text:
ROY DE FOREST (11 February 1930 – 18 May 2007) was an American painter, sculptor, and teacher. He was involved in both the Funk art and Nut art movements in the Bay Area of California. De Forest's art is known for its quirky and comical fantasy lands filled with bright colors and creatures, most commonly dogs.

Early life

Roy De Forest was born in North Platte, Nebraska to migrant farm workers during the Great Depression. De Forest's family lost their farm in Nebraska due to the harsh economic conditions during the Great Depression and were forced to move to Yakima, Washington. In Yakima, the De Forests bought a new farm, where they harvested pears and plums. De Forest described the socioeconomic status of his family as “not well off.” Farm life had an important impact on De Forest's art. In his early art, De Forest experimented with landscape, which was inspired by the open land of his farm. Later in his career, De Forest began painting animals and other fantasy creatures in his art, which was inspired by growing up around farm animals.[1]

Education

De Forest attended Yakima Junior College, where his interest in art and art history developed. He initially was an engineering major, but soon realized that art came more naturally to him. In 1950 he moved to California to study at the California School of Fine Arts (now the San Francisco Art Institute) on scholarship, where he earned a bachelor's degree (1953).[2] After serving in the US Army as a sign painter, De Forest went on to earn his master's degree (1958) at San Francisco State College (now San Francisco State University).[3]

Teaching career

After graduating from San Francisco State University, De Forest got his first teaching job at Yakima Junior College and spent two years teaching there. After this, he moved around from job to job for a short period of time, teaching children's classes in Oakland, California. He also taught night classes at the Bay Area prison, San Quentin. Here, he worked in the Adjustment Center, which later became death row. De Forest described his time teaching in San Quentin as extremely interesting and greatly influential on his teaching.[4]

De Forest started working for a young UC Davis Art Department in 1965.[5] He was originally hired as a lecturer but worked his way up to assistant professor and eventually full professor in 1974. At UC Davis, De Forest worked with fellow artists Robert Arneson, Manuel Neri, Wayne Thiebaud and William T. Wiley. On the occasion of the exhibit “You See: The Early Years of the UC Davis Art Faculty,” Renny Pritikin of the Nelson Gallery said “History was made in the Central Valley in the early '60s when five great artists came together on the same faculty for over a decade and changed the nature and perception of art in California forever.”[6] De Forest taught at UC Davis for twenty-seven years before retiring in 1992.[7]

Art career

De Forest's first exhibition was in 1955, and the work reflected the influence of Abstract Expressionism, along with a developing interest in assemblage.[8] He continued to submit paintings and other forms of art in exhibitions for over fifty years until his death in 2007.

Artists groups/movements

During the 1960s, UC Davis became a hub for the Funk art movement, with many of the artists associated with this movement either teaching at Davis, or having studied there.[9] De Forest, along with Arneson, Wiley, and David Gilhooly often exhibited together under this heading, including semi-regular shows at the Candy Store Gallery in nearby Folsom, California. Another important figure in the Funk art movement was Clayton Bailey, who was De Forest's neighbor,[10] friend, and collaborator.

De Forest, along with Bailey, was also a key figure in the development of Nut art, a new artistic genre that paralleled Funk art, and which flourished primarily in the late 1960s and early 1970s in northern California. De Forest preferred the term 'Nut' over 'Funk' to describe his art.[11] A, perhaps apocryphal, account of the origin of the movement's name exists in an unpublished manuscript titled _Basic Art_[12] written by self-appointed “Nut chronicler,”[13] David Zack.

Style

[_Untitled (Devils/Dogs)_ by Roy De Forest, 1989–90, acrylic, pastel and charcoal on paper in artist's frame, Honolulu Museum of Art]

De Forest claims that “the aspect of invention in painting is the major factor in what you would call my style of painting.”[14] De Forest rejected traditional styles of painting claiming that “rather than, say, taking an image and then finding a way to express it in paint, sometimes I think about how to use a paint and then find an image that fits it.”[15] De Forest's style depicts journeys to fantasy lands filled with creatures, some familiar, some not. These lands were quirky, comical, and crowded, filled with texturized, hallucinogen colors. He describes himself as an “obscure visual constructor of mechanical delights.”[16]

De Forest believed in having a great amount of variety in paintings. He believed that everything in a painting should differ in size, shape, etc. De Forest rejected bilateral symmetry, instead preferring randomness. An example of this are the dots he adds in his work, which have become sort of a trademark these dots are a trademark of his art.[17]

De Forest is most known for the use of animals and fantasy creatures in his art, in particular, dogs. He became inspired to use animals in his artwork because he grew up on a farm and was constantly surrounded by dogs, cows, horses and other animals. He enjoyed adding creatures into his art because they reminded him of his past. De Forest believed that these animals also made his paintings more fun to make.[18]

De Forest's work grew more representational as his career continued, and began to include suggestions of maps and motifs evocative of persons and animals as his career continued. By the late 1960s this transformation was nearly complete, as De Forest's work now freely mixed patterns and non-objective elements along with recognizable forms such as people, landscapes, and most notably, animals.[19]

Towards the end of his life, De Forest's work also began to reflect his surroundings and life in Port Costa, California, with elements such as old brick buildings, birds, and dogs becoming more commonplace in his compositions.[20]

As the physical forms in De Forest's work grew more recognizable, the origins and relationships between such grew more personal, suggestive of dream worlds and developing personal mythologies.

Overall, Roy De Forest is best known for his comic-like patchwork regionalist (California) style, often depicting dogs and other figurative content in his art. His painting, _Untitled (Devils/Dogs)_ from 1989-1990 in the collection of the Honolulu Museum of Art is typical of this style, and like many of his paintings, De Forest made the frame as well.

Techniques

Early in De Forest's art career he used standard oil paint to make landscape paintings. Later, in a deliberate attempt to move away from abstract expressionism, De Forest began using different mixtures of water-based paint. This does not allow the color of his paintings to blend as it would with oil paint. He added polyvinyl acetate when mixing his own water-based paints to adjust the texture to his preference.[21] In a 2004 interview, about his use of polyvinyl acetate, he explained, “It's a wonderful adhesive, so you can stick all kinds of junk in there: gravel, fillers of various kinds, and create all kinds of textures.”[22] He sometimes used cheap oil paint as well to get his desired rough, scorched textures.[23]

Though primarily known as a painter, De Forest worked in other mediums as well, including sculpture, printmaking, and fabric. Several of his assemblage pieces, in addition to a few paintings, are in the diRosa collection.

Notable works of art

Brothers Under the Feathers, 1962

Frère Jacques, 1963

Dog Lamp, 1970

Country Dog Gentlemen, 1972[24]

Canis Prospectus, 1986

Personal life

De Forest had two children, a son named Pascal and a daughter, Orianna. Pascal, following the tradition of his father, majored in art at San Francisco State University. He has three sisters; Beth, Beverly, and Lynn.[25]

Later Years

De Forest lived his latter years in Port Costa, California, surrounded by open land filled with dogs, cattle, and birds. De Forest died May 18, 2007 in Vallejo, California after a short illness.[26]

Select public collections

-   Oakland Museum of California
-   San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
-   The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
-   di Rosa, Napa
-   The Crocker Art Museum of Sacramento
-   Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
-   The Hirshhorn Museum of Washington, D.C.
-   The Rhode Island School of Design
-   The Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.
-   Minneapolis Institute of Art
-   Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
-   Cantor Arts Center (Stanford University)
-   Palm Springs Art Museum
-   The Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia, PA
-   The Richard L. Nelson Gallery & Fine Arts Collection, Davis, CA
-   Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France.[27]
-   San Jose State University Art Collection, San Jose, CA

Exhibitions

SOLO EXHIBITIONS:[28]

