Lauren's Bloggin : ]]

Haroun and the sea of stories

2010-05-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

We ended the semester with Haroun and the Sea of Stories because the content contained multiple things we have learned through out the semester. We were also in need for a happy ending after reading two depressing stories in a row. At the beginning of the semester, we learned about Beowulf and his completion of the hero cycle. We discussed what it took to be the archetypal hero and the 10 steps in a hero’s cycle. In Haroun and the Sea of Stories, we followed Haroun’s journey through the 10 steps of the cycle. But Haroun was not the archetypal hero for many reasons. For one he did not complete all of his trials, he failed at a few. But he made up for those trails at the end when he defeated the shadow ship and saved the ocean from being polluted and destroyed. He also was able to renew his dads subscription, which was his original goal. We also shortly discuss female heroines and why they are not as successful as male heroes. In the story, Blabbermouth, who has to pretend to be a male to be successful, ends up saving all of the Gup warriors from being blown up. We talked about romance and tragedy, which was all covered in the story. Haroun and Blabbermouth both of a crush on one another. Haroun and his father, Rashid both experience tragedy when his mother leaves his father with another man. This book tied everything we have learned this semester together, which was a great review.

Heroes

2010-05-05T11:24:00.000-07:00

In today’s society, heroic men are more successful than heroic woman. When one thinks of literature heroes; Batman, Superman, and Spiderman are likely to pop into one’s head. Both Batman and Spiderman movies have been box office hits, but there are no female heroes that dominate the big screen. People have been raised around the idea that men are the ones that save and woman is the one that need to be saved. I think that is the reason people have stereotyped woman not being able to be heroes. When a movie or a book comes out where the woman is the heroine, society does not know what to think of it because it is not the norm. There are many real contemporary heroes that I can think of right of my head, for example Michelle Obama or Mother Teresa. But I am having trouble coming up with contemporary fictional female characters. Charles Angles I believe are the most popular female heroes, but their success does not come close to Batman’s’ or really any other male hero. I believe that the reason heroines have not had as much success as heroes is because they are females. For example in Watchman, Laurie Jupiter knows how to kick butt and does in the movie, but what people remember is her tight skin leather suit, not the fact that she is a hero.

Notes From Underground

2010-04-19T11:34:00.000-07:00

Comment on the underground man’s actions. How is acting here in relationship to the claims he made in Part 1?

The Underground Man describes himself as a man with an acute conscious rather than as a man of action. A man of acute consciousness thinks about situations and issues rather than just acting on them. The underground man invited himself to Zverkov’s fair well party, which ended badly. No one wanted him there, but he chose to stay because he wanted to show that he could. But he ends up getting insulted by Zverkov by the end of the night. This angers the underground man and starts to think of ways to get revenge in his head. He thinks of many ways to hurt Zverkov and comes up with a whole scenario in his mind. But from past experiences the reader would not be surprised if he chickens out. It took him a very long time to get his revenge on the officer. His acute consciousness holds him back from acting out his ideas. All he can do is continue to think but when it comes down to acting he stops at the last minute. So instead of slapping Zverkov, he goes to a brothel where he sleeps with a prostitute and has a deep conversation about having a family and daughters. He will always be a man of thinking, he will think of scenarios where he is a man of action, but he will rarely every act out.

Roooster

2010-04-13T16:07:00.000-07:00

My first thought of Rooster is that he is a greedy, self-centered, and egotistic man, he also seems to be lazy and a drunk. When Mattie first asks Rooster to help track down her father’s killer, who was supposed to be on an Indian reservation, he said no. But when she offered him one hundred dollars, he changed his mind and agreed to help her. He seems to think highly of himself since he is the marshal of his lands. I think that he thinks that he can get away with things because his title protects him. Rooster appearance is quiet intimidating with his eye patch, black their clothing, and his gun. When he was in the courtroom a lawyer pointed out he has shot 23 people in only six years. His response was he was only defending himself, but he showed no mercy for those 23 people he killed. As of now I am not a huge fan of Rooster, I agree with his fellow towns people who think he is rude, unfriendly, and uncooperative. But maybe will we see another side of him as the movie continues. So far, he is proving to the audience that he is the ultimate anit-hero and seems to be fine with that.

