Class Evaluation: 3

To be perfectly honest, this is my second time taking this class - i failed it last semester and i don't mind if others see this. Now, the traditional format of this class is to constantly read class after classic after classic...ah! Don't get me wrong, i love some the classic, but every class period? Obviously that did not work so well with me :) But, i really enjoyed the readings we did in this class. As an "interpreter" i really had a much easier in having the actual desire to analyze the text because they were actually something new and interesting. Compared to progress of last semester and the beginning of this class, I believe that I have improved greatly. I really liked the format of five shorter papers and two major. I'm the type of person that really believes that quality is far more important than quantity...I like making my point (interesting and powerful of course) and that is it.

I guess i can say that i had the most problems with Shakespeare...because I always have had trouble with shakespeare. But i really enjoyed the idea of watching a live version while reading along with the play - that indeed was helpful.

Overall, i really enjoyed this class. It truly has made me appreciate the art of English literature all the more.

Class Evaluation: 2

At the beginning of the semester I definitely remember not being a fan of graphic novels whatsoever; and i can say that only reading Shakespeare in a graphic novel format still made me kind of not enjoy reading graphic novels. But honestly, I have never enjoyed reading Shakespeare...but after this class, i think my opinions towards shakespeares works are starting to change into a more positive nature. Anyways!

Coming towards the end of the semester, I have fallen in love with graphic novels. I guess I am not against the idea of "adults" reading story books with illustrations. I really do believe that a word to illustration connection is really important. I know that I have a really vivid imagination and as a reader (when I am reading a novel filled with words) i love to picture different scenes in my head; and with graphic novels...all my reading dreams come true. After reading the book on how comics were made, i had no idea so much draining time and effort goes into making these novels what they successfully are...it has kind of made me want to be a graphic artist at times.

Class Evaluation: 1

1) In my opinion, the classic novel that had the most relevance...I don't know if I can really chose a single classic. Honestly, I loved all of them from The Bluest Eyes to Night, they were all excellent. I really enjoyed how each novel displayed so much truth and passion. I admire the authors who go beyond the "safe writing" boundaries and speak of controversial issues that need to be brought up: racism, homosexuality, The Holocaust, or even the simplest thing as self image. I would have to say that the classic novels we have read have really opened my eyes to these particular themes. Yes, i have seen programs on TV and have read some other novels in past English classes but i don't know, these programs did not make as much of an impact.

As for the graphic novels, I would have to say that my favorite was Blankets. Of course, i loved the theme of a typical, high school romance...but this one was not as typical. The way in which all the panels were drawn in an old fashioned black and white style along with a wispy deformation - like the path of snow in the wind. These characteristics and the love story combined make this graphic novel all the more powerful. Besides the love story, Thompson did a fantastic job to not allow the readers to get smacked in the face with another load of religious or self image type of controversy. I also enjoyed how the ending was not satisfactory. I personally believe that such an ending brings forth a perspective of truth towards the reader: each different stage of life will not have a happy ending. I don't know if you're a fan of the anime artist William Kentridge...but his style is much like Thompson's in Blankets; and like Thompson, in most of his works, Kentridge brings forth the difficulties between the black and white race of South Africa.

Shekespeare

I actually got a head ache reading this version of Gaimen's - too many random things going on. Though I really liked how he incorporated the view point of the audience into his work, but most of the comic was really disconnected and not a lot of great connections. I thought it was interesting as to what characters he chose to be in the audience that were actually part of the real play.

Gaiman created the audience by using a group of average joe's who loved to act. It is an interesting way of creating such a classic play because readers for centuries have been fantasizing over shakespeare's works but as readers, we never got to see/hear the praise of Shakespeare on his own work so this comic is great. The key player in this comic was obviously Hamnet (hehe)...the mysterious son of Shakespeare (or shekespeare ). As i had metioned earlier, the the choice of audience members were interesting: titania, Auberon, Shakespeares's shadow and the mischievous fairies.

As for Shakespeare's personal life, I thought it was kind of weird or unnecessary. I really can't explain why. Are these facts actually true? Maybe we'll talk about such question during class, today. I guess it was interesting how Hamnet played the little boy that Titania adopted because it kind of symbolizes how he spent a lot of time with his mother and has barely seen his father. Is there a significance behind his name? In all honesty, the boy doesn't really have a substantial role in this comic. But maybe Shakespeare in the audience that he wants to see his long lost son but only from afar.

I really liked the third and fourth panels on pg. 70 - the conversation between the dumb sprite and the smart sprite. This type of conversation goes on throughout the play and i just like it because it reminds of a person or even myself that would talk about a play during the play if i new a lot about the plot...it was the only humor in the story, really.

Evaluations for my Research Project

Student Evaluation #1:

1) The lead in is wonderful. It perfectly sets the stage and draws the reader in!

2) The thesis focuses on the media's influence on black women's view of themselves. The thesis is very focused and supported well.

3) The writer used portions of The Bluest Eye and extrapolated on them very appropriately. Outside research is used well.

