All posts by benl802

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Tone Writing

To: James Doe

From: Jane Doe

Subject: Prank Today

John,

I heard about the prank you played today on poor Timmy. Your father and I are very disappointed and upset at your behavior today. We’ve been noticing that your attitude and actions at home have become very rude, mean and disrespectful. We decided to let it slide because you had been acting like such a great friend to everyone at school. Your father and I are absolutely appalled that you would even think to do such a thing, let alone do it. Humiliating someone to that extent is extremely mean and hurtful.

We have decided that you need to come home immediately after school instead of playing basketball with your friends. You also are not allowed to play on the soccer team for at least three weeks. We know how much you love to fish, so we generously donated your fishing rod to a local charity. Your father and I need to speak with you about your behavior as soon as possible. We also expect you to write a note to Timmy and apologize in person to his family. Your father and I also agree that there needs to be even harsher punishments to ensure that your attitude and behavior problems are completely fixed. We will talk about this later with father. We are very upset and disappointed in you and your actions today at school.

-Mom

 

Dear John,

 

Hey! How’s it going? Well listen, I have a question for you. Do you remember when you spotted me a few bucks last month so that I could afford a place to live? Well, somehow, I might have accidentally spent the money on a new pair of shoes instead of an apartment. So now to get to the question. Can I please, please, please have a few more dollars? I promise it won’t go to waste! Please be a good brother! You know I’d do the same for you if I had the money.

I know it seems like I keep giving you the same reasons for giving me money but I really will use it wisely this time. Last year, you were very upset at me after I had taken your money and bought other things than an apartment. For some reason though, you still give me money. You MUST have some kind of trust in me to keep doing that. Please, please don’t let me down and I promise I’ll do anything you want me to do. I’ll pick up your dog’s poop, I’ll shine your shoes, and I’ll even drive you anywhere! Just please lend me a few bucks. Well by few, I mean like a thousand or two, but I promise I’ll pay you back! I hope you come through on this and help your poor brother out. Just a couple of bucks, please!

 

Thanks in advance,

James

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My Future World

The computer hovers silently over the desk. There is no sound in the house. The computer is not like the ones we see today. This computer is a holograph and it floats just above the table. The person is sitting at the computer but he is not using a mouse or a keyboard. He can just imagine what he wants to click and type, and the computer will do it for him. Right now, he is on eBay buying a toy dinosaur. Without the click of a button, he purchases the T-Rex and then turns around to face the other side of the room.

On this side, there is a medium-sized metal door. It looks like a doggie door on steroids. Just minutes after the order is confirmed, the silence of the house is broken. It starts with a small buzzing sound as if a bug was flying by your ear. Then the sound grows. Now it sounds like a mix between glass breaking and a sword fight. Then the room begins to smell. It smells like freshly cut grass. A green light slowly grows from the door. Suddenly, with a flash and a bang, the room goes dark and silent again. It’s like an explosion without the danger. The only light is from the computer across the room.

The door then makes a distinctive ‘click’ sound. A soft humming sound starts. It is the sound you would hear on an escalator. It suddenly goes silent again. A few moments later, a small T-Rex pops out from the door. The delivery of his toy only took five minutes. The man bends down and picks it up. He is ecstatic. He walks away and begins to happily play with his new toy.

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Diction Piece

Lewis was overflowing with excitement. It was his favorite- absolute favorite holiday. St. Patrick’s Day. The air was crisp and it had a buzz to it as if it was electric. Lewis’s home town was sitting on a hill that over looked beautiful lakes, rolling hills and a lush forest. Earlier this morning he had stepped outside and found a four leaf clover. To see a leprechaun was his one wish. Soon after, Lewis and his family headed downtown for the big parade. Every short green object was closely-oh so closely- inspected by Lewis so the he was sure they weren’t leprechauns.  They finally reached the main square and settled in for the show. Only after most of the town was there did the parade begin.

 

Dancers in green performed cartwheels and flips as they moved down the cobblestone streets. Next came the floats. Giant four leaf clovers soared through the air. The crowd cheered and cheered and cheered. Lewis was the only one who failed to cheer for he was too busy searching for leprechauns. The next float was a humungous green top hat with a shiny, golden ring around it. Suddenly, Lewis sprinted out into the middle of the road. He had no care for the parade for all of his attention was fixed on finding little men in green suits. He peered high into the sky and looked inside the hat for hiding leprechauns. There were none. Only a few steps behind, Lewis’ mother ran into the road and scooped him up off the ground. The look- that evil look- on his mother’s face dared him to do it again. Lewis slumped his shoulders and let his mother drag him off to the side. The parade was approaching its last event, but Lewis had yet to find a leprechaun.

 

The last part of the parade was a traditional song performed by kilted men playing the bagpipes. The sound of the music was almost louder than the crowd’s cheers. The cobblestone road thundered as the men marched down the road. They were led by a leprechaun. A short happy leprechaun. ‘Real or not real?’ was the only thing that was going through Lewis’ mind. Real or not real? He failed to come up with an answer. It would be risky to run again but he decided his wish might depend on this very moment. He stepped slowly- oh so slowly- onto the street and looked around. Nobody had noticed him yet. He broke out of the crowd and ran. And ran. Straight towards the leprechaun. The poor leprechaun was being chased by Lewis who was being chased by his mom who was being chased by a policeman. Lewis reached out to grab the leprechaun. He was close- so close- to grabbing him. But just as he swiped the leprechauns scampered up a bagpiper’s tree trunk legs. Lewis grabbed the man’s kilt and pulled it back so that he could look for his leprechaun. There was no leprechaun! ‘How could it be?’ Lewis thought to himself. He then turned around and saw his mother quickly approaching him. He turned around again and ran off like he’d been shot out of a cannon. Lewis ran for about two feet before he ran right into a musician that was playing the bagpipes. Down he fell, like a rock tumbling off a cliff. As soon as Lewis hit the ground his mother picked him up. She took him straight home and put him in timeout. He was so mad- no not mad, he was furious. Finally Lewis slowly drifted into a deep, deep sleep, where he found his leprechaun floating on a four leaf clover in the hands of a tall, kilt-wearing bag pipe player.