By Brian E. Turner
I was a soldier by bestselling author Brian E. Turner, who has written several stories concerning war issues, is a short story that pictures the cruel and cool decisions that soldiers are forced to make in the battle field.
At the beginning of the story, we can clearly perceive the atmosphere of war since the author makes an understandable distinction between the colours of the soldier’s uniform belonging to each side. Then, as we go on reading, the narration makes us feel that the relationship between the soldiers will be a friendly one. We probably assume they may become comrades because of their attempt to communicate in spite of their language differences. Although differences concerning communication are solved, those regarding war issues aren’t. This is why the reader might feel a bittersweet sensation as the story reaches its ending.
I was a soldier is a very interesting piece of literature that may leave the reader satisfied. The unexpected twist at the end of the story will definitely prove the horrors of war. We highly recommend it since it is catching, intriguing and emotive. A story the reader should not missed.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
“I was a soldier”, a mixture of feelings (review)
Award-winning American Poet Brian E. Turner is the author of two poetry collections. As a soldier-poet, who served seven years in the US Army, Turner was selected as one of 50 United States Artists Fellows. Turner lets us to know what happen to a person during the cruelty of a war. “I was a soldier” one of the stories included in his collections depict not only comradeship but duty as the main task of a soldier.
The story takes part during a war. Two soldiers with the same desperate desire of saving their lives meet in a hole accidentally. Although they were enemies, comradeship is shown in two opportunities: at the time in which one of them helps the other who is seriously injured and when the two soldiers share their deepest feelings of being with those who they love most. Despite fellowship, soldiers’ duty is stronger and it gives to this story a tragic and unexpected end.
“I was a soldier” is the kind of story which can make us think about our principles and priorities as human beings. Feelings of comradeship can be overshadowed by duties showing the cruelty of war. The fact that “I was a soldier” is written by an expert on wars makes of this a highly recommended reading.
The story takes part during a war. Two soldiers with the same desperate desire of saving their lives meet in a hole accidentally. Although they were enemies, comradeship is shown in two opportunities: at the time in which one of them helps the other who is seriously injured and when the two soldiers share their deepest feelings of being with those who they love most. Despite fellowship, soldiers’ duty is stronger and it gives to this story a tragic and unexpected end.
“I was a soldier” is the kind of story which can make us think about our principles and priorities as human beings. Feelings of comradeship can be overshadowed by duties showing the cruelty of war. The fact that “I was a soldier” is written by an expert on wars makes of this a highly recommended reading.
Monday, May 20, 2013
I WAS A SOLDIER (review)
I WAS A SOLDIER is a lively short story in which its author, the New Zealander Brian E Turner, deals with controversial meaning of war.
The story transfers the reader from his peaceful life to the tragic and dramatic scenery of a battlefield. This context provides a frame to the story to experience, unless for a moment, the feelings soldiers may have in wartime. Moreover, this feelings can act as triggers to discuss or reflex on topics such as duty, empathy, friendship, hope and human miseries.
Brian E Turner, a war veteran himself, develops the story in a masterful way up to the last moment .And the shocking and unexpected ending produces in the readers a bitter disappointment when facing the cruel truth. This situation results incomprehensible for those who don’t know how a war is like.
Although, this story was not written for adolescents it can be very interesting for them because after reading the story, they can take part of a debate and they also can have the opportunity to judge the behaviour of the characters of the story by themselves according to their own principles.
The story transfers the reader from his peaceful life to the tragic and dramatic scenery of a battlefield. This context provides a frame to the story to experience, unless for a moment, the feelings soldiers may have in wartime. Moreover, this feelings can act as triggers to discuss or reflex on topics such as duty, empathy, friendship, hope and human miseries.
Brian E Turner, a war veteran himself, develops the story in a masterful way up to the last moment .And the shocking and unexpected ending produces in the readers a bitter disappointment when facing the cruel truth. This situation results incomprehensible for those who don’t know how a war is like.