4) The conclusion was not focused on the main point. Use the conclusion to wrap up the main idea of the project.

5) Yes, the close reading is very good.

6) The beginning of the paper was the strongest section. It really drew me in.

7) The conclusion was the weakest. Again, just tighten it up a bit.

8) I thought that project was very well done. The lack of color in the first portion helped set the mood. The project drives home it's point very well. Good job, well done!! :)

9) Michael G.

Student Evaluation #2:

1) The writer begins with a letter from Pecola Breedlove. Yes, it does work. This letter is written by the author. It grabs the reader's attention.

2) The main focus if the pressure of the media on the black women. The main idea is focused. It got a little more confusing by the end. I felt some of the pieces were just added in - the reader needed some more clarification.

3) The writer does not use pages from the book. She makes up her own story past the ending of the book - it does work for the paper though. There is no other research added into the text.

4) The paper concludes with the author explaining each piece added into the paper. This ties up all the loose ends.

5) The author does not have much support from the text added into the paper. The author does explain how Pecola really wants blue eyes

6) The strongest section of the paper is the beginning few papers. These papers the author made herself. This idea is very original. This interested the reader and got the reader's attention.

7) The weakest section was towards the end of the paper. The readers got a little confused with the importance of pieces included. Why did the author include this?

8) Overall, you was very original idea to cover! I really enjoyed your letter from Pecola and the letter from Claudia. The interview was written very well. This made your paper enjoying to read. To strengthen you paper, I would put notes from the author on each paper - myself as a reader got lost in you paper. I kept asking myself, "why is this included?' By putting notes of importance, you will be able to keep your reader's attention. Some more outside research needs to be added into the paper. For an example, how people go crazy from trying to someone else. Try to tie your theis - influence of media on African Americans - more into the paper. I felt the paper was written in three parts - Pecola's craziness - black women in society - songs, poems. Try to tie all 3 of these elements together. Overall, this paper is very creative. Nice job!! :)

9) Kimberly

Self - Evaluation:

From Kimberly's remarks, I do feel that my letter was the strongest part of my project. I did indeed have a difficult time trying to incorporate probably too many different, creative ideas. I do like her idea in incorportating some author notes within the actual page. All in all, I've learned that it' probably better to stick to the more traditional research paper format. But we'll see what Michael has to say.

Michael basically states the same idea: my concluding thoughts really don't tie in with the main point of my paper. Thus, instead of just doing notes, I may try a "concluding paper" not sure what that exactly means yet, but I'll have a better ending for sure!

More Shakespeare

Adaptations

William Beatles

This has nothing to do with A Midsummer Night's Dream, but i just thought it would be interesting to see The Beatles do an interpretation of Shakespeare

Adaptation: Good or Bad?

I think adaptations are a marvelous idea!
One reason i would to point out is that many different cultures interpret Shakespeare's works different. Thus, i think it would be important if the English world would feel open in seeing these interpretations.

Example of Adaption
Macbeth: The Manga Version

To be honest, i have only scene the movie of Macbeth. Thus the scene i would like to point out is the ending scene of the very last act - the sword fight. Sword fights are always meant to be acted out in a very dramatic fashion and sexton and his fellow authors do a pretty good job in doing so. Since i've only read snippets of this play, after gazing over this book, the overly violent nature of these characters encourages me not to read this play. When i think of Shakespeare, I think of elegance- this is not elegant. But after talking this over with the class, i now find out that Macbeth is actually a very violent play so...i think i should actually read the play, no?

Character to Character: Oberon and Titania

I rather enjoyed the relationship between Oberon and Titania. I believe their relationship refers to the modern relationship of a loving couple. Like how Oberon basically wanted to get rid of Titania at some point, modern spouses of today do the same thing - sometimes, they just want some alone time. Unlike the couple arguments of today, Titania's and Oberon's arguments were beatufil and i really enjoyed it - not like Jerry Springer - core.

Soiloquoy of Acts I & II

Bottom:

That will ask some tears in the true performing of

it: if I do it, let the audience look to their

eyes; I will move storms, I will condole in some

measure. To the rest: yet my cheif humour is for a

tyrant: I could play Ercles rarely, of a part to

tear a cat in, to make alll split.

The raging rocks

And shivering shocks

Shall break the locks

Of prison gates;

And Phibbus' car

Shall shine from far

And make and mar

The foolish Fates

This was lofty! Now name the rest of the players.

This is Ercles' vein, a tyrant's vein, a love is

more condoling.

To get the technical language stuff out of the way, i believe this soliloquoy to have an iambic pentameter rhythm for the most part- every other word is stressed. I believe this soliloquoy to be a combination of blank verse and rhyme: as you can see in the first six lines and the last three lines, there is no rhytmical pattern whatsoever. But in this core of thisspeech, there is an interesting rhyme scheme occurring: a-a-a-b-a-a-a-b; and as it's stated in the study guied that most of Shakespeare's work consists of couplets, this particular soliloquoy actually kind of has a triplet feel. Plus, one can notice this by looking at the rhyme scheme.

