1. 'The First Day' by Edward P. Jones: An Analysis "The First Day" by Edward P. Jones It's only natural to keep vivid memories of certain monumental moments in life, such as the first day of school, for a long time. "The First Day" by Edward P. Jones tells the story of a mother and daughter on the daughter's first day of school. In the beginning of the story, the mother goes to great lengths to prepare her daughter for this important occasion. After the preparation is over, she takes her daughter to a particular school before being told that she is in the wrong school district. They are directed to the correct school and that is where the daughter is registered to attend. However, the mother is not able to fill out the registration form because she cannot read or write. Along with love,...show more content... (Jones) Also, as her mother turns away and leaves her in the care of the teacher, the first thing she states is that she can see where her mother has "darned one of her socks the night before." (Jones) Instead of providing any commentary on her ascension to independency from her mother, the first thing she notes is the condition of her mother's sock, showing her embarrassment toward her. Although the daughter's shame in her mother is evident, she is also prideful of her as well. The strong love that the mother and daughter share is pervasive throughout the story. The story is being told by the daughter after she is all grown up. The fact that Jones uses such vivid detail on the mother's preparation for her daughters first day of school shows that the daughter loved her mom and all that she did for her. The daughter recalls that her mother spent a lot of time preparing her when she says, "My mother has uncharacteristically spent nearly an hour on my hair that morning, plaiting and replaiting so that now my scalp tingles." (Jones) She also remembers that her "pale green slip and underwear are new, the underwear having come three to a plastic package with a little girl on the front who appears to be dancing." (Jones) The daughter having remembered details like these illustrate that she has an immense love and takes pride ...Get more content on HelpWriting.Net...

3. Interpretive Essay Is Liberate Art A Way of Life? In many instances, individuals neglect to acknowledge the importance of school and a higher education. The individuals who view education as their number one priority see staying in school is important. Why is it important? Is staying in school going to benefit the student/individual? In this essay, I will explain why the literate arts are important and for what they are good. I will also give the opinions of others and what my views are. Richard Miller, the writer of " The Dark Night of The Soul" writes, " I have these doubts, you see, doubts silently shared by many who spend their days teaching others the liberate arts. Aside from gathering and analyzing information, aside from generating critiques and...show more content... As I read, "The Dark Night of the Soul" by Richard E. Miller, I found it to be an interesting read. He inquires, why we read, why we write and what might literate arts be said to be good for? In his essay he describes the school massacres that have occurred throughout the years. As he describes these events, he asks a deeper question, "What is the point of continuing to read, write and learn in the face of such underlying dangers. I think that with all that is happening, individuals/students should continue with education because reading, television, writing and communication makes a difference in the lives of individuals around the world. The bottom line is that literary art has a way of touching students unexpectedly one way or another and students should not just throw the art away because of society's perception. Works Cited Miller E., Richard. "The Dark Night of the Soul".Ways of Reading: An Anthology for Writers. 9th. David Bartholomae & Anthony Petrosky. Boston: Bedford St. Martin's Press, 2010. 420–442. Print. "Dead Air." The Ghost Whisperer. CBS. WWJ–TV, New York City. 8 Jan. 2010. ...Get more content on HelpWriting.Net...