The Long Walk Chapter 15

While traveling through Mongolia towards the Gobi Desert, the group of prisoners came across a small town where they saw a small home and a boy and father working at the home. There were also two women who paid them no mind when they came near. There was an animal called a bullock threshing, which Slavomir mentioned was a slow way of doing the job. After they tried to introduce themselves but were confronted with the language barrier again they went towards the bullock and started threshing to help the boy. They finished and with thoughts of re compensation they were happy until the man came with a barrel more of work to do. They did it and finished with the help of all the group. They then had a great dinner which the women made. Slave craved salt so he asked for some and was given some by one of the women, and as she took it out of some special hiding place from a covered bowl he realized that salt must be scarce and of high value to them. They went on ahead on their journey after staying the night with the Mongol family. They ended up bumping into other Mongol travelers who again did not understand them and vice versa. They offered the group tea and when they told them they were headed to Lahsa, they shot back the known response, a worried look, signals of how many many days it would take to get there and prayers to them.

The Long Walk Chapter 14

The eight prisoners went along their journey. As they got closer to the Mongolian Border they raided a potato farm and took potatoes with them. They crossed the border from Russia into Mongolia and Zaro had made a joke about it. Once they all had crossed they were all happy and joyfully prancing but soon remembered it wasn't safe around there being so close to the border. They traveled through some mountains where they endured a lightning storm. The mountains where rough for them although they found much food in the little rivers they crossed while going through the mountains. On an occasion where they spotted a large river where they decided to rest and bake the potatoes and eat there was the first of many Chinese men in strange boats that they were to see along the rivers in Mongolia. They also came across some Mongols who were traveling on foot and had camels and donkeys. One of the men from the traveling Mongols attempted to talk to the group but realized they could not understand him. Then Slave tried to talk to him in Russian, they called for the eldest man who knew a bit of Russian and they had a long conversation of about an hour about where they were going and how long it would take, "many turns of the sun" the man told them. He also questioned Kristina who was fully tanned and hair bleached by the sun with blue eyes. Upon departure the man offered Slav a smoke. Then he showed Slav a watch he was given some time ago from a refugee Russian as a trade for whatever the elderly man had given them. Slav had nothing to offer but the man was still giving and gave them all the newspaper and Tobacco to smoke later, they parted and Slave reserved the newspaper to read later. They read it while at a river bank and there wasn't much news about their countries that interested them. While at the river they helped a boater when he got stuck and when they did Slav and Anastazi felt something between their legs which was a fish which they caught and ate that night. They were no longer fearful of where they might be if the locals would report them to the Russians or if there would be Russian soldiers around to catch them.

Midterm

Midterm Essay:
The Ugly Truth about Beauty

The essay, “The Ugly Truth about Beauty” by Dave Barry is obviously an informal essay. Barry’s humor is catching and keeps readers interested while stating his claim, the idea of women’s perception on beauty. There are some points where he touches on a man’s perception only to bring it back to a woman’s so called thoughts. The issue of women, who Barry explains, to think of themselves as “Not good enough.” The main concept of the essay revolves around women and what they think of themselves. Women tend to revolve their lives around trying to look good or live up to whatever idea of looking good they may have. Barry humorously goes on to say that women have a complex psychologically due to the infamous Barbie. Women, although Barbie may not be the all time idol being compared to, do tend to compare themselves with other female figures that may seem to look gorgeous to them. What a lot of women don’t realize is that these so called beauty’s of the world are one way or another fake. Mainstream society has trained women to believe we should look like this causing the pressure to upkeep one’s appearance. This may not be something rewarding because usually whatever new makeup or haircut may be unnoticeable. Barry makes this a huge point, making sure to mention the multibillion dollar industry that is up kept by the faint idea that we may look like the so called Barbie or super model. Men hardly ever have the issue of having to go through the strain of so called trying to look good. This is mainly because men don’t care the way women do. Why is it that men are so careless of the way they look no matter how awful or great that may be? One of the reasons could be the way they are portrayed in an early stage of life. It could be the toys they play with. Barry mentions the toys his son plays with in contrast to the unrealistic Barbie. The toy is ugly yet has a great sense of confidence, something that may be carried on through life by the child. This leaves the question open to the idea of maybe fixing a women’s stereotypical appearance with replacing the current Barbie with a more common looking figure of a woman. The issue of a woman’s appearance is loaded because so many issue may underlie, but Barry definitely points out one of the most important view of society that affect almost everyone.
I agree with Barry in most aspects of his essay. I feel women do spend entirely too much judging themselves as well as other women. Insecurity may be a reason but this may be brought on at an early age. I grew up on Disney, the princess and the castle then the happy ending. As a child this was my perception of happiness. Then I grew up and reality kicked me in the face. This could be what happens to most females. Society as a whole is led like a flock of sheep by whatever billboard adds may be up on the freeway this month. It’s sad to see when young girls pack on make up in middle school because it’s what’s out there. There is always the idea of looking like something better, why can’t women just learn to be happy with what they have. The fact that someone else may look better at a party or at work is always lingering, causing women to seek whatever solution there may be to their so called problem through plastic surgery or expensive makeup. Men are at fault here too though. Barry lightly touched the fact that men want to see a woman in this perception society has for women. He rejects the idea of this being true, but people this is the truth. Men pay as much as women do to see the super model in the new movie, or to buy the expensive clothes and cologne to impress the desired female at work. Men too are starting to become more and more self damning as women are. These maybe because society has put out the image of the Brad Pitt look alike in every commercial nowadays. This causes some men to look at themselves twice, forgetting the almighty self confidence they may have had once. As a whole a woman or a man’s physical appearance may be so important because of the slight idea of what people may think or the image of perfection broadcasted everywhere. Women go through excruciating things in order to appear similar to that perfect image. We need to learn that every person, including that image, have faults that should be better seen as differences. We wouldn’t be such a beautiful species if we all looked like the ever so aimed at perfect image.

