The following passage is a scene from one of McCarthy's earlier manuscripts of The Road that was originally titled The Path. *SVU Sound effect*

Are you hungry?

I dont know.

I think that you do know.

Papa can I ask something?

Yeah.

Can we sit down and eat?

Sit down?

Yeah sit down?

The man gave the boy a wide-eyed stare. His eyes were piercing into the boys soul. He began to daydream about the old world. He envisioned people laughing, and drinking wine intimately at a table. Suddenly, the room began to shake, the lights blew, and the people once laughing and drinking wine begin to look terrified.

Papa! Papa! Papa!

The man heard the boys call and was mortified. He instantaneously rushed over to the boy and hugged him squeezing him harder than he ever had before. There was a cold draft blowing through the room. The boy looked up at his father and they began to grin at one another. The man picked the boy up and put him on his shoulders. The man scanned the room in hope of finding table settings. Eventually, he spotted a candle surrounding pyroclastic residue. With his eyes locked on the candle the man took the boy off of his shoulders and placed him onto the ground.

I think we may be able to work something out.

When reading Cormac Mccarthy’s ‘The Road’ there was a recurring motif of darkness that was essential to the reader’s vision of the setting, characters, and suchlike. However, that darkness stops in one scene in particular; on page 207 the man and the boy are in a house that they end up having a candlelit dinner in. In this novel, eating and having fire/heat are separate luxuries, but to have the intertwined creates an ultimate one. I found it incredibly ironic that they were on the road, living in obscurity at one moment, and then having a candlelit dinner the next. We associate dinners, (esp. Candlelit one’s) with normality and practical luxury; McCarthy never explains as to how this idea comes about in this text and this left me with a myriad of questions. The goal of my creative piece was to answer those questions.

For this specific scene, I wanted to focus on the theme of humanity. Throughout the text, we see various aspects of humanity. These aspects include Ely, who has lost his faith in humanity, the cannibals who have the smallest sense of humanity imaginable, and the boy who is incredibly humane and moral in all of his thought processes and decision making.

When reading ‘The Road’ you cannot help but constantly reevaluate the circumstances and question where they stem from. A major question that came to mind was “Do extenuating circumstances diminish fragments of our humanity.” We see that the circumstances for some characters have in fact diminished fragments of their humanity but the boy has faith in such humanity, and as a result the father does as well.. While they may be living in the same society they do not have identical circumstances. The boy has never experienced something that is so normal and humane. A candlelit dinner is a faction of humanity he had never known before. His circumstances hindered him from experiencing a fragment of humanity and normality.

I decided to go with the motif of luxuries because they recur rather frequently in the novel. Whether it be fire, food, or candlelit dinners the boy and the man always end up having the luxury of being well nourished, warm, and safe. While this may appear to be practical for us, it is something that most characters have no access to.

For the plot, I wanted a scene with significance that could provide reasoning for having such a dinner occur as well as to provide a gradual shift into the next scene. There is such a stark juxtaposition between the previous scene when they are on the road and the scene of the calm, luxurious candlelit dinner. The man having that daydream is a logical explanation for such, which is why I chose to go with it, (esp. since dreams recur in the novel as well)

Press Release:

For this project, David and myself spent a lot of time evaluating the 'isms' of today and in the beginning we had some trouble trying to find one that was not only the most divisive and controversial, but we wanted to pick one of the most prevailing. After days of collaboration we decided to choose the ideology of consumerism. Consumerism is undeniably something that affects us all and is something that many of us recognize but dismiss. David and I's goal for this project was to point out consumerism and its flaws in a way that was both relatable but current, which is why we decided to go the short story route. Short stories not only stick with people but they'll actually read them! So we thought this was a great approach to show the affects of consumerism, we were inspired to do this from the recent success of the Humans of New York and thought why not show 'Products of Consumerism'.

Summary:

Tiffany is a prime example of consumerism gone wrong. She goes to a school where all of her friends come from affluent families and she is constantly trying to keep up with them. She secretly works a job a few miles out of town to pay for application fees but instead she spends her earnings shopping with her friends buying things that she can’t afford.

