Three Companies

You know what is dumb? People who smoke while driving. Why should they be allowed to smoke while driving but we can't talk on the phone while driving? Its basically just as reckless.

Home Sweet Home

So this last weekend I went down to St. George to visit my family and take some things down because I'm going to be moving home for the summer. My parents just barely bought a new house and had moved in the week before so when I got down there I showed up at the new house. When I walked in they pretty much had everything in its place, besides a few shelves and what not that my mom wanted an opinion on, and to my surprise I automatically felt at home. I was thinking that when I first got down there it would be weird driving to a new house and having things be totally different but it wasn't. I didn't have to adjust to anything (besides finding food in the kitchen!! haha) because it still felt like home. After thinking about this I realized how much family can make new situations and places seem comfortable. Family connections and relationships is what makes a house a loving and welcoming home. Life can be tough at times but all the experiences we have are so important because we can grow and mature from them, but in the end it's always comforting to know that there is home to go to where you are loved and supported no matter what (and moms home cooking is always a plus!!).

Fall English 2200 Course

Several of you have emailed me or spoken to me about my fall teaching schedule. I just found out I am teaching an English 2200 course, Intro to Literature, and I expect it to be a lot of fun. We will learn a lot about literary forms and genres and then apply that knowledge to discussions of really great literature. My hope is that after taking the class, you will never again read a poem, story, novel, or play in the same way again. If you have enjoyed the reading we have done this semester and would like some more in-depth discussion of literature, please come aboard.

This class is an HH course, which means it satisfies your general Humanities requirement, which all majors require as far as I know. If you are an English major, this will count toward your electives requirement. If you are one of those people who takes a course now and again just because you want to (gasp!), this might be a good one, too.

If you can't take the class (or don't want to), I would appreciate it very much if you would help me to spread the word that I am teaching it (the catalog just says "STAFF," a rather innocuous word that is not likely to inspire anyone). I'll be putting up some posters over the summer as well in case you want one for your refrigerator.

The details: English 2200 Section 001, TR 1:00-2:15.

Cheers. I'll see you on Monday. Remember: LIBRARY, Room 206, 11:00-1:00.

Painting a picture with words

As I was reading through the posts to make enough comments and such to not lose 5% of my grade by not being involved enough it occurred to me the difficulty of writing fiction. There is an extremely thin line dividing good from bad. A writer must describe enough to help people build images in their minds of what is going on, while not boring the readers with too much detail. I have friends that have stopped reading books because their is too much of nothing happening. The great depth of description can stop many readers today. Our world is very now and due in large part to the large media we have people do not use our imaginations as much as we used to. I think this maybe one of the reasons why graphic novels, a.k.a comic books, are getting more attention. While I being a comic fan have always looked at this form with respect and I feel now that as it gets some it maybe for the wrong reasons.

Happiness

I just wanted to write something on the blog about this wonderful sunny day. I notice that people around me are more active, dress differently and even behave differently on sunny days including myself to some degree. People sit out on the lawn in front of the library, walk outside, eat outside and even smile more when the sun is out. While i love knowing that it is sunny outside and it does make me happy, i don't think that the weather should determine a persons happiness. Its all in your attitude about life.
An example of this was last week when Orem was hit with the biggest snow storm i had ever seen in my life. All my friends were complaining about the snow, probably because they had to drive in it and were not happy just because of snow. While i do not like snow i found in this particular example that you can find good out of bad things. It wasn't cold that day and actually the snow was beautiful to me. It made walking outside brighter and i told my friends so. I was happy that day. Have any of you experienced something like this?? do you agree with me??

Presentations - Room Change

Because our room is so small and cramped, and because it is difficult to set up a projector in that limited space, we are going to be giving our class presentations in the library. On Friday, we will be meeting in the library, room 206, NOT in PE 102. Please make a note of this and be a few minutes early. If you are presenting and have not spoken to me about what you need, please let me know right away.

Thank you, and I will see you on Friday in the library.

A change of heart

Earlier on in the semester I remember someone making a post on the blog. I don't remember who, so please forgive me. But, the post said something along the lines of how this person had recently enjoyed reading and writing since this class has begun.

I am not one who has ever really enjoyed reading. That goes the same for writing. I have always dreaded "papers" and especially "research papers." It is interesting to me how throughout this semester I have enjoyed the reading we have done and also the writing. There it is, I said it... I have somewhat enjoyed it!

I believe the reason for this is because this is the first English class I have had where the focus has been in developing my thoughts and writing a paper that is enjoyable to read. The english class I took prior to this one focused on one thing and one thing only: grammar. I know grammar is important in writing, but really, like Dr. Westover says, it doesn't matter how good your grammar is if no one wants to read your paper because it doesn't say anything interesting.

Anyway, basically this class has given CPR to a desire to write that was on its last heartbeat. Any one else concur? (I don't know how to spell concur.)

Conferences

As a reminder, we are not having class on Monday or Wednesday this week. I am conferencing with students individually in my office Monday-Wednesday. Here are the times I will be available:

Monday: 10-1
Tuesday: 10-3
Wednesday: 9-1

Also, if you were not in class on Friday, you need to sign up for a presentation time. The presentations begin on Friday. If you don't come by my office and sign up, you will be assigned a time. There is one remaining slot available for Friday. The rest of the open slots are on Monday, April 27th during our final exam time.

Thanks, and I will see you very soon.

I almost pee'd my pants laughing

I got this hilarious story today and thought that the blog would be an ideal place to share this. Enjoy!

I called my friend Andy Sable, a gastroenterologist, to make an appointment for a colonoscopy. A few days later, in his office, Andy showed me a color diagram of the colon, a lengthy organ that appears to go all over the place, at one point passing briefly through Minneapolis .

Then Andy explained the colonoscopy procedure to me in a thorough, reassuring and patient manner. I nodded thoughtfully, but I didn't really hear anything he said, because my brain was shrieking, quote, 'HE'S GOING TO STICK A TUBE 17,00 FEET UP YOUR BEHIND!'