The Long Walk Chapter 13

The group and Kristina who is now part of the group continue their journey. They were hungry and spring had come. They came across a horse through some trees. Kolemenos and Slavomir went toward the horse with the axe ready to kill it in order to eat.Then suddenly the man or the owner of the horse came out. He reassured the group he was of no harm and even gave them food to eat. They wondered off and they took his gun just in case. It wasn't long before the group grew hungry again and they were looking for a meal. Outside a small town is where they decided to steal a pig. Kolemnos and Slav went into a barn at night to steal the pig. They were successful and the group of prisoners had a meal for the next day or two. They ate as much as they could and smoked the rest and saved it to eat it later on. When they got close to the Trans-Siberian railway they thought of the great risk of getting caught because of heavy patrol so they decided to go at night. They ran across as far as they could and kept going. They also bumped into some Mongols that questioned lightly where they were going. Since they're Russian was broken and Slav stayed quite for a moment they assumed and threw out there that the group was going to Lasa to pray. They all agreed and the Mongols questioned about Kristina. They said she had relatives over there so they said they're goodbyes and gave them all peanuts.

The Long Walk Chapter 12

The girl is introduced in this chapter. Kristina Polanski is her name and she is well liked by everyone except Mr. Smith who is a bit stand offish of her. The group gathers early one morning to talk about whether or not she is to stay with them or what she is to do. So the group is kind off tip toeing around the issue when Mr. Smith starts to question her. Kristina offers her story on how she got there. She was a pole and her parents ended up in Ukraine after the 're-organization' of the countries. Her parents owned an estate given to her father after his fight against the Bolsheviks for the Polish. She went to school and was an only child. In 1939 Russians started moving into the town and forming a mob against immigrants who lived there. One day that same mob came after the family, the parents told Kristina to go inside and when she heard nothing for hours she came out to find her parents killed. Kristina then ran away. After running away she was caught by the Red Army and taken to work by the Yenisi River as a kolhoz worker where she was overworked and taunted by the other women who worked there. There was also a foreman who was sexually harassing her. When he tried to rape her she ran to where the women and her lived and then she ran away. When the group of prisoners heard this, as well as Mr Smith they decided to have her join the group.

The Long Walk Chapter 11

The escapees went on their route to freedom. One day they ended up finding a trapped deer so they killed and ate as much as they could then packed all the rest to eat later on their journey. One day Zaro heard a violin playing and they went to see where the noise came from to see a bear pricking at a splinter from a fallen tree that made a noise similar to the violin. They all laughed about it. They came into view of a town that looked somewhat abandoned and they went to go check it out. On their way they had to cross a river that left them freezing cold and wet. They decided that if they were to travel to close to the Lake they would be discovered by a small town made next to the lake so they decided to head north east out of view but keeping the lake insight. When they started off they heard a noise in the approaching woods and as they did they went to grab a hold of what they thought was a man and they were ready to defend themselves. They discovered it was a girl dressed in similar clothing as theirs. They found her to be a Pole alike them and she told them she was deported here to work, she started to cry and embraced them.

