Ryan Spruill
Ms.Orloff
English 1
April, 7, 2015
Literary Analysis
Climbing the Mountain by Julia M. Seton is a story about a small village in the American southwest region. In the beginning of a book the story takes place during Commencement Day at a famous school. While children were walking on stage and receiving their prizes, the man who was in charge of giving students their awards gave each student a sneering remark. The man said very hurtful thing to each student like “He is your so-called prize. If you valued it as little as I do you will throw it in the trash can.” Throughout the ceremony each child got an award and a diss. Then one student got fed-up with the staff member and said “I shall tell you an Indian story at the end of the session. I will tell my story right now. Once I am finished you can tie it to the distribution of these prizes.” Seton (1)
This story involves a group of kids who are sent to go climb a mountain picked by the chief of the village. “Now boys, you may go all day-to-day and try and climb the mountain.” Seton(1). The next day the group of children go to climb the mountain bright and early to dictate how good of a warrior they will be. The story spoke of whomever reached the top of the mountain would be the next great warrior and someday the next chief. Throughout the day the children came back one by one showing how far they have gotten by showing the chief a resource from which point they reached.
The children got awarding sentences from the chief. ”Good, said the chief. you got up as far as the springs.” Seton (2). The night was approaching and all but one child was in the village. Then over the horizon came a child walking into the village. “My father” he said to the chief “I saw no twigs, no trees, no living thing on top of the mountain. But far away I saw a shiny sea.” Seton (2). The chief knew that that boy would become the next chief. In the American Southwest many people had readings or believed in some spiritual phenomenon. The culture talked about how people could see one’s future through a hand reading or seeing into someone’s eyes.
In the story it never specified where the setting was but, the reader can infer that Julia placed it in Sante Fe, Texas because Julia connected her personal life with the story by including the place where she lived most her life and included her knowledge of the American Southwest region. The reader can also infer that Julia Seton grew up in a school with a harsh teacher. The story was spoken by a student to a teacher that was giving each child a prize with a sneering remark.
The story was said because the student wanted the teacher to realize that no matter what the prize students should still be given a complement. Julia Seton received many rewards with her husband and connected the story with her personal life and knowledge. It’s possible that Julia Seton attended a ceremony one time and observed a poor teacher giving students bad remarks about their prizes and she spoke with the man afterward about how he should present a prize to someone.
Ms.Orloff
English 1
April, 7, 2015
Literary Analysis
Climbing the Mountain by Julia M. Seton is a story about a small village in the American southwest region. In the beginning of a book the story takes place during Commencement Day at a famous school. While children were walking on stage and receiving their prizes, the man who was in charge of giving students their awards gave each student a sneering remark. The man said very hurtful thing to each student like “He is your so-called prize. If you valued it as little as I do you will throw it in the trash can.” Throughout the ceremony each child got an award and a diss. Then one student got fed-up with the staff member and said “I shall tell you an Indian story at the end of the session. I will tell my story right now. Once I am finished you can tie it to the distribution of these prizes.” Seton (1)
This story involves a group of kids who are sent to go climb a mountain picked by the chief of the village. “Now boys, you may go all day-to-day and try and climb the mountain.” Seton(1). The next day the group of children go to climb the mountain bright and early to dictate how good of a warrior they will be. The story spoke of whomever reached the top of the mountain would be the next great warrior and someday the next chief. Throughout the day the children came back one by one showing how far they have gotten by showing the chief a resource from which point they reached.
The children got awarding sentences from the chief. ”Good, said the chief. you got up as far as the springs.” Seton (2). The night was approaching and all but one child was in the village. Then over the horizon came a child walking into the village. “My father” he said to the chief “I saw no twigs, no trees, no living thing on top of the mountain. But far away I saw a shiny sea.” Seton (2). The chief knew that that boy would become the next chief. In the American Southwest many people had readings or believed in some spiritual phenomenon. The culture talked about how people could see one’s future through a hand reading or seeing into someone’s eyes.
In the story it never specified where the setting was but, the reader can infer that Julia placed it in Sante Fe, Texas because Julia connected her personal life with the story by including the place where she lived most her life and included her knowledge of the American Southwest region. The reader can also infer that Julia Seton grew up in a school with a harsh teacher. The story was spoken by a student to a teacher that was giving each child a prize with a sneering remark.
The story was said because the student wanted the teacher to realize that no matter what the prize students should still be given a complement. Julia Seton received many rewards with her husband and connected the story with her personal life and knowledge. It’s possible that Julia Seton attended a ceremony one time and observed a poor teacher giving students bad remarks about their prizes and she spoke with the man afterward about how he should present a prize to someone.