-   “Man of Our Times: Drawings by Roy De Forest,” Brian Gross Fine Art, San Francisco, CA, 2017.
-   “Of Dogs and Other People: The Art of Roy De Forest,” Oakland Museum of California, 2017.
-   “Roy De Forest: Let Sleeping Dogs Lie,” Brian Gross Fine Art, San Francisco, CA, 2015.
-   “Roy De Forest: A Simple Life,” George Adams Gallery, New York, NY, 2013.
-   “Roy De Forest: A Figure of Our Times,” Brian Gross Fine Art, San Francisco, CA, 2012.
-   “Bark!” John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA, 2012.
-   “Roy De Forest: Painting the Big Painting,” Brian Gross Fine Art, San Francisco, CA, 2009.
-   “Roy De Forest: A Memorial Exhibition, Paintings, Drawings and Constructions 1965-2007,”
-   George Adams Gallery, New York, NY, 2008.
-   “Roy De Forest: Recent Paintings,” Brian Gross Fine Art, San Francisco, CA, 2006.
-   “Roy De Forest: New Paintings,” George Adams Gallery, New York, NY, 2005-2006.
-   “New Works on Paper,” Mobilia Gallery, Cambridge, MA, 2003.
-   “A Slow Time in Arcadia: Roy De Forest and William T. Wiley 1960-2002,” George Adams Gallery, New York, NY, 2002.
-   “Roy De Forest & Gaylen Hanson,” Paris Gibson Square Museum, Great Falls, MT; Yellowstone Art Museum, Billings, MT; Museum of Northwest Art, La Conner, WA; Schneider Museum of Art, Ashland, OR; Plains Art Museum, Fargo, ND, 1998-2001.*
-   “New Constructions,” George Adams Gallery, New York, NY, 1997.
-   “New Paintings and Drawings,” Frumkin/Adams Gallery, New York, NY, 1993.
-   John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, 1992.
-   Frumkin/Adams Gallery, New York City, 1990, 1993.
-   Fuller Gross Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 1990.
-   Cantor Center for the Visual Arts at Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 1990.
-   “Roy De Forest,” Fuller Gross Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 1989.
-   Marilyn Butler Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, 1989.
-   Dorothy Goldeen Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, 1988, 1991.
-   Natsoulas/Novelozo Gallery, Davis, CA, 1988, 1990.*
-   Struve Gallery, Chicago, IL, 1988.
-   “Animal Images,” Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh, PA, 1987.*
-   “New Paintings, Drawings & Constructions,” Allan Frumkin Gallery, New York, NY, 1985.*
-   “The Early Constructions,” Nelson Gallery, University of California, Davis; University of Riverside, California: 1983-1984.
-   Frumkin & Struve Gallery, Chicago, IL, 1983.
-   Art Gallery, California State University, Chico, CA, 1982.
-   Fuller Goldeen Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986.
-   Nelson Gallery, University of California, Davis, CA, 1980, 1983.
-   Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA, 1980.
-   Fountain Gallery, Portland, OR, 1980.
-   Blackfish Gallery, Portland, OR, 1980.
-   Susan Whitney Gallery, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, 1980.
-   E.B. Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA, 1980.*
-   Marian Locks Gallery, Philadelphia, PA, 1980.
-   605 East 3rd Street Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, 1979.
-   Fresno City College, Fresno, CA, 1979.
-   Michael Berger Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA, 1979.
-   Contemporary Arts Forum, Santa Barbara, CA, 1978.
-   Institute of Contemporary Art (with Robert Hudson), Boston, MA, 1977, 1978.
-   Clark / Benton Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, 1977, 1978, 1981.
-   Barbara Fendrick Gallery, Washington, D.C., 1976.
-   Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, CA, 1975.
-   Retrospective exhibition. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, CA; Fort Worth Art Center, TX; Utah Museum of Fine Arts, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY: 1974-1975*
-   Shasta College, Redding, CA, 1974.
-   Galerie Allen, Vancouver, Canada, 1974.
-   Galerie Darthea Speyer, Paris, France, 1974, 1977, 1981, 1987.
-   Glenbow-Alberta Gallery, Calgary, Canada, 1974.
-   Allan Frumkin Gallery, Chicago, IL, 1973, 1977.
-   Hansen Fuller Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978.
-   Manolides Gallery, Seattle, WA, 1971, 1972, 1978, 1979.
-   Gallery Marc, Washington, D.C., 1971.
-   California Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco, CA, 1971.
-   Candy Store Gallery, Folsom, CA, 1971.
-   San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA, 1969.
-   Cowell College, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 1969.
-   Art Gallery, City College of Sacramento, Sacramento, CA, 1967.
-   Allan Frumkin Gallery, New York, NY, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1985.*
-   Peninsula Gallery, Menlo Park, CA, 1966.
-   San Francisco Art Association Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 1962.
-   Dilexi Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1966, 1967.
-   Stone Court Gallery, Yakima, WA, 1959, 1960.
-   East & West Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 1955, 1958, 1965.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26] Smith, Roberta (May 23, 2007). Roy De Forest, 77, Painter of Colorful, Comic Scenes, Dies. _New York Times_

[27]

[28]

title: Roy De Forest

question: What does the article say about recurring elements in De Forest's work?

answer: His style often depicted journeys to fantasy lands that were quirky and comical. He added dots to a lot of his work, and they became a sort of trademark of his art. He also frequently used animals and fantasy creatures in his art, especially dogs. Towards the end of this life, his work also incorporated brick buildings and birds.

question: What does the article say about Roy's family?

answer: His parents were migrant farm workers. His family lost their farm in Nebraska due to the Great Depression and were forced to move to Yakima, where they bought a new farm and harvested pears and plums. He had two children: a son named Pascal and a daughter named Orianna. He also had three sisters: Beth, Beverly, and Lynn.


split: test

text:
UDAYAKUMAR T is a sound designer and audiographer who has worked in more than 300 films, primarily in Tamil cinema.

Early life

Udayakumar. T is an alumnus of MGR Govt. Film & Television Institute, Taramani, Chennai. After graduation (in 1998) he went on to assist audiographer Deepan Chatterjee at Director Priyadarshan's 4 Frames Sound Company before venturing out independently. He now works in Knack Studios,Chennai. He made his debut as independent sound designer/engineer with Daas in 2005.

Career

Udayakumar has worked with both veterans and new generation directors including P.Vasu, R.Sunderrajan, Sundar.C, Hari, Pa.Ranjith, Siruthai Siva, Vetrimaran, M. Sasikumar, Bala, Samuthirakani, M. Rajesh, Ponram etc. His notable works includes Asuran, K 13, Kabali, Visaranai,[1] Peranmai, Vivegam, Chennai 600028 II, Madras, Demonte Colony etc. . His sound mix for Asuran,[2] played an important role in the commercial success of the film and was lauded for his work. Apart from sound designing and mixing, recently he made his foray into another domain, by doing script doctoring for the Tamil Film K 13.

Partial filmography

-   _Daas_
-   _Peranmai_
-   _Madras_
-   _Demonte Colony_
-   _Aranmanai_
-   _Maan Karathe_
-   _Vella Ila Pattathari_
-   _Pannaiyarum Padminiyum_
-   _Idhu Kathirvelan Kadhal_
-   _Vallinam_
-   _Bramman_
-   _Nimirndhu Nil_
-   _Thalaivan_
-   _Yennamo Yetho_
-   _Un Samayal Araiyil_
-   _Enna Satham Indha Neram_
-   _Poojai_
-   _Thirudan Police_
-   _Naiigal Jaakirathai_
-   _Meaghamann_
-   _Aambala_
-   _Vai Raja Vai_
-   _Vaalu_
-   _Vasuvum Saravananum Onna Padichavanga_
-   _Naanum Rowdy Dhan_
-   _Uppu Karuvadu_
-   _Thangamagan_
-   _Sathuran_
-   _Puli_
-   _Rajini Murugan_
-   _Aarathu Sinam_
-   _Sethupathi_
-   _Vetrivel_
-   _Ko2_
-   _Marudhu_
-   _Appa_
-   _Dharma Durai_
-   _Wagha_
-   _Rekka_
-   _Maveeran Kittu_
-   _Pazhaya Vannarapettai_
-   _Veera Sivaji_
-   _Kabali_
-   _Vedalam_
-   _Chennai 600028 II_
-   _Eeti_
-   _Singam 3_
-   _Kuttram 23_
-   _Yaakkai_
-   _Dora_
-   _Pa Pandi_
-   _7 Naatkal_
-   _Brindhavanam_
-   _Nenjil Thunivirundhal_
-   _Kodiveeran_
-   _Ulkuthu_
-   _Sketch_
-   _Thaanaa Serundha Koottam_
-   _Bhaagamathie_
-   _Madura Veeran_
-   _Kalakalappu 2_
-   _Veera_
-   _Iruttu Araiyil Murattu Kuththu_
-   _Tik Tik Tik_
-   _Semma Botha Aagathey_
-   _Ghajinikanth_
-   _60 Vayadu Maaniram_
-   _Annanukku Jai_
-   _Saamy Square_
-   _Jarugandi_
-   _Kaatrin Mozhi_'
-   _Adanga Maru_'
-   _Silukkuvarupatti Singam_
-   _Miruthan_
-   _Vivegam_
-   _Visaranai_
-   _Viswasam_
-   _Agnyaathavaasi_
-   _Goodachari_
-   _Merku Thodarchi Malai_
-   _Vada Chennai_
-   _Vantha Rajavthaan Varuven_
-   _Kanne kalaimaane_
-   _LKG_
-   _Thadam_
-   _July Kaatril_
-   _Kanchana 3_
-   _Devarattam_
-   _100_
-   _Mr.Local_
-   _Neeya 2_
-   _Seven_
-   _Nenjamundu Neramaiyundu Odu Raja_
-   _Suttu Pidika Utharavu_
-   _Thumbaa_
-   _Sindhubaadh_
-   _Dharmaprabhu_
-   _Ratchasi_
-   _Gorilla_
-   _Kazhugu 2_
-   _Kennedy Club_
-   _Viswasam_
-   _K 13_
-   _Aadai_
-   _Saaho_
-   _Aruvam_
-   _Asuran_
-   _Adutha Saattai_
-   _Dhanusu Raasi Neyargale_
-   _Pattas_
-   _Taana_
-   _Naadodigal 2_
-   _Seeru_
-   _Naan Sirithal_
-   _Irandaam Kuththu_
-   _Idam Porul Yaeval_

Awards and recognition

Many movies are made on the editing Table but movies do get developed at the mixing stage too like including filling logical loopholes thanks to Uday's expertise on commercial sensibilities. He is a recipient of Tamil Nadu State Award for Peranmai.[3] Also won the IIFA Award for Chennai 28 (Part 2 ) and Behindwoods Award for Madras and Demonte Colony.