Although, this story was not written for adolescents it can be very interesting for them because after reading the story, they can take part of a debate and they also can have the opportunity to judge the behaviour of the characters of the story by themselves according to their own principles.
I WAS A SOLDIER (review)
Bryan Turner
(Review by Pablo Barroca Roldán)
“I was a soldier” by Bryan Turner tells the story of two enemy soldiers who started to socialize in a strange way during war. As every soldier has duties to obey during the war, these two protagonists won´t be the exception. In consequence, the resulting relationship among them will lead this fiction to an unexpected ending.
Turner´s book presents different topics such as friendship, death, duty, and human contradiction among others. The incorporation of all these topics, by the author, is very essential since students can face the mentioned topics in nowadays society.
Even though Turner´s story does not have any illustrations, it contains simple expressions and vocabulary that might help the reader or listener to follow the story without any problem.
“I was a soldier” is an interesting short story that allows young adult to reflect upon the importance of war, duty, death, friendship and human contradiction. This book is highly recommended to be used with adolescents at secondary schools.
(Review by Pablo Barroca Roldán)
“I was a soldier” by Bryan Turner tells the story of two enemy soldiers who started to socialize in a strange way during war. As every soldier has duties to obey during the war, these two protagonists won´t be the exception. In consequence, the resulting relationship among them will lead this fiction to an unexpected ending.
Turner´s book presents different topics such as friendship, death, duty, and human contradiction among others. The incorporation of all these topics, by the author, is very essential since students can face the mentioned topics in nowadays society.
Even though Turner´s story does not have any illustrations, it contains simple expressions and vocabulary that might help the reader or listener to follow the story without any problem.
“I was a soldier” is an interesting short story that allows young adult to reflect upon the importance of war, duty, death, friendship and human contradiction. This book is highly recommended to be used with adolescents at secondary schools.
YOUNG GLADIATORS (TV proposal)
Dear Sir,
I am writing to you with the intention to talk about an interesting idea for you to carry out in your prestigious television channel. My idea consists of a teens´ show in which adolescents will have to show their mental and physical abilities through different contests. Considering some important characteristics of the adolescence stage which are the excessive adrenalin and use of strength; I have no doubt that the show will catch the attention of male and female adolescents´ audience at home, and also will motivate the participants to become heroes.
The show will be called “Young Gladiators” and will be a weekly programme that will last 2 hours at prime time. In this show, different mixed groups of teens aged 16 to 19, either friends or school partners, will compete against other similar teams. Some of the important contests will include individual combats like gladiators, swimming competitions in big pools and climbing competitions in high and difficult walls. Participants will be supervised by experienced and professional trainners who will guide them during each challenge; and also the participants will wear special helmets and uniforms to protect their heads and bodies. Groups that win the competitions will classify to the finals, and the winner of the final will receive an amazing prize of $1,000,000!
I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours faithfully,
P S B R
I am writing to you with the intention to talk about an interesting idea for you to carry out in your prestigious television channel. My idea consists of a teens´ show in which adolescents will have to show their mental and physical abilities through different contests. Considering some important characteristics of the adolescence stage which are the excessive adrenalin and use of strength; I have no doubt that the show will catch the attention of male and female adolescents´ audience at home, and also will motivate the participants to become heroes.
The show will be called “Young Gladiators” and will be a weekly programme that will last 2 hours at prime time. In this show, different mixed groups of teens aged 16 to 19, either friends or school partners, will compete against other similar teams. Some of the important contests will include individual combats like gladiators, swimming competitions in big pools and climbing competitions in high and difficult walls. Participants will be supervised by experienced and professional trainners who will guide them during each challenge; and also the participants will wear special helmets and uniforms to protect their heads and bodies. Groups that win the competitions will classify to the finals, and the winner of the final will receive an amazing prize of $1,000,000!
I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours faithfully,
P S B R
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Mission Accomplished (TV show proposal)
Dear Mr. President,
We are writing this letter to propose you an innovative TV format for your successful network, which consists on a reality show based on sports and survival directed and protagonized by adolescents. The programme will be called “Mission Accomplished”.
