English

Duplessi

2005-04-25T06:07:00.000-07:00

How does it feel to be an accomplished author?
Do you find your self reading your poems and constantly findings ways to change to improve them?
Did you ever thing your love of writing would payoff money wise?

Culture Concerning "The Invisible Man"

2005-04-19T19:22:00.001-07:00

In "The Invisible Man" I found this black man to be so confused it was not funny. He didn't know if he wanted to fit in or be an individual. He was too worried about what others thought of him or said to him to relax and be himself. On one end of the spectrum he worried about the white people in his life then on the other end he was also worried about what his own kind would accept from him.
I find the narrators confusion very familiar. I know that in certain instances I have definitely worried about what someone of another background would think of me. Those of different backgrounds being race, culture, religious beliefs and or social class. Sometimes as a black person I do find myself altering the way I speak and the topic of discussion that I choose with certain people. Also as a black person I find myself trying not to fit stereotypes.
I also find myself proving to people that everyone is not a product of their environment anything is possible nowadays. I think the narrator was brilliant but dumb. He had an opportunity that most African Americans in that time would not dream of to attend college. I think his naive thinking ruin his life. Instead of focusing on personal goals he chose to follow goals others created for him.

The House of Spirits

2005-04-05T09:02:00.000-07:00

The House of Spirits I think was somewhat based on ideologies of that time and culture. Over the years of taking many Spanish classes through high school and college I've learned that Spanish cultures have many traditions that are considered shameful if not properly followed. The same rule applied in the DeValle household, its like the rule that many of today's families still follow, "what goes on in this family is our business and no one else's." Like the rule to keep family business to ones selves. The DeValle family accepted and loved each other but was afraid that others on the outside could not accept their awkward qualities. For example Clara and her talking with spirits, moving objects, and premonitions. This also was seen later when Blanca was born with green hair and the family except her grandfather wanted her to change the color.
Another ideology that occurred in this book is marriage before pregnacy. When esteban tried to cover up his shameful unwed daughter.The way he went about making her get married was wrong but this is one ideology that I agree with. I think people should be married before they have kids. Its pretty old fashioned but I wouldn't want to have a child without being married. I see if a person makes a mistake we're all human but to just keep having kids without marriage is something I just don't agree with. I want to be happily married when I have children.
Another ideology that I thought was important is how Esteban wanted his children to change their ways to fit the mold of societal norms. A lot of people today still desire to have a family that society thinks is normal, to keep the dignity of their last name. I definitely don't agree with this. Why put on a front be who you are. If that changes your whole life and the people and friends you had then it was not healthy life to begin with.

Antigone

2005-03-31T19:50:00.000-08:00

I previously read Oedipus Rex which too me was a book that went from horiible to terrible in the life of the main character. In that story there was a great emphasis based on fate. Once Oepidus thought he had avoided fate and became a success he soon learned he had only fallen into it, and brouhgt his children down with him. So I thought it was very interesting that we read this book that is couldof like a sequel to Oedipus, where you find out what happens to this tragic characters children.
In Antigone I thought alot about there father and how he had curse his childrens future. I think in Antigone fate and family legend played a great part in this story. The death of the two brothers one being a hero and the other dying in shame. This gave the idea that even if one has run away from the shameful legacy that preceded him shame would soon follow that being the death of the second brother soon after who committed treason.
When Antigone tried to give her brother a proper burrial it so much reminded me of a woman in the Bible that i just learned about name Respa (i might of spelled it wrong). In the Bible Respa was greived with tragedy when her sons and grandsons who were illegitmate sons of the king were killed and left in peices for the vultures and animals to eat. This woman who had lost all that she loved covered the body peices in sackclothe and stayed watch in protection of the bodies day and night for I think about 3 months. She fought off all the animals by day and night to protect her family. Everyone thought she was crazy til finally they realized that her children were heir to the king and desrved a proper burial.
Antigone was not as extreme as Respa but I know they had the same thoughts in mind with there actions. They wanted to proptect and provide a proper burial with dignity for their loved ones. Antigone to me was also a story like her fathers that went from horrible to terrible. In these story of tragic heros no one can save them from there fate .

