Newport Beach Library :: Learner's Corner

Learner’s Corner

Literally Speaking: May/June 2016

Newport/Mesa ProLiteracy

If I were a writer, I would probably be writing such books as The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. Or for example, Sounder William H. Armstrong. I learned about these books at the lessons Writing workshop from my teacher Sylvia. These two books have a common idea to show the strength of the human spirit. And just about how people survive in difficult conditions for them.

Sounder

Sounder is American novel by H. William Armstrong. This book about young AfricanAmerican boy and his family, who lived on plantation in the South during the 19th century. His dog Sounder helped him and his poor family survive during hard time life. This novel show the courage, love and faith that bind an African-American family together despite the racism inhumanity they face.

Another book called The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. This simple

The Old Man
and the Sea

story, dramatic and suspenseful about old deep-sea fisherman who named Santiago and who lived off the fishing villages along the Cuban coast. After 84 days without a fish the old man caught on the hook for a huge Marlin. The old man was left alone in a fight with a huge fish, the ocean and a bunch of sharks. He was able to survive and return to the beach with a huge fish skeleton.

On our lesson, we read the synopsis of the book, got acquainted with the biography of the author. And then Sylvia brought a book and we read some chapters of the text. Together we discussed the main idea of the book and shared their impressions. It was all very interesting and informative.

I am very grateful to Sylvia for these interesting lessons, where I met with outstanding American writers Ernest Hemingway and William H. Armstrong and their books. I’d want to read them whole and tell about them to my friends. Sviatlana Kandybovich