I left Andy's office with some written instructions, and a prescription for a product called 'MoviPrep,' which comes in a box large enough to hold a microwave oven. I will discuss MoviPrep in detail later; for
now suffice it to say that we must never allow it to fall into the hands of America 's enemies.

I spent the next several days productively sitting around being nervous. Then, on the day before my colonoscopy, I began my preparation. In accordance with my instructions, I didn't eat any solid food that day; all I had was chicken broth, which is basically water, only with less flavor. Then, in the evening, I took the
MoviPrep.

You mix two packets of powder together in a one-liter plastic jug, then you fill it with lukewarm water. (For those unfamiliar with the metric system, a liter is about 32 gallons.) Then you have to drink the whole jug. This takes about an hour, because MoviPrep tastes - and here I am being kind - like a mixture of goat spit and urinal cleanser, with just a hint of lemon.

The instructions for MoviPrep, clearly written by somebody with a great sense of humor, state that after you drink it, 'a loose, watery bowel movement may result.' This is kind of like saying that after you jump off your roof, you may experience contact with the ground.

MoviPrep is a nuclear laxative. I don't want to be too graphic, here, but: Have you ever seen a space-shuttle launch? This is pretty much the MoviPrep experience, with you as the shuttle. There are times
when you wish the commode had a seat belt. You spend several hours pretty much confined to the bathroom,
spurting violently. You eliminate everything. And then, when you figure you must be totally empty, you have to drink another liter of MoviPrep, at which point, as far as I can tell, your bowels travel into the future and start eliminating food that you have not even eaten yet.

After an action-packed evening, I finally got to sleep. The next morning my wife drove me to the clinic. I was very nervous. Not only was I worried about the procedure, but I had been experiencing
occasional return bouts of MoviPrep spurtage. I was thinking, 'What if I spurt on Andy?' How do you apologize to a friend for something like that? Flowers would not be enough.

At the clinic I had to sign many forms acknowledging that I understood and totally agreed with whatever the heck the forms said. Then they led me to a room full of other colonoscopy people, where I went inside a little curtained space and took off my clothes and put on one of those hospital garments designed by sadist perverts, the kind that, when you put it on, makes you feel even more naked than when you are actually naked.

Then a nurse named Eddie put a little needle in a vein in my left hand. Ordinarily I would have fainted, but Eddie was very good, and I was already lying down. Eddie also told me that some people put vodka in their MoviPrep. At first I was ticked off that I hadn't thought of this, but then I pondered what would happen if you got yourself too tipsy to make it to the bathroom, so you were staggering around in full Fire Hose Mode. You would have no choice but to burn your house.

When everything was ready, Eddie wheeled me into the procedure room, where Andy was waiting with a nurse and an anesthesiologist. I did not see the 17,000-foot tube, but I knew Andy had it hidden around there somewhere. I was seriously nervous at this point. Andy had me roll over on my left side, and the anesthesiologist began hooking something up to the needle in my hand.

There was music playing in the room, and I realized that the song was 'Dancing Queen' by ABBA. I remarked to Andy that, of all the songs that could be playing during this particular procedure, 'Dancing Queen' had to be the least appropriate. 'You want me to turn it up?' said Andy, from somewhere behind me. 'Ha ha,' I said.

And then it was time, the moment I had been dreading for more than a decade. If you are squeamish, prepare yourself, because I am going to tell you, in explicit detail, exactly what it was like.

I have no idea. Really. I slept through it. One moment, ABBA was yelling 'Dancing Queen, feel the beat of the tambourine,' and the next moment, I was back in the other room, waking up in a very
mellow mood. Andy was looking down at me a nd asking me how I felt. I felt excellent. I felt even more excellent when Andy told me that It was all over, and that my colon had passed with flying colors. I have never been prouder of an internal organ.


ABOUT THE WRITER:

Dave Barry is a Pulitzer Prize-winning humor columnist for the Miami Herald. On the subject of Colonoscopies...

What's love got to do, got to do with it?

What power has love but forgiveness?
In other words
by its intervention
what has been done
can be undone.
What good is it otherwise?

-William Carlos Williams

"Asphodel, That Greeny Flower"

AnGrY!

So i am sitting in the library today working on my math and this girl keeps getting up and down answering the phone and yelling at the person on the other end, each time she comes back she slams her phone on the desk and disrupts everyone around her. I can tell she is upset and i am the closest person sitting next to her so I ask her if she is ok, she turns to me and says " Its none of your F@#$!*# buisness!" At first i thought it was kinda funny how childish she was acting in public, but now i was a little angry myself lol. Anyway i sarted thinking about the whole thing and counldn't help but wonder why she was acting the way she was. Of course there was something that was causeing her to be angry, but as for myself i can be very angry and not show it because i am in public. I think we show our emotions publicly when we want other people to know what we are feeling because some part of us wants help or just to be heard; however, in this girls case i am confused. I tryed to offer help and she was not having it lol. I don't know why but i couldn't stop thinking her public display of anger and what her motives were. What do you guys think?

Paint a Picture

I agree with what everyone has said.

I think the pictures are a great help to the reader. It allows the author to be more free with what he writes but still lets the reader understand. The reader can also paint a better picture in their head and then compare it to the real painting to see if they understood what they read. Pictures are also good if you are trying to clear something up in the reading and reading it over and over just isn't helping. The reader could rely too much on the picture for help to understand but I think that once they see the picture and understand it they will be able to discuss it and go into more detail with it.

Art and Poetry

Do you think having the paintings right there to refer to helps you or hinders you as you are reading the poems? Do you rely too much on them, or do they help you to understand the poets' angles of vision? Explain.