Gregorio Cortez

2005-03-01T13:03:00.000-08:00

I definately think that Cortez was justified in avenging his brother death but in some ways I don't agree with all the killings he did. I don't think I would of been able to survive inCortez's time period. It seemed as if there was those who were suppose to protect the people but it just seemed like a time period of lawlessness. Also after watching the films it put both perspectives in a new perspective of thought. It seems as though this whole story could of been avoided if men of different backgrounds would not have characterized or profiled as they say in criminology one another befrie they knew all of the facts. I dont really consider Gregorio a hero but he definately was a brave man that was good at drawing a gun and shooting people.

Blood Wedding

2005-02-13T19:21:00.000-08:00

In Blood Wedding there were many cultural differences compared to the present day US culture. In this culture there was a standard to be set for each family. The women were to be homemakers and the men bread winners. In this culture an unpure female was shaming to her family and a man that was unable to defend what was his was considered unhonorable. This thought would put the Bride and Leonard a disgrace too there families.
In this play families wanted to marry into families with wealth, it seemed that the families were in some ways looking for a way to better there profits and there life. This play represented a time when everybody was known from there family legend. A small town place with reputations to keep with dignity.

The Awakening

2005-01-31T09:57:00.000-08:00

The Awakening was a good book. Edna Pontellier the main character was before her time. Many women today do not want to take on the mother role but nowadays they have the choice of getting married or not because its not a strict tradition . The only problem with Edna is that she had already established a family and her changes were bound to effect their lives. Edna wanted nothing but to be herself and like a like that was self pleasing. I do not think that Edna intentionally meant to hurt her family but that she just wasn't happy with the way thing were.
Edna was a dynamic character who in the end died because she didn't know how to handle her emotions. Edna wanted to be an independent, career woman or artist, but at the time this was unheard of only the motherly woman existed. One part that got me just before she ran out of strength was "Perhaps Doctor Mandelet would have understood if she had seen him- but it was too late." I just wondered if she did go talk to the doctor would he have been able to help her deal with her problem?Edna definitely took the easy way out and killed herself. If she would of stayed I think she would of been an outcast like Madsmoselle Reise. I think she fear being lonely and rejected for the rest of her life, so she made a way of escape.

The Yellow Wallpaper

2005-01-23T14:58:00.000-08:00

In the short story titled "The Yellow Wallpaper" i never thought the story would actually be about yellow wallpaper. The story started off good with this lady who seems very depressed, and tired. To me in first beginning to read this story it seemed as though her husband and familymembers had convinced her that she was crazy but as the narrator went on I believed myself that infact she was a little off. The lady in this short story is so focused on this yellow wall paper so much that it has consumed her thoughts. No person in the right state of mind will stare at wallpaper for hoursonend. This character I believed was not as crazy in the beginning of the story as she was at the end. I think the wallpaper and living in the room without being able to leave the house drove her totally insane. This woman in this story definately felt like a prisoner and the woman that she saw in the wall was an image of herself. Even though she was believed to be depressed she deserved a little freedom which her family did not want to grant her.

Douglass The Former Slave

2005-01-23T14:42:00.000-08:00

Douglass was a history maker, he proved what most people believed to be true wrong. He was the first to prove that slaves were able to learn on the same level as slaveowners. I believe that he also gave hope to those who were still in slavery. Douglass was unlike any other black of his time he overcame many obstacles that most would of gave up on. He is just living proof that anything that you want is possible. If you want it then its obtainable. Douglass also gave insight to those who thought blacks were unintelligent and only good for labor and giving birth. I think Douglass was and still is an inspiration to many people of all races with struggles they must overcome.