Notes From Underground 1

2010-04-06T11:32:00.000-07:00

In the first two chapters we are introduced to the underground man, we begin to learn how he thinks, what his views are on many subjects, his lifestyle and also where he lives. The Underground man is a very pessimistic, spiteful, and confused human being. He finds joy in bringing other’s spirits down because misery loves company. But then he takes it back and says he was lying about wanting to bring people down, but he was lying because of spite. He is 40 years old in the first chapter and goes on and on about his liver problems, but he is to spiteful to get it checked out. Though he does respect medicine and doctors, but spite keeps him from getting help. He acts egocentric in some cases but not in others, for example the underground man believes he is more self-conscious than the average person and he thinks he is very intelligent. But in others scenarios, he says he isn’t good enough to become an insect. I think that the poor conditions he is living in might have had a huge influence on his negativity outlook on life, he has submitted into the underground lifestyle. I find him annoying and unpleasant and I don’t enjoy reading what he is thinking.

The End of Othello

2010-03-15T11:59:00.001-07:00

Now that I have finished the book and know the how it ends, I feel sorry for all the characters minus Iago, who is just a jerk. All of these tragic events occurred because of one twisted sick man that had to much jealousy and hatred towards Othello. All the characters were only victims of Iago’s master plan. Iago planted the idea of Desdemona cheating on him with other men, which drove Othello crazy and towards the scene where he killed his wife Desdemona and then eventually himself. Iago is able to manipulate him from when he arrives to Cyprus to pretty much the end of the book. I am frustrated at Othello for not being able to see through Iago and his plans. Why could he not trust his wife, rather than Iago, he married Desdemona and he should put her word before Iagos’. But I also felt bad for him because he could not see through Iago, though I do realize that Iago was pretty convincing.I feel the most sorrow towards Desdemona, who was another victim of Iago’s plan. Iago needed Desdemona to ruin Othello, though she had no part in choosing Iago as the ancient rather than the lieutenant. But she still had to die in order for Iago to receive his revenge and ruin Othello. She loved her husband and was killed because of it. I also feel sorry for Cassio, who also did not choose to be lieutenant, but yet Iago hated him because of it. He was one of the many victims of the story. But Cassio was lucky that he was able to survive the tragedy since majority of the characters did not. Iago is to blame for the deaths and destruction of so many in the story. It was his plan that he carried out, which consisted of ruining Othello and firing Cassio. He had so much determination and motivation to achieve his goals, only death would have stopped him. As I was readying Othello, I had so much hatred toward Iago, I was wishing that someone would call out his lies and kill him. I have never experienced a situation so severe but I have dealt with situations where I have seen someone manipulating someone else in order to get their way. It is upsetting to see and I wished there were not people like Iago out there trying to bring people down with their evil plans, but there is no way to escape people who are like that.

Othello

2010-03-08T08:40:00.000-08:00

Iago has never liked Othello and has been looking for reasons to hate him and for motivation to hurt him. Iago found his first reason when he heard a rumor that Othello slept with his wife. His next reason to hurt Othello was when he was not chosen to be lieutenant of the Venetian army. He believes that he was most qualified for the job, but was instead placed as Othello’s ancient. Othello chooses Cassio for the job, though Cassio was previously an accountant and not as qualified for the job as others, especially Iago. Ever since Othello made that decision, Iago has been out for his revenge. Iago comes up with a plan to ruin Cassio’s honor in order for him to be fired from his position in the army. What he is planning to do is convince Othello that his wife, Desdemona, is having an affair with Cassio. Not only will Cassio most likely be fired and get into huge trouble when Othello hears this, but Othello will also be devastated and deeply hurt when he finds out that the love of his life is sleeping with some other man. I believe Iago’s plan will work because Iago is determined and obsessed with seeing the downfall of Cassio and Othello. He has the ability to convince the people around him to do his dirty work for him. He is able to lie and fool even the smartest people. He has earned Othello’s trust, which means that Othello will believe anything he says. He also has Rodrigo wrapped around his finger doing whatever he tells him. I believe that Iago has so much hate and anger towards Othello that he will not stop until his goal is achieved, which is why he will most likely succeed.