I personally love being able to refer to the paintings while i am reading the poems. I have studied these paintings and the background stories that make them significant which not only helps me to imagine what the poet is thinking but also understand why he chose to write about them with the picture next to it. Having the paintings next to the poems helps the reader to create a more solidified imagery of the poets angle of vision as he is writing; and allows the reader to understand lines in the poems. For instance in "Before the Mirrors" Updike describes the colors of Picasso's painting and while reading the description the reader can glance over at the previous page to see the intense colors of the painting itself.

And i love these paintings which makes me, as a reader, willing to listen to what the poet has to say about them; because he has included them with his poetry.

Disconcerned

They never forgot
That even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course
Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot
Where the dogs go on with their doggy life and the torturer's horse
Scratches its innocent behind on a tree.

These lines really allow us to see how while someone is suffering, to the rest of the world it is as if it never happened. The dogs continue with their insignificant dog lives and even the horse pays no attention to the torturer on it's back. These few lines give us a perspective as well from the animal kingdom. It's interesting how just like dogs and horses we too see someone else suffering but pretend like it isn't even happening. We continue on "scratching our horse behinds" or in other words, doing the meaningless things we do everyday such as watching television. In reality, neither the dog, nor the horse can do much about what is happening. Therefore, they are not at fault. We as humans, on the other hand, can do something but yet still many times we carry on as if someone else's suffering doesn't concern us.

What these pictures Do!!!!!

While reading these poems and being able to look at these paintings it really opened up new veiws on what the writer meant but at the same time I think it did take away from being able to let your own interpretations run wild. I also think that the poem was more based on the painting and not the painting on the poem. If there is anything else that I feel that I would want to add to this I will be right on here, but thanks everyone for bearing with my stupid responses but thanks again.

"Musee des Beaux Arts" and "Before the Mirror"

1. These poems are not merely descriptions of paintings. How do Updike and Auden use the paintings? Why do you think they refer to the paintings instead of writing poems without them?

2. Do you think having the paintings right there to refer to helps you or hinders you as you are reading the poems? Do you rely too much on them, or do they help you to understand the poets' angles of vision? Explain.

3. Discuss the significance of these lines:

They never forgot

That even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course

Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot

Where the dogs go on with their doggy life and the torturer's horse

Scratches its innocent behind on a tree.

4. What is the "human position" of suffering, according to Auden?

5. "Before the Mirror" is about more than one kind of "reflection." There is the literal reflection in the mirror, but in what other ways is "reflection" important to the poem?

6. Updike uses sexual imagery in "Before the Mirror." Do you think the sexuality is in Picasso's painting as well? And, perhaps more importantly, why is the sexual element in the poem at all?

7. Talk about Updike's poem in terms of the theme of innocence vs. experience.

8. Why does it matter to Auden that it is Icarus in Breughel's painting and not some random swimmer?

9. If Picasso's painting says, "Enter here/and abandon preconception," does Updike's poem say the same thing? Explain.

I'm not requiring a 1-page response. I'm asking you to respond here. See you tomorrow.

"We Real Cool"

Watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3GAQCLxICo&feature=channel

really!? that is what you are doing with your time?! really!? wow...

So.... I am a man. And thus, because of this fact I love sports. Pretty much all sports. Although I do not watch: Hockey, Soccer, Womens basketball, or NASCAR. Those sports are the most retarded on television. but, I digress. I like to at least try and keep up with news in the sporting world because the regular news is very depressing, " once again the Dow fell to a new record low..... The war is still going..." I digress....again. So, I sat was sitting here looking at the top stories on www.espn.com and was astounded, outraged, flabber-ghasted ( daniel, is that a real verb or adjectvice), beside my self, perturbed, and stunned ( all at the same time). Why was I so astounded, outraged, flabber-ghasted ( daniel, is that a real verb or adjectvice), beside my self, perturbed, and stunned? Because the geniouses in Washington D.C. who are getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars and get a raise every year ( all while the economy is sinking like the Titanic and Bismark combined) are having a senate sub-comittee meeting to fix the economy? no. the housing market? Ding-Dong.. You're wrong. The war in Iraq? Negatory. Pollution? wish you were right. A Trillion dollar budget? Hells no. What then could they be meeting to fix? THE BCS!!!!!!!!!!! are you freaking kidding?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? I wish I was. But I am dead serious. (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4015667 ) there is the link if you want to read the story yourself. Our economy is getting flushed down the toilet like a pile of crap, and congress is meeting to fix the BCS? Does anyone else see something wrong with this? I guess this the the " Change " most of America voted for. What ever happened to the press being the watch-dog of politics? I bet this won't make any news station tonight. and it might...just might get a column in the SL Tribune or Deseret Morning news because Senator Orin Hatch of Utah is sponsoring Legislation to fix this? Anyone want to take a guess on who else is a driving force behind this? President Barrack Obama. yes, the same one who promised change and reform, is a big fan of a NCAA football playoff system. I am just so glad to know the Congress is using thier time effectively. GOD BLESS THE USA!

griping

So I have a gripe to make and figure this is a good place to make it. I don't know how many of you know this but right now the world is currently engaged in the WBC ( world baseball classic). It is like the olympics in the country vs country format. Well... recently Kevin Youkilis of the USA team was bi***ing about how they are playing in the US and the teams from other countries have more support. Well, I am not going to Miami to see them play. So, I watch it on TV. well..... I would if I could. at the same time this is going on the NCAA tournament rejects are playing in the NIT tournament. So, instead of showing team USA play in a game that turned out to be very exciting they showed some crappy teams shoot 33% in a crappy basketball today. And Kevin Youkilis is wondering why they don't get any support.

Don't "Sweat" the Response

Don't worry about writing a response to "Sweat" for tomorrow. But make sure you read it because there will probably be a question about it on the mid-term.

See you tomorrow.

Racism Still Exists

I really liked the story Battle Royal. The conversation we had in class about racism and how it has changed throughout the years. It's sad to know that at point in human existance, that whites treated african americans this way and even worse.