[1] 1

[2] 2

[3] https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/tn-govt-announces-tamil-film-awards-for-six-years/article19273078.ece

title: T. Uday Kumar

question: What did T. Uday Kumar work after graduation?

answer: After graduation, T. Uday Kumar started working at Director Priyadarshan's 4 Frames Sound Company as audiographer Deepan Chatterjee's assistant.

question: Where does  T. Uday Kumar work now?

answer: T. Uday Kumar work now works in Knack Studios, Chennai.

question: When did T. Uday Kumar make his debut as an independent sound designer/engineer?

answer: T. Uday Kumar made his debut as an independent sound designer/engineer in 2005.

question: What was T. Uday Kumar's role in the movie Asuran?

answer: T. Uday Kumar's sound mix for Asuran played an important role in the commercial success of the movie.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: T. Uday Kumar is a sound designer and audiographer who has worked in more than 300 films, primarily in Tamil cinema. He is known for the movies Asuran, K 13, Kabali, Visaranai, Peranmai, Vivegam, etc. He is a recipient of the Tamil Nadu State Award for Peranmai, the IIFA Award for Chennai 28 (Part 2 ), and the Behindwoods Award for Madras and Demonte Colony.


text:
    Early on a Saturday morning, I woke up to birds chirping, children laughing and playing outside at the park, and the sun shining through my window onto the floor where my little kitten, Jericho, lay on his back purring. Jericho isn’t year old yet and has black fur with a white stomach paws. He is a good kitten, sometimes he can be a little mischievous, like when I wake up in the middle of the night and he is staring at me with his big, black, glowing eyes or when I walk into my room and he will pounce on me like Hobbes from Calvin and Hobbes. I went downstairs to make myself a cup of hot coffee. I turned on the coffee machine and stepped outside to enjoy the weather for a little while my coffee was brewing. The chase I was sprawled out on was so cozy I dozed off a little bit. I thought about all of the good days I’ve had that started out like this. I felt as if nothing could go wrong.

I woke up to the voluptuous aroma of fresh, blue mountain, Jamaican coffee... And smoke. I could smell my ex-wife Gretta from the street. Gretta was a little bit on the darker side when it came to humor, clothing and choice of color. She had pale skin and jet black hair, she was pretty, too pretty to be forty . Undoubtedly she was here with her lawyer to tell me that I needed to hand over half of my stuff because she bought it (with my money) and therefore it was her’s. I could sense that she was planning something by the way she stepped out her cigarette and how she walked up the path in the front yard to ring my doorbell that she wanted more than just my stuff and my money. As I stood up, I heard her ring the bell and on my way to the door I was thinking of what else she wanted from me. I answered the door and without warning, Gretta walked in and so did the smell of the smoke that had a choke hold to her body and clothes. I was silent, observing her face to get any hint of what she wanted. She looked straight into my eyes as if she was looking into my soul. I was entranced by her eyes and wondering why she was here. I couldn’t break the spell of her crystal blue eyes. Then, without saying a word, I was in pain. Not physical, but emotional pain. How could she do this to me? She knows how much he means to me. She must be a demon straight from hell! Full of rage, I shouted “You can’t!” she replied “oh but I can.” the man sitting next to her pulled out a list. I saw a name on it. It wasn’t a chair or a TV, it was Jericho. I ran upstairs and snatched Jericho from the bed, much to his surprise. He pawed my face but then realized it was me. Gretta followed me, “He’s mine now”

I slowly looked up at her and made a face that radiated disgust and hatred. I walked over to my wardrobe and opened the doors. I watched the expression on her face slowly turn from a spiteful satisfaction to a shocked horror as I drew a fully loaded Armalite AR-180 carbine gas-operated semi automatic into my shoulder. This gun had never felt so smooth and soft as I firmly held the grip in my hand, the rifle felt like it belonged in my arms like a lover returning home from war as he embraces his lover longer and harder than he ever has before. I looked down the sights, I focused first on the rear sights as they stand like two great pillars with only death separating them. Then I focus in the front sight; it stands like an oasis of fatality in a desert of life. Then, her face. Her face is colorless and already looks dead. That beautiful face of a woman who doesn’t look half her age, turned as white as the light at the end of the tunnel and aged twenty years. I said in a cold, hard voice,”Go to hell, bitch.”

Her head now painted the wall behind her as fragments of her brain stuck to the wall. Gretta’s lifeless body fell backwards and hit the wall behind her much as someone after a long day at work sits down, glad to get a rest. Her slender arms were open with the palms of her hands facing me. She was dead.

    I stood there looking at what I had done, I may have over reacted a bit. The lawyer stomped up the stairs and flung open the door to the morbid scene that I had just created. He stared at her, his mouth agape and eyes wide open. he stared at her limp body for a minute or two then he slowly and fearfully turned his head to me, eyeing the death machine I held in my hands. I saw the grip of the Beretta poking out from underneath his jacket. I don't think he knows I saw the pistol but at that moment I knew I couldn’t let him get away so I pulled the Armalite back up to my shoulder and he slipped behind the door frame just as I let three rounds slip into the solid walnut door directly behind him. I looked out the window and saw the license plate “L8VTX23” on a black BMW M3 then I saw him running out to his car and fumbling in his pocketses for his keys. I ran downstairs as fast as I could and saw his phone laying on the kitchen table. I exhaled a sigh of relief because I knew that I still had a chance to get him and make sure that no one knew about what had went down earlier today.

I grabbed the garage door opener and my keys then ran out back and backed out in my Audi R8 and sped off. I could just see him turn at the light about 200 feet away so I stepped on the gas and screeched around the corner and caught up to him. My palms were sweaty and and my hands were shaking as I tapped on the gas and yanked the wheel to my left so the nose of my car took out the back of his. He lost control and broke through the barrier and crashed into a tree. The lawyer emerged from the car looking like he had just been beaten off and limped to the nearest tree for support. I walked down the the hill to where he stood and said, “You should always wear your seatbelt,” He looked at me with a face full of horror and surprise, “You. Are. Insane! People like you don’t deserve to live!”

“Little did you know, that  you are the one who is working for the force of evil.-”

“You’re lying”

“do you know why she wanted Jericho? Do you know what jericho is? Jericho is the key to the portal. The portal that Gretta and I built. We had it all figured out, we were the best of friends since we met, we did everything together! But at the last moment, our differences held us back. The portal would answer all of our questions, it would give us a continuation of forces, we would all become gods! She wanted to use the portal to manipulate the economy, to manipulate politics, to manipulate our minds, she wanted to rule the world. I was the only one who could stop her. before we even had the portal opened, she already had a god complex, she was never wrong.”

“None of this makes any sense! you are crazy! I am just a lawyer who was helping with a divorce!”

“Thats what she wanted you to believe but you were actually delivering her the key to the universe.”

“But it’s just a cat!”

“No it’s the key. The key was originally the apple of Eve, the cause of the sin in the world today. I transformed the apple into Jericho, a living, breathing, immortal being.”

“You really are crazy!” Just then he wipped his coat back and yanked out the berreta that he had tucked in his hip as I ducked behind a tree. Bullets ripped the bark off the tree. I pulled out my Desert Eagle and dove out from behind the tree. I put a bullet in his chest through his femoral artery and one in his neck. he fell to the ground as I stood up and finished him with a bullet between the eyes.

title: My Cat

question: What is the name of the titular cat?

answer: Jericho

question: Who is the narrator?

answer: That information can't be found

question: Why did Greta and the narrator divorce?

answer: The narrator claims that Greta developed a god complex and wanted to rule the world

question: Why does Gretta want the cat?

answer: The narrator claims that Jericho is a key to open a portal which would make the user like a god

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: The narrator is visited by his ex-wife, Gretta, who wants to take his kitten, Jericho. The narrator shoots her to stop her from taking the cat. He then chases and kills Gretta's lawyer to silence him, telling him that Jericho is the key to a portal which grants the user god-like power.


text:
They say just before death, you remember every specific detail that occurred that day.
Grey haze filled the dark sky hiding the golden sphere, while the polished barb wired fence bordered around us. The window frame seemed to paint the outside world for what it really was for us ‘Thorns’; depressing. The elderly grey hair, blue eyed history teacher, Mrs Fischer, strolled around the gloomy room and handed out the textbooks like every other day. Adolf Hitler VI appeared on the front of the worn, green textbook, saluting a floating marble Swastika.

I remember envying the so called genetically superior, comparing their rich lifestyle of freedom to mine, wasting away my days with my pregnant mother in a modern day concentration camp. Both her and I looked the same as the Roses of the population, but we were punished for having the genes that pass on the inferior traits. The thought of my mother's unborn child having the physical characteristics of the thorn worried me, as I had seen first hand the consequences that came from this.

In an attempt to distract my wandering mind, I opened the green history textbook.
“This book was written under the law and rule of our savior, Adolf Hitler and his predecessors. Abiding by his way of life will ensure the nation of New Germany will live peaceful and worthwhile lives”
I couldn't help but think of the birth and death of my brother, and seeing Hitler be referred to as a 'Savior' awoke a new fire inside of me. I flipped to the next page, expecting the worst of it to continue, but all that was there was a note.

‘Gerard, you need to run, get out of here and back home to your mother before she gives birth. Once I give you the sign, meet me at the side alleyway of the school. Don’t worry; we are all going to get out safely. Mrs Fischer.’

The time that followed was one adrenaline fueled blur. My heart raced as Mrs Fischer had given me the obvious sign by telling me to see the headmaster, and fast. The classroom that was my protective barrier against all the outside evil seemed to shatter as I tread upon the outside world.
Unclean air fueled my body as I darted in between soldiers and buildings. Reality was starting to set in as my adrenaline dissolved and asthma reappeared. I doubled over into the alleyway, trying to force as much oxygen into my body as possible. Before my asthma could take full effect, Mrs Fischer pulled up in a grey car and tinted windows beside me and passed me my asthma puffer.
The downtime after the adrenaline rush caused consciousness to escape me, which made it difficult to decipher reality from dreams. Bumps along the road had finally  caused me to wake from my disjointed slumber and realise my journey was coming to an end . The sky was a darker shade of grey as it became backdrop to Mrs Fischer's small blue house seemingly in the middle of nowhere.

The oddest part, was not being at Mrs Fischer's home, but what she had furnished it didn't seem to fit the criteria of an elderly teacher. Guns, axes and swords of all sizes where hung all over the walls, which gave me both a feeling of safety and fear. The gun crazed history teacher lead me up the creaky staircase to my mother, each creak heightening my level of self awareness.