Luke v. Beowulf

2010-03-01T08:46:00.000-08:00

Luke Skywalker and Beowulf have very different stories, but what they have in common is the way they stepped up to be the hero they were meant to be. Their backgrounds are very different from one another as well; Luke was an orphaned at a very young age and was raised by his uncle and aunt, while Beowulf was born into royalty. This might have been the reason they reacted differently when called to fulfill their destiny. For example, when Beowulf heard the stories about Grendel in Denmark, he travels to Denmark to fight him. Luke first said no to Obi-wun Kanobi when asked to join the rebels to fight the empire. It was death of his uncle and aunt changed his mind to continue with Obi-wun to the death star. Another difference between the two heroes is their personality; Beowulf was very confident and self-assured, which was necessary for him and the people. While Luke who was raised on a farm, did not have a large ego, he was more down to earth and an average joe than Beowulf. But though their personalities were different, they were one of the best in the world at what they do. Luke Skywalker is a great pilot, one of the best, while Beowulf was one of the best or the best soldier/fighter of his time. One thing that they did have in common was that they both achieved their goals and were able to save many people; they both stepped up to be the heroes they were meant to be.

Beowulf 2

2010-02-17T11:17:00.000-08:00

Comment on Wiglaf’s character throughout the end of the book. Is he honorable or heroic like Beowulf or does he display an additional set of values?

Wiglaf showed many similar heroic characteristics as Beowulf towards the end of the book. Wiglaf showed bravery, honor, wisdom and strength, all characteristics Beowulf showed through out the poem. Wiglaf showed bravery and strength when he was the only one of Beowulf’s men that stayed to help Beowulf fight the dragon; the rest ran away in fear. But before he ran into the fight, he made a speech to his men telling them they are cowards if they go home instead of staying and fighting, which showed his honor towards his king. Beowulf was known to give a speech before a major battle, which shows their similarities. Though Wiglaf was not able to save Beowulf, he was there to help him defeat the dragon. He comforted Bewoulf as he was dying. Beowulf did not have to die alone since Wiglaf was there and he was able to die knowing that he has won the treasures for his people and a worthy man will be able to take care of the Geats. From what Wiglaf has shown, he could be a potential leader of the Geats and the troops.

Beowulf and Unferth

2010-02-08T11:58:00.000-08:00

Unferth is the local hero of the Danes, who does not like Beowulf’s presence in his town because of jealousy. Unferth brings up the swimming race between Beowulf and Breca, which Beowulf lost. Unferth says to Beowulf how do you expect to win against Grendel if you have lost once before. No one has ever been able to defeat Grendel before, why do you believe you are going to be different. Beowulf being the better man, does not immediately come out and say no you are wrong. Instead he defends himself, saying that he lost because he other’s safety before his glory. He is a hero because he bought others before himself. As he was racing he came across sea monsters that he had to kill in order to protect the sailors. While Breca, simply swam on only thinking about himself to win the race. So Breca might have been the winner, but Beowulf was the better man. Then Beowulf throws in an insult hurting Unferth’s honor. He says that he should not have had to come, that Unferth being the local hero should have stepped up and taken care of Grendel, instead of being a coward and letting Grendel kill all these innocent people. Beowulf is a better man and a better hero than Unferth. Unferth let’s his jealousy take over and he tries to humiliate Beowulf, which ends up backfiring on him.

The Color Purple

2009-12-01T10:44:00.001-08:00

The end of this letter, Celie has learned a lot about who God is and who he is not. Her friend, Shug , enlightened her that God is not a man, but everything that surrounds them, like the flowers and trees. At the end of the letter, Celie is struggling to picture God as anything other than a white male. But the image is stuck in her head and is harder to get rid of than she thought it would be because that is the only image of God she has ever had. But she keeps on trying to get rid of the image and will keep on working at it until she can pray to God without seeing him as a man.
The reason she was turned off by God was because she pictured him as a male and he did not answer any of her prays or helped her in her life. Shug pointed out that men ruin everything; they try to convince everyone that they are the universe and are everything. When people start to believe that they are truly everything, people start to think they are even God. She suggested that every time Celie thinks of God shaped as a man, to erase the image immediately, and keep doing that until you can think of God as everything but a man.

