Rollin Sykes
05-17-15
English 7S
Historical Memoir
(POV of Richard T. Sykes)



This is a story told from the point of view of my grandfather, Richard T. Sykes, during his time fighting in World War II. Richard was a fighter in the Air Force for the US Army. He flew P-38's and fought in Hungary, Germany, Italy, and other places in Europe. Richard was 17 years old when he ran away from his home to fight in the Air Force.  He lied about his age to the Air Force so he could fight and protect America. Soon after, the Air Force found out how old he really was and sent him back home to finish College. The day of his graduation, he went back to fight in the Air Force during World War II. During his time fighting, his plane was shot down. 

It was 1944 and I was on my last mission over Hungary. I was in my favorite plane, a P-38 fighter that I called Lightning. The land below me looked as if it had been bombed, which it had. It was so surreal; it was hard to believe people had even decided to do such things. As I kept flying, the great, green mountains appeared and over them, an untouched land. I tried to keep my focus back on the sky, but it was hard not to be astonished by the different landscapes I had just passed. After a minute, I regained my focus and kept flying. Suddenly, I heard the German planes coming. I sped up and flew in the opposite direction of the enemies, but they were gaining on me. I tried calling to the base, but I couldn't connect to anyone. In seconds I was falling; I had no control over my plane. I thought this was the end; I knew for sure I was going to die in a matter of  seconds. The plane was flying through the air, but not the way it is supposed to. I crashed hard into the ground and heard the dim buzz of the other planes flying away, knowing they had done what they needed to do. I got out of the plane, surprised that I was even alive, and walked. I walked for six days until I found a small farmhouse. I peeked through a crack in the wall and saw a man and a woman tending to their sheep. I walked into the old barn with dignity, although I hadn't eaten or had anything to drink for days, and told them who I was and what had happened. They barely spoke English, so it was hard for them to understand, but they let me stay with them. They treated me very well and brought me some of the little food they had. That night, I wondered what my family was thinking. They probably thought I was dead or missing in action. I stayed with the kind farmers for twelve days, until Italy was liberated by the Americans. I thanked the farmers and couldn't even express how happy I was that they had let me stay with them. I walked and walked for 747.9 kilometers until I reached Venice, Italy. When I got there, I called back to headquarters and told them I was okay and needed to get back to America. 

When I arrived back in America, I told my family what had happened. I told them that what I would remember the most was the kindness the two farmers had shown me. I would also remember the horrors that I saw happen in Hungary and Germany. I saw bombings and people being killed for no reason. I could never forget these memories. I will always remember this significant time in my life, no matter how horrifying it was. 

Rollin Sykes
English 7S
11/5/14
Steinbeck Comparative Essay 


In Of Mice And Men and The Pearl, two of John Steinbeck's novellas, similar themes run through both books. The Pearl is about a man named Kino, his wife Juana, and their son Coyotito. Of Mice And Men is about two men, George and Lennie, who travel together unlike other men. Themes such as dreams, racism, and foreshadowing are some of the major things that make these novels similar in many ways.

First, in The Pearl, Kino and Juana pray for a pearl to pay the doctor and cure their baby, Coyotito, of a scorpion sting. As Kino dives into the sea, "Kino knew that Juana was making the magic of prayer, her face set rigid and her muscles hard to force the luck, to tear the luck out of the gods' hands, for she needed the luck to cure the swollen shoulder of Coyotito." (Pg. 17) Kino finds a giant pearl and their dream grows bigger. "We will be married-in the church....We will have new clothes....A rifle...Perhaps a rifle....My son will go to school." (Pg. 24-25) Kino's dream keeps growing. In Of Mice And Men, George and Lennie want a small ranch house with rabbits. They always say "O.K. Someday-we're gonna get the jack together and we're gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an' a cow and some pigs and......An' live off the fatta the lan'....An have rabbits" (Pg. 14) In both of these novellas the dreams are never achieved. The characters that need or want the dream the most, die. 

Next, a similar theme running through the books is racism. In The Pearl, the doctor is offended by Kino for being asked to treat an insect bite of an Indian boy. The doctor thinks, "Have I nothing better to do than cure insect bites for 'little Indians'? I am a doctor, not a veterinary." (Pg 11) This shows racism because the doctor thinks of Indians as animals. In Of Mice And Men, the men in the bunkhouse show racism towards Crooks, the black stable buck. They don't let Crooks sleep in the bunkhouse because of his skin color. "Crooks, the negro stable buck, had his bunk in the harness room; a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn." (Pg 66) In both books there is racism towards the people with different colored skin. 

