Dialectic Journals

1. Chapter 4, Page 21

"That is when I learned: there is always fire. An acid haze hangs in the air night and day, and sulfurous smoke chokes the nostrils. The sun is the color of ash and black stones line the roads, smoking. Everywhere one looks, and object is on fire."

When I first read this quote it really struck me because of the imagery and the metaphors used. I loved the concept of the character realizing that he sees fire everywhere. That really also tells a lot about Xerxes, saying that the war really changed him as a person, and now he sees fire every where. From reading this passage, you can definitely tell that he was hugely affected by that. Also, I think that the imagery used is very powerful. Just to think that he compared something as normal as a stone sitting on the side of the street to smoking lining on the side of the road. Also that the sun is the color of ash really paints a picture in my head what this character experienced. This quote really makes you think about how Xerxes has a depressed outlook on life because he compares such normal things to blazing fires, smoking, and ashes. This quote really gives an insight on Xerxes out look on life is.

In addition, I think that this is a great example of metaphors, and considering we learned about them in class as a LDW, I think this was a great learning tool. Even from this, I now how a new found way of using metaphors not only to describe a person's looks or attitude, but to describe other things. I also think that this quote was an example of indirect characterization.

2. Chapter 5, page 27

"They say that ghosts sometimes, lose that cannot let go their bond to the living, linger and haunt their scenes of their days under the sun, hovering like substances birds or carrion refusing Hades commands to return below the earth. That is how we lived..."

This quote really struck me because I think that it was a very clever way to describe the particular situation that Xerxes was in. I think that this was also another very good metaphor. When I first read this, it immediately grabbed my attention. That is because it was very clever because I think that the author was trying to put in something that he knew that the readers would relate to: ghosts. I can really relate to ghosts.

Once reading this quote, it really raised a question which was: how did they live? That really grabbed my attention so that I continued reading. That was (i think) a really smart thing to do as the author. I honestly think that the way the quote was presented is a great way to start off a chapter. One thing that I have noticed about this author is that he uses many medaphors and he has very strong opening lines to chapters.

3. Chapter 6, page 39

"I was only a child, he told me. What prodigies of valor could be expected from a lad of ten? 'Boys are mean at ten in Sparta,' I declared.

This quote really struck me because it revealed a lot about the character Xerxes. He is telling a story of his childhood and from this passage, it is easy to tell that he was very headstrong and assertive. You can also tell that he was one of those children that had a longing to grow up and become something great. I can relate to that because when I was that age I really wanted to grow up and get a job and do stuff that I thought was cool like that.

I think that the author was really trying to use this story to give readers a better idea of the character's background and what he was like as kid. I think that it was smart of the author to do that because you can still see traces of what he was like as a kid now. This really provides a stronger connection to the character, which will help readers like me become more closer to this character. Overall I really enjoyed this quote.