To all of you, this may not seem like a soliloqouy at all and if it does, you may think it's not the typical eye - catching shakespearian tangent - that's the exact reason as to why i chose Bottom's spiel about the certain role he wants to play in this play. I love the playful and bouncey tone in the middle of this tangent (watching the clip definitely made me like it all the more!) I just think this whole rant is absolutely hilarious and rediculous. Bottom just reminds me of one of those over confident theater rats (Tabias on Arrested Development...anyone, anyone?) When watching the play and hearing Bottom speak, the image of the cowardly lion from The Wizzard of Oz popped up in my head. Ya know, the lion's who spiel about how he's so courageous. Also, i thought it was funny when bottom does his own impression of what a lion sounds like later on in that scene. But anyhoot, i really enjoyed the playfulness of this section...the other sections are just soo typical Shakespeare. All in all, i've enjoyed reading the first few acts of this play very much so.

Good 'Ol Shakespeare

          Though i really do not enjoy reading Shakespeare, Brown's version wasn't all the bad. The visual aids really helped to clarify Shakespeare's strong and poetic words a little bit.

          What caught my eye was the way in which some of the characters were dressed. It was interesting to see Hermia still wearing a greek - styled dress - that goes down only past her waist. I also thought it as interesting how Helena was dressed in the same type of a Shakespearian - modernistic style, but a little more hoish if you will. This particular style for these two girls actually set the stage and tone of this story. Hermia symbolizes the angelic girl (beautiful, shor white dress) and Helena represents the more promiscuous sister (boy crazy - those old fashion panty hoes?)

           Of course, i rather noticed that most of the male characters in this story had more of an emo/scene kid type of style. Also, a lot of the males appeared to possibly be wearing eyeliner - which is another cliche towards the scene kids. In sense this style of dress kind of depicts the over dramatized manner of this play. It is all kind of over the top in my book.

By the by: I am looking off of page 34 - different panels do a swell job in showing off the Shakespearian fashion

MORE INFO FOR GETTING MY PDF!

NEED ADOBE ID :emily.j.johnson@wmich.edu
password: EMMAHEAD

Research Paper

I hate to let everyone know, but in a PDF file you can't actually click on a url link. So, you're going to have to copy and past the urls from my works cited page. I am so sorry! I would change it, but obviously since I'm writing this at almost 6 am...im in a time crunch. So here's what I'm going to do. For every page that has link on it i will post it again underneath THE LINK THAT IS MY PDF FILE...sooo there will be less hassel..



https://createpdf.adobe.com/cgi-pickup.pl/RESEARCH%20PAPER.pdf?BP=IE&LOC=en_US&CUS=26193444f5a8d1012c70ad241165d1f0&CDS=49C9F946-666E-082F71





Okay!, for page 8 (the jay leno sketch) : http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,989987,00.html (monday, january 11th)





http://www.flickr.com/photos/eva_rousse/2982340492/ (Child link!)





PAGE 13!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ejX0q3s0yY (TLC)





http://www.alternet.org/story/48280/?page=entire ( i like my hair...)





http://proquest.umi.com/pqdlink?did=42825764&Fmt=4&cliented=32427&RQT=309&VName=PQD (extra article...go to page 6 and seven!)

Page 14!

http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/2009/03/20/michelle-obama-was-told-she-talked-like-a-white-girl/ (Michelle obama!)

E.E Cummings Untitled

"who rushed like lions to the roaring slaughter
they did not stop to think they died instead
then shall the voice of liberty be mute?"

First off, I rather enjoyed this peom's stream of consciousness vibe. I enjoyed the beginning as he went from one song to another idea to another American - Patriotic song. Now, i chose these last three lines because they were rather powerful. I don't know why, but these last three lines and the whole poem really remind me of the many hard fought battles of the Revolutionary war. Maybe im thinking out of context, but the first line of these three lines puts the image in my head of side of the army that has to sit and wait to be shot, or to survive. The rush of the lions occurs as both sides rush at one another after the "stand still and die" portion of the battle. As for the last two lines, i just feel that it's the voice of anti war advocates who think that any man having the desire to fight in a war is idiotic.

In concordance to Night, the line, "why talk of beauty what could be more beaut-iful than these heroic happy dead", it kinda reminds of when Eliezel and his father were running and running to get closer to the center of Germany and alls they felt was the wish to die. Like as they were lying in this snow, most alive people would hate to lay in the snow for so long, but especiallly Eliezel, he felt the snow as a warming blanket. As for the the three words: "heroic happy dead", i think of Anja. She was heroic in the sense that she survived the holocaust, so she should have been happy BUT in the end, she ended up dead. It's like she went through a tripple bipolar cycle, heroic - happy - boom! dead.

Maus Pt. II

The panels that i find interesting in the second part of Maus are panels 3 - 5 on page 242. The whole reference to a dog gone mad is an interesting metaphor.