I walked into the candle lit room, where my mother was laying there with her long blonde hair draping over her fear stricken blue eyes. It wasn’t long before she was ready to give birth, which Mrs Fischer instructed me to sit beside my mother talking to her to ease the pain. Mum gripped my hand harder which each push, every yelp creating tears which slid down her face.

After an eternity of half an hour, my sister was born. Mrs Fischer, who started to weep, wrapped the baby in a pink towel and handed her to my mother. As soon as my mother had the baby in her hands, she let out a tsunami of tears, realising the baby was born with Downs Syndrome. I grabbed the newborn, taking in her black hair and brown eyes, trying to make her feel welcome in a world where people will kill him for not fitting in.
Suddenly, footsteps where heard downstairs. The stairs started creaking as if someone was sneaking up on us. Fear struck the three of us in the room, knowing full well who was here. Mrs Fischer grabbed me and whispered for me to run as far as possible with the newborn.

I leaped out onto the balcony of the room, which contained a staircase to the back of the house. I finally reached ground level, where I turned to see a man with blonde hair and electric blue eyes facing me. One of the Nazi soldiers. I turned to face the wilderness, if I could make it to the trees, sister and I would live. I took off, faster than I ever have, lengthening my pace with each step. The pain of trying to force air into my lungs was present, as I slowed right down with a hundred metres to go. I collapsed, into a heaving ball of mess, cursing my asthma. I began to turn onto my back, gasping for air. The Nazi soldier was right behind me, holding his black pistol directing it at me. I looked down the barrel of certain death, trying to peacefully accept my life. My whole day flashed through my eyes, all my mistakes and uncertainties seemed to project on the dark sky.

Bang.

(Edit: Formatting)

title: Trimming of Thorns (Dystopian Narrative)

question: Summarize the narrator's negative experiences.

answer: First and foremost, the narrator was born with a defective gene, and as a result, people with similar characteristics face discrimination. He also lost his brother to this unjust fate. He suffered an asthma attack while sprinting from school, away from the military, to see his pregnant mother. When his infant sister was born, he learned that she had Down's syndrome. As he tried to flee the Germans with his baby sister, he was shot at by a Nazi soldier.

question: What does the story say was odd about Mrs. Fischer?

answer: Mrs. Fischer was Gerard's elderly history teacher. She felt particularly sorry for Gerard because she knew he had the inferior genes. Nazi forces were eviscerating his kind, but she was determined to save him. Mrs. Fischer urged Gerard to flee the school to see his heavily pregnant mother. When Gerard arrived at his teacher's house, he was surprised to see guns, axes, and swords of all sizes hung all over the walls, which frightened and comforted him.

question: What does the story say about Down's Syndrome?

answer: It appeared that Gerard was born with Down's Syndrome. It also appeared that he and his mother also suffered from the same genetic disorder. Hitler had put out an order to eliminate every person with "inferior genes," and his brother died as a result. However, Gerard was determined to survive, and with the help of his teacher Mrs. Fischer, he fled from the soldiers. Sadly, his mother also gave birth to another child with Down's Syndrome. His baby sister's life was at stake, so Gerard decided to carry her in his arms while he tried to avoid the Nazis. However, he was greeted with his inevitable death in the end.

question: What does the story say about the cure for Down's Syndrome?


text:
Detectives investigating the gruesome murder of a woman whose head, leg, and arm were dumped in a recycling bin in Seattle found a 15-inch pruning saw, blood, and bits of flesh in her bathroom, court documents reveal.

Ingrid Lyne, 40, was reported missing on Saturday morning after she went on a date at the Seattle Mariners opening game the previous night with a man she had met online, court records show.

Friends said they had been dating for a little over a month.

John Robert Charlton, 37, who is suspected of second-degree murder, told investigators he was too intoxicated to remember what happened after the two left the game and returned to her Renton, Washington, home.

Charlton was taken into custody on Monday and found with abrasions on his forehead and left hand, despite claiming he was not injured.

Detectives also noticed his lip and chin were injured and there were scratch marks around his chest.

He has a lengthy criminal history in six states and served jail time in Utah and Montana. His own parents, Ray and JoAnn Charlton filed for a restraining order against their son in 2006 because they feared for their safety following his drunken outbursts.

On one occasion Charlton threatened his mother by telling her to watch the 2001 film Hannibal, starring Anthony Hopkins as a serial killer and cannibal, the Seattle Times reported.

Investigators are searching for the remnants of Lyne's body and enlisting the help of FBI and other law enforcement agencies to look into any similar crimes in the area, a source told the newspaper.

Scroll down for video

Ingrid Lyne, 40, (pictured), was reported missing after she met up with a man she had met online and dated for about a month. Her dismembered body parts were found in a recycling bin in Seattle Saturday afternoon

Charlton (pictured) appeared in a preliminary court hearing today at the King County Jail Courtroom, but the judge ordered that his face not be shown, saying he didn't want to prejudice a potential jury trial. He is suspected of second degree murder and held on $2million bail

Court documents revealed a 15-inch pruning saw was found near the bathtub of Lyne's home, and blood and bits of flesh were recovered from the tub's drain

Charlton, 37, (pictured left in Montana after he was arrested for theft, and right) was taken into custody on Monday. His own parents filed a petition for a restraining order against him in 2006

During a search of her house, detectives found the pruning saw near the bathtub, which relatives confirmed was not typically there.

Bits of human flesh and blood were recovered from the tub's drain, King County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Jennifer Worley said Tuesday.

An anonymous source told the Seattle Times 'significant' physical evidence had been found in her home.

They also found plastic trash bags 'identical in color and size' to the ones Lyne's body parts were found in.

Charlton appeared at the Kings County Jail Courtroom today, and is suspected of second-degree murder. He is being held on $2million bail.

The judge ordered that his face not be shown, saying he didn't want to prejudice a potential jury trial.

Court records show Ray and JoAnn Charlton filed for a temporary protection order in 2006, saying their son tried to provoke a fight with them when he was drunk and verbally abusive.

The petition was later dismissed at the parents' request, but Ray said: 'During this time frame, he removed a movie from the shelf called Hannibal, set it in front of my wife and told her she should watch this and "beware".'

He also told them 'life was putting too much pressure on him' and that he felt he was becoming mentally unstable, KIRO7 reported.

JoAnn and Ray Charlton (pictured) filed for a temporary protection order against their son in 2006, but it was later dismissed at their request

Charlton has a criminal history in six states, court documents reveal.

He was convicted of a 2009 felony theft in Montana, negligent driving in Washington state in 1998, and a second-degree felony for aggravated robbery in Utah in 2006.

He has also been convicted of grand theft motor vehicle, assault, third-degree larceny, with an arrest for battery.

He was found guilty of possession of marijuana in 1997, but the charge was deferred, the Seattle Times reports.

Lyne, 40, was last seen leaving to attend the Seattle Mariners opening game on Friday, where she was planning to meet Charlton on a date, her friends said.

A source claimed it was not their first date, and Charlton told officials the two had been seeing each other for about a month, according to the Certification for Determination of Probable Cause.

Charlton had at least two profiles on the dating websites Plenty of Fish and Mingle2.com. It is unclear how the two met online, although KIRO7 reported someone sent in a POF dating profile that appeared to be Lyne's.

Lyne's ex-husband Phillip Lyne, whom she divorced in 2014, reported her missing around 10:10am Saturday morning, when he tried dropping off their three daughters, aged 7, 10, and 12, and found the house empty.

Charlton had more than one dating profile. In the 'About Me' section on Plenty of Fish, he writes, 'My intent here is simply make friends and meet up for a good conversation...not much of the crowded bar or club type. Mellow and quiet is more my scene,' adding, 'I'm not here for dating. Only friendships. This is not some scam to get laid either'

Lyne's body has not been found, but the FBI and other law-enforcement agencies are investigating whether there were any other similar crimes in the region, a source told the Seattle Times

Lyne's ex-husband notified her mother Jorga Bass, who checked her daughter's phone records after she went missing. When Bass texted Charlton's number asking for help, the 37-year-old replied: '911? What's going on?'

Her remains were still 'fresh' when they were recovered Saturday afternoon in a neighborhood about 2.7miles away from Safeco Stadium, an officer said.

The homeowner had been away for three days. He returned on Saturday and noticed the weight of the recycling bins, which should have been emptied while he was gone, according to court documents.

He emptied the contents on his lawn, revealing translucent trash bags containing Lyne's head, an arm with a hand attached, and a lower leg and foot. The homeowner called 911.

A 15-inch pruning saw (file photo) was found in Lyne's bathroom. Relatives said it was not usually there

Court documents state Lyne's remains were found with no signs of decomposition.

Her facial features were intact, and police identified her after they learned of the missing person report and obtained her photograph.

Official confirmation of her identity is pending an autopsy.

When Charlton was taken into custody and questioned, detectives noticed there were minor injuries to his face, chest, and left hand.

The 37-year old said the two had gone to the Mariner's game.

He was so intoxicated he could not recall how they got back to her house and what happened afterwards, according to court documents.

He told authorities they returned to her house in her car, and had sex. He said Lyne was acting 'weird', but did not elaborate, according to the documents.

He was unsure how he left her house, but claims he slept on the sidewalks of Seattle.

He then told authorities he spent Saturday and Sunday night at an ex-girlfriend's house in Lake Stevens about one hour north of Lyne's home, documents state.

Investigators believe Lyne was killed in Renton and then driven to Seattle, where her remains were dumped, King County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Jennifer Worley said Tuesday during Charlton's bail hearing.

When Lyne's ex-husband didn't find her at her house, he notified her mother Jorga Bass, who entered the residence with a spare key and found Lyne's personal items still inside.

Worried friends had circulated photographs of both Lyne and Charlton on Facebook in hopes of tracking them down.