Fires in the Mirrors (2)

2009-11-23T18:41:00.001-08:00

Rosyln Malamud, a Lubavitcher resident of Crown Heights really stood out to me among all the people being interviewed. She had a lot of insight on the relationship between the Jews and the African Americans living in Crown Heights. She pointed out the fact that both Jews and African Americans want the same thing out life, they want to be successful, send their kids to a good school. But the two minorities cannot get along because of their different religions and different foods. She as stated that no racial or religious groups want to kill a 7-year-old boy and kill the boy on purpose. The black community is forgetting that it was an accident because they are not thinking rationally. They are making rationally decisions (like killing an innocent Jewish bystander) because they are letting their anger take control.

The two groups are acting like typical humans in the fact that they want revenge. The black community wanted revenge on the Jewish man that killed the seven year old black boy. When they were not going to get it because the driver was going to be allowed to be free, they got their revenge by killing an innocent Jewish bystander. The bystander’s brother, Norman Rosenbaum, then wanted revenge on the black community for his brother’s death. The revenge he wanted was the man that was responsible for stabbing his brother to be locked up in jail. When that did not happen, he and the Jews did not resort to violence, but to protesting. That was the main difference between the two groups. The Jewish community did not resort to violence to get their revenge, while the black community did.

Both groups are determined to make the other group look like the bad guy. The two groups also think that the other group is better off and have more power in the community than they do. For example the black men thought the reason the Jewish man that killed the boy was not convicted of murder was because the Jews controlled the case and set the man free. The two groups will not be able to get along and solve their differences if they do not learn the others beliefs and traditions. Without learning about one another they will not have any respect for one another, which means they will not be able to get along.

Fires in the Mirrors

2009-11-20T10:11:00.000-08:00

My first reaction to the movie, Fires in the Mirrors, is who is telling the truth and who is lying. It was exhausting watching the Jewish citizens and the African Americans trying to prove that they were the victims and it was the other side that was the enemy. I also noticed they were trying to justify their actions during the time. For example, Anonymous Young Man #1 justified his action of beating up the Jewish man that ran over the 7-year-old black boy because he was supposedly drunk, according to him. From what we have seen, I have not been able to decide who is telling the truth or who is lying. I am thinking that neither group is telling the entire truth because it could reflect badly on their people. I believe the reason these two groups do not get along is because they know nothing about each other and they will not try to get to know each other. Looking at the facts so far, I side with the Jews. The Jews never lowered to physical abuse against the African Americans, even when the African Americans killed an innocent Jewish man who had nothing to do with the accident.

Autobiography of Malcolm X

2009-11-16T09:55:00.000-08:00

I found it interesting how Malcolm X’s time in jail helped him see the way things were and how enjoyed his time while he was there. He spent the majority of his time in jail reading and practicing his faith. From his readings, he learned about the white mans actions and how they were keeping the blacks from reaching their potential. He took it upon himself to aware his fellow convicts (who were black) about the evils of the white man. He tried to persuade the black men that the whites are "the devil" and are brainwashing the black population.

The difference between Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. is the way they looked at the situation. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted to achieve civil rights through peace and non-violent protests. MLKJ wanted to work with the whites and he wanted to be equal. He wanted freedom and he thought there was a chance that this could happen. Malcolm X thought of the white man as the devil and his goal was too aware the black population of what was occurring under their noses. He wanted to open their eyes to see how white men were treating them. He did not think that the two races could live together peacefully.

Sonny's Blues

2009-11-03T10:21:00.000-08:00

The narrator did not always believe in Sonny’s dream to be a musician. He thought it was a waste of time and hated the idea of him dropping out of school to play the piano, he thought Sonny could do better. But at the end of the novel, the narrator went to see his brother play for the first time. He saw the way Sonny played and the way the crowed reacted. At that instance, the narrator realized that Sonny’s music could help who ever listened, by setting them free. The things Sonny had suffered in his life were heard through his music. Some listeners could relate to certain feelings, since most of them were suffering just as Sonny was. Others could learn from Sonny’s mistakes that caused him to suffer. The narrator realized that Sonny’s purpose in life was to play music. Sonny could have an affect on people through his music, like the narrator has an effect on his students when he teaches. Sonny’s music also gave his listeners hope, hope that their lives would be better. They live in a horrible situation, which it is difficult to escape; the music helps and prevents them from being pushed over the edge by the environment they live in. Though the music helps the listeners, it also helps Sonny keep going. Playing the piano allows him to express himself to the audience, but also allows him to release all the stress and anxiety that is bottled up in him.