In my opinion believe this could be a metaphor of how the Jews struggled to survive by every last role or twitch of life. In another sense, this could be another metaphor as to how the Jews have been dehumanized - since they were treated like dogs, they were killed like dogs. In fact, maybe this...the Jews cry for hunger or cry of hate for the German soldiers sounded like barks to the Germans - an annoying sound that doesn't shut up. In another way, Jews are like dogs in that of a begging sense. I know i have spoiled my dog with human food so now she's always hounding for something else. So i guess, Germans see the Jews as beggars of the riches.

Vladek was talking about a "mad" dog that was biting. The only way to terminate a made soul is to kill it. So like a crazed dog dying - the devilish souls leaving their souls is the rolling and twitching....just like the Jews. The Germans thought, in a way, Jews were the devil

Thesis for Research Project

Now, as Shannon proclaimed in her "example projects", in a multigenre research paper, there isn't an "in your face" thesis. Plus, my thesis' are usually awkward. But anways, I shall do my best.

background information of my idea: i was originally going to write my paper on jeanette Winterson's tale and focus my theme around the relationship between homosexuality and religion but thinking in a multigenre context, I kept on coming up with ideas for The Bluest Eyes. Quite the ADD huh? ANYWAYS this is my new and for real idea. Throughout The Bluest Eyes, Toni Morrison presents the reader with all the different struggles with self - image. Now for my paper, I'm going to focus on Pecola. For my paper, i may create a modern version of Pecola (With all the beauty enhancment products of today...you'll see what i mean on wednesday when we have to post some articles that we may use in our paper). But now for the thesis (just to let you know, the thesis is the last thing i write..i just go off the main ideas of my body paragraphs...wierd i know). But based on the end of this story, the thesis that I am bringing to you is as follow: from the ideas of Toni Morrison, self image is a struggle within itself. To live a life searching for the better you is a waste a time - for what you see in the mirror is what you get. If one cannot shut the door on the ignorance of the world and cannot see the he or she is beautiful, then blindess is the only cure.

Please PLEASE feel free to make edits.

Spiegalmen is yet another comics author to prove to the ignorant...

Art spiegelman is another accomplished comic author that has begun to open the eyes of ignorant readers when it comes to reading comics. In fact, while listening to the introductory interview Spiegelman mentions that the instance that inpsired the most to write his comic was when he was in his fourth grade class - he saw a girl reading a romantic comic and she started crying. Even Spiegelman thought that it was quite a riot that a comic, a "funny" could make one cry.

But in the earlier stages of this interview, Spiegelman states that a lot of readers would rather prefer to look rather than to read. In my opinion, when it comes to the Holocaust, i couldn't agree more. Throughout my English and history classes i have read stories upon stories of this horrific era; and while the words were heart crushing, it wasnt enough. It wasn't until i saw Schindler's List for the first time during my world history class of my senior year of high school, did i realize how horrific it truly was. It's the whole concept of "seeing is believing".

I also enjoyed learning about how Art made this comic book: through a musical group of three German Jews and three Arians and the voice of Vladek's story. How both the music and Vladek's voice were blended together provided a kinda made my skin stand up...it was just so erie to hear Vladek speak in such a withdrawn voice. But, this withdrawn voice is what made this book such a success. Vladek said just how it was...nothing less.

Maus Pt. I

For one thing, i think it's refreshing to read a story that has very little emphasis on the typical stereotypes of Jew.

Some panels in particular that interest come randomly throughout pages 138 and 139. The whole use of the pig masks is an intriguing concept. Obviously on the cover, there is the cat (Germans) and a mouse (Jews). Obviously, the Holocaust was very much like a extreme EXTREME version of cat and mouse - the Jews always trying to escape the wrath of the Nazis by hiding in secret, usually man made hideouts. But anyways, back to the pig masks.

What do these pig masks represent? Do they represent the Jews faking as Heiler Hitlers? But when Anja and Vladek are looking for a place to stay on page 139, a pig - faced lady threatens to call the police. In any case, I believe that the pigs could symbolize the Catholic religion maybe. In essense, if we look back at history, Roman Catholicism has dominated most of the cultures and has been the least threatened religion. To further extend this idea, since the roman catholic religion has always been dominant, the "pigs" could symbolize that ignorant riches of the people of this religion.

Possibly another idea or question i should ask about the pig masks is: could it be that the pigs are Jewish Germans? Yeah, these are just some questions I have. Whoopdy doo!

And after talking with my peers, the pig masks represent the regular polish people and how anja, vladek or any other Jew is trying to be like the regular Jew or trying to act German and the like.

Ideas for Research Paper

First off, i am very interested in doing my research paper in the style of multigenre. I think it's a very creative way of writing a research paper. Honestly, I'm sick of the traditional way. Plus, I am more of a creative writer...i'll probably have too much fun with this type of paper.

Some different topics that i have in mind:

- I like the idea that Shannon brought up, Whalt Whitman and the idea of what it means to
be an american

- Maybe possibly talk about the redundant stereotypes from American Born Chinese (about
Chinese people in general) and maybe, in a multigeneral sense, talk about the fine ways
of the chinese culture that Americans tend to overlook.