The show will take place outdoors in “El Delta”, Buenos Aires. This natural area surrounded by diverse and native vegetation would be perfectly suitable for practising not only exciting but also extreme sports, to be carried out by teenagers.
The idea is that participants will choose allies in order to achieve their goals which will be set by the producers of our show. There are ten different challenges which will require competitors’ skills and abilities to move on to the next aim. As regard the challenges, these can be described as sports games such as swimming in dangerous canals, diving waters with poor visibility, trees climbing and trekking among others.
Throughout this creative programme, adolescents will enjoy our natural areas, increasing their awareness of Argentina wild areas and contributing to their preservation.
Taking into account the style of the programme we suggest your placing this show on prime time due to its successful format.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
“The crazy sisters & co.”
We are writing this letter to propose you an innovative TV format for your successful network, which consists on a reality show based on sports and survival directed and protagonized by adolescents. The programme will be called “Mission Accomplished”.
The show will take place outdoors in “El Delta”, Buenos Aires. This natural area surrounded by diverse and native vegetation would be perfectly suitable for practising not only exciting but also extreme sports, to be carried out by teenagers.
The idea is that participants will choose allies in order to achieve their goals which will be set by the producers of our show. There are ten different challenges which will require competitors’ skills and abilities to move on to the next aim. As regard the challenges, these can be described as sports games such as swimming in dangerous canals, diving waters with poor visibility, trees climbing and trekking among others.
Throughout this creative programme, adolescents will enjoy our natural areas, increasing their awareness of Argentina wild areas and contributing to their preservation.
Taking into account the style of the programme we suggest your placing this show on prime time due to its successful format.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
“The crazy sisters & co.”
The Quetzal Project (TV show proposal)
Mister Thomas Yankelevich
(WE ARE A GROUP OF STUDENTS OF A TTC AND) We are writing to let you know our proposal about a new television programme that we named The Quetzal Project. In the following lines we will establish the details of the show.
The Quetzal Project is a competition to find twelve young actors and actresses to be part of an adolescent sitcom. This competition will consist of groups of teenagers performing situations that adolescents have to go through on their way to adulthood. A group of well recognized psychologists will help with the script of the programme. The participants will be judged every week, after their performance , by a jury formed by three teachers of secondary school of both levels (Basic and Superior) and a group of three adolescents as well. This jury will vote each participant according to their performance, giving them points ranging from zero up to one hundred .The participant that accumulates more points is the one who passes to next programme. The competition will last twelve months so, every month the jury will have to choose a winner who will be part of the sitcom.
We consider this programme very suitable for a large range of viewers that expect a TV programme according to their age and needs. In other words, adolescents need to share experiences. So, we believe this is the programme!
Yours faithfully,
Daniela, Valeria, Mariela, Lidia and Gilda
(WE ARE A GROUP OF STUDENTS OF A TTC AND) We are writing to let you know our proposal about a new television programme that we named The Quetzal Project. In the following lines we will establish the details of the show.
The Quetzal Project is a competition to find twelve young actors and actresses to be part of an adolescent sitcom. This competition will consist of groups of teenagers performing situations that adolescents have to go through on their way to adulthood. A group of well recognized psychologists will help with the script of the programme. The participants will be judged every week, after their performance , by a jury formed by three teachers of secondary school of both levels (Basic and Superior) and a group of three adolescents as well. This jury will vote each participant according to their performance, giving them points ranging from zero up to one hundred .The participant that accumulates more points is the one who passes to next programme. The competition will last twelve months so, every month the jury will have to choose a winner who will be part of the sitcom.
We consider this programme very suitable for a large range of viewers that expect a TV programme according to their age and needs. In other words, adolescents need to share experiences. So, we believe this is the programme!
Yours faithfully,
Daniela, Valeria, Mariela, Lidia and Gilda
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