Audience Response:

Let us evaluate the benefits of the great short story. The minisculity that lets us go on with our day, the vagueness and uneasiness that leaves us wanting more, and most importantly the messages that can be conveyed through short pieces of literature. These messages are most visibly manifested in Day & Leonard’s new collection of short stories. The collection explores one of today’s most divisive issues, consumerism.

Consumerism is the most prevailing issue of today. It is the issue that we all recognize and acknowledge is there but failed to actually address. It is the justification for all of our guilty pleasures, all of our desires, and all the things that we are willing to do the unspeakable to his attain.  Whether it is buying the new rose gold iPhone or if it is saving up to buy a new pair of Christian Louboutin heels,  or in some cases striving for an Ivy League education. We have all failed to resist temptation against consumerism.  Although many of us may not want to admit to it Day & Leonard  do that for us.  Through the short stories  that we all somehow  relate to.

I'd like to begin with Tiffany’s story. Tiffany is a 20 year old college student who has a lot of wealthy friends. These friends have a high disposable income,  They use this income to buy the latest and greatest designer clothing, shoes, bags, you name it they've got it. Tiffany wanting to be accepted takes desperate measures to keep up with them.  these measures include not only spending her own paycheck that is supposed to go to words her tuition, but even goes as far as stealing to keep up with her friends.  When Tiffany begins to start wearing the same designers as her friends they do indeed, treat her differently.  Now with this acceptance comes a greater responsibility to maintain it in order to do so Tiffany begins stealing more, one day in an attempt to steal Tiffany is caught by security but worst her friends see her.  

First, let's evaluate the situation holistically. a lot of us may say “ what was going through that girl's mind”  but the thought process is the same,  Society breeds of all to strive for acceptance. Tiffany was simply striving for acceptance not only from society but from her friends in fact her friends what to do to be accepted by society just as much is Tiffany they just did not have to go as far as she did. But where does this mindset stem from, why are we so persistent and being accepted. if we all face the same difficulties trying to attain acceptance why do we still continue to strive for it in the first place?

I believe that these ideas of what is acceptable and not stem from the twisted  and corrupt American dream.  We are taught to strive for economic and social prosperity and that we can attain this fairly no matter what. However this is not the case, there should not be one generic version of what success is.  success varies, it's personal, it's different for every person someone else's success is someone else's mediocrity. We should all be allowed to set and make our own goals.  In order To do so we must take a stand but in order to do that we must recognize that consumerism is in fact a problem. in many cases people will dismiss it but and a lot of other different cases people who acknowledge it and embracing it as if it's something to be proud of. not that someone should be ashamed but someone or to be  conscious about it impacts.

Because oddly enough  there are other Tiffany's out there in the world you need guidance. But in order for them to gain that guidance they need society to acknowledge the doctrine of consumerism and the American dream. not only must they acknowledged it but in addition they are to change it. Changing it to something more personalized, something that fosters self competition but something more healthy.

Everyone plays a part in keeping consumerism alive and it must stop for the greater good. So for starters, maybe  don't go and wait in line for a day for cell phone, or spend mortgage payment on a TV or shoes what makes faces that will help you get to the goal that you want. Because what you want matters the most to you. And when it comes to happiness if you aren't disrupting someone else's it should only matter to you and you only.  That is what I believe that the author wanted us to take from the bulk of the stories that not only is consumerism toxic but it is something that can easily be stopped if we just focus on our own personal happiness and nothing else.

Cultural Fabric: This piece of literature is an example of some of the problems consumerism causes. People nowadays are buying too much stuff or are buying really expensive stuff. According to a news report one family had over 2000 possessions visible in their first 3 rooms and this is the stuff that they actually see. The boston globe did a report on how grandparents are 42% of gift buyers to earn their grandchild’s affections. There was a news report on how people are buying tiaras from jewelry stores which is surprising since tiaras are more of a European thing.