- The Bluest Eye, mention Pecola's obession with blue eyes and incorporate historical facts
on how blue eyes in general became such a hit. Then incorporating Pecola's racial struggle
by talking about brown eyes.

.....yeah these ideas are out there, I'm most likely going to go along with my first bullet idea, but we shall see.

Remind me to never hit snooze again...my "blanket" is too comfy

The two panels that I am looking at are on pages 182 and 183. These two panels are quite simplistic but a deeper meaning of the whole book is derived from these two panels. These two panels first introduce the blanket that Raina had made for Craig. The interesting thing about this blanket are all the different shapes sewn together. What's interesting about them is that most of the designs are used throughout this novel in different frames. From my perspective, all the whispey patterns used in this blanket remind me of windy, wintery day. When the wind blows a wintery day, the snow scrolls across the landscape in wave - like lines or in spiral motions. But, there is something about the blanket (s) within this novel that spark some interest. Like how the winter has different wave-like motions, so does the blanket. Particularly on pages 182 and 183, the blanket is still to our eyesight the way in which the blanket is drawn is forever moving. In essence though, these particular panels and the novel in general bring forth ideas upon the uses of a blanket. From this novel i see a blanket used for: comfort, attachment of emotion, hiding specific unclean deed, deep love, boy mischief, etc, etc. Like a novel, a blanket tells a story.

Im chosing Craig's relationship bewteen God. Craig has a guilty yet agnostic relationship with God - almost resentful. Throughout the novel Craig struggles to get his mind off of the apparent guilt he has committed against God. The panels that i'm looking at to further describe this relationship are the last two panels of page 77. These two panels of a representation of jesus living in a mangor with a glowing light above his head. what's ironic is that Craig always talked about going in the dark, spider - infested cubby. All in all, Craig could feel resentment to God for all the love he receives. Craig always feel unlike all the others, not as holy especially. He wants to lay in that golden manjor....

Semi Close Reading for Oranges...

The whole rant that Jeanette goes on pages on 93 - 95 are very interesting and truthful. Within this particular passage, there are significant one - liners that encourage the reader to nod his head in agreement because he cannot help but fully agree. The first line of this long passage, "Time is a great deadener" (Winterson 93) is a great opening sentence. From this sentence, she is basically time gets old, people move on from the "used to be norms"; and on behalf of Jeanette's case, when approaching the end of this novel, she realized that upon returning to her home town after some years, times changed - the normal life of the town was no longer normal, but bored and tired. Winterson's whole opinion on history is very intriguing as well.

Winterson keeps on repeating the idea of how we as human beings like to deny our history and that we chose to "story tell" our history just so we can conform it into what we believe history should be. When talking about history, Winterson mentions that "We pointed the finger..." (Winterson 94). As a human society, it's only human nature for the world to blame the past for what has happened to us in the past - it's a safe excuse. It is true that we will never be able to escape from the past but that doesn't mean we cannot learn from the vast history of our world. "So the past, becaus it is the past, is only malleable where once it was flexible" (Winterson 95).

Yeah, this is all i got....

Power of Belief

I am Roman Catholic so i believe in God. I am not just using my religion as an excuse to believe, i really do believe. But lately, I have been questioning the bible and what not. There is just a lot of ambiguity. Anyhoot, i could go on a huge rant with this topic, but I shall digress. Beliefs being challenged? Really the only times that this happens is when I have a religious discussion with my athiest friends - i don't know, they bring up worthy questions. I do believe in the theme of science and how the world was created by both the hand of God and the big bang or whatever have you. I'm always up for different theories whether religious or not.

The beliefs that are quite strong in Oranges are not the Only Fruit is homosexuality is obviously a major no no. As proclaimed on page 12 of this novel that "It has been known for the most holy men to be suddenly filled with evil. And how much more a woman, and how much more a child. Parents, watch your chidren for the signs. Husbands, watch your wive" (Winterson 12). Throughout this first half of the novel, Winterson would capitalize words or short phrases relating to sexual encounters. Ya know the Next Door and Down There. Sexuality really is a sensitive issue and is never taken lightly.

An obvious example would be when the town first was aware of homosexuality, this orange/ fireball of little demon started following her around. The ongoing story of Sir perceval and his idea of perfection. Jeanette's town revolves around being perfect because they Proxy-Connection: keep-alive
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All Text Connection

After reading American Born Chinese and The Bluest Eye, my perspective on race has totally changed and I have realized that I have been quite ignorant. From reading these two novels, one can obviously see that many people from different races dream of becoming apart of the white race. Actually, it's more of a necessity to them. People of a different race yearn to be beautiful and excepted - like the white rice. To characters from American Born Chinese or The Bluest Eye, the white race is the perfect race; and the pressure of perfection makes these characters believe that they should feel ashamed for the culture and race that he or she represents. Obviously, Jin Wang is ashamed of his ethnicity for when Wei Chen - Sun is introduced to his class, Jin Wang proclaims, "Something makes me want to beat him up"(Yang 36). In truth, Jin Wang really wants to beat himself up because Wei Chen is just another reminder of how much Jin Wang is ashamed of his race. Thus, he turns his shame into the white American way and demands conformity from Wei Chen.

