The Land of 10,000 Lakes :: Personal Narrative Writing

The Land of 10,000 Lakes My favorite part about my Minnesota vacations were the fishing trips I went on with my dad. We would wake up very early in the morning, even before the sun was up. As the birds were just beginning their morning songs, I rolled over in bed, still half asleep. As the thoughts of heading out on the lake and catching fish entered my mind, I was quickly wide awake. I got up, and put on my favorite pair of jeans. These jeans have been through a lot, with holes in the knees and a long slit down the back of one leg. Next came my lucky Hinton football shirt that I wore every single time I went hunting or fishing. When we were dressed, we headed out to the kitchen and ate a quick breakfast of cold cereal. I loaded up the cooler for the day as my dad made us both some sandwiches. When everything was packed, we carried out our cooler, rods, bait, and tackle boxes down to the dock. The sky was just beginning to turn a light gray color, and all the trees were standing still. We filled up the boat with our fishing supplies, and I untied the ropes from the dock. The boat was white and blue on the outside, with a matching interior. The engine was always a little slow starting, but that morning it fired on the first try. On our way out to our favorite fishing place, all the houses along the lake were still dark. The boat ride to our spot was only about twenty minutes, but it was hard to drive fast in the predawn light. My dad taught me that the best time to catch fish in clear water was in low light hours, when the fish couldn’t see the boat. Only one other fisherman was out as early as us, but we both knew that more latecomers would be arriving with the light. Finally, we arrived at the spot where we loved to fish. Every year we went to the exact same place on the lake because this is where we have always caught the most fish. I always liked to sit in the back of the boat and fish straight out behind us. My dad went up front and controlled the trolling motor, pushing the boat perfectly over the drop-off where the walleyes liked to float and wait for food.

Police officer Essay

Inspector Goole has an air of mystery around him from the start. Mr. Birling is on the bench and knows all the police officers but has never seen Inspector Goole. The Inspector tells him that he is new â€Å"Only recently transferred.† This makes us wonder, is it a coincidence that he has just started working in Brumley at the same time as this investigation is going on? Or maybe he knew Eva Smith personally and wanted to find out more about what drove her to suicide. We don’t really know who he is and there is no evidence that he is a real Inspector so the audience are confused whether to believe him or not. We do not know enough about his character to trust him. He also has a very mysterious nature for example the way he talks to people. â€Å"He chooses his words carefully and speaks weightily.† He does this so that he makes sure that he is saying what he wants to say and means it. Everything he says has a rather matter of fact tome to it making the other characters think that he is always right and knows what he is talking about. Also he has a disconcerting habit of looking at the person that he is talking to. This makes them uneasy. It is like the Inspector is searching them internally and can see what they are thinking. The name of the Inspector â€Å"Inspector Goole† adds to the dramatic tension of the play. The name Goole is a homophone to the word ghoul which is often related to a ghost. A ghost is a disembodied spirit of a dead person i.e. it is not really there. Ghosts and ghouls are thought to be fictional to scare children. Therefore is the Inspector real or not? Is â€Å"Goole† his real name or is he just using the name to scare the Birlings? These questions remain unanswered throughout the play. Inspector Goole has a very awkward yet methodical way of questioning each member of the family. He concentrates on one person at a time and does not let them go until he is satisfied with the information that he has gained. When he is questioning one person he does not like to disturbed. He has a photograph in his pocket which he says is of Eva Smith and he says he found it in her lodgings. He only shows it to one person at a time and makes sure that no one else can see it. When he shows Mr. Birling the photograph Gerald and Eric are eager to see it as well but he blocks their view. When they ask him why they can’t see the photograph he replies â€Å"It’s the way I like to go to work. One person and one line of enquiry at a time. Otherwise there is a muddle.† This shows the methodical side to his questioning. Throughout his enquiries, the Inspector has remained in control. At times he has massively taken charge.† In social status, the Inspector is lower than the Birlings although throughout most of the play the Birlings are inferior to the Inspector as they do not know all the information like he does. What we do not know is how much the inspector already knows before arriving at the house. Whenever he asks a question, he already seems to know the otherwise he would not be questioning them. The information he has gathered before coming to the house is by reading the diary that Eva Smith left. Maybe some pages of the diary were missing, hence the lack of information in the Inspector. There is not really any evidence that what the inspector says is true apart from everyone admitting to what they did to Eva Smith. He doesn’t even show the Birlings so called diary. Therefore we aren’t sure if there even was a diary or if he made it all up. We are force to believe that he is telling the truth because how else would he have got that information? The audience answer to it â€Å"Anyhow I already knew.† He obviously has bits of the puzzle missing do not learn a great about Inspector Goole in the play. All they learn about is his character and personality; he is imposing and intimidating. We do not know any background information on him e.g. where he is from. All this does not matter because even though he is the main character the play is not about him it is about Eva Smith. The audience probably do feel a bit curious about the mysterious Inspector but their curiosity soon subsides as they try to keep up with the fast pace of the play. Before the Inspector goes he says â€Å"One Eva Smith has gone but there are millions and millions of Eva Smiths left with us.† From this, the family learn that they might have led someone to suicide but there are plenty more vulnerable people like Eva Smith left in the world that needs their help.  John Priestley was born on September 13th 1894. He grew up into a family who enjoyed debates. At a very young age he was caught up in debates with his friends. They all discussed politics from a socialist point of view. He expresses these ideas and beliefs in the play. In the play his socialist ideas are expressed through the characters and by exploiting some techniques and devices. Now I am going to write about the social and political climate of the day. Priestley wrote this play ‘An Inspector Calls’ in 1944, but the play was set in 1912. Priestley took into account the political and social climate of not just 1944 but also when the play was set in 1912. Because of the time in between the two periods Priestley could use historical events and facts for his own use in the play. An example of this is when Birling says, â€Å"I’m talking as a hard headed, practical man of business. And I say there isn’t a chance of war. â€Å"And in the Inspectors final speech when he talks about everyone being responsible for each other’s actions and the world is a whole and people shouldn’t be divided up into classes and social groups. â€Å"I tell you that the time will come when, if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught in fire and blood and anguish.† In both these quotes Priestley touches on the subject of war. This would have attracted the audience to what Birling was saying and they would have started to dislike him and his ideas, since the Second World War would have just finished the audience would have been upset about their lost ones and would have been interested in peoples opinions and views leading up to the start of World War One.

