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.