The Long Walk Chapter 10

They headed out of the huts and out they were with their sacks and they went under the building to the first fence and jumped over. Because of Anastazis size it caused them delay because he got stuck, and then the the next fence and then the moat where they used Anastazi as a stepping stone then pulled him up. When they were finally out they ran for their lives and kept running until about the next day or two. Then they stopped and looked in the sacks that the Ushakova gave them. They congratulated each other on the decision to go South since they weren't caught yet and assumed that the NKVD assumed they went in search for them Eastbound since that would have been the easiest way. Then they went in search of the Baikal to lead them out South wards from Siberia. They caught food here and there by mistake of running into small animals. They're shoes wore off and were thrown because they were no good. They drank from a whole in which they made in the water to drink from and were no longer afraid of lighting fires and moving during the day as they felt they had gained enough route away from the camp or any searches for them.

The Long Walk Chapter 9

Slavomir and Makowski start making plans for their escape and start rounding up others for their escape. Slavomir asked Kolemenos who agreed and then was added Smith the American, Zaro the comedian, Marchinkovas the architect, and Paluchowicz the Polish Army Sergeant. They traded and bribed other inmates for the bunks closest to the exit to all be together closest to the nearest and best escape route. They all rationed their bread for the escape saving some everyday, they spoke of the plan and acquainted themselves with one another all telling the story of their capture by the Soviets. They took the skins that the soldiers would leave on the wire fence and made clothes, sacks and moccasins out of them. On their last night there they went to go see the Politruk speak about the politics they tried to impose on the prisoners. They all smiled and agreeably said goodnight to him as if he had made an affect on him. Then they went to bed and waited for it to be time to go and when it was they all got up waking and telling one another it was time to go.

The Long Walk Chapter 8

Ushakova asks the prisoners if anyone knew how to work a Telefunken a type of radio. Slavomir responded and said he knew of them and Ushakova told him he would call for him to fix it. He was called from the ski shop to go up and look at it so he did and he entered Ushakovas home he was taken away by Ushakovas wife who was the first women he was to see since he was taken away from Poland. He caught himself staring at her. He figured out what might have been the problem and he thought of prolonging the process and playing it off that he didn't quite figure it out in order to be able to return again. He was asked questions by them and he replied, about his home and where he came from. They were somewhat casual with him in asking and gave him a cigarette and tea. Slavomir was called again to try and fix it and the talk was casual. He went 2 more times and on the third time he fixed the telefunken and Ushakov told Slavomir he would be calling him if they needed any help with it since they didn't know much on how to work it. Slavomir agreed. Upon working in the ski shop he came to now Anastazi Kolemenos who he acquainted himself with, for thoughts of asking him to escape with him. He then was summonsed by Ushakov again. Ushakov had to go to a meeting that left Ushakova and Rawicz alone, she made tea for them and they talked. She asked him questions but he would derive back to her. She eventually asked him if he ever thought of escape, he fell silent and she reassured him not to be worried that she had befriended him. She called for him again and they spoke of escape abstractly and then he returned to the huts and told his friend Makowski that they may have a plan for escape with help and that they needed to round up about half a dozen men.

The Long Walk Chapter 7

Slavomir has arrived in the Prison Camp 303 and has noticed the barriers of the confinement they were in, two gates with barbwire at either end and a dry moat. There are also other prisoners there who are Finns as he states in the book who were there prior to their arrival. There is a gathering at which the commandment Colonel Ushakov presents himself and then the Politruk introduced himself, who was the more arrogant of the two Colonels. There is a ration of bread and radish water soup and everyone is assigned to make their living quarters. So among themselves they order different people different tasks and make themselves shelter, ten huts. There was a library of Soviet books that Slavomir curiously went to go check out. Then there was a need from the Commandment. They wanted to know if anyone who knew how to make skis in exchange for more ration of bread. Slavomir ended up taking the job at the expense of his fellow prisoners calling him a traitor since the skis where made for the Russian Army. Thoughts of escaping stuck with him in his head, he decided he needed someone to go with him and asked his friend Grechinen, which later responded with no because of the chances of not surviving the cold. Then he asked the Czech who he had spoken to and befriended before and he also said no because of his health. He wondered how to escape and how to hide his extra bread for the escape.

The Long Walk Chapter Six

The movement of the prisoners was paused by a blizzard that lasted 24 hours. The soldiers settled and had the men sleep outside in the blizzard. They where waiting the Ostyaks who were natives of the land and came to help the movement of the prisoners with their Reindeer yet they didn't seem to quite befriend the Russian soldiers. Slavomir got to speak to one of the Ostyaks and he told him of the prisoners that have always tried to escape the Russians for generations now and whom they called "The Unfortunates." They were escapees of the prison camp that the Ostyak told Slavomir that they would anonymously help with leaving food out in the wild for the escapees or Unfortunate to eat on their search for freedom. This was Slavomirs' first thought of actually being able to escape the imprisonment. The prisoners where then led the way to the prison camp in foot with the soldiers who where then at that point also dying from the long hard walk to the prison camp by foot.