No matter how much anyone says otherwise, I believe racism still exists. Having Barack Obama elected as President shows how far America has come over the years. After reading many articles about the new president, there was one particular article by NBN that stated. "A black man has achieved the highest office in the country. If racism were still prevalent, there is no way that could be possible." That is not true. Obama only covers as a mask to this on growing problem in the U.S. After voting and later having a conversation with my friends, they admitted they voted for Obama because of his race and therefore it makes him "cool". Comparing that conversation to one I had with my grandmother, she wouldn't openly admit why she voted for McCain over Obama when she is democratic. Knowing her personally, I know that she is slightly racist. Other people who let race be a factor in there voting decisions also wont openly admit that there voting decision was based on the candidates race otherwise they would be tagged as a racist. I feel racism will continue to exist even after Obama is inaugurated.

Racism isn't only effecting politics but I feel that it is one of the biggest racial issues America is facing at the time. Slowly but surely our country is seeing a change in this and lets hope that one day, as stated by the Founding Fathers of our nation, that all men truly will be treated as equals.

"Battle Royal"

Please choose one of the following prompts and write a one-page response. Remember what we have discussed about analysis vs. summary, and as always, please point to specific examples from the text to help you make your points.

1. Look up the term “allegory” in a dictionary or glossary of literary terms. How is “Battle Royal” an allegory?

2. How is the narrator’s dramatic situation in “Battle Royal” similar to the situations of the female protagonists in other stories we have read? How is his situation different?

3. How did you feel when you read “Battle Royal”? Angry? Uncomfortable? Excited? Guilty? Sad? There is no right answer to this question, but I want you to focus on your emotional reaction. Point to places in the story that evoked an emotional response, and, most importantly, try to ask yourself why you felt that way. Ask yourself what Ellison is doing that creates that kind of reaction in you.

4. Choose three objects or actions in the story that you feel are symbols and explain what you think they symbolize. Don’t use the fight itself as an example. I am looking for something more specific. For example, you might decide that the act of swallowing his own blood during his speech is symbolic, or that the electrified coins are symbolic, or that the dancing blonde’s American flag tattoo is symbolic. Nearly everything in an allegory is symbolic, so there is plenty to choose from.

5. Interpret the narrator’s dream at the end of the story. How does he feel about himself and the choices he has made?

6. "Battle Royal" was originally titled Invisible Man, but since it is the first part of Ellison's novel, also called Invisible Man, it is now commonly called "Battle Royal." Talk about the original title. What does the narrator mean when he says that he is an "invisible man"?

Why is it funny?

The Poem "Rites of Passage" is one that all can relate to. Being a male, I laugh when I read it. I can picture myself there at the birthday party having that exact same conversation when I was just a child. This scene is a classic for all young males. What makes the poem just as funny is that women can look at it and laugh too. Whether they have children, younger brothers, or nephews I'm sure they have experiences that can relate.

It's hilarious to me that it is assumed that us men will grow out of this stage where we always need to prove ourselves and cling to our pride. That's just it though, Olds calls them "short men" for that very reason; They don't grow out of it. We don't grow out of it. Don't get me wrong, there are some of us that "mature" and do let go of these childish behaviors. I believe that I am one. But, at any given time in a heated basketball game I'll stick out my chest and return to these vary behaviors that I often make fun of.

Competing for life

In the poem “Rites of Passage” these young men are sizing each other up at the birthday part. As they each come into the situation they look around and see what their competition is. They aren’t necessarily competing for anything, just life in general. We all do this, more than we think. As we enter new situations we look around at what we are faced with and who we are going up against. We don’t necessarily mean to do this, but many times it ends up hurting us more than helping us. I know that I have personally “sized” someone up in the beginning and that general impression turned out to be totally wrong. We need to be careful of when we are doing this and how much we are allowing it to hold us back from letting us get to know that individual.

To Women! and men can read this too

Attention all women! Hear Ye, Hear Ye!! Hearken! Listen up!
If you are going to tell a boy you are not interested in him any longer please have some class while doing so. Believe it or not men have feelings to, whether they show them or not is a different story. But they do exist. Do not just out of the blue in the middle of a conversation when a little flirt is said do not just say " I'm just not that into you." I mean, holy crap. especially if you know for sure he really likes you. 2nd. if you are a going to tell someone your not interested and you have done so nicely ( i don't care if he made you feel bad or forgot something important, take the high road and be nice), Please be intelligent enough to think of something that is not so cliche such as "It's not you...... It's me". That is just stupid. and you are stupid for saying it. 3rd. Don't say any of these things via text messages. Either call him or wait until you see him and the time is right. Like I have said twice already, but will say again and put in CAPS, bold, italics, and red for emphasis; HAVE SOME CLASS!

Easily and Widely Misinterpreted...

Apparently, "My Papa's Waltz" is easily ambiguous; it's hard to tell if its about a happy childhood memory or an abusive one. It could really be about both.

Considering some of Roethke's other poems, it seems that he writes about a lot of depressing things (hate, loneliness, death, etc.). With that in mind, the waltzing seemed to be a typical way the father and child interacted, something the kid enjoyed, but it doesn't mean it didn't ever go too far. The father didn't seem too concerned about scratches and scrapes the child received and mom might have just been frowning at the fact that the two men were messing up her clean kitchen. This is one thing that makes the poem confusing; she might have just frowned and not intervened because it would have opened her up receiving scrapes and scratches of her own. Other examples like whiskey, battered knuckles, hanging on like death, being held by a wrist, the waltzing not being easy, and beating can all contribute to the interpretation of the poem as an abusive father/child relationship.

However, maybe it was just about the love. Roethke's use of the word "romped" implies playfulness. As the father waltzed his child off to bed, the kid clung to his shirt. At one point, the child "hung on like death" to the father. The kid probably just enjoyed being with the father so much that he/she didn't want the romping to end. And maybe Roethke described the "waltz" as such a grim thing to illustrate how challenging it was for the child to keep up with the father's pace of romping. The child, in all likelihood, enjoyed the difficulty of the waltz. Otherwise, it would have been boring.