The remainder of Lyne's body has not been found, but the FBI and other law-enforcement agencies are looking into any other, similar crimes in the region, a source told the Seattle Times

When Charlton was taken into custody and questioned, he said he was too intoxicated after the Mariner's game to remember how they got back to her house and what 'transpired when they got there', court documents state

He also claimed he slept on the sidewalks of Seattle and told investigators he spent Saturday and Sunday night at an ex-girlfriend's house

Authorities believe Charlton was the man who Lyne was meeting on a date, and no other suspects are being pursued

Lyne's friends grew suspicious of Charlton when he couldn't be reached, even though he made a bizarre posting on Facebook Saturday morning, saying he had started going to school at 'All OF Them'. The post was made after Lyne was reported missing but before her remains were found.

Bass, who shares a Verizon account with her daughter, checked her phone records and saw a recurring number, which another family member then linked to Charlton by searching the web.

Bass texted the number, addressed Charlton by name, asked when he last saw her and said she had called 911.

The 37-year-old responded:  '911? What's going on? We went to the Mariners game last night but we didn't stay the night together because she has her kids today...not sure what she has told you about me and our relationship.'

When Bass told him a police officer was looking to speak to him, he ceased to respond.

When the murder suspect was taken into custody and questioned, he said the two had returned to her home in her car after the Mariner's game on Friday, court documents reveal. He said he had spent the night at her house several times before.

Worried friends had circulated photographs of both Lyne and Charlton on Facebook in hopes of tracking them down. Police found her purse and cellphone at home

Her ex-husband reported her missing Saturday morning when she wasn't home when he tried to drop off their three daughters, aged 7, 10, and 12

Charlton (pictured) used his Facebook on Saturday at 10.21am after the 40-year-old was already reported missing. Evidence such as telephone call records led detectives to arrest Charlton at a home in Lake Stevens, Washington

Seattle Police Assistant Chief Robert Merner said they were 'led to a suspect early on' in the investigation. Authorities do not believe there are additional suspects.

Her silver 2015 Toyota Highlander, with the plate number AUW3230, was also initially reported stolen and was later found in downtown Seattle.

The investigation is ongoing, and Charlton has not been charged. His is currently held with bail set at $2million.

Lyne's friends were emotional on Monday when they learned news that her remains had been found.

'It's just wrong; it was just so wrong,' longtime friend Nicole Rock told Q13.

'Why did he do this? And why did he put her in pieces? Rock asked. 'To think about their kids, and they need their mom. Kids, they need a mom.'

Neighbor Edward Franceschina, 74, says he last saw Lyne on Friday afternoon, checking her mail. Neighbors say she has been living on the block for the past 13 years.

He said police detectives searched her house around 12.30am Sunday, and spoke to a resident down the street with a security camera.

'Why did he do this? And why did he put her in pieces? Lyne's longtime friend Nicole Rock (pictured) asked. 'To think about their kids, and they need their mom. Kids, they need a mom.'

Her body parts were packaged in translucent trash bags and dumped about 2.7miles away from Safeco Stadium. Lyne was likely killed in Renton and then driven to Seattle, King County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Jennifer Worley said

A Seattle homeowner found the packages at 4pm on Saturday, and called 911. Law enforcement were able to identify the remains using a picture of Lyne

St Matthew's Lutheran Church in Renton held a vigil outside Lyne's home on Tuesday, as grief-stricken friends comforted each other in the rain

Flowers were left outside her doorstep, and other members of the community paid their respects as they passed. A GoFundMe page established for her daughters has raised more than $85,000

Lyne's family members have released a statement remembering her as a 'beloved mother, daughter, sister and friend', while crediting her three children for their resilience

NANCY MOYER'S DISAPPEARANCE IN 2009 REMAINS UNSOLVED

Nancy Moyer disappeared in 2009 about 75 miles south of Seattle, and has never been found

A source told the Seattle Times investigators are looking into any similar crimes in the region, given the shocking details of Ingrid Lyne's murder.

On March 6, 2009, a 36-year-old woman Nancy Moyer disappeared in Tenino, Washington, about 75 miles south of Seattle.

She was never found, and police say while it is possible she could have gone into hiding, she is most likely dead.

Like Lyne, red flags were raised by her husband, who Moyer had separated from. He arrived at her home to drop off their daughters, and found the front door open and the TV on.

A glass of red wine was left in the living room, and all of her personal items were still in the house. Her car was also still parked in the driveway.

Convicted murderer Bernard K. Howell was at one point deemed a person of interest in the investigation.

But Thurston County Chief Deputy Brad Watkins told The Chronicle: 'He’s one of these people that we’ve talked to more than once.

'We have no concrete evidence to support that he had anything to do with her disappearance.'

Seven years later, the case remains unsolved.

It is unclear which dating site Lyne was using when she met Charlton, although he had accounts on Plenty of Fish and Mingle2.com.

Lyne's three children are currently staying with their father, and a GoFundMe page set up for daughters has already raised more than $85,000 with the help of more than 1,300 people.

Lyne's family members have released a statement remembering her as a 'beloved mother, daughter, sister and friend,' Q13 reported.

They also included an update on her three daughters, stating: 'While devastated, they have been amazingly resilient and we couldn’t be more proud of how they have handled what will be the worst news of their young lives.'

Lyne's car, a 2015 gray Toyota Highlander, (like the stock image above), was found in downtown Seattle

question: What does the text say about Tinder?

question: Summarize the main news event.

answer: Detectives are investigating the gruesome murder of Ingrid Lyne, 40, whose severed head, leg, and arm was dumped in a recycling bin Saturday afternoon in a Seattle neighborhood about 2.7 miles away from Safeco Stadium. Lyne went to the Seattle Mariners opening game with John Robert Charlton, 37, the previous night. She met him on an online dating site and her friends said the two have been dating for a little over a month. Lyne was reported missing by her ex-husband on Saturday morning when he tried to drop off their three daughters, aged 7, 10, and 12 but found the house empty. Investigators have found a 15-inch pruning saw, blood, and bits of flesh in Lyne's bathroom. They also found plastic bags of identical size and color to the ones her body parts were found in. Lyne's body has not been found, and investigators are enlisting the help of the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to look into similar crimes in the area. Meanwhile, Charlton claims he was too intoxicated to remember what happened when they left the game and returned to her home in Renton, Washington. He was taken into custody on Monday and found to have abrasions on his forehead and left hand, cuts on his lip and chin, and scratch marks around his chest, despite saying he wasn't injured. Charlton, who has a criminal history in six states and at least two profiles on the dating websites Plenty of Fish and Mingle2.com, is now suspected of 2nd-degree-murder. His bail was set at $2 million.

question: What does the article say about John Robert Charlton's criminal history?

answer: Charlton has a lengthy criminal history in six states and has served jail time in Utah and Montana. His own parents filed for a restraining order against him in 2006 because they feared for their safety following his drunk and abusive outbursts. He threatened his mother by telling her to watch the 2001 film "Hannibal" starring Anthony Hopkins as a serial killer and cannibal. Charlton told his parents that life was putting too much pressure on him and felt he was becoming mentally unstable. He was convicted of felony theft in Montana in 2009, negligent driving in Washington state in 1998, and aggravated robbery in Utah in 2006. He has also been convicted of grand theft motor vehicle, assault, third-degree larceny with an arrest for battery. He was found guilty of marijuana possession in 1997, but the charge was deferred. His parents also eventually dropped the restraining order against him.


text:
They’re Coming

My name is David Johnson, Sargent Johnson, and I’ll never forget the day it all went down, the day it collided with Earth. We had a century to plan for this one asteroid, barely 100 km wide, but only the rich saved themselves, went off to their ships and left us all here to die. They promised the military refuge, but when the asteroid came sooner than expected, they just turned tails and ran. For the last 2 years, I’ve been searching for survivors along with my squadron and what we found isn’t what we expected nor is it pleasing. The outside world is a wasteland devoid of life… until now.
While patrolling the perimeter we heard a small cry. When we found the source we were surprised by a small girl around 12 who looked confused and scared. We helped her up and took her to our base. Along the ride she started mumbling incomprehensible sounds and when we tried calming her she just blurted “They’re coming” and fell unconscious.
Subsequently, we stabilized her and let sleep overcome her. Then my squad and I started talking, thinking who this girl was, how had she survived, and most importantly what she meant by “They’re coming”. Of course the latter gave us all the creeps, although nobody openly admitted it. That was, after all, what the military was all about; showing strength and hiding weakness no matter what the situation presented.
When she finally woke up, we stared at her with expectant eyes and after an unbearable minute she got the cue and started explaining, to be honest, it’s not what any of us expected.
“They’re coming, we have to run.” She said in a normal fashion.
“Who the hell’s coming!” At that point, I’d lost my temper and started screaming at her.
“The ones who did this to us and the only ones who escaped it,” she exclaimed as she pointed towards the wasteland that lay behind us. Her words stinging and leaving a bitter taste in the back of our mind.
The same people who had promised to save us were the same people who set doom upon us. I was startled and couldn’t believe her words, didn’t want to believe her words. I mean, the scientist said an asteroid was coming, but a little push to it would explain why it came sooner, and according to this girl that little push was made by the rich folks. After a while of trying to explain to myself how it was possible since I couldn’t find any other explanation, she continued to talk:
“There’s a way to stop them,”
“Why would we?” I questioned, “We barely know you and now you’re asking us to stop an imaginary enemy who might or might not come here to destroy what’s left of us.”
“If you don’t believe me look outside,”
Just to prove her wrong, I walked through the door and took a peek outside. In the middle of the wasteland, I saw a single human figure just staring at us as if waiting for something. Then... all hell broke lose. As it came charging towards the encampment at an unnatural speed sirens started blaring to announce the base was on high alert. We grabbed our weapons and prepared for battle. Since we couldn't trust anyone, we started firing when it got within firing range. The bullets clashed against his skin, but it didn’t even flinch.
“I told you so,” I heard from behind me. It was the girl again.
“Would you shut the f-,” I retorted but, before I could finish she proceeded to use her arm as blades that went right through my upper torso, and with a vicious smile she pushed even farther until I could see the blood dripping off her fists.
“They’re coming.”
 Those were the last words I heard before darkness embraced me.

title: [SF] They're Coming

question: Explain why the girl says that she and David have to run.

answer: She explains that the same people who promised to save them are the ones who seemingly destroyed the world.

question: Who is the girl?

answer: The girl is about 12 years old and found in a delirious state by David and his crew.  She is later revealed to be a villain when she kills David.

question: What's the main event of the story?

answer: David discovers what the girl means by "They're coming".

question: Does the story have an antagonist?

answer: There seems to be multiple antagonists. There are the rich people who left the earth when the asteroid hit, the human figure,and the girl.

question: Where does David find the girl?

answer: David finds her in a wasteland devoid of life when he is scanning the perimeters looking for survivors of the asteroid.

question: How long has David been a sergeant?

answer: This information can't be found specifically, but he has been a sergeant for more than 2 years.

