South Circular
trying to ‘go down fighting’. Hemingway committed suicide, so Santiago could represent the writer and his own outlook on life and death. Hemingway and Santiago both lost loved ones, they both faced suffering for most of their lives (for example Hemingway’s experiences in World War One, they were both lonely but proud. ltimately, Santiago leaves the reader with a surprisingly hopeful message. The story ends with him dreaming of ‘the lions on the beach’ happily. Even though the sharks eat the fish and he has nothing physical to show for his pain, he is not defeated. The lion is a symbol of courage, and could represent Santiago, and, ultimately, the key theme of the story: that courage is the most important thing in life, and you should never give up. U
Buck’s first fight
Samuel Waldron Year 8
t was no task for him to learn to fight with the quick wolf snap. Suddenly in the isolated, dark forest a twig snapped; its sound resonating through the eerie forest. Buck’s ears twitched as his senses awakened to the mysterious happenings around him. Buck was gearing himself up for a savage attack by a creature unbeknown to him. His heart was pounding and although hesitant, he considered himself ready. He scoured the trees in the hope of finding the mysterious creature. Like lightning, the unkempt hairs on the back of Buck’s neck were raised in fear. Cautiously, Buck settled into his sought out hiding place in a bush located in a crevice of the forest. He squatted down, ready to pounce at the unsuspecting enemy. That dreaded sound of something drawing closer and closer became more real to Buck as he positioned himself ready for attack. Determined to make the enemy flee, Buck emitted a sinister growl of warning. Would this be enough to intimidate his enemy? Silence saturated the forest and the enemy stopped in its tracks. Buck was unable to see clearly as the musty air hindered not only his vision but also his mind. His capacity to think quickly had been compromised. The enemy knew where Buck was and could sense his presence. Surrounded by the green vegetation, Buckwas unnervingly visible with his coarse brown coat. Crunch. The enemy was on the move. Buck caught a glimpse of a coat as black as the night. His fear confirmed, Buck knew this was a wolf. A savage wolf. One out for blood. One out to get him. This wolf had a thirst for blood and he knew what he wanted. He was determined not to stop until his prey surrendered to him. Fortunately, Buck felt otherwise. Hesitantly, Buck attempted to escape from the primordial beast. Buck could even sense the twitching of the wolf’s nose sniffing him out. The scent of fresh blood penetrated through his nostrils filling him with satisfaction. Buck’s heart was filled with dread. There was no escaping this fight. The wolf plunged into the bush and halted a mere metre away from Buck. They were now face to face. The tension was at its peak as they confronted one another with piercing glares anticipating their attacks. The wolf was bigger and stronger than Buck. What chance would Buck have? The I
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