So, maybe the poem was about abuse or just plain fun. It can be confusing and go both ways.

I just flat out don't understand this poem at all.

Stage of a Poem

Having the poem be a birthday party is significant to the the title "Rites of Passage." A rite of passage is when a person is entering a new age or developing into something, or entering something new such as a class or age group. Where I'm from its a big deal to throw a First Birthday party and its a rite of passage for our culture because, the child has made it to the age of 1 and in our culture in the olden times, children weren't able to reach that 1 year old age, and making it that far insured that you would live a long or OK length of life. That's one example from my culture how a birthday is a important part of our rites of passage, and that's way to me having the stage be a birthday party is a perfect connection to the title, of the this poem.

"Rites of Passage"

Let's talk about "Rites of Passage" on the blog:

1. Why do you think Olds calls the boys "men" (line 3)?

2. Interpret the imagery in the poem. You might discuss the smooth chins, the reflections in the pupils, the cake, etc.

3. Why do you think the "scene" of the poem is a birthday party? How is this significant to the poem?

4. Is this poem funny? Scary? Both? Neither?

5. The poems we read for Monday are about childhood experiences. How does "Rites of Passage" differ from them? How, for example, would the poem be different if it was in the voice of one of the "men" and not the parent?

Father and Son Relationship

When talking about this poem in class it really brought out the inner thoughts and I was so surprised that I actually said something about the reading. What really came to me as we discussed it was that I thought that it wasn't talking about being abusive and having an abusive father/son relationship. What came to me was that event though he said that the whiskey on your breath could make a small boy dizzy, the thought was like just a little scent of it would make any little boy dizzy so it didn't have to mean that the father was drunk. Something that made me think that he did drink and that he had a couple shots was that he's a hard working man, he's out all day, in the sun, in the weather, and coming home is his time to relax not get drunk. I also came to the thought that he was not abusing the boy I think that they were playing like tag, or you cant get me sort of game, having the pans fall to the floor, although we did discuss the sharp words I really don't have the picture of an abusive father. Being that part of when it says the hand that grabbed my wrist or something like that put the picture in my mind of, like oh man he's got me, and as he looked at his fathers hand he sees that harsh hurt, or a cut, and to any child that would be something painful and harsh. I may have left out the part of when he said he pounded them on my head or something, like it, I thought of a noggy, not anything More then playful. And the last sentence where he goes, clinging to his fathers shirt is just to me a father and son love, not a frightened one. I think that these thoughts came to me because I have all brothers and I guess that the culture that I come from we're rough people when we play but at all other times really really gentle. And that I just picture my dad and brothers, my dad doesn't drink but I've been around people that get into these situations and its nothing of abuse in there but fun. This is just my interpretation of this, and I hope it didn't offend anyone, but comment me OK. Thanks

That would of been good to know yesterday

The tragedy of Story of an Hour is not in death, or the destruction of the dream but rather the lack of communication that led to the dream.
Bearing the burden of delivering the death of someones loved one is not something I ever want to undertake, but if I did I would make sure I had all the information and know for a fact what I had to deliver was true. Even more so when the widow has health conditions of their own.
I understand that in this time period cell phones were not yet invented that being said you would think they would be even more cautious and detailed in finding this information. A second telegraph with a name is by no means absolute truth. It could be another man with the same name. Who had identified the body? How do you know he is even on the train in the first place?
Obviously he was not far if he walked home. The dream of Mrs. Mallard that in turn led to her untimely death would not of had its genesis if the informants were truly informed themselves.
Now Barry Mallard is the one left alone.

Killer Joy

Joy that kills, that’s kind of ironic huh? I will be honest I had to read this story more than once to fully understand it, because the end had me really saying what the heck. At first I thought that Mrs. Mallard was sad about her husband dying, which would be normal, but then I realized that she felt relived and maybe a little bit excited. Like many of the other women we have read about Mrs. Mallard feels trapped in her marriage and doesn’t feel she can live her life to the fulles. She now had the courage to go out and start her “new” life as a free independent woman. That didn’t have to live up to anybody’s expectations, but as Mrs. Mallard walked down the stairs a free woman, the sight of her not so dead husband stopped her dead in her tracks, literally. I agree with Sarah when she said that Mrs. Mallards longing for joy is what killed her, because she knew she could never have it if she lived. So when she died ultimately she was set free. 

Wanting What You Can't Have

I found it interesting in Storm that people always want something that is unattainable, something fun or secretive but is not conducive to their way of life. For instance, Calixta the mother of the house had this secret affair with Alce'e for a while that was fun and exciting, but she is a mother for heavens sake, she should love her child and her husband enough to not go looking for intimate comfort from anyone but her own husband.

But its always fun and exciting to want something you can't have isn't it? Girls always wish they had another girls body, or wish they had that persons car, or i wish i had his life..i would be soo much happier than i am now. But what we don't really understand is with every exciting alternative comes consequences and different life challenges, like Alce'e being married and having a child just like Claixta; if he would have been single it wouldn't have been as bad of a betrayal on Claixtas part.

Its silly for us to go looking outside of ourselves to find happiness simply because it looks more attractive than living our own lives. No matter how depressing or boring it may be, you make your own life and whether you are unhappy or not is entirely up to you. Alce'e & Calixta are obviously not happy or they would not have gone looking for MORE happiness outside of themselves.

I just thought that was an interesting take on this story; please share your comments with me on this story..

What the.....