Throughout history, mankind has had to adapt, however, in many cases adaption is not in the best interest of the world, or the individuals in it. Imagine how detrimental adaption would have been to society, if great minds like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, and Malcolm X ‘adapted’ to the laws imposed against African-Americans during the civil rights, or if society adapted to the wrath of Adolf Hitler and did not express the draconian living conditions for Jews during the Holocaust. Moreover, determining when to adapt and when to change, becomes gray, as neither action ever, is totally appropriate. So, the question becomes, is there a general way to decide which is appropriate, or should the decision be on an individual basis?

Looking back in retrospect, all of the means that activists took to get to the end that many refer to as ‘equality’ are justifiable. However, at the time, adaption would have been the easier way out. The easier way out was not up for consideration. The same thing applies for the characters in The Yellow Birds. Throughout the novel, author Kevin Powers tells a story about soldiers in war. It shows the emotions of soldiers, and the way they adapt and change.

In the novel, Bartle states, “And then I was there, simply and without qualification. I sat with my cheeks in my hands out by the smoking area, distracting myself…” Page 108.  Bartle is adapting to the world around him. He has allowed for external forces to compromise his well being, in many cases, this may appear to be inevitable, however, this is still a choice, a choice that he is making that could be systemic.

This quote then corroborated by another, in a darker context. The narrator states, "I feel like I'm being eaten from the inside out and I can't tell anyone what's going on..." Page 154. The context in which this quote was used was figurative; Bartle was  the things he experienced when in the war zone, specifically the death of his colleague Sterling. This is just an example of someone in between a rock and a hard place. after the observation of one's state is made, one must choose whether they want to change or to adapt.

Powers furthers, in an interview he states,  "As human beings, we have the blessing and the curse that we're able to adapt to almost anything" This shows that adapting is not always best, sometimes you may have to roll with the punches, however, sometimes, you have to roll with the punches. But in any cases you have to contribute to change. However, the more appropriate choice of the two actions depends on the specific situation. 

In conclusion, it is up to the person to decide if they want to adapt or change. One may simply do both, however, within the things that truly matter, it is strictly black and white. One can roll with the punches, or one can give out the punches.

Narrative:

“What do you want"

“What the hell do I want” I thought pondering about my future high school career. “Nashay, what do you want out of life?” Ms. Crandall asked. I responded as only I could “To go shopping.” She stared briefly, and chuckled. She asked again “Nashay, really, what do you want?” I responded seriously this time, “All I want, is to be happy and successful at whatever I want.”  I had never really wanted to much for myself, I just felt like one could never want too much, because you can’t put a price on someone or their dreams. But little did I know that the journey getting to those dreams, would be all, so, difficult.

“How do I get there?”

I knew what I wanted, however, I was not sure on how I intended on getting there. “I don’t know which school to chose” I told Ms. Crandall. She then handed me the book of high school selections and I flipped through, unenthused” I thought, “There is nothing here for me.” She then directed me to SLA on the admissions booklet. “Is this a charter school” I asked. “I don’t wanna go to a charter school.” “No! This might actually be perfect for you.” I went on the website, and I saw all of these cool projects and awards and I thought “She might actually be right.” Every step after that, was just preparing for the interview because I instantly wrote it as my first choice.

Perspective #1

Who: Junior Executive for TransCanada who does not agree with pipeline extension.

What: To keep pipeline as same and to not extend it

Where: From the boardroom of TransCanada

Why: He believes it will hurt the environment and he is a bit of an environmentalist.

Perspective #2

Who: Chairman of TransCanada who is pro pipeline extension

What: To keep line extension in place.

Where: From his office

Why:  He believes it will be an efficient way of gaining oil independence and a great money maker. The chairman is broke, and is trying to continue to give his family the lifestyle that they have always had.

Perspective #3

Who: Protester who is contemplating their stance on the Keystone XL pipeline

What: Is unsure

Where: From rally outside of potential construction site.

Why: He does not know if hurting the environment will benefit it in the long run. He does not want to upset the other protesters so he tries to keep his opinion silent.

