Artwork: The Scream by Edvard Munch I penetrated the famous artwork with my gaze as I imagined myself inside the painting–glorious, I thought. The colors swirled around the painting–some wobbly, some wavy. I studied the face of the person who screamed. It was as though the world around you would shake for a moment–to share the horror with you. The Scream was something quite extraordinary, I stated in my mind. It was a little scary, but it somehow expressed sadness, anger, and shock all the same. I continued to scan the painting on my computer screen, searching for a story of the person who screamed. For a moment, I capture the time as the artist, Edvard Munch, channeling all his focus onto and into the canvas. Then I am one of the people in the artwork standing by the side of the painting, watching curiously at the person who screamed. It is a high, but low sound that dragged across the artwork. The person who screamed clutching the sides of its skull-like face, begging so hard for everything to be alright once again. I turned off the computer and settled onto the living room couch, picking up a book to read. Still, I could hear, screaming, low, high, long, dragging, devastating… One stroke of the paintbrush, a moaning begins to develop, another stroke, a low wailing, another, and another slowly builds up the scream. The colors around the person who screamed were vivid, bright, intimidating, and dizzy. I close my eyes–I am the person who screamed–A piercing screech fills the air, I take a second before I realize that my mouth was open. My pupils grew smaller and I wobbled on the bridge, ignoring the onlookers that stared at me. I felt overcoming tragedy sweep over me like a rough old broom over a dusty floor. I felt like giving up, really–it was too much for me, it made me want to turn into a pile of ashes, at least, then I would have peace. Maybe I would turn into a pile of ashes, I thought, unfocused. I was back on the couch of the living room, firmly clutching the poor book in my hand, shaken but awed by the imaginary experience in my head. I felt a pang of pity for the person who screamed–The Scream was a painting that perfectly captured horror. Think of it as a person who would scream soundlessly forever because something, or someone had caused trouble; but then, life is full of stumbling blocks and answers to them. Ella Yamamura, 12, Cary, NC
review
Little Women, Reviewed by Ashley, 13
Living in New England in the nineteenth century around the time of the civil war is the seemingly perfect, amiable March Family. In the novel Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, we follow the lives of the March Family. The four sisters are Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth. They live with their beloved mother and father. This novel mainly surrounds the lives of the four sisters who are newly living in poverty after their father gets drafted into the army. They help each other grow up as they make the transition from girls to women. They befriend Laurie, their energetic and once lonely neighbor who lives next door to the Marches with his grandfather, Mr. Laurence. The girls and Laurie go on many adventures together and take him in like a brother. The girls navigate their way through life and hold on to each other through love, loss, trouble, trauma, and laughter. One of the many things I enjoyed about this novel is the strong feminine presence. Especially since,This book takes place during a time when women were very much in the background of society. The March sisters adhered to what was expected of them as young women, but also paved their own ways. Jo March, the second oldest sister and the main protagonist of the novel does not fit the classic stereotype of the women of the time, she’s outspoken, does not care for fashion, has a passion for writing, and does not plan to get married at a young age. Jo develops into a complex, loving character and makes the novel the amazing story that it is. We also get many historical facts about life in the nineteenth century, such as the clothing people wore, the modes of transportation, and how people went about their daily lives. One of the most memorable moments of the novel is when Jo is confiding to her mom and seeks her advice. This is something the girls do continuously throughout the story when they are at a crossroads or are feeling sad. Jo finds herself having trouble managing her anger. This is a problem she struggles with early in the book. She goes to her mother and learns that she too has an anger issue. Together they work through it and Jo gains a new perspective on the problem. “I hope you will be a great deal better, dear, but you must keep watch over your ‘bosom enemy’, as father calls it, or it may sadden, if not spoil your life. You have had a warning. Remember it, and try with heart and soul to master this quick temper, before it brings you greater sorrow and regret than you have known today.”‘I will try, Mother, I truly will. But you must help me, remind me, and keep me from flying out. I used to see Father sometimes put his finger on his lips, and look at you with a very kind but sober face, and you always folded your lips tight and went away. Was he reminding you then?’ asked Jo softly. ‘Yes. I asked him to help me so, and he never forgot it, but saved me from many a sharp word by that little gesture and kind look’”(86-87). We see the sympathetic dynamic between the girls and their mother and how greatly they look up to her and hold on to her words. Overall, this novel was very inspiring and interesting to read. Although it’s lengthy, it is still worth reading until the end. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking to read classic American literature. This book teaches us that family and close friends are of utmost importance. With a strong supportive network of family and close friends any challenge can be tackled and any obstacle can be overcome. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Puffin Books, 1868. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!
Trumpet of the Swan, Reviewed by Keshav Ravi, 8
“Birds are a special problem, birds are hard to deal with.” This is what many people seem to think, and understandably, when a bird has just robbed their shop. However, Louis, in E.B.White’s The Trumpet of the Swan, proves exactly the opposite. Louis is a swan who was born with no ability to make sound or communicate with his family. His father breaks into a store in Montana to find Louis a trumpet so that he can make swan sounds like everyone else and persuade Serena, the swan he loves, to be his mate. With the help of Sam Beaver, an animal-loving boy, he goes to school and learns to communicate with humans by writing on a slate. He also works to earn money to pay for the stolen trumpet by playing songs which Sam helps him learn. The Trumpet of the Swan is special because of the strong relationship that forms between Sam and Louis, right from when Louis first meets Sam in the woods of Canada, and how they work together to solve Louis’s problems. Their friendship is the heart of the story and is what makes it a forever favorite for me. Something that surprised me was finding humor in an otherwise moving story. One instance among several that comes to mind is when Louis is swimming in front of the swan boat in Boston playing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” when a boy shouts, “This swan is as good as Louis Armstrong, I’m going to call him Louis.” Then Louis writes on his slate, “That’s actually my name.” This really made me laugh. White’s poetic description of nature is another feature I enjoyed. For example, the coming of spring is described as a time when “Warm air, soft and kind, blew through the trees.” With elements of humor, suspense, and realistic imagery, The Trumpet of the Swan is a classic that many people will easily relate to and that you just can’t read too many times. Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White. HarperCollins, 1970. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process! Have you read this book? Or do you plan on reading it? Let us know in the comments below!