This story really made me upset, The Storm although a natural thing made things that shouldn't have happened, happen. Then it made me realize the events that lead us to engage in other events. I think that this happened because of the weather, not saying that it was alright for Calixta to sleep with Alcee but it was a assistant to the murder. Or in other words a path leading to them having that affair, because of the situation of rain, cold, alone, and just needing comfort, this is way it happened. To answer your question is it in some situations alright to have an affair, my answer is no. No matter the weather, the anger, or the feeling of being alone one should never have an affair, no matter the type of relationship. Whether it be a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship or husband/wife, if you are in a relationship you should be faithful no matter what. These are my opinions on how you should act when in a relationship and my feelings towards having an affair.

She Found True Freedom...

I'm not going to say that the doctors were right about Mrs. Mallard's cause of death... I'm not convinced that they knew what her life must have been really been like. I agree with Tyson, in that a common theme in the stories we've read so far has been that women get the short end of the stick in marriage. Were the doctors women? Did they know what life was like for the female gender?

At any rate, Chopin's narrated illustrations helped me to understand that Mrs. Mallard had finally escaped from the oppression of her marriage. She had found freedom, and it was beautiful. It's easy to assume that she had wanted these things for a very long time and they were desires that plagued her. The plague of wishing and wanting freedom wasn't something she could just let go of. It had become an incurable disease.

The doctors said, "She died of heart disease--a joy that kills." I will agree with the doctors so far as to say that once we have something we've always wanted, it's hard to let it go. Mrs. Mallard had just started wrapping her fingers around what she had always wanted and seeing her husband alive was devastating. Here he was, back to be a part of her life again, and she could no longer give herself what she now needed to survive, but...her heart could. In order to find a freedom that could never be taken from her, she had to lose her life. Her heart's disease, a longing desire for an ultimate joy, killed her.

With her death, she found true freedom.

A modern Gentlemen

So i have a question that maybe so of you could help answer by giving me your opinions. I consider myself a gentlemen but i don't want to be to old fashioned and seem ignorant. My question is this " how does one know if he should be paying for things on a date or if he should let his date pay, or should it be 50/50?" I really don't know what to do lol. I have always felt like its the responsibility of the person who asked the other person out to pay for everything;however i don't want to be old fashioned and look like a moron. What are the kids doing now days? what should "A Modern Gentlemen" do?

isn't that ironic...

I thought it was really quiet funny that her husband wasn't actually dead. The majority of the story was focused on how happy she was that she was now free from his oppression or whatever, and then at the end after all the day dreaming he comes walking though the front door and she kills over, thats pretty funny. I think that i have made a connection with all the stories that we have read so far... i believe this pretty much sums it up "back in the day marriage sucked and women got the short end of the stick" correct me if i am wrong lol, but that seems to be the common theme in each of these stories.

Just Letting Go

In the story, “The Story of an Hour” Mrs. Mallard is happy that her husband dies. As she is sitting in the room by herself she ponders about a life that she can look forward to because there is no one holding her back. She has felt trapped during her marriage and finally has hope of a happy life that she deserves. The way the author describes the open square with trees, rain, singing, and sparrows seems to reflect the new Mrs. Mallard. It’s give the sense the life without worries that Mrs. Mallard was looking forward to.

At the end when she finds out that her husband is not dead I think she is over come with a lot of emotions. It was like everything that she had just imagined was taken from her in a second. There would be no more freedom and a life that she could live for herself instead of someone else. I think that this is what killed her. The fact of still being trapped was too much for her, and the feeling of helplessness was too much to handle and pushed her over the edge.

Emotion

It was different but liked how the author used , in this case the weather, to help the reader understand the emotions. It helped me to see what they were really feeling, in a tangible way. It is very hard to describe emotions in a way that paints a good picture, but the how he used the weather painted one well. Just reading about how violent the storm was in "The Storm" one can understand the emotions that was being produced by the Alcee and Calixta. But, once you live through a storm like that, one that is forcing you to go one way, and the other way is not a option, then the passion is so much more real. You understand the power and can feel the passion and power in that scene.
In regards to "The Story of an Hour" the blue sky that Mrs. Mallard see's, also helps the reader to understand in a deeper way what she is really feeling. The clouds of despair that had built up were slowly being broken by a fresh blue sky. One that it seems she hasn't seen for a while, and ti brings her hope.

Opening my Mind and Opening my Emotions

As I read the Story of an Hour, and thought of the things that this women went through and how she felt as we read of how her emotions are painted in your mind through the things that are going on around her. I feel that the line of the doctor in the ending saying, "she had died of heart disease-of joy that kills." This to me means that this women although was overwhelmed with the idea that her husband, her love was gone, had plans of her own. To live, and to be able to not have to worry about leaving anyone behind, having this feeling put her heart to ease, and made her feel as if she had no worries at all, to just live the rest of her days not worrying about anything but living the life that she wanted. Without anyone stopping her. And those words used by the doctor were words that did describe this women. Being, because although she had those plans, the joy of knowing that her love was still alive and that she wouldn't have to go through the rest of her life alone was a joy to know, and by knowing that I feel that it did kill her. This joy was a happiness to her but at the same time gave her the feeling of this killed her, with the overwhelming thought of everything, in its self.

Sorrow That Kills

I find it interesting that the doctors say Mrs. Mallard died of "heart disease- a joy that kills." I think she died simply because she was so happy to finally be free of her husband that when she sees him and realizes she is still under his jurisdiction, its too much for her to handle. Its kind of like when you make plans with someone and you are super excited for these plans to take place, and then at the last second they cancel on you.
Mrs. Mallard even says she didn't really love her husband that much, so at the news of his death, she didn't know how she was supposed to act. All the other women at this time period, if they got news that their husband's had died in war, basically fell apart. Mrs. Mallard on the other hand went crazy. She was looking forward to living for herself for the rest of her life and her husband coming back from the dead ruined all her plans.