Ethics

2009-10-31T06:26:00.000-07:00

Respecting my elders was one of the first lessons I learned when I was younger. My parents were quick to teach me the proper way to behave around adults. This has helped me now, as I am older and dealing with adults on a regular bases. I know at school my teachers will show me respect, if I give them respect. It is easier in the long run to respect my teachers because we both benefit from it. There was a handle full of troublemakers in middle school, none which had any respect from their teachers. This made their life more difficult than it would have been if they showed their teachers some respect. The teachers could not trust these certain students and they were constantly getting on the teachers nerves and ended out to sit in the hall the majority of the time. I am able to see from my peers, the relationship between the teachers when they show them respect and when they don’t. Respecting my grandparents and especially my parents makes my life much much easier because I am getting in less trouble. Having a sister, we are able to watch what happens when the other talks back to a parent, we see the consequences and know we do not want that happening to us. So we try to behave the best we can, we make mental notes on how we can act more proper. My parents were raised to respect their parents and any other adults, so they passed the knowledge down to me because they think it is an important lesson for everyone to learn. My parents had taught me a lot on how to behave and how to make good choices, they are still teaching me lessons and giving lectures when I make mistakes even at age 18 because they want to prepare me for the world. They want me be able to make good decisions when I am out on my own.

Langston Hughes and Claude McKay

2009-10-07T08:36:00.000-07:00

Langston Hughes and Claude McKay were both poets during the Harlem Renaissance. They covered similar topics in some of their poems since they were both at their prime during the same time period. But both poets had different writing styles. Claude McKay wrote his poems in the sonnet form, a style similar to the way Shakespeare wrote. Writing his poems in sonnet form, proved to the white man that African Americans can be creative, artistic, and also are educated if they can have the opportunities. Though Hughes did not write his poetry in sonnet form, he used other creative styles of writing to get his points across. Both men talked about the relationships between the white and black man and how white man's treatment towards African Americans is horrible and unkind. McKay’s, To the White Fiends, is about the blacks not stooping to the white man’s level. He said they could hurt the white men like the white men have been hurting them if they wanted too, but God but them on earth for another reason, and that reason is to bring the light. In Hughes poems, Theme for English B, says he and his teacher are both part of each other, though he is black and the instructor is white. Neither one wants to be part of each other, but they are learning things from one another. But there is not way to put an end to it, it is inevitable to stop because they are around each other. His other poem, Mulatto, is also an example of the relationship between whites and blacks. Both men wanted to use their writing as a way to express what was occurring around them, but the two poets were different because of the style they used to write their poems.

Booker T. Washington

2009-09-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

When the economy was suffering from the majority of blacks flowing into the North from the South immediately after blacks were granted their freedom, Fredrick Douglas shared his thoughts on the subject. He thought the north was not meant for such a large influx of people and was the reason why the majority of blacks could not find jobs and had to move into the poor inner cities. If they move to the South, they would easily be able to find a job working on a plantation and keep the South’s economy going. They also would be able to set the demands from their white employers, but most blacks did not like the idea of working for someone who treated their race so horribly. He also thought that staying in the South would force the idea of freedom in the South.

Booker T. Washington had similar ideas as Douglas on the subject of blacks staying in the South. Washington thought blacks could thrive in the South. Blacks would be given a better chance to succeed in the commercial world in the South, rather than in the North. He thought blacks needed to stop and reflect on the life they could have in the South before making a haste decision to move to the North. He understood the Negro race wanting to leave after gaining their freedom, but thinks it is ultimately the wrong decision. Washington mentioned African Americans needing to understand they cannot start at the top immediately after gaining their freedom. They are going to have to work hard and work hard for a while before they start moving up in society. He also advises to not look down upon labor but to dignify it and use their skills in their work and their life.