In response to these themes, I am just simply awstruck at some things - especially from The Bluest Eye. After reading this book, it finally hit me on how much the white race has been idolized for so long. The whole obsession that pecola had with the white porcelain doll with the blue eyes kind of reminded me of the Nazi era; when Hitler proclaimed that all humans blonde and blue - eyed prevailed and everyone else perished - It's frightening. I don't know i've always idolized other races more than my own race - I really can't explain why. But going back to the bluest eye, yes the book revolved around the need for being white but the way in which Pecola, Claudia, or any black person were treated by their own in this story was disturbing - the beatings they received. Then again, it does go back to the white race during the era slavery. Whippings and bad behaviors were the only things the black slaves new. Slaves were treated like animals thus the pattern unfortunately continues.

One of the most powerful passages for was from The Bluest Eye. This part goes from page 193 to basically to the end of the novel. The conversation that Pecola had with this mysterious character made me imagine her having a conversation with a white porcelain doll. It made me imagine that Pecola had become so crazed with the idea of having blue eyes that she actually believes she has them - soaphead church's miracle came true. But after reading a particular part of this conversation, another idea occurred to me: "The sun is too bright. It hurts my eyes", "Not mine. I don't even blink. Look I can look right at the sun" (Morrison 195). It appears as though that Pecola is blind. I guess one could interpret that God has blinded her for this constant need to be something she is not. She couldn't except herself for who she truly was. Thus, if you can't see yourself for who you truly are, why should you see at all?

Watching the video and reading the passage or chapter on Soaphead Church were the most difficult for me. On behalf of the video, when the interviewer asked the one boy as to which doll was the nicer doll and he picks up the white doll, such an action kinda of broke my heart. This boy is at a very young age and makes me upset to see that such a young child could already feel that he is not as nice as a human being as a white person. Now onto Soaphead Church. Yeah, the whole note he wrote to God confessing as to why he did things to little girls as if he did nothing wrong just disturbed me. Then again, he does confess that he knew what he was doing wasn't right but he justifies it by saying that the girls who came to him were basically asking for it. But im going to stop before i go on a tagent.

Sorry for the length, enjoy!

White Privilege Article

Reading this lady's list of the 50 effects, i can agree and relate to all of them in some shape or form. For example, the number statement on her list about chosing to be in a business that mostly has the race she acquires. When given that option, any person, no matter the race can do such a thing. Like the natural process of every human being, we like to be and stay in a group of people that we are comfortable with. But one of the effects that interested me the most was number 46.

In a way, this effect represents how the many different races within a society yearn to be someone else. All the shame can be covered up if one were to wear a different shade of cover - up make up. In a sense, it's kinda like hiding the person you truly are and who you truly present.

Culture Within Literature

(This post is just pure blah, sorry for the headache)
this is how it came out in my "edit posts" link soo...gotta love technology, right?

The discussion%20of%20race%2C%20gender%2C%20and%20class%20is%20very%important%20because%20these%20three%20characteristics%20are%20the%20foundation%of%20humanity.%20Every%20different%20race%20has%20a%20particular%20life%20and%a%20particular%20point%20of%20view%20along%20with%20different%20genders%20and%different%20classes.%20Along%20with%20being%20the%20foundation%20these%20three%characteristics%20are%20some%20of%20the%20most%20controversial%20and% influential%characteristics.%20All%20the%20evolutions%20that%20have%20happened%20between%race%2C%20gender%2C%20and%20class%20have%20changed%20dramatically%20over the%past%20decades.%20Anyhoot%2C%20these%20three%20characteristics%20have%20a%huge%20influence%20on%20our%20literature%20of%20today.

Let's%20take%20race%20as%20the%20first%20example%3B%20Harriet%20Tubman's%20%22Uncle%20Tom's%20Cabin%22%20is%20a%20great%20story.%20Obviously%20it's%20all%20about%20slavery%20and%20the%20underground%20railroad.%20Since%20Tubman%20is%20an%20African%20American%2C%20a%20reader%20of%20a%20different%20race%20can%20%3Cspan%20style%3D%22font-style%3A%20italic%3B%22%3Ebelieve%3C%2Fspan%3E%20her%20because%20she%20is%20writing%20from%20her%20own%20personal%20experience.%20Of%20course%2C%20if%20a%20white%2C%20slave%20owner%20were%20to%20have%20written%20this%20story%2C%20the%20interpretation%20coul%20have%20been%20totally%20different.%20The%20connection%20that%20other%20readers%20would%20have%20could%20possibly%20be%20different%20from%20the%20connection%20that%20they%20had%20with%20Tubman%20more%20negative...%20But%20basically%2C%20no%20matter%20what%20circumstance%2C%20many%20aspects%20of%20any%20culture%20comes%20into%20our%20writing%
without%20anyone%20of%20us%20really%20noticing.

cultural%20backgrounds%2C%20in%20a%20way%2C%20create%20our%20personalities.%20Thus%2C%20our%20personalities%20are%20translated%20through%20our%20writing.%20Of%20course%2C%20there%20are%20probably%20a%20few%20select%20stories%20that%20do%20not%20have%20that%20world%20connection%2C%20but%20it's%20very%20rare.%20As%20in%20terms%20of%20the%20relation%20to%20pop%20culture%2C%20that%20just%20goes%20to%20show%20how%20we%20use%20our%20daily%20culture%20to%20relate%20what%20a%20particular%20author%20is%20saying.