Secrets washed away with the storm

Whenever there is a storm, or even just rain for that matter, once it is finished beating upon the earth it leaves everything new and cleansed. For a short time it comes, it's intense, then before you know it it's over and its like it never happened.
It's interesting to me how in that very same way Alcee storms into Calixta's house, the emotions and intensity rise, they satisfy their hormones, and before you know it, everything is as it once was. They both act is if nothing happened, neither one haunted by his or her conscience.
I believe that with the passing of the storm everyone was happy. Their is no sign of remorse on the part of Calixta nor on the part of Alcee. They both enjoyed the sudden events that took place. Bobinot is happy because upon arriving home he is embraced warmly by Calixta, there being no need for the any of the excuses he was stirring about. The little boy has no idea what's going on and is therefore happy as well. Alcee's wife is granted more time away seeing as how her husband is now pacified.
Apparently happiness abounds with the passing of the storm. Would it be that way if everyone was aware of what had just occured?? Most likely not, but the adulterous secret is washed away with the storm.

“The Storm” and “Story of an Hour”

Choose one of the following five prompts and respond to it on the blog. Remember that we are not turning in reading responses this week. Instead, we are discussing Chopin’s stories here.

1. Point to examples in both “The Storm” and “Story of an Hour” where Chopin uses the setting to reflect the emotions of the characters. Do you like this technique? How is it different than being told what the characters think and feel?

2. Interpret the last line of “The Storm”: “So the storm passed and everyone was happy.” Do you believe this? Has the storm passed? Is everyone better off and happier because of what has happened? I’m not looking for a specific answer. Respond to the story’s last line any way you wish.

3. This question is related to the last one. Can an affair actually be a good thing for a relationship in some cases?

4. The last line of “Story of an Hour” is, “When the doctors came they said she died of heart disease--of joy that kills.” Argue that the doctors were right about what Mrs. Mallard died of.

5. Who is more like Nora in A Doll’s House, Calixta or Mrs. Mallard? Point to specific examples when making your claim.

Thank you. Blog away!

Thougts On Nora

K so I haven't read Acts 2 and 3 yet but all of yesterday and today I have been thinking about this story!! ah it's driving me nuts so I thought I'd put my thoughts on the blog. 

There are so many different ways you can interpret different stories, as I was thinking about Ms. Linde and Nora and their conversation after Ms. Linde arrived I began to think that maybe growing up Nora has always felt inferior to Ms. Linde and always wanted to be more like her. That could be the reason why she goes off about herself to be like ha I feel like I have ALSO accomplished great things in my life. Nora definitely doesn't really know who she is and is trying to figure herself out. From what I have read I do think Nora has a good heart but is also selfish in a way and makes sure she gets the things that she wants. Oh and one other thought. Just because Nora didn't spend a lot of time with her kids in this act, doesn't mean that she doesn't. I thought it seemed she had a somewhat good relationship with her kids but she also had a lot on her mind which keeps her occupied with other things because she knows she needs to get it fixed. (I hope!)

ladeeda that's just what I have been thinking :)

A Doll's House, Acts II and III

1. To Europeans in the 19th century, the ending of A Doll’s House was scandalous. Although the play was popular, it was not socially accepted; much like Torvald, the European audience cared very much about appearances, and they did not want to endorse Ibsen’s ideas. The play was banned in Britain for many years. At the time, the marriage covenant was considered sacrosanct, beyond reproach, and Ibsen caused an outrage by portraying a dysfunctional relationship. Nora’s leaving at the end of the play was particularly scandalous. People rioted. In the German theater, the actors refused to perform the play as written, and the ending was altered. In the alternate version, Nora does not leave. She is forced to stay with Torvald and the children. Ibsen defended his original ending, writing in a letter, “I may almost say it was for the sake of the last scene that the whole play was written.” Why is this so? Why is the ending so important to the play? Why must Nora leave Torvald at the end in order for the play to be “true”? How would it be different if she stayed?

2. Why is Nora so upset when Rank declares his love for her? Why doesn’t she want to hear it? Use this example to discuss the theme of dream vs. reality.

3. On page 841, Nora tells Rank, “Well, you see, there are those people you love and those people you’d almost rather be with.” Interpret this statement. What does Nora mean? Do you think she still feels this way at the end of the play?

4. Do you think Mrs. Linde is justified in her actions on page 850? Krogstad offers to take the letter back, yet Kristine decides that “this unhappy secret must come out.” Is this her place to decide? Why is she interfering? Would you have done the same in her place? Why or why not?

5. Explain how the tarantella (a traditional Italian dance) and everything that surrounds its preparation, practice, and eventual performance can be viewed as a symbol for the change that is taking place in Nora.

6. At the end of the play, Nora speaks of the “miracle of miracles,” defining it as a “real marriage” rather than a relationship with a “stranger.” Do you think this “miracle” is possible for the Helmers? Do you think there is any chance for them in the future? Explain why or why not.

Thanks, and I'll see you on Monday.

Learning to Read

I was just thinking about how much reading we will be having in this class and it made me think about when i first started reading. Long and short of it is that i had a hard time reading as a child and grew to love reading. As i got into college all my reading classes became difficult because i was reading what most people would term "easy" books. But they were enjoyable for me to read and that was all that mattered.

Now that i have been in college for 2 years i have noticed a dramatic change in my reading comprehension and speed especially when i engage myself. I have noticed the most change while having started this class; because we are reading and writing every day. I am amazed at how much information i can retain and my reading speed from the stories we have been reading in class. The Doll house act 1 only took me about 20 ish minutes to read and i was thoroughly amazed with myself.

I was just wondering if any of you have noticed an improvement in your reading as you have grown up like me or what your experience with reading has been?

A Doll's House Act I

Good discussion today. I wish we would have had more time.

For Friday, please respond to one of the following prompts:

1. Do any of the characters in A Doll’s House remind you of other characters we’ve read about this semester? If so, explain which characters you are reminded of and why they come to mind.

2. On page 821, Nora says, “Torvald is a man with a good deal of pride—it would be terribly embarrassing and humiliating for him if he thought he owed anything to me. It would spoil everything between us; this happy home of ours would never be the same again.” In your opinion, what is this “happy home” built on? What hangs in the balance here? Why is Nora trying to protect her “big secret”?

