms:

I shall never again think that all tramps are drunken scoundrels, nor expect a beggar to be grateful when I give him a penny, nor be surprised if men out of work lack energy, nor subscribe to the Salvation Army, nor pawn my clothes, nor refuse a handbill, nor enjoy a meal at a smart restaurant. That is a beginning."

In class today we read a story by George Orwell called "Down and Out in Paris and London". George Orwell was a famous author back in the days, and he has written a lot of books. (Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four). the reason why I quoted the sentences above, is because George lived like a tramp for some time to have a better understanding of what it's like not having a home. he wore dirty clothes, didn't eat and went to the Salvation Army like the rest of the tramps in his area. this made his story very realistic, so the book got great reviews.

"Does It Matter?"

Losing your legs, losing your sight and losing your mind or dream.

No, because the poem explains that by fighting in a war the soldier will earn respect among his or her community. However, the poem is very ironic. It feels like the soldier has given up, and does not care about his or her life.

The reason why this poem has experienced some sort of revival considering its popularity is because Britain is still involved in wars, such as the ones in Iraq and Afghanistan.

We feel that "Does It Matter" were more appealing to us than "The Soldier" because "The Soldier" was very complicated and difficult to understand, while "Does It Matter" was easier to read between the lines. It was filled with a sort of melancholy which gave the poem depth.

About me/ My Hometown

My name is Anders W. Johansen, and I'm 18 years old. I'm currently attending Sandvika VGS as a senior. I love music, mostly hip hop, indie rock, alternative and punk. I have about 200 cd's, which isn't so much, but compared to other teenagers I think I got a few. I'm the youngest of 4 kids, so I have 3 big sisters. You thought you had problems? I love America, and dream about moving there one day. I like baseball and football, mainly Red Sox and Patriots. I'm 6'4", so I people often ask me if I play basketball, but I don't. I'm getting pretty tired of people asking about my height, but I guess their just interested.

I live at Rykkinn which is a nice place to grow up, but I don't want to live there for the rest of my life. Rykkinn is a commuter town in the north-west of Baerum, which is one of the most snobby counties in Norway, but people are different. Rykkinn is about 30 minutes from Oslo, which is the main capital in Norway.