Wow, allegories are fun! Well done, Loach.
Mr. Furches-I apologize for including you. I think the poll is so one-sided simply because most of the high schoolers have left by this time. And I'd give you my email so you could "spell everything out" for me, but your spelling was quite atrocious, and I don't think my 2nd place in the spelling bee eyes could take it.
And excuse me, Aante Dalighieri, but I don't think the Divine Comedy is an allegory. It is merely epic poetry. (And beeeeautiful epic poetry at that, I might add. Thanks, Hofstra!)
Finally, Loach, I have something to add to your wonderful little story:
Apparently the "wise" (that's a matter of interpretation) old man only looked out his window at select times. If insults were such a problem, as the old man stated, he must have turned a blind eye to the neighbor boy Nigel. In fact, Tteve even heard the old man call Nigel a name or two. In fact, Tteve even came to Nigel's defense when some of the neighbors started a "ban Nigel" petition. Sure some of the stuff Tteve said wasn't nice, but Tteve is only a high school student, and a lot of the adults in the neighborhood forget this and judge him. Plus, the adults in the neighborhood knew Tteve had a problem--they could easily dodge the pears he threw.
And so, Tteve was banned from the pear tree. The tree is very beautiful, no one argues this, but many of the neighbors believe all pears, even rotten ones, are delicious. We must look at all the neighbors' perspectives--true, these pears were rotten, but were they not delicious to those who had nothing to eat? Just because some of the neighbors had a taste for only the nicest pears doesn't mean the ugly ones weren't delicious in their own right.
Many of the neighbors were sad to see Tteve go. Even more unfortunate is the fact that many neighbors were out of town when Tteve was banned, and won't know where he is when they get back. In fact, some would argue that because the old man gave Tteve the boot, he acted as a "dictator," and was practicing "oppression."
