Targets

Author's Note: Instead of doing a Character Development piece on a character, I chose someone from real life. This is my character development piece on the motives and behaviors of Dylan Klebold, main shooter in the Columbine High School Shootings.

Dylan Klebold was born into a life representing a target. A smooth, flawless target. Anticipating. The. Bullets.  Each bullet that Dylan's life was hit with resembles change and decisions. Each bullet transformed  Dylan into an unrecognizable monster. Each bullet gradually got closer and closer to a bulls-eye. Dylan shot the bulls-eye, and instead of receiving a trophy, the decisions he made in his life sprang off of the target and collided with his soul.

The first major bullet that Dylan was hit with was when Dylan completely remodeled himself and created an ireful, violent person  too out of control to tame.  Dylan's childhood was filled with baseball, soccer, Cub Scouts, friends, and the fact that he knew his family loved him (Shepard, Dylan Bennet Klebold). He moved onto high school, still with a very positive personality… Dylan was active in the school play and spent time making videos for a news network with his friends.  Next door neighbors even claim that the Klebold household was a picture perfect family. Dylan attended the prom with a friend, talked about what his life might be like at the University of Arizona, and had a seemingly good time. He gradually fell into depression and unhappiness, and neither of Dylan's parents cared enough to notice his sadness.  Who doesn’t notice their son writing “Anyway... I was Mr. Cutter tonight - I have 11 depressioners on my right hand now…” (Shepard, Dylan's Journals)? Dylan's attitude changed completely after that night, from swearing at teachers, being suspended from school  for hacking into the school's computer system, blowing up pipe bombs behind his work, and shouting "Heil Hitler!" when he rolled a good ball in bowling (Shepard, Dylan Bennet Klebold). Dylan is one of the most dynamic people that this world will ever know, and in this event, the effects weren't worth changing for.

”I am GOD compared to some of these un-existable, brainless zombies” (Shepard, Dylan's Journals).

The next bullet that Dylan's target was splintered with was his disrespect towards people he didn’t like, the human race, and life in general.  Looking at the quote above, some might notice the fact that Dylan refers to himself as a “GOD”, but the first thing I notice, is that Dylan uses the term “un-existable,  brainless zombies” to speak of humans.  Take a moment if you need… embrace…comprehend...accept. Hm-hm… Dylan Klebold refers to humans as brainless zombies! Dylan’s mother, Susan, grew up in a prominent Jewish community, and although neither Dylan nor I have necessarily practiced the Jew religion, I’m pretty sure almost every, if not all, religions in the world supports life.  How Dylan, living in a positive community with positive influences, came to have thoughts such as these… I am at a loss of ideas.

One of the last bullets that hit Dylan’s target, was his admiration for Hitler. Sad enough, I can see how Dylan revered Adolf Hitler—honestly, their lives, childhood in particular, were almost exactly the same. Both started with very positive elementary school experiences, and their academic futures were seemingly bright (Spartacus Educational).  They both were liked and fairly popular amongst their peers. Something life changing happened in each event… Dylan’s is still unknown to the world, but Adolf Hitler was pressured by competition in his school, and pressured by the attitude of his father who was planning on Hitler following his example of joining the Austrian civil service when he left school. Then, Hitler lost his popularity with other students as they weren’t willing to accept Hitler as a fellow leader, and resulting in this action, Hitler found interest in bossing around younger kids to try and gain respect. Similar to Dylan, Hitler then found a time of enjoyment of violence, as Hitler’s favorite game soon became re-enacting battles from the Boer War. Both men didn’t like their teachers in school, and Hitler also had the stress and burden of his father’s death when he was thirteen.

Strike one. Dylan, you created this angered soul too powerful to turn away from. You had control of the situation. You.

Strike two. Dylan, you didn’t find the love, the happiness, the rewards in life to become careless about not only yourself, but the other lives, the other souls who deserved a chance in life. You could have given them that chance. You.

