A Rose for Emily 

In the short story “A Rose for Emily”, there are several symbols but there are three main symbols that help shape the story and are ultimately very critical to the themes of the story. Those three symbols would be The Skull and Crossbones, the dead bodies found in her home, and finally the rat on the poison bottle.

To begin, first symbol would be the Skull and Crossbones on the bottle. The Skull and Crossbones represent death. I can infer this means death, because the illustration of a Skull and Crossbones’ normally means do not consume, or the product is fatal. And my inference was correct.

Then, the second symbol, the dead bodies in her home represent her isolation, and unwillingness to let go. For example, when her father died, for three days she refused to let anyone remove his dead body. The text does not say why, but I can infer it is because she simply was not ready to let go, her father was all she ever really known.  Another example is Homer Barron, her promiscuous boyfriend that she killed. Even after she killed him, she would still lay in bed with his dead corpse. The text does not say why, but I can assume that it was because she, again, was not ready to let go, and be alone.

And lastly, the final symbol from “A Rose for Emily” would be the “For Rats” label under the skull and cross bones. The “For Rats” label represents a second meaning, and ulterior motive for the poison. The text was previously talking about Ms. Emily’s boyfriend being flamboyantly unfaithful and everyone knowing his promiscuous secrets . So I could assume from the context clues given in the previous paragraphs that the "rat", as in unfaithful, no good, poison was indeed intended for the unfaithful boyfriend, not a rodent.

There are many more symbols in this text, but I feel like The Skull and Crossbones’, the dead bodies in found in her home, and the rat poison were the most important symbols. Those three symbols were the most plot-shaping, tone-setting symbols of the story.

The Devil and Tom Walker

After reading The Devil and Tom Walker, I can infer that Tom Walker was a selfish man, who was more worried about money and riches, than anything else. I can infer this because when his wife  went into the forest and did not return for several days, he was not worried, he didn't go looking after her, nothing.. And days later when he found his wives apron in the forest he "leaped with joy...  because he supposed it would be filled with the household valuables". That's  as selfish and unloving as it gets in my opinion.

Also, after reading The Devil and Tom Walker, I can infer that the Black Woodsman is the devil. I can infer this because the text says "he was wearing a sash around his body, and bore an ax over his shoulder." While reading this part in the text, the first image to pop into my head was the Grim Reaper. My inference was confirmed when the text says "he seemed to go down, down, down into the earth, until nothing but his head and shoulders could be seen, and so on until he disappeared." Based on that part of the text, I now know the Black Woodsman is the Devil and he was going to Hell.

 And lastly after reading The Devil and Tom Walker, I can infer that his wife is equally selfish, and unloving to her husband because she was supportive of any dealing with the Devil as long as she would end up with money. When her husband decided not to partake in the deal, she took everything of value in their home, and decided if she got the money, it was all for her. That is very selfish, and just cold- hearted.

One of the themes I interpreted from The Devil and Tom Walker is that money does not always make you happy. In the beginning of the story, Tom Walker did not have money, and he wasn't satisfied. And even after he becomes wealthy, he had no company, no one to console him. The text says he left his home "unfinished and unfurnished out of parsimony". Your still not happy, still not motivated, and still selfish, after you've made all that money.

The last theme I interpreted from The Devil and Tom Walker is just because you pray, and you own a bible, and people see you reading it does not mean you are a Christian and have God in your heart. The text says Tom Walker "always carried a small bible".. "reading it when people called on business... to mark the place, while he turned round to drive some usurious bargain". Meaning he would be reading the Bible, mark his page, and intentionally destroy someones business, or something very hypocritical.

I Am, I Can, I Will

I am stubborn, and irrational.
I am a feminist.
I am a pessimist.
I am afraid to be optimistic.
I am afraid to lose myself in my generation.
I am determined to stay true to myself.

I can read all day.
I can write all night.
I  can leave wherever I am,
and hide inside my imagination.
I can reach my goals.
I can make my dreams a reality.

I will fall.
I will fail.
I will disappoint.
I will love, and lose it. 
But I will never give up. 

Shrek .

One of the themes of Shrek is that beauty is only skin deep. When Princess Fiona  was rescued from the tower by Shrek, she insist that he is not her Prince Charming. He's an ogre, not a beautiful Prince. Shrek and Fiona are not ideal, or what society would deem as beautiful, but they're good, sweet, nice characters who show that you don't have to be beautiful to everyone else to be truly beautiful. The moral of the story is that looks do not matter, it's about what's on the inside.