Gore By Sarah Ellis
Characters:
- Protagonist: Amy. She is the twin sister of Lucas. She views Lucas as a dumb, mean spirited brother. She claims that he is bigger and stronger than her, so she must be mentally stronger than him, in order to “beat him”. This story is from her perspective.
- Antagonist: Lucas. He is the twin brother of Amy. He is said to be antagonizing and mean. This time, however he is outsmarted by his physically inferior sister.
Story line:
Initially:
Amy picks up a book from the library and reads us an excerpt from it. She leaves us on a cliffhanger when her book is stolen by Lucas. He locks himself in the bathroom with the book. Amy attempts to blackmail, threaten and bribe Lucas into opening the door so she can continue reading the book, he does not oblige.
However:
Suddenly the doorbell rings and she opens the door, a group of masked individuals make their way in the door without invitation. She runs back to the bathroom door to try and get Lucas to help her. He brushes it off as another attempt to get him to open the door. The situation escalates. She attempts to call for help, but cannot.
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Consequently:
She gives in to the forces and falls down. She gives Lucas one final warning to break the window and escape. He starts to get worried and Amy no longer answered his cries.
Ultimately:
Lucas opens the door and she uses her strength to quickly jump into the bathroom and lock it. It is now revealed that this was all an act to get him to open up the door. She “wins” the battle and then continues to read her prized book in peace.
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Literary Techniques:
Use of simile:
“Lucas is more like an unevolved thugoid” (Ellis 4).
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“Bright yellow eyes that stare unblinking, like a baby or a reptile” (Ellis 6).
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“My hands smell like skunk cabbage, no, like swamp water, no, like the bacon that somebody forgot in the back of the fridge. My face is smooth and cold and becoming more solid every second” (Ellis 7).
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“Like a powerful, persistent and silent wind” (Ellis 6).
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“I figure it is like some small but extremely valuable country calling on the United Nations Gore 5 when attacked by an aggressor” (Ellis 4).
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Use of metaphor:
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“I am a stealth bomber with no aviation fuel. I am a pioneer with no powder for my musket. I am a merry man (well, OK, merry woman) with an empty quiver. I am weaponless” (Ellis 5).
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“Each word is a little island of sound, a pebble dropped into a pool” (Ellis 6).
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