After Dark

Short Essay: After Dark Haruki Murakami tests the boundaries between everyday Tokyo reality and a surreal realm in After Dark. The book follows two sisters who are each present in different realities. In this novel, Murakami uses sleep as a symbol of disengagement and disassociation from the world. The plot bounces between many different locations, but centralizes around Eri’s bedroom and the love hotel, Alphaville. Takahashi discloses to Mari later in the book that his original business of being at the love hotel was not to work there, but rather, he was customer with a girl he knew. Mari’s suspicion that Eri had been the girl at the hotel with him is strengthened as Takahashi admits that even if the girl was her sister, he’d, “Probably…

It is clear in Murakami’s After Dark that in Japan’s demanding work environment and conservative culture, transgression occurs in the late hours of the night. After Takahashi asks Mari out on a date, Mari claims that she has a dark personality that would not make them compatible, and Takahashi responds: “It's not as if our lives are simply divided into light and dark. There's a shadowy middle ground. Recognizing and understanding the shadows is what a healthy intelligence does. And to acquire a…

constant fear of both characters losing what they both hold dear. Maggie Stiefvater 's The Scorpio Races was an electrifying read from start to the satisfying finish. It is a book that would be accepted to teach at High school level students. However, I don 't think it should be taught below that, only for some of the graphic violence that occurs with some of the Thisby residents, along with that of various animals. I was quite pleased to learn that Finn 's cat, Puffin, got away from the…

Since the dark ages the European economy had been experiencing “a period of economic growth that greatly increased levels of prosperity and security” (Martin, 2008). Trade routes were expanding with the buying and selling of goods such as silks, spices and luxury items. “The wool and cloth industry were expanding so much that Edward III had to start taxing exports in 1347” (Martin, 2008). Land value also increased, this in turn allowed cities to grow and bring more people in to them. “Cities…

Are their towns that don’t allow blacks to live in their town or let alone be in the town after dark? Well that are what sundown towns are. There are spoken town that are all white on purpose and don’t allow blacks to live there. After watching the injustice files where he went on to find out more about these sundown towns. He had a book with him to help guide him through the city. The book was called the green book safe travels for negroes. It depicts where it was safe for black travelers to go…

The letter that Corregidor Alonso Guzman had given him had its desired effect. On reading it, the official in charge of the first regidor of Madrid’s office made an appointment for Antonio to see him at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, four days later. The official said it could not be earlier because the regidor was at Escorial and would not be returning for several days. Antonio wondered just how important the king’s life could be if the meeting could be delayed for that long. Couldn’t they send…

in November till the last full weekend in February I have slaved away in the wrestling mat room to try and qualify and make the top eight wrestlers in the state championship tournament. Most years haven’t been successful, but last year was different. In The November of 2015, on the Monday that wrestling practice was planned to start, I showed up to practice after all day at school to meet my teammates for the year and plan out the season. This year been my fourth time doing this routine. I…

ready for the game. I knew in my heart we could be successful. I loved everything about that day until the first blow. A ball nailed me in the head during warmups. I did not see it coming. I turned around for a split second, and suddenly a meteor shot me in the head. It stung for a second, but I did my best to shake it off. The game began and within the first 30 seconds, the other team scored. They scored 3 goals in the first 5 minutes. Although this was not a blow to my head, it still felt…

No one ever made fun of these kids again after Johnny delivered that punch. I’m sure he scared all those bullies off. I do not agree with fighting, but I was so proud that Johnny stood up for himself like that. I won’t be able to see his shining face anymore, but I’ll never forget that kid and what he did that day. If he didn’t stand up for himself and all those kids that day, things probably would have stayed the way they were. As I drive this bus to and from school everyday, I will always…

I think that afterschool programs would be pointless. If students listen in class then they would not need an afterschool program. Schools last a long time anyway, but if schools had an afterschool program then school would be much longer than it already is. Most students would not even take afterschool programs seriously. It can also interfere with students extra-curricular activities. That is why I think that afterschool programs would be pointless. First of all, I think afterschool programs…