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: Sergeant David Johnson is left looking for survivors with his squadron after an asteroid hit the earth 2 years ago. The rich left on the planet, and left every one else to die. He and his squadron discover a young girl who keeps claiming "They're coming". She later explains "they" are the ones who left those on the planet to die. She shows them a human figure who is essentially bulletproof, and then uses her arms to stab David through his torso.


text:
JEFFERSON COUNTY is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, the population was 51,407.[1] Its county seat is Dandridge.[2]

Jefferson County is part of the Morristown Metropolitan Statistical Area with neighboring Grainger and Hamblen counties. The county, along with the Morristown MSA, is included in the Knoxville-Morristown-Sevierville Combined Statistical Area.[3]

History

Jefferson County was established on June 11, 1792, by William Blount, Governor of the Southwest Territory.[4] It had been a part of Caswell County during the State of Franklin period (1784–1789). Its county seat, Dandridge, was settled in 1783.[5]

On the eve of the Civil War, Jefferson County, like most other counties in mountainous East Tennessee, was opposed to secession. In Tennessee's Ordinance of Secession referendum on June 8, 1861, Jefferson County voters rejected secession by a margin of 1,987 to 603.[6] A railroad bridge at Strawberry Plains was among those targeted by the East Tennessee bridge-burning conspiracy in November 1861.[7] This led to internal conflict in the area throughout the war, with men from the county enlisting in both of the rival armies.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (13%) is water.[8] The county is affected by two artificial lakes: Douglas Lake, created by the damming of the French Broad River in the south, and Cherokee Lake, created by the damming of the Holston River in the north.

Adjacent counties

-   Hamblen County (northeast)
-   Cocke County (southeast)
-   Sevier County (south)
-   Knox County (west)
-   Grainger County (north)

State protected areas

-   Henderson Island Refuge

Transportation

Principal highways

-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -

Major surface routes

-   -   -   -

Demographics

As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 44,294 people, 17,155 households, and 12,608 families residing in the county. The population density was 162 people per square mile (62/km²). There were 19,319 housing units at an average density of 71 per square mile (27/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.66% White, 2.32% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.63% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. 1.33% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 17,155 households, out of which 31.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.90% were married couples living together, 9.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.50% were non-families. 22.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.90% under the age of 18, 10.60% from 18 to 24, 29.10% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.00 males. However, the last statistic is somewhat misleading because of female longevity, and if adults 18-65 were considered, the numbers would be very close to equal.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,824, and the median income for a family was $38,537. Males had a median income of $29,123 versus $20,269 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,841. About 9.60% of families and 13.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.90% of those under age 18 and 12.60% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

  Year                               Republican                                   Democratic                                  Third Parties
  ---------------------------------- -------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- ----------------------------
  style=“text-align:center;” |2016   style=“text-align:center;” |77.5% _14,776_   style=“text-align:center;” |18.3% _3,494_   4.2% _802_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2012   style=“text-align:center;” |74.3% _13,038_   style=“text-align:center;” |24.1% _4,232_   1.7% _289_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2008   style=“text-align:center;” |70.7% _13,092_   style=“text-align:center;” |27.9% _5,178_   1.4% _262_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2004   style=“text-align:center;” |67.5% _11,625_   style=“text-align:center;” |31.8% _5,469_   0.7% _121_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2000   style=“text-align:center;” |61.5% _8,657_    style=“text-align:center;” |37.1% _5,226_   1.5% _204_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1996   style=“text-align:center;” |53.0% _6,446_    style=“text-align:center;” |38.6% _4,688_   8.4% _1,021_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1992   style=“text-align:center;” |50.0% _6,184_    style=“text-align:center;” |38.3% _4,740_   11.6% _1,438_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1988   style=“text-align:center;” |67.9% _6,832_    style=“text-align:center;” |31.5% _3,168_   0.7% _69_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1984   style=“text-align:center;” |70.4% _7,721_    style=“text-align:center;” |29.0% _3,185_   0.6% _69_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1980   style=“text-align:center;” |66.8% _6,944_    style=“text-align:center;” |30.6% _3,180_   2.6% _268_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1976   style=“text-align:center;” |57.2% _5,459_    style=“text-align:center;” |41.9% _3,995_   0.9% _84_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1972   style=“text-align:center;” |80.3% _5,925_    style=“text-align:center;” |18.4% _1,357_   1.4% _100_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1968   style=“text-align:center;” |67.1% _5,494_    style=“text-align:center;” |18.3% _1,494_   14.7% _1,199_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1964   style=“text-align:center;” |65.4% _4,923_    style=“text-align:center;” |34.6% _2,600_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1960   style=“text-align:center;” |78.8% _6,141_    style=“text-align:center;” |20.8% _1,620_   0.4% _33_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1956   style=“text-align:center;” |77.6% _4,870_    style=“text-align:center;” |21.3% _1,338_   1.0% _65_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1952   style=“text-align:center;” |78.9% _4,622_    style=“text-align:center;” |21.0% _1,228_   0.2% _10_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1948   style=“text-align:center;” |74.1% _2,979_    style=“text-align:center;” |22.4% _900_     3.5% _140_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1944   style=“text-align:center;” |76.3% _3,159_    style=“text-align:center;” |23.3% _966_     0.4% _18_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1940   style=“text-align:center;” |64.0% _1,921_    style=“text-align:center;” |35.4% _1,062_   0.7% _21_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1936   style=“text-align:center;” |68.3% _2,356_    style=“text-align:center;” |31.3% _1,079_   0.4% _13_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1932   style=“text-align:center;” |68.6% _2,275_    style=“text-align:center;” |29.4% _975_     2.0% _67_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1928   style=“text-align:center;” |85.6% _2,582_    style=“text-align:center;” |14.5% _436_     style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1924   style=“text-align:center;” |78.4% _2,699_    style=“text-align:center;” |20.7% _712_     0.9% _32_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1920   style=“text-align:center;” |81.6% _3,583_    style=“text-align:center;” |16.9% _741_     1.6% _68_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1916   style=“text-align:center;” |75.8% _1,648_    style=“text-align:center;” |23.9% _520_     0.2% _5_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1912   style=“text-align:center;” |27.0% _540_      style=“text-align:center;” |25.7% _514_     47.4% _949_

  : PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS RESULTS[10]

Like all of Unionist East Tennessee, Jefferson County has been overwhelmingly Republican ever since the Civil War. No Democrat has carried the county in the century and a half since that time, and indeed only Southern Democrat Jimmy Carter in 1976 has managed to reach forty percent of Jefferson County's vote.

Education

K-12 public education in the county is conducted by Jefferson County Public Schools.

Communities

Cities

-   Baneberry
-   Jefferson City
-   Morristown (partial)

Towns

-   Dandridge (county seat)
-   New Market
-   White Pine

Unincorporated communities

-   Belmont
-   Chestnut Hill
-   Piedmont
-   Reidtown (partial)
-   Shady Grove
-   Strawberry Plains (partial)
-   Talbott (partial)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4] Estle Muncy, “Jefferson County,” _Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture_. Retrieved: 18 October 2013.

[5]

[6] Oliver Perry Temple, East Tennessee and the Civil War (R. Clarke Company, 1899), p. 199.

[7] Temple, _East Tennessee and the Civil War_, pp. 370-406.