Good Guy, Gone Bad

( Opens as Terry sits in board meeting with other colleagues thinking in his head about the pipeline)

Who am I? What am I doing here? I was head of the Environmental Club at Princeton. What would the club think of me if they knew I was going to be apart of making a decision that could possibly contribute to the earth’s demise? I don’t get how someone who was about to become an environmentalist, and save the earth, is helping destroy it. I was suppose to help save it. Not kill it. What am I going to do… I (votes in Board meeting for pipeline) what did I just do? Maybe if I… no, I can’t do that I could get fired, and face it, i’m only doing this for the money, until I can do what I really want. Repair messes like this. I have to stand up and face my demons. But what am I going to do? Fine… I’m going to do it. (Stands up and begins to speak to board) I feel that we should stand up for what we know is right. We cannot just stand here and do nothing while we get the construction workers to kill our precious land and fertile soil. When I was at Princeton I learned a lot, but something that always stuck out to me was standing up for what I believed in. And this is what I believe in… Not building the pipeline. We can’t continue to do this! Well don’t just stand there do something! I know all of you can’t be that corrupt and money hungry! Life as we know it on this planet will be over if we do not stand up, and do something. (Board member makes rude remark) Well fine, FUCK YOU ALL! AND I QUIT! HOW ABOUT THAT?!?! (Leaves board room to go with protesters outside of building)

A Change of Heart

(Kim stands at head of table in board room is in the middle of presenting Pipeline Proposal before vote)

The pipeline will not only benefit our the company revenue, but it will also benefit the country. The U.S is very dependent on oil from foreign countries. This would boost the U.S’s level of independence extremely so, and would also give the U.S more resources to create more allies around the world. This would boost the productivity of TransCanada by approximately 14% in comparison to last year… (Terry, a Junior Executive stands up to executives and quits) (Kim drops pen) You know what! Damn it! He has a point! Why am I doing this, I don’t need this, my man got a job, and ain’t nobody got time for this shit. Like i’m so tired of wearing this suit and pretending like we are not savage! Have you ever thought of the negative effects of this pipeline!!! Like killing the earth! And you can just stand there and decide this, all for a 6 figure check?!?! Are you crazy?! How will you spend money when there won’t be any trees to make any paper. Like that is completely obtuse. And the thing about it is, I don’t even understand how someone could be so careless about the world that we live in. (Board members look in awe). WELL DON’T JUST STAND THERE! DO SOMETHING!!!! (Board members continue to give blank stairs) You know what! I quit! And good luck building the pipeline without my leadership. I’m going with Terry, and the rest of the ‘savages’ that want to save our country! (Kim takes off blazer, Work ID, and glasses and throws them on the ground and goes protest with Terry)

A Man Confused

(Jordan stands with picket sign raised screaming to get rid of pipeline with other protesters)

DON’T PLANT THE PIPELINE IN THE EARTH YOU BASTARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHOSE WORLD IS THIS?!?! *Crowd screams* Our world! (Jordan begins thinking in his head about the pipeline) I mean what if the pipeline actually did benefit us in a way… We’re out here not even trying to negotiate and just demanding things that have nothing to do with us and are really out of our control. (Comes back to reality and begins to talk on megaphone). We cannot continue to not look at the other side, we should not be blaming those people in the board room and instead we should be blaming ourselves as citizens for letting things get to this point. Instead of standing out here like savages. (Protesters simmer down until they get to a level of complete silence.) Umm… what do you guys think? (Terry comes down to be with protesters and is harassed a yelled at) *Protestor speaks* “What the hell do you want?”  (Terry gives reasoning behind him joining the angry protestors, then Jordan begins to speak to himself) In the midst of all the chaos, he came down to join us, this must be a sign, we must be fighting for a good cause! (Kim takes megaphone, and comes down to join Terry and other protesters) If two executives have join us, this is a change I want to be apart of. (Jordan begins to chant) WHOSE WORLD IS THIS?! *Crowd screams* Our world!!! (Monologue closes)