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I. Introduction

A. The complexity of human’s relationships can refer to:

-How people interact with each other.

-How we form connections.

-How we navigate various emotional relationships.

B. T.C. Boyle “The Relieve Box” and Emily Dickinson “Because I could not stop for

Death” uses journeys to explain the complexity of human relationship by providing different

themes and giving the reader the sense of relatability.

II. Explanation of the Importance of Journeys in Literature

A. Journeys are very important in literature for many reasons:

-It can contribute depth and meaning to stories.

-Shows us how the issues and how the characters resolve them.

-It can help the reader have a deeper understanding of the characters and develop an

emotional connection.

B. The characters in both literatures are faced with important decisions that they need to

make. Therefore, we can contrast the relationship they have with themselves.

III. T.C. Boyle “The Relive Box.”

A. The story is about a father facing addiction and a daughter that feels neglected.

B. The main character encounters issues with his daughter and wants to make things

better.
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C. The goal of the main character is to make amends with his daughter and proceed

with their lives like they used to be.

D. The main character’s daughter chooses not to accept the father’s “apology”. She

feels that his father just does not want her to enjoy the console that she uses to see her mother.

E. The journey that the father takes contributes to their character development in a

negative way. Even though he wanted to be better for his daughter and himself, he ends up

falling for his addiction all over again. (He becomes the antagonist)

IV. Emily Dickinson “Because I could not stop for Death.”

A. The main character from the very beginning shows that they are calm and very

accepting of their own faith and their journey.

B. The journey that the main character faces is a personal journey towards the afterlife.

C. The main character’s belief of death feels like they were unprepared for it but still

felt at peace and calm about the fact that they are going to the afterlife.

D. The journey for this character does not end at the time of their death. It feels like she is

starting a new journey in a place beyond ours.

V. Comparison between the texts

A. Both stories focus on a similar element. (Time)

B. “Because I could not stop for death” shows acceptance of death and the passage of

time. “The Relieve Box.” shows negativity, existential questions and fear.

C. Both texts demonstrate how journeys can serve as experiences for change, shaping

characters' perspectives and interactions in distinct ways.

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VII. Conclusion

A. Journeys are a way to show us how we change with time and how we are shaped by

our own experiences. In both stories they show how letting go of their issues could

solve many of their problems.

B. The journey between these characters is very relatable since many people out there

are suffering from illness and addictions.

C. The text shows how the authors see the complexity of human relationships. They

show nostalgia and memory, mixed emotions about their journeys and how death

and mortality play a big role in their journey’s.

 What part of planning this essay do you find most challenging so far?

English is not my first language so a lot of it felt a bit challenging, but the most

challenging part has been gathering my thoughts. I had to re-read both texts and break them

down in a way I could understand better. I struggled a bit identifying themes but once I was

able to grab the concept of it, it felt easier.

 What strategies will you use to complete a rough draft of the essay? They might be

strategies related to writing, time management, self-confidence, or anything that

affects your work.

Write it down on paper. In high school my teacher always told us to write down any

ideas that came into our heads so that even if it was not written correctly or made no sense,

you could always go back to it and make it better. Since it was just a very rough draft on
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paper it felt like it was very unorganized, so I was happy when I finally was able to get it into

an outline.