[8]

[9]

[10]

title: Jefferson County, Tennessee

question: What does the article say about the people of Jefferson County?

answer: As of 2000, there are 44,294 people in the county (51, 407 in 2010). Almost 96% of the population is white, 2.3% is black, and the rest is a mix of other minorities. Out of the 17,155 households, 31% have children under 18, 22.5% are individuals, and 8.2% have someone 65 years or older. The county has a median age of 36. There are 97.5 males for every 100 females. The median household income is $32,824 with a per capita income of $16,841. 13.4% of the population lives under the poverty limit. The county is resolutely Republican for more than 150 years.

question: What does the article say about Thomas Jefferson?


text:
LINCOLN COUNTY is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2010 census, the population was 34,869.[1] Its county seat is Brookhaven.[2]

The county was created by the legislature on April 7, 1870, during the Reconstruction Era. It was formed from portions of Lawrence, Pike, Franklin, Copiah, and Amite counties. It was named for Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States.[3]

Lincoln County comprises the Brookhaven, MS Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Jackson–Vicksburg–Brookhaven Combined Statistical Area. The county is southwest of the state capital of Jackson.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.4%) is water.[4]

Major highways

-   [] Interstate 55
-   [] U.S. Highway 51
-   [] U.S. Highway 84

Adjacent counties

-   Copiah County (north)
-   Lawrence County (east)
-   Walthall County (southeast)
-   Pike County (south)
-   Amite County (southwest)
-   Franklin County (west)
-   Jefferson County (northwest)

National protected area

-   Homochitto National Forest (part), supervised by the United States Forestry Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Demographics

As of the United States Census of 2000,[5] (which precedes the large changes and increases reflected in the figures, resulting from the substantial annexations and tripling of the size of the City of Brookhaven, the county seat, from late 2007, which would be reflected in the newer United States Census of 2010)—there were 33,166 people, 12,538 households, and 9,190 families residing in the county. The population density was 57 people per square mile (22/km²). There were 14,052 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile (9/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 69.38% White, 29.67% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.16% from other races, and 0.37% from two or more races. 0.69% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 12,538 households, out of which 34.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.90% were married couples living together, 14.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.70% were non-families. 24.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.70% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,279, and the median income for a family was $33,552. Males had a median income of $29,060 versus $18,877 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,961. About 16.00% of families and 19.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.80% of those under age 18 and 17.10% of those age 65 or over.

The offices of president and vice-president on the county supervisors rotate annually.

This county does not have “home rule;” thus, the legislature reserved to itself power over the county. Its representatives and state senators help serve its residents.

  Year                               Republican                                   Democratic                                  Third parties
  ---------------------------------- -------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- ----------------------------
  style=“text-align:center;” |2016   style=“text-align:center;” |69.4% _10,550_   style=“text-align:center;” |29.3% _4,458_   1.2% _185_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2012   style=“text-align:center;” |66.0% _10,839_   style=“text-align:center;” |33.3% _5,471_   0.6% _104_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2008   style=“text-align:center;” |65.7% _10,781_   style=“text-align:center;” |33.6% _5,505_   0.7% _116_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2004   style=“text-align:center;” |69.0% _10,008_   style=“text-align:center;” |30.5% _4,418_   0.5% _70_
  style=“text-align:center;” |2000   style=“text-align:center;” |65.7% _8,540_    style=“text-align:center;” |33.5% _4,358_   0.8% _102_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1996   style=“text-align:center;” |53.9% _5,960_    style=“text-align:center;” |38.8% _4,294_   7.4% _813_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1992   style=“text-align:center;” |53.8% _7,040_    style=“text-align:center;” |36.2% _4,744_   10.0% _1,307_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1988   style=“text-align:center;” |65.5% _8,710_    style=“text-align:center;” |34.1% _4,534_   0.4% _53_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1984   style=“text-align:center;” |66.5% _8,898_    style=“text-align:center;” |33.3% _4,458_   0.2% _25_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1980   style=“text-align:center;” |57.8% _7,286_    style=“text-align:center;” |41.3% _5,213_   0.9% _111_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1976   style=“text-align:center;” |58.6% _6,084_    style=“text-align:center;” |38.9% _4,043_   2.6% _265_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1972   style=“text-align:center;” |86.0% _7,593_    style=“text-align:center;” |12.1% _1,070_   1.9% _165_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1968   style=“text-align:center;” |10.7% _1,057_    style=“text-align:center;” |16.0% _1,585_   73.4% _7,276_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1964   style=“text-align:center;” |93.9% _6,750_    style=“text-align:center;” |6.1% _437_      style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1960   style=“text-align:center;” |25.6% _1,251_    style=“text-align:center;” |29.7% _1,449_   44.7% _2,185_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1956   style=“text-align:center;” |22.5% _848_      style=“text-align:center;” |51.5% _1,942_   26.1% _983_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1952   style=“text-align:center;” |47.2% _2,028_    style=“text-align:center;” |52.8% _2,271_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1948   style=“text-align:center;” |1.3% _40_        style=“text-align:center;” |1.6% _52_       97.1% _3,085_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1944   style=“text-align:center;” |4.0% _103_       style=“text-align:center;” |96.0% _2,445_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1940   style=“text-align:center;” |4.0% _97_        style=“text-align:center;” |95.6% _2,332_   0.5% _11_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1936   style=“text-align:center;” |2.9% _74_        style=“text-align:center;” |96.7% _2,465_   0.4% _10_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1932   style=“text-align:center;” |3.7% _92_        style=“text-align:center;” |96.0% _2,379_   0.3% _8_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1928   style=“text-align:center;” |16.2% _422_      style=“text-align:center;” |83.9% _2,191_   style="text-align:center;|
  style=“text-align:center;” |1924   style=“text-align:center;” |10.3% _154_      style=“text-align:center;” |85.1% _1,278_   4.7% _70_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1920   style=“text-align:center;” |34.9% _421_      style=“text-align:center;” |64.1% _774_     1.1% _13_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1916   style=“text-align:center;” |7.5% _105_       style=“text-align:center;” |91.1% _1,282_   1.4% _20_
  style=“text-align:center;” |1912   style=“text-align:center;” |4.4% _41_        style=“text-align:center;” |83.0% _768_     12.5% _116_

  : PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS RESULTS[6]

Economy

The telecommunications company MCI Worldcom was located in Lincoln County. Its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and founder Bernard Ebbers resided near Brookhaven prior to his conviction; he was sentenced to prison.

Education

[Lincoln County Public Library bookmobile in Brookhaven, 1952] The county is served by two separate public school districts, a private school, and a couple of smaller “Christian” or religious/private schools. The Lincoln County Public School District consists of four K–12 schools of elementary, middle school, and high school levels. These include Loyd Star, Bogue Chitto, West Lincoln and Enterprise. Through annexations, the City tripled its size in 2007.

Media

Lincoln County is served by the local newspaper _Daily Leader_, printed daily except Monday and Saturday. Residents may also purchase the larger daily newspaper from the state capital of Jackson, _The Clarion-Ledger,_ which serves the central state metropolitan area and the entire State of Mississippi.

Communities

City

-   Brookhaven (county seat)

Hamlets

-   Bogue Chitto

Unincorporated communities

-   Auburn
-   Caseyville
-   East Lincoln
-   Norfield
-   Ruth

Ghost towns

-   Woolworth

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

title: Lincoln County, Mississippi

question: What does the text say about education?

answer: Lincoln County is served by two separate public school districts, a private school, and a couple smaller "Christian" or religious/private schools. The Lincoln County Public School District consists of four K-12 schools of elementary, middle school, and high school levels. Through annexations, the city tripled its size in 2007. Lincoln County also has a public library which used to have a bookmobile in the 1950s.

question: What does the text say about politics?

answer: The offices of president and vice-president on the county supervisors rotate annually. This county does not have "home rule". This means the legislature reserved to itself power over the country. Its representatives and state senators help serve its residents.

question: Summarize the founding of Lincoln County.

answer: Lincoln County was created by the legislature on April 7, 1870. It was created during the Reconstruction Era. It was formed from portions of Lawrence, Pike, Franklin, Copiah, and Amite counties. It was named after Abraham Lincoln.

question: What does the text say about rivers?


text:
_WHY ORWELL MATTERS_, released in the UK as _ORWELL'S VICTORY_, is a book-length biographical essay by Christopher Hitchens. In it, the author relates George Orwell's thoughts on and actions in relation to: The British Empire, the Left, the Right, the United States of America, English conventions, feminism, and his controversial list for the British Foreign Office.

Summary

The British Empire

Orwell spoke for his radio magazine 'Voice' on the BBC of India where he spoke about literature and ideas. Orwell agreed to broadcast to India under his own name on one condition; that he could express his anti-imperialist opinions without diluting them. He criticized the British government's lack of principles regarding Indian self-government and never failed to argue for India's independence. Orwell's experience working with the BBC correlated with some of the concepts in his novel _Nineteen Eighty-Four_. Such as his concept doublethink, in relation to the sometimes extreme daily changes in political propaganda that was being broadcast. Orwell's thoughts and writings on colonialism are a permanent part of his lifelong commitment to the subjects of power, cruelty, force, and the relationship between the dominator and the dominated. Orwell can be read as a teaching in Britain's transition from an imperial society to a multicultural and multi-ethnic one. Since this was a great development in his time, and continues to be, this is one reason Hitchens argues that Orwell matters.[1]

The Left

Orwell contributed to the socialist press in England for many years. He considered himself to be on the left and advocated for democracy, decolonization, egalitarian ideals and heavily criticized totalitarianism.[2] Orwell had lived under a Stalinist police regime in Spain when he fought against fascism in the Spanish Civil War.[3] His time in Spain never left him; he continuously helped vindicate those he had known that survived the Stalinist regime. He did this by publicizing their cases, helping their families, getting them out of prison and saving them from being condemned.[4] He witnessed how the government could distort the truth and how political enemies could suddenly disappear.[5] Orwell returned home after he was shot in the throat by a fascist bullet. This may have saved him in a way as he was “guilty” of Trotskyism and served with the POUM militia, which was more than enough to land him in prison. Orwell's friends, such as his brigade commander Georges Kopp, were imprisoned under horrendous conditions. Kopp was subject to torture of close confinement with rats; this, and some of Orwell's other experiences in Spain, initiated some of the subject matter for _Nineteen Eight-Four_.[6] His socialist peers had a great appreciation for the Soviet Union. Since Orwell had witnessed its cruelty first hand, he did not.[7] He argued that it was not socialism, but a viscous form of state-capitalism.[8] Many of them never forgave him about his criticisms towards the Soviet Union and being right about Spain. Despite being a leftist himself, many of Orwell's harshest critics were on the left and came about after his death.[9] In the 1960s and 1970s the New Left despised Orwell, partly because his writings were right about the issues in society and they were not. 'Orwell put it best: the sin of most leftists is that they wanted to be anti-totalitarian without being anti-communist.'[10]