Venture Smith vs. Olaudah Equiano

2009-09-08T09:56:00.000-07:00

Olaudah Equiano and Venture Smith were both born and raised in Western Africa before they were taken and sold as slaves. Their fathers were leaders in their tribes and the two men were very close with their families. They learned honorable traits while growing up in their tribe in Africa. Both were hard workers, which transferred over to when they were slaves. Equiano and Smith were captured at a young age and separated from their families. Equiano was taken by other Africans and sold into slavery, but he was a slave in Africa for a few years before he went to America. He was traded all around Africa and saw many parts of the country before the white man bought him. Venture Smith’s story was different from the point that he was sent off to the United States shortly after being captured, he was never owned by a fellow African. A difference between their biographies was Equiano spent more time talking about his childhood in Africa and the traditions and lifestyles in his tribe. Equiano wrote in detail about his family, their religion and beliefs, and when he was captured and sold into slavery. He talked little about being in America and summarized his life after moving to England in a few paragraphs. Smith talked more about his life in America than his life in Africa. He gave detail about his journey from when the day he arrived in Rhode Island to his life after he had bought his freedom and his family’s freedom. The beliefs and traditions Equaino learned had some importance to him because he kept them through his life. He kept his African name, rather than use the name, Gustavus Vassa, given to him by a captain. Which is different from Ventures, who used the name given to him by a white man, rather than keep the name his family gave him. Equiano’s character had not changed by the end of his story, liked Smith’s did. But they both learned to read and write, they wrote about their life and experiences to get their stories heard. Smith’s character changed as time went by when he was a slave. He first started out as a hard and trusting worker that obeyed his master. But after a few years as a slave he started to act out against his master. He started to obsess over money and objects. When he bought his freedom he started to buy slaves, he would have them work for him for a certain amount of years and then they could be free. When they would run away, he would get upset because he lost money. While Equaino stayed true to himself and his beliefs. He was never a fan of slavery, never owned any slaves when he could, and he worked hard and respected his master. But they both suffered the hardships of being separated from their families, being sent to a foreign country and forced into slavery at a young age.

Values

2009-08-28T10:19:00.000-07:00

The people in the stories that we have been reading for the past few weeks have all been placed in horrible situations. But yet the majority of them have faith that things will turn around and eventually get better. In Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round’, the narrator is showing the determination to march to the freedom land and now one will stop him, not the officers or any other white man. In the song, We Shall Overcome; there is hope that their freedom in due course will be granted. It is similar to the song, All God’s Chillen Had Wings, the slaves were told by the old man to wait for salvation, they needed to get to their lowest point before they could “fly away” from their suffers and be free.. The Strange Fruit reminded me of The Message and N.Y. State of Mind and how graphic both were. The narrator in The Message spoke about the life in the city and how drugs and violence were part of the daily routine. In Strange Fruit, the story gives the reader disturbing scenes involving the treatment and killing of slaves. All these stories are all about giving the singer/reader inspiration to keep fighting, to help them keep moving one foot in front of the other when things get rough. Some songs also tell the reader the hardships people have to go through in life.

John Henry

2009-08-25T18:22:00.000-07:00

John Henry gave hope to the African American population because he beat the white man’s steam-powered drill in a race to see who could drill through the mountain faster. After he completed the tunnel and beat the white man’s drill, he died of exhaustion. He worked hard everyday to survive. John Henry went through a lot of hardship in his life, being prosecuted by whites, stuck in slavery, and also when digging a tunnel using only a hammer. The hardship John Henry went through showed in the ballad and it inspired others to be like him and to push through when times got a tough. The similarities between John Henry and both Nas’ songs, The Message and N.Y. State of Mind is all three talk about the hardships they have to or had to endure in their life. The hardships are different between Nas and John Henry, Nas is not a slave, but for Nas and many others in similar situations had to work hard everyday in order to see the following day. Nas talked about the life in the ghetto and the rough times that came with growing up there. Nas had to protect himself from other gangs when he lived in the city, he says in N.Y. State of Mind: “Try to cock it, it wouldn’t shoot now I’m in danger.” Some people look to Nas songs for inspiration and some even want to be like him because in today’s world it is cool to some to be gangsters. But though John Henry did not need a gun to protect him, he still had to hit pieces of steel with his hammer carefully because it could lead to his or others death if not taken seriously.