My Brother Sam is Dead
By: Rachael Bugner 2nd Period ELA
“I thought it was pretty funny that he kept calling the British lobsterbacks when he was dressed in red too”
Here, the values and beliefs of Sam Meeker are affected by using “the British lobsterbacks” Sam is trying to get across to his father that he is not a British lobsterback. Sam want to fight to win freedom from the British. But Sam little brother Tim think is all of it is funny went Sam came home because he was dressed in red to.
“I’d never seen him cry before in my life and I knew there were bad times coming”
This quotation represents the theme of life can always change because father said “bad times are coming then good times which means that something will happen like death. But the tone of this quotation is sad and angry. Why is would be angry because father just got out of an argument with Sam of him fighting the British. So then Sam left and father started to cry. So Tim knew something would happen between father and Tim.
“Either you live up to your principles or you don’t and maybe you have take a chance not getting killed”
A conflict of either you live or die is clearly shown here though the word says “you take a chance not getting killed”. This is a conflict because this all going to Sam Meeker because he is the one risking his life. Sam is smart and not at the same time because he is doing just because his friends are and not because he wants. And it is says “ live up to your principles” and not someone else principles. So all Sam is doing is “you don’t or maybe you have to take a chance not getting killed”.
“ It made me wonder who that was going to make us freer if you couldn’t read any paper you wanted anymore”
The language used in the quotation makes the reader feel wonder who will win. Because in the text it says “It made me wonder who that was going to make us freer”. The author is trying to make you think like the main character. Because they don’t get newspapers when they want and they don’t have TV or radios like us. So they have no clue who will be free or what’s going on in the war.
“How could I not go when all of my friends were going”
A connection that could be made to this quotation is an everyday life thing. Why because at less one person all ways does what their friend do. So Sam Meeker is trying to get that across his mom that he can’t leave his friend to help the family. Says “all my friends were going” so if Sam leaves he will be breaking the promises between their friendship. And it goes back to now because if you kind of don’t do what your friend does or if you breaking a promises then you want be a good friend.
“I had more faith in you than that, Life”
The language used in this quotation makes the reader feel that Life (Mr. Meeker) is not faithful. When I read this part I didn't think the choice that Life picked was right. Because the man was asking Tim to talk a letter somewhere. But Life said no because the letter was going to make Tim part of the War. The other thing is that I felt like Tim was up to talking the letter.
“If this message is received, we will know the messenger is reliable”
The language used in this quotation makes the reader feel that Tim could be reliable. Why because Tim is taking the letter to the person that his Dad does not want to. Because that it is going to make Tim in the war and Meeker does not want to lose another kid.