The Right

Orwell spent his entire adult life renouncing his upbringing in the conservative English Tory Party. It is true that he was one of the founders of anti-communism and held some beliefs that are associated with the right. Such as individualism, patriotism, his strong sense of right and wrong, and his dislike for bureaucracy and government. Liberty and equality were two of the things Orwell valued the most, as told in his writings, 'A society of free and equal human beings.' As such, they were generally not allies in Britain's colonial laissez-faire culture at the time. Orwell was aware of this paradox and symbolizes it in _Nineteen Eighty-Four_; his point being that there should be no utilitarian trade-off between freedom and security. _Nineteen Eight-Four_ was accused of attacking the British Labour Government. Orwell responded that he supported the British Labour Party and his novel was not meant to attack it nor socialism. 'It exposes the corruptions that a centralized economy is prone to, as witnessed with communism and fascism. The novel takes place in Britain to emphasize that English-speaking races are not innately better and that totalitarianism can triumph everywhere, if not fought against.' Orwell was invited by the Duchess of Atholl in November 1945 to speak on behalf of the right-wing and anti-communist group, League for European Freedom. Orwell thought that their arguing against communist brutality was inconsistent with them claiming to support democracy, yet not supporting the end for Britain's unwanted rule in India. Therefore, Orwell did not want to associate himself with them. In Orwell's words, 'I belong to the Left and must work inside it, as much as I hate totalitarianism and its poisonous influence.' It is true that Orwell held many conservative instincts, not prejudices. Such as his somewhat traditional moral and sexual values. Also his dislike of abortions and homosexuals, as well as sharing some anti-semitic comments in his writings. Hitchens argues that Orwell spent his life trying to reason himself out of them. Although there were times that his upbringing and pessimism succeeded his efforts, oftentimes when he was ill or depressed. Hitchens writes, 'Orwell was conservative about many things, but not about politics.'[11]

America

Orwell never traveled to the United States as he had little interest in it. He was suspicious of the consumerist and materialistic culture. He was somewhat resentful of its imperial ambitions and overly critical about its size and vulgarity. Orwell did take American literature seriously, he recognized its success with the incomplete struggle for liberty, and discussed it on the BBC. Near the end of his life when his health was failing due to tuberculosis, he began to have a change of heart towards America. He wrote about Jack London's life and works and had a great appreciation for them. He began to realize the appeal for North America's vast land and fierce individualism. Orwell's admirers from the states urged him to visit them. There were many suitable climates for his health and the streptomycin that might have healed his lungs was only manufactured and easily distributed in America. Orwell briefly contemplated spending some time in the South writing, but he was too weak to visit.[12]

Hitchens thinks that if Orwell had lived another ten years he would have visited the United States after being persuaded by his friends in New York. Orwell understood the importance of Thomas Paine and having a constitution. His references to American history and American ideals are scarce but quite accurate.[13] Hitchens writes, 'the American subject was in every sense Orwell's missed opportunity.'[14]

Feminism and women

Hitchens devotes his “Feminism and Women” chapter to the controversies surrounding the accusations of Orwell's fear and hatred towards women. Hitchens notes that Orwell wrote for a predominantly male audience and had a hard time developing a believable female character. Yet Orwell had good relationships with intelligent and strong women. Orwell was married twice and his first wife, Eileen O'Shaugnessy, helped sharpen the plot for _Animal Farm_. Orwell would read aloud his newest written chapters to her for her constructive criticism. Hitchens writes that, “Orwell desired the feminine but was put off his guard by the female. But he did not hate women.”[15]

List for the British Foreign Office

In 1949, shortly before he died, the English author George Orwell prepared a list of notable writers and other persons he considered to be unsuitable as possible writers for the anti-communist propaganda activities of the Information Research Department, a propaganda organisation of the British state under the Foreign Office.

Over fifty years later, in 2002, the list was first published in _The Guardian_; and the original was released by the Foreign Office soon after.

Hitchens conclusion on Why Orwell Matters

According to Hitchens, Orwell is still very modern because he writes about things relevant to today like machinery, modern tyranny and warfare, psychiatry.[16] Orwell's style is fresh, clear, and persuasive.[17] He managed to do this while dying of tuberculosis. Hitchens: “Power is only what you allows it to be. You can resolve not to be a citizen like that, not to do the work of power for it. The reading of Orwell is not an exercise in projecting blame on others but is an exercise in accepting a responsibility for yourself and it’s for that reason that he’ll always be honored and also hated. I think he wouldn’t have it any other way.”[18]

At the end of the book, Hitchens critiques Orwell's novels and legacy. An essay sequel to the book, “Why Orwell Still Matters,” appears in John Rodden's 2007 compilation _The Cambridge Companion to George Orwell_ ().

Orwell's life as a writer

Orwell was brought up in a conservative upper class environment where people felt fear and loathing towards the poor.[19] His father was involved in the opium trade, which had his family built upon a guilty colonial secret. Orwell volunteered to be a part of that by becoming an imperial police officer in Burma, living under a dictatorship. Orwell's first novel, _Burmese Days_ was about a policeman, clearly based upon himself and his time there. In the novel, the policeman has a live-in mistress and servant that he has bought from her family. Hitchens speculates that Orwell resigned from his job as a police officer in the Burma because he feared he would become part of the dirty secret himself; that he would become a racist and a sadist. Hitchens points out that this is especially important because he was facing this policeman within himself and choosing to defeat it. Orwell was ahead of his time and Hitchens believes that in some ways post-colonial studies are founded by Orwell. He figured out early on, before he went to University, that some people were in power because they enjoy punishing others.[20]

He went 'native', as if he was in a colony, in his own country before the 30s. When the great political decade of the century had hit the world, he was ready for it.[21] Orwell wanted to find out what living in impoverished environments were really like and to familiarize himself with the harsh facts of reality.[22] These experiences and especially his years fighting in the Spanish Civil War turned him into a full-fledged socialist.[23] The unpleasant facts he faced were usually the ones that put his own principles to the test. He stayed true to his experiences regardless of their harshness and regardless if they changed some of his thoughts and opinions.[24] Orwell could easily condemn others for their dishonest and immoral stances. Despite his best efforts to reason himself out of certain prejudices; such as anti-Americanism, homophobia, misogyny and antisemitism, he struggled to completely rid himself of such.[25]

If you were to compare Orwell's works with other journalists during his time many were likely to be tempted by those in power while Orwell was not. When Orwell was alive his works were not popular nor were they lucrative. He was not confident in his works and he would not dilute his opinions in order to gain wealth.[26] Therefore, he had a hard time getting some of his works published. Orwell thought that his books were failures, he wrote _Nineteen Eighty-Four_ as he was dying. If he were alive today he would be surprised at how popular they became.[27]

Reception and criticism

_Publishers Weekly_ wrote, “Hitchens brilliantly marshals his deep knowledge of Orwell's work. Fans of Orwell will enjoy Hitchens's learned and convincing defense, while those unfamiliar with Orwell may perhaps be induced to return to the source.”[28] George Packer of _The Independent_ gave the book a mixed review, however, remarking, “_Why Orwell Matters_ is presented by its publisher as a case of posthumous affinity between writers across generations, but critic and subject turn out to be mismatched, and it's the critic who suffers as a result.”

Despite praising many of Hitchens's analyses of Orwell, Packer added, “For a slender book, _Why Orwell Matters_ is oddly unfocused and hard to get through. What Hitchens has to say is what a sympathetic reader of Orwell would want said. But he never sustains a line of thought long enough or searchingly enough to reach a truly provocative insight. There's no sense of a deepening engagement with the subject; one is never allowed to forget the gesticulating presence of the critic. The valuable reflections on Orwell keep getting interrupted by a series of asides, ripostes and thrusts into tangled little backwaters.”[29]

Alex Lee from the Yale review of books concludes that in the end Hitchens has “proved his basic point: The modern world needs more of the clear thinking, good writing and simple ideals that Orwell stood for.” Lee recommends that the reader go back and read some of Orwell's own books and essays: “Only by directly dealing with Orwell’s work can one comprehend his profound wisdom and his continued relevance in troubled and uncertain times.”[30]

John Rossi, professor of history at La Salle University in Philadelphia, wrote that: “Christopher Hitchens has written one of the best books on Orwell to appear in recent years. I found a few mistakes but nothing serious. What makes it such a powerful book is that it can be read either as an introduction to Orwell and his works or as a summary insight into them. Quite an accomplishment and one that will convince many to take Hitchens seriously in the future.”[31]

Statistics

As of August 3, 2020, _Why Orwell Matters_ ranked No. 5 in Political Literature Criticism best sellers on Amazon.com.[32]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18] Hitchens, Christopher. “Christopher Hitchens - [~2005] - Why Orwell Matters.” YouTube, 24 Apr. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY5Ste5xRAA&t=121s.

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

[28]

[29]

[30]

[31]

[32]

title: Why Orwell Matters

question: What does "Why Orwell Matters" say about women?

answer: There is a chapter in the book surrounding the accusations of Orwell's fear and hatred towards women. Orwell wrote for a predominantly male audience and had a hard time developing a believable female character. Orwell was married twice. The author states that Orwell desired the feminine but was put off his guard by women.

question: What does "Why Orwell Matters" say about the British Empire?

answer: Orwell criticized the British government's lack of principles regarding Indian self-government and never failed to argue for India's independence. Orwell's thoughts and writings on colonialism are a permanent part of his lifelong commitment to the subjects of power, cruelty, force, and the relationship between the dominator and the dominated.

question: What does "Why Orwell Matters" say about immigration?