Lastly, John Steinbeck uses a lot of foreshadowing in both of these books. The scorpion in The Pearl is foreshadowing the death of Coyotito. The scorpion is bad just like the pearl towards the end of the book. When Kino and Juana see the scorpion on Coyotito's hanging box, "a new song had come, the Song of Evil, the music of the enemy, of any foe of the family, a savage, secret, dangerous melody, and underneath, the Song of the Family cried plaintively." (Pg 5) At the end of the book the pearl had ruined Kino and Juana's life. "Evil faces peered from it into his eyes, and he saw the light of burning" (Pg 89) In Of Mice And Men, the death of Candy's dog foreshadows the death of Lennie. Carlson doesn't like Candy's dog and says he smells and is thinks the dog is suffering. Carlson wants to put the dog out of its misery. "The way I'd shoot him, he wouldn't feel nothing. I'd put the gun right there.....Right back of the head. He wouldn't even quiver." (Pg 45) Carlson shoots the back of the dog's head just like George shoots the back of Lennie's head. "And George raised the gun and steadied it, and he brought the muzzle of it close to the back of Lennie's head. The hand shook violently, but his face set and his hand steadied. He pulled the trigger. The crash of the shot rolled up the hills and rolled down again. Lennie jarred, and then settled slowly forward to the sand, and he lay without quivering." (Pg 106) These relate to each other because the child-like person die because of the father-like character. 

Dreams, racism, and foreshadowing a three big themes in The Pearl and Of Mice And Men. In conclusion, John Steinbeck wrote both of these books with similar themes running throughout the plots.     

At St. Matthew's Parish School we use the motto " Serve, Lead, Flourish" in almost all of the things we do. There are many ways that St. Matthew's has taught its students to serve, lead, and flourish. The school encourages each student to use this motto as a guide. Serving is not only serving food at a shelter, but it is also serving and engaging with other people. Leadership is to be a good role model and use responsibility when around younger children and even kids your own age. Flourishing is to engage in every activity and to thrive in every test, class, and relationship. I use these three principals almost everyday. 
              There are many ways I serve in and outside of school. During the seventh grade year, I served dinner to the homeless at the Turning Point Housing Program. Along with five other students from St. Matthew's, I helped prepare guacamole, chips, salsa, tacos, and ice cream. The population there was mainly homeless people, but being able to serve them dinner and engage in conversations made me feel really good. Another way that St. Matthew's encourages us to serve is by working at the St. Matthew's Thrift Shop. At the thrift shop, I worked at the cash register helping the costumers. One hundred percent of the money made at the thrift store is used to support many organizations including the Westside Food Bank, Ocean Park Community Center (OPCC), and the St. Joseph's Center. Another way I serve is by helping my friends and family. Although this may not seem as important as helping the homeless, everybody around you needs help at some point in their lives. The whole idea of serving comes from everything and everyone around you. Leadership is another skill that St. Matthew's teaches its students to use. 
             To me, leadership means to be a positive role model and to be responsible when around younger children. Setting a good example towards younger children is a great way to lead. Younger kids look up to kids who are older than them, and want to be exactly like them. When a student or anyone is being a good role model, the young children follow his or hers example. Being a leader in the classroom is important because it shows the teacher and other classmates that I am an attentive and active student. This includes having good behavior and respect towards teachers and classmates. Having good responsibility is also another way to lead. Being responsible about cleaning my room, studying for a test, or even turning in homework on time shows people that I am a good student and person. 
             Lastly, flourishing means to try as hard as you can to excel in every class, test, quiz, and even in sports. In school, I flourish by engaging in class discussions and working hard on every assignment and test I am given. I also attempt to flourish in any sport I decide to go for. My main sports are volleyball and horse back riding. In volleyball, flourishing while on the court is a great way to show my coach and teammates that they can depend on me and trust me if anything goes wrong. Flourishing while riding horses shows the horse that I have confidence in them and shows the horse that I care about them and love them. Even while off the horse, flourishing at the barn and stables shows respect to my trainer and that I care and want to learn more about the horses. Flourishing in everything I do helps people realize that they should try as hard as they can in anything they want to do. 
In conclusion, the motto "Serve, Lead, Flourish" has helped me through my life and I will continue to use it for as long as possible.