3. Why do you think Nora confesses to forging her father’s signature when Krogstad confronts her about the date?

4. Choose five words to describe Nora in this first act and write a brief paragraph about each word, using examples from the play as illustrations.

The Yellow Wallpaper

Until further notice, you can get your writing prompts here as well as from Blackboard. A note on the responses: Please don’t spend time summarizing or retelling the story (I’ve read it; I know what happens). Instead, focus on your own ideas and interpretations, what you think is important. And, as always, please point to specific examples from the text when responding.

1. “The Yellow Wallpaper” was written in 1892. Is there anything in the story that seems contemporary? That is, does it remain relevant in 2009? Be specific.

2. “You think you have mastered it, but just as you get well under way in following, it turns a back-somersault and there you are. It slaps you in the face, knocks you down, and tramples upon you. It is like a bad dream” (771). On a very surface level, these lines are about the wallpaper, but what else could the narrator be describing?

3. How is the narrator of “The Yellow Wallpaper” similar to Minnie Wright in Trifles? How is she different?

4. Interpret some of the narrator’s descriptions of the wallpaper. What do you think the images are symbolic of?

5. What do you think the narrator is denied the very things she needs in order to feel better? Do you think John is intentionally trying to keep her ill? If not, why doesn’t he give her what she needs? Are there any clues in the story?

6. Where do you think the narrator is? What clues does Gilman give us, and why is the setting significant?

7. At the end of the story, the narrator feels like she has escaped from the paper. Has she?

Trifles

Apparently Blackboard is acting like a sick dog again, so rather than kick it while it's down, I'm going to put the prompts for Trifles here. See you tomorrow.

Please choose one of the following prompts and write a one-page response. As always, please point to specific examples from the text to help you make your points.

1. Interpret these lines from Trifles: “We all live close together and we live far apart. We all go through the same things—it’s all just a different kind of the same thing.” What does Mrs. Hale mean by this, and how does it relate to the play?

2. At the beginning of Trifles, Mrs. Peters seems to be on the side of the men, or at least willing to defend them. She almost seems “married to the law,” as her husband suggests. And yet, by the end of the story, she is willing to hide evidence that would probably convict Minnie Wright of murder. At what point, or points, in the play do you think Mrs. Peters begins to soften her attitude towards Minnie Wright? How do we account for this change?

3. A common kind of irony is dramatic irony, where the reader knows more about a situation or character than the characters in a story or play do. Point to some examples of dramatic irony in Trifles.

4. A literary symbol is something, usually an object, that stands for something else. For example, the pebble that Jimmy Cross carries with him is symbolic of Martha, his fantasies, his innocence, etc. Write about three symbols in Trifles and discuss what they are symbolic of.

5. Interpret the title of the play. Yes, the word “trifles” is used by Hales in the play, but so are lots of other words. Why is the word important enough to become the name of the play?

The Things They Carried

Well today was another fun filled day of conversation and ideas, but I again I didnt speak and I feel that the best way that I speak is here on the blog, but will try harder in class to project my voice and verbally share my thoughts. Anyways this reading I thought had nothing to do with war, I thought that it was all about the burdens that we carry in life and that all those things symbolized things in our lives that we have to think about. For example, the Bible was on thing that really stuck with me being that we all think about what is at the end for us and if religion is what we really need. The poncho the thing that they used as their homes, and it related to the things that our parents have to think about like a morgage and other things that come with a home. So really my insight on this story was actually what things they carried were linked to those things that in reality we really need to think about and burden our minds everyday as those things did the soliders in this short story.

Cathedral

Well in class today I had alot of insight and was able to see that there were alot of different view of this short story. But as we discussed we came to the themes of relationships and being blind. And what came to my mind as I sat there was that when we enter into a relationship whether it be a student-teacher relationship or a one-on-one relationship with someone we're interested in or someone we just met, we enter that relationship, blindly and how this is related to the story for me is that I think that by having the narrator draw that it open both the eyes of the narrator and the minds eyes of Robert of this friendship relationship that they were entering in at that moment in time. Well I hope this is something that all of you have thought of and if you have anything to add please do this hit a great spot for me as I related this part of the story with those relationships that we develope every day.

Prompt #1 - Cathedral

Normally I will be posting writing prompts on Blackboard only, but because some of you have had trouble logging on to Blackboard, I am posting this first prompt here as well.

Please write a one-page response to “Cathedral” based on one of the following six prompts. As I mentioned in class today, when you respond to a prompt, you don’t have to answer it exactly. It is meant to spur your thought process, not dictate your response. You certainly don’t need to quote the prompt or use its exact language. However, please do use specific examples from the story when responding.

1. Before Robert arrives, there is quite a long section of back story, where the narrator (we are not told his name) describes his wife’s relationship with Robert along with other details from her past. Why are these important to the story? How would the story be different if Carver began it when Robert is arriving?

2. How does the narrator feel about his wife’s past relationship with Robert? Is he jealous of Robert? Angry? Bitter? More importantly, why do you think he feels this way? What clues does Carver give us?

3. How does the narrator change in the story? Is he different at the end than he is at the beginning? If so, how? When does the change begin to occur? What causes it? Do you think it will last? Why or why not?

4. Interpret the story’s title. Does Carver choose it simply because there is a show about cathedrals on TV and because of the drawing? Or does Carver intend for it to mean more? Explain.

5. Why do you think Robert wants to draw a cathedral with the narrator? Does he really want to know what it looks like, or does he have other motivations?

6. How would you describe the narrator’s experience at the end of the story. Is it a spiritual experience? Is it a pot and alcohol-induced good time? Does it have anything to do with his wife? I’m not looking for any specific answer. I would genuinely like to hear your interpretation of the ending.

Thank you. I am looking forward to your responses.

-D