The Long Walk. Chapter 4

Rawicz and the prisoners are still on the train and they get to know one another, they all have sentences of at least 10 years, most commonly 25 to life and they are mostly all from the Polish Army. He gets to know a Jew who tells his story of how he got captured which gets him thinking of how he got captured. He goes back in telling how he went to college to be an Architect and then the Army, and when he went home for a couple of months to help his mother run the estate he gets called back to the Army where he finds himself watching fellow Poland soldiers get defeated by Germans. Then they surrendered the town where it had happened not long after. They're trip continued. People died and where thrown off the train and crossed off the guards list. They had to pull over the train for fixing and all the prisoners where let out to stay in the open where they gathered twigs to fasten they're pants. Finally the trip was over and they where let out to a potato farm. The wind was freezing so men made small wall with the snow and stayed behind them to block the wind. At times the transport commandant would allow them to get twigs from the forest to lay on to block from the direct snow and they were allowed. Many of the prisoners died before the third day when lorries came in to give them fufaika, a thigh length button up to the throat jacket and boots.

The Long Walk, Chapter 3

Rawicz wakes up to his new sentence and is given a hot shower and a bag of food. He then is taken to the yard where 150 other men came in and he looked at them to see if he recognized any of them. They where all taken away in a lorrie and taken to a railway. They were excited to see other men. They all spoke Pole so they obviously where all from Poland. They were taken to a railway where all "stuffed like sardines in a can" into the cattle truck that was all closed off with wood and then they where sealed into the cattle truck. A man advised Rawicz to eat what was in his bag and he ate half saving the rest for latter. The train started to take off and men started to talk to one another hoping to be from the same town. The men get hungry and thirsty and have to urine where they stood. They finally come to a stop where they clean the cattle truck out and then Rawicz realizes that they are on their way to Siberia. Men peep through the cracks to tell the others about the scenes they are passing and then there is a point where they stop and they see another cattle truck just like theirs with women and children in it. Everyone goes hysterical inside with shouting and then when they depart each others view there is a swipe of even deeper depression over them. There were men who joked to get through the situation and once there was a man who spoke of his wife making cake and it made them all feel like they were going crazy and someone had to shout for the man to stop talking about his wife's cake, so he did.

The Long Walk, Chapter 2

The interrogation was continued and he was questioned again, this time not so free, nicely and accepting as the day before. Mischa, from the courts' council asked him if he was a spy, Rawicz denied and then was slapped, he was told he admitted to being a spy and there was proof in the document he signed. The council showed it to him but he didn't remember signing it, he thought back to the night he might have been drugged and was sure of it now. He was then sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. He was then given a large dinner.

The Long Walk , Chapter One

Kharkov and The Lubyanka
In this chapter Rawciz starts telling the story from a prison he had been at and starts his story from there, his experience at Kharkov. He goes back in telling where he was from, Poland, and proceeds with telling how when he got captured he had just came home from the Polish Army and was arrested by the Russians on accusation of being a spy. They interrogated him and he refused to sign the document so they sent him to Kharkov where he experienced all types of degradation and abuse from the guards. He was put in a kishka, given little bits of food, tormented by a character named "The Bull" who pressured him to sign the document and performed all types of grotesque abuse on Rawicz. He continued to refuse to sign the document until one day it was obvious he was drugged. That is when he signed- or thinks he might have signed since he isn't sure since he was drugged. Then he was sent to the Lubyanka Prison and there he has interrogated for a whole day and he was thinking his truths where accepted for once. He had some hope of leaving the prison alive.

Quiz 1-25-09 Significance of Essays in Textbook

The First Essay: "Calling Home:" I believe the conclusion of this ending wasn't well oriented with the story. The story itself was a bit dramatized, being arrested for a Snoopy button was a bit too much for me to believe. Then the ending was off also because I feel the parents reaction to the girls action wasn't fierce enough. They should have been mad at her, at least showing some more disappointment. I mean they just let it go because of the situation with the cops and being arrested, yet they had nothing much to say to her, if it were my parents it would have been my behind! What the girls saw truly afraid of was her parents and they didn't do anything really so in the girls mind it might enable her to do it again.
The Second Essay: " American Childhood:" This story was about kids being trouble makers and doing nothing better with their time but throwing snowballs at cars. The ending was left a little unsettled I felt because the man went through all the trouble of chasing the kids down for one phrase to be said? what about the scolding and reporting then to their parents, forcing them to give up the other members in the snowball throwing group. In a sense it was like a game to both sides, instead of taking "adult like" action he didn't have to because he won and sort of proved himself by catching them and didn't have to anything because of that.