War of 1812 USS Constitution

Shorn of the protection of the Royal Navy, the merchant marine of the young United States began to suffer attacks from North African Barbary pirates in the mid-1780s. In response, President George Washington signed the Naval Act of 1794. This authorized the building of six frigates with the restriction that construction would halt if a peace agreement was reached. Designed by Joshua Humphreys, the construction of the vessels was assigned to various ports on the East Coast. The frigate assigned to Boston was dubbed USS Constitution and was laid down at Edmund Hartts yard on November 1, 1794. Aware that the U.S. Navy would be unable to match the fleets of Britain and France, Humphreys designed his frigates to be able to overpower similar foreign ships but still be fast enough to escape larger ships of the line. Possessing a long keel and narrow beam, Constitutions framing was made of live oak and included diagonal riders which increased the hulls strength and aided in preventing hogging. Heavily planked, Constitutions hull was stronger than similar vessels of its class. Copper bolts and other hardware for the vessel were made by Paul Revere. Key Facts Nation: United StatesBuilder: Edmund Hartts Shipyard, Boston, MALaunched: October 21, 1797Maiden Voyage: July 22, 1798Fate: Museum ship at Boston, MA Specifications of the USS Constitution Ship Type: FrigateDisplacement: 2,200 tonsLength: 175 ft. (waterline)Beam: 43.5 ft.Draft: 21 ft. - 23 ft.Complement: 450Speed: 13 knots Armament 30 x 24-pdrs2 x 24-pdrs (bow chasers)20 x 32-pdr carronades USS Constitution The Quasi-War Though a peace settlement was reached with Algiers in 1796, Washington permitted the three ships nearest completion to be finished. As one of the three, Constitution was launched, with some difficulty, on October 21, 1797. Completed the following year, the frigate readied for service under the command of Captain Samuel Nicholson. Though rated at forty-four guns, Constitution typically mounted around fifty. Putting to sea on July 22, 1798, Constitution began patrols to protect American commerce during the Quasi-War with France. Operating on the East Coast and in the Caribbean, Constitution conducted escort duty and patrolled for French privateers and warships. The highlight of its Quasi-War service came on May 11, 1799 when Constitutions sailors and marines, led by Lieutenant Isaac Hull, seized the French privateer Sandwich near Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo. Continuing its patrols after the conflict ended in 1800, Constitution returned to Boston two years later and was placed in ordinary. This proved brief as the frigate was re-commissioned for service in the First Barbary War in May 1803. USS Constitution and the First Barbary War Commanded by Captain Edward Preble, Constitution arrived at Gibraltar on September 12 and was joined by additional American ships. Crossing to Tangier, Preble exacted a peace treaty before departing on October 14. Overseeing American efforts against the Barbary states, Preble began a blockade of Tripoli and worked to free the crew of USS Philadelphia (36 guns) which had run aground in the harbor on October 31. Unwilling to allow the Tripolitans to keep Philadelphia, Preble dispatched Lieutenant Stephen Decatur on a daring mission which destroyed the frigate on February 16, 1804. Through the summer, Preble mounted attacks against Tripoli with small gunboats and used his frigates to provide fire support. In September, Preble was replaced in overall command by Commodore Samuel Barron. Two months later, he turned command of Constitution over to Captain John Rodgers. Following the American victory at the Battle of Derna in May 1805, a peace treaty with Tripoli was signed aboard Constitution on June 3. The American squadron then