Multiliteracy

"The terms multimodality, multisemiotics and multiliteracies, then, are attempts to account for the diversity in communications that are encountered in everyday life, and how these affect what we make of them." (Williamson 2). So we have the three terms that basically describe the meaning of life, through a literary sense if you will. But what is the story behind these three semi - long words? Multimodality basically means using our five common senses to conncect with the world of a literary piece or the world in general. Multisemiotics builds upon the meaning of multimodial by basically stating that of course, we all use/have used our senses to receive a deeper meaning, but not everyone will configure the same meaning or get the same feeling from using their senses. Let's take this obvious example: the smell of meat; a vegetarian may quiver at the scent of hamburgers on the grill but a person who likes meat may have a drooling problem(if hungary). Actually, with meat, a vegetarian and a carnivore of course can use all there senses and of course each of their reactions will cause a different reactions. To move on, multiliteracy is basically like the term, multimedia (or at least nowadays). Multiliteracy basically states that in order for a person to fully understand something, a particular "design" must be used. Words, a lot of the times, are not enough for a person to fulling understand the concept. In my opinion, it is a good idea to use words, pictures, and human expressions/involvement. The example from the reading is perfect - the heart. The teacher draws is (picture of design), the teacher says"bump - bump" (word of design), and the use of the teacher's hands to describe the "bumping" (human involvement). Human involvement is important because your taking your own personal experience and teaching it to others that may have a similiar experience - relating to others is great writing/teaching skill.. We love to tell stories through our own eyes - it's human nature This particular literary design is almost like a life cylce, it constantly moves in a circulur motion.
In fact, McCloud brings forth this type of concept. He basically states that this cycle of design helps provide a deeper meaning. but sometimes comics have more art less words, more words, less art, or the amount of words and art are equal. Each of these different designs promote different ways of interpreting a literary piece.
In conclusion, this article is basically stating that we, as human beings have been using our senses since the beginning of time. Our senses have helped us come up with the crazy stories of today. Our senses have helped promote diversity that keeps our world and our wordly interpretations interesting. Thus, such diversity has been put to our multiliteracies; so many different ideas can be found through them intentionally or unintenionally.

So sorry that this is so long! If it makes your head hurt, just skim through it!...haha

McCloud Ch. 1-4

In my opinion, i believe that "real" literature is the type of literature that one can receive a message or many messages. Along with these message, in "real" literature, one can connect their personal feelings with what the author is trying to say. Whether it's a picture book or a novel of fine print, "real" literature is all about the human connection with the author's words.
Before reading the first four chapters of McCloud's book, i had a very biased opinion about comic books. In all honesty i thought comic books were stupid and annoying and made the reading experience not as enjoyable. I found it annoying trying to match up the word bubbles with the characters who were actually doing the talking; and i guess, i kinda got the sense that comic books were the "reading for dumbies" type of literature. Before reading McCloud's thoughts, i never really aprecciated the creativity and artisty that went into comics.
Of course, while reading through these chapters, all the literary terms kinda got me in a bind at times but nonetheless, a lot of his ideas interested me. The whole idea on how comics use subject to subject, aspect to aspect, etc, etc boggled my mind. I never really thought one could go so deep into a comic book. Also, i really enjoyed learning about the idea of the blank panels. They truely intensify and and make the story come to life as a story would in a very descriptive and in depth novel. Going back to my ideas on how i thought comics were kinda a dumbed - down version. But as readers, we love to picture images from the stories in our head and actually, comics do just that. Comics are pure artistry is the ability to connect readers to the story through visual implications.