Strike three. Dylan, you found admiration and understanding in a man who had done such harm to the world, was so psychopathic, had invented a choleric alien. You could have turned away. You.

You’re out.

Bibliography

Shepard, C. Dylan Bennet Klebold. 21 April 1999. 12 November 2012. <http://acolumbinesite.com/dylan.html>.

—. Dylan's Journals. 21 April 1999. 20 November 2012. <http://acolumbinesite.com/dylan/writing/journal/journal4.html>.

Spartacus Educational. n.d. 27 November 2012.

3:15 Prediction (End of Story)

Author's Note: Since I had seen the 3:15 Mr. Mason's Jar story before, Mrs. Hanson asked me to write a prediction piece on what I think would happen at the end of the story, if it were to be continued. Enjoy! 

I think that at the end of the story, Molly won't be surprised, try to find Mr. Mason, or try to get Troy the way he once was… rather, Molly will just kind of give up on everything, and just accept the fact that Troy's soul had been sucked out. I predict that this will happen because Molly had warned Troy not to go to Mr. Mason's room after school, and yet, Troy didn't listen, so I think that Molly will be upset, and just leave him. Molly will try to forget everything that happened, but she won't ever. The moral of the story-- the part the I predicted-- is very similar to the Uncle in Milkweed. He is very negative with life, and he doesn't believe that there is a way to get out of the concentration camps that he and his family were put in-- he thinks that he should enjoy his "luxurious" life before they are all killed.

Remade

Author's Note: This is my prediction piece for a Language Arts assignment. I have taken an old poem that I had wrote (the beginning section-- italics) and added to it as a prediction, and then concluded with a little response about the piece. Enjoy, and feel free to comment!

The moment you stopped to care,

I had already turned my head and locked my heart.

Lives just stopped and stared,

I was gone.

That memory of you saying my name,

So vague, distant, replayed in my mind like a movie.

Yet everyday treated like a game.

I'll show it love.

The times you tore me down,

Creating another twist, turn, in the maze.

There's only one way out.

I am lost,

All because you have the key to my heart.

The directions to the game.

You know the way out of this maze.

I'll turn left,

Right.

I'll walk from you,

To you.

I'll play nice,

Mean.

I'll move 3 spaces,

Or 4.

The moment you stopped to care,

I live, half-alive, in a world of my own, now.

I had already turned my head and locked my heart.

I will leave you, the way you left me--

Lives just stopped and stared,

Pounding on my steel door.

I was gone.

Fighting.

That memory of you saying my name,

For a chance to live.

So vague, distant, replayed in my mind like a movie.

But you have thrown away your chances.

Yet everyday treated like a game.

All that's left now...

I'll show it love.

Is...

The times you tore me down,

Hatred.

Creating another twist, turn, in the maze.

Revenge.

There's only one way out.

Remorse.

I am lost...

And you will be too.

All because you have the key to my heart...

That is now in my hand.

The directions to the game...

That you have forgotten.

You know the way out of this maze...

But not for long.

Have you ever been in a relationship or in a situation where someone you love, or want to love, has done something wrong… and you forgive them? Then, they either promise to never do it again, they promise to fix what is wrong, you let them be in control? I personally have been in this situation multiple times, which sparked the inspiration for this poem. The first italicized portion of this piece is the original poem, then anything in regular text is a response to that, or a back-and-forth format with the original or with itself. This piece basically states that you can't rely on others to fulfill their promises, and you really have to be in control of you-- a very good life lesson. (Then, again, this piece talks about revenge and that isn't really the way to go in life… that section just adds some spark and drama!)

The Show

Author's Note: Yet another happy piece... hmm... what's wrong! Whatever, I hope you like it!

You fly across the stage,

Your breath carries you.

Your spotlight caresses your face,

Highlighting the show.

You lock eyes with the audience,

Your story pours into their hearts.

Your song takes them with you,

From start to finish,

You point those toes until there is no end,

You beam until your jaw breaks,

Because there is only one moment  like that one.

Slow down,

 Let go,

And,

Enjoy.