moved to Tunis where a similar agreement was obtained. With peace in the region, Constitution remained in the Mediterranean until returning in late 1807. USS Constitution  and the War of 1812 During the winter of 1808, Rodgers supervised a major overhaul of the ship until passing command to Hull, now a captain, in June 1810. After a cruise to Europe in 1811-1812, Constitution was in the Chesapeake Bay when news arrived that the War of 1812 had begun. Departing the bay, Hull sailed north with the goal of joining a squadron that Rodgers was assembling. While off the coast of New Jersey, Constitution was spotted by a group of British warships. Pursued for over two days in light winds, Hull used a variety of tactics, including kedge anchors, to escape. Arriving at Boston, Constitution quickly resupplied before sailing on August 2. Moving northeast, Hull captured three British merchantmen and learned that a British frigate was sailing to the south. Moving to intercept, Constitution encountered HMS Guerriere (38) on August 19. In a sharp fight, Constitution dismasted its opponent and forced it to surrender. During the battle, several of Guerrieres cannon balls were seen to bounce off Constitutions thick sides leading it to earn the nickname Old Ironsides. Returning to port, Hull and his crew were hailed as heroes. On September 8, Captain William Bainbridge took command and Constitution returned to sea. Sailing south with the sloop of war USS Hornet, Bainbridge blockaded the corvette HMS Bonne Citoyenne (20) at Salvador, Brazil. Leaving Hornet to watch the port, he maneuvered offshore seeking prizes. On December 29, Constitution spotted the frigate HMS Java (38). Engaging, Bainbridge captured the British ship after causing its foremast to collapse. Needing repairs, Bainbridge returned to Boston, arriving in February 1813. Requiring an overhaul, Constitution entered the yard and work began under the guidance of Captain Charles Stewart. Sailing for the Caribbean on December 31, Stewart captured five British merchant ships and HMS Pictou (14) before being forced back to port due to issues with the main mast. Pursued north, he ran into Marblehead harbor before slipping down the coast to Boston. Blockaded at Boston until December 1814, Constitution next steered for Bermuda and then Europe. On February 20, 1815, Stewart engaged and captured the sloops of war HMS Cyane (22) and HMS Levant (20). Arriving in Brazil in April, Stewart learned of the wars end and returned to New York. Later Career of the USS Constitution With the end of the war, Constitution was laid up at Boston. Re-commissioned in 1820, it served in the Mediterranean Squadron until 1828. Two years later, an erroneous rumor that the U.S. Navy intended to scrap the ship led to public outrage and caused Oliver Wendell Holmes to pen the poem Old Ironsides. Repeatedly overhauled, Constitution saw service in the Mediterranean and Pacific during the 1830s before embarking on an around the world cruise in 1844-1846. Following a return to the Mediterranean in 1847, Constitution served as flagship of the U.S. African Squadron from 1852 to 1855. Arriving home, the frigate became a training ship at the U.S. Naval Academy from 1860 to 1871 when it was replaced by USS Constellation (22). In 1878-1879, Constitution carried exhibits to Europe for display at the Paris Exposition. Returning, it ultimately was made a receiving ship at Portsmouth, NH. In 1900, the first efforts were made to restore the ship and seven years later it opened for tours. Heavily restored in the early 1920s, Constitution embarked on a national tour in 1931-1934. Further restored several times during the 20th century, Constitution is currently docked at Charlestown, MA as a museum ship. USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship in the U.S. Navy.