La Guernica

First off, using my interpretation from Bang's ideas, i notice that all the different shapes used in this work of art promote a specific tone for a viewer. Obviously, the shapes that Picasso has used are not your everyday shapes. He used shapes that are distorted and morphed. Along with these morphed shapes, the colors that he applied to them are colors of the dreary kind - blacks and bluish grey colors are not your typical "feel good" type of colors. Of course, Picasso uses white and while the color white usually means peace, in Picasso's La Guernica, white is the color of death. I don't mean to have such scattered ideas, but going back to the morphed shapes. These shapes are are not put into a specific order, they are scattered and displaced throughout this work of art. An interesting characteristic about this painting is that Picasso's repetition of the eye. That is the only shape that is a consistent shape. Actually, this painting is about when the Germans invaded Spain. In the background, it's pure black. In concordance to the meaning of this work of art, the black background could symbolize that darkest hour of the Spanish people or simply mean that the Spanish were attacked in the middle of the night without warning. Thus, the morphed shapes could represent all the body parts that were scattered due to the bombings
Going back to the frequent use of the eyes, the eye could symbolize the horror of watching someone you love or a complete stranger die. Actually to add another random point, the shapes of the heads are intriguing because they're almost whispey like - as if they're ghosts still lingering around the area where they died. But ultimately, this work art is pure representation of the absolute pain and suffering that the Spanish had on that one long and dreary night. Another random point to add, there is a definite top to bottom distinction. The gigantic eye could represent God's forever watching eye and forever lasting power. As for the gaze, all of the eyes that are present are looking to the left except for one. It could be possible that all the characters looking to the left could present the world's ignorance towards these characters' suffering; and the few sets of eyes looking at you (almost with their necks broken) could be saying "look what the international society has become".

Just the blog info we went over in class

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090113/od_afp/lifestyleaustraliatourismoffbeat_20090113032028;_ylt=AqJiwSnuxdnrJpTM.0wNR2QazJV4

Poem

"Fire and Ice"

~by Robert Frost

Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.

From what I've tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire.

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice.

The photo you see on the right is a "fire and ice" rose. Just thought it was appropriate for the name of the poem. As for this poem concordance with the literary theories i thought as interesting, it doesn't necessarily go along with the feministic point of view. Unless if one were to take a longshot to say that metaphors used for "fire" and "ice" represent the two distinct views men have towards women. In concordance with the Religion theory, as i said before, fire and ice are two forms in which the world will end - in volcanic fire or in another ice age.

How to Define an American

Whether a citizen or not, any soul that walks upon this land is an American. Even if a foreigner sets foot on our soil, he is considered an American for the duration of time that he stays within our borders. These foreigners are sharing and learning the same American history that born and raised Americans are still learning today. Though mixed with many nationalities, every American citizen is born with foreign blood.
Our foreign blood made this country the great country it is today. The bond between all of our different American nationalities have created the so many wonderful rights we have today as a nation. Our foreign blood has taught us how to work so hard to make a works pay or how to fight through discrimination, racism, sexism, or whatever have you. Yes, our country has made its' poor choices and yes, our country is currently in a freakish gamble...it doesn't matter. The American citizen moves on. The American citizen knows how to survive through any disaster. The American citizen knows what it means to be proud. Thus, if at some point this country shall be no more, the American citizen will go down to our Motherland's grave as astute as a soldier.

TWO MOST INTERESTING THEORIES

With this class having the title of Literary Interpretation, It is important for a reader to be able to use different literary theories in order to efficiently retrieve what a specific reading is trying to suggest. Looking at a particular text from different points of view helps broaden a reader's perspective and forumlated unbiased opinions(hopefully). Furthermore, the two theories that interest me the most is the Feminist Theory and the theory of Religion.

Hence I am female, the Feminist Theory holds a distinct interest within my heart. In general, women have their own "standard of living". Though the role of women is slowly getting closer to the equivalence of men, women have long-lasting stereotypes. For example, women are meant to be the affectionate type. Women are supposed to be polite and always mindful of others, etc, etc. Women are not supposed to have the same amount of power as men because since the beginning of time, men, obviously, have always had a much higher authority. I actually have to praise William Faulkner for his story "A Rose for Emily", because his story states that for Emily to have committed murder is so unlady like. This is interesting because Emily broke away from the "womanly" norms. Take the poets Sylvia plath or Emily Dickinson for example; through their powerful and poetic versuses, they have been able to speak the words of women that have been silenced for too long. Im all for women standing up for themselves and slapping society in the face every once and a while The Feminist Theory is interesting because through literary works, the reader can see just how far women have come and the progress us women have made; and while the idea of Feminism promotes a lot of sparks, the Religious theory is very interesting as well.

Another theory that interests me is the Religious Theory. One reason why this theory is so interesting is the fact that religion is such a controversial topic. This is a type of topic that sparks a lot of interest to basically everyone because, now this is just my opinion, religion is such an ambiguous existance. It is obvious that a lot of poems and stories have many references or allegories to some religious topic or religious figure. For example, Robert Frost's poem, "Fire and Ice", Frost used fire and ice (two ways proven in the book of Revelations that the earth shall come to an end), to describe how he ends his own life. But coming back to why religion is so interesting is the fact that many people are quite fascinated with the unknown. The Unknown frightens many people. Thus, people want to erase this grey area of the unknown by seeking out literature for answers or ideas to an unknown fact. Another interesting thing about Religion is that it consumes are lives. Many wars have been declared based on religious reasons. Religion is a form of power to us humans and we like to use power. As Religion is a very controversial topic, all literary theories have all very interesting perspectives when it comes to analysing literary works.

The feminist theory and the theory about religion cath my eye the most. Both of these theories, when using them to interpret literary works, can provide the reader with many different perspectives and meanings. From all these different theories, one may be able to understand a certain literary work better if he looks at from more than one perspective.