Alright because I'm going with initial reaction now I'll tell you exactly what I thought when I was finished reading this.
Well damn.
probably more like "well daaayyyum" if I'm being completely honest.
A couple has gone to Africa for a Safari. They are not happy together but they both know that they're stuck. When Fancis went to hung the lion he shot him but the lion went into the brush. Their hunger, Wilson, pointed out how no one likes to go in after a lion because you don't know where he is until you're on him. The group goes in to look for the lion, as Macomber's wife waits in the car. When Francis sees the lion he runs away as the others shoot him. This is one of the most embarrassing moments of his life. Later back at camp his wife pretends to put it our of her head, as does Wilson but Macomber couldn't get it out. Later that night Macomber woke up and his wife wasn't there, but when she returns he know immediately what she had been doing. She had slept with Wilson and he was furious. Francis wanted to talk about it just then but she said in a very sweet tone that she didn't want to and fell asleep. In the morning Francis made it so clear how much he hated Wilson and his wife was a very fake nice once again. They both knew that neither would leave each other. When they went out for the day's hunt his wife again came along. This time Francis show the buffalo and had such a high. He immediately go confidence and his wife noticed. One of the buffalo had gone into the brush and the men had to go in and look for it to kill it. This time Francis wasn't scared and he went in to help. the men were shooting the buffalo, when all of the sudden the wife shot a bullet from the gun in the car and it struck Francis and killed him. Wilson said "don't worry people will think it was an accident," different sayings like that. Macomber's wife is sobbing and telling Wilson to shut up but he wont, and she says please shut up and he says thank you that was much better.
I knew something was going to happen as soon as the wife noticed the confidence that Francis had gotten from the kill. She was in control until that moment. She could do whatever she wanted because she knew that he wasn't going anywhere, that they were both stuck. Yet, when Francis realized that he had confidence and could leave his wife and still had time to find someone it was apparent. Wilson even said at the end, "he would have left you." It's like the kill was so eye opening for him, he didn't have to be controlled by his wife and didn't have to put up with the way she treated him. His wife was so comfortable with this relationship because she knew he wouldn't leave her, and she couldn't leave him because she had passed her prime. That's why she felt she could sleep with Wilson because she completely dominated the relationship. Whatever she said or did Francis had to go along with it and had to be okay with it because he was stuck.
But not anymore, and he knew it and she knew it. So she had to stop it from happening. Now that he was dead people will feel sorry for her that her husband died. Not looking at the fact that it wasn't an accident at all.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Langston Hughes
Theme for English B
This poem is so simply and honestly put that it's purity becomes complex. He addresses that he does not know who he is at 22, but he does know he's Harlem. He is the only black student in his class, the only one to know what it's like. He points out that being colored doesn't make him not like the same things as other people of different races, but he is different. We are all a part of each other, that is America. America is many different races, whether we want to be or not...we are. We all learn from each other, no matter color or age. Freedom, freedom is what white's have and black's are still fighting for to this day.
The lines where he says:
"As I learn from you,
I guess you learn from me---
although you're older---and white---
and somewhat more free."
gave me chills.
As I said before this is so simply put and yet hits so hard and is so true that you can't help but lose your breath. To this day saying everyone is equal is impossible, but being the only black in a room full of whites would intimidate me and make me uncomfortable. Yet this man does it and he has no problem saying exactly how it is.
Harlem
At first when I read this I didn't really know where to start. Then I remember the title "Harlem" and where that is and what happens there. In Harlem everyone starts with a dream, and as the years go on those dreams disappear when reality sets in. There are gangs, children to feed and people to take care of so the dreams of individuals to get out of Harlem or make a difference are quickly forgotten in order for things to be taken care of. Being in a place and just sitting down and observing and seeing that everyone around you has given up a dream for someone or something else is eye opening. So what happens to these dreams that everyone gave up? Where do they go?
This poem is so simply and honestly put that it's purity becomes complex. He addresses that he does not know who he is at 22, but he does know he's Harlem. He is the only black student in his class, the only one to know what it's like. He points out that being colored doesn't make him not like the same things as other people of different races, but he is different. We are all a part of each other, that is America. America is many different races, whether we want to be or not...we are. We all learn from each other, no matter color or age. Freedom, freedom is what white's have and black's are still fighting for to this day.
The lines where he says:
"As I learn from you,
I guess you learn from me---
although you're older---and white---
and somewhat more free."
gave me chills.
As I said before this is so simply put and yet hits so hard and is so true that you can't help but lose your breath. To this day saying everyone is equal is impossible, but being the only black in a room full of whites would intimidate me and make me uncomfortable. Yet this man does it and he has no problem saying exactly how it is.
Harlem
At first when I read this I didn't really know where to start. Then I remember the title "Harlem" and where that is and what happens there. In Harlem everyone starts with a dream, and as the years go on those dreams disappear when reality sets in. There are gangs, children to feed and people to take care of so the dreams of individuals to get out of Harlem or make a difference are quickly forgotten in order for things to be taken care of. Being in a place and just sitting down and observing and seeing that everyone around you has given up a dream for someone or something else is eye opening. So what happens to these dreams that everyone gave up? Where do they go?
Countee Cullen
Yet Do I Marvel
I was a little confused reading this at first. I’m still not super for sure what’s being written about. The writer is saying that they don’t doubt that God is good, but if He’s so good then why is a mole blind, why must his Son die, why is Sisphus destined to such an awful fate. If God is so good then why do these things still occur. We are have too petty of minds to look at the brain that God has that has such an awful hand. So why does God make bad things happen if He’s so good?
Heritage
Looking at their heritage what is Africa to them? They have been three centuries removed from the land that their father loved. They lie there all day listening to the different sounds of birds, herds and trampling in the grass. When thumbs are pressed against the ears, they can still hear the beat of drums. Africa is the book that one thumbs through until they fall asleep(people often forget of them), people forget about the bats that circle through the night, the cats that stalk their fleshy prey that feeds by the river bank, the snakes that shed but once a year. There they lie not finding peace from the pounding feet, up and down and treading out a jungle track. Lying never safely from the rain as it comes at night and during the day. Next he turns away from the heathen gods and goes to christianity. His conversion being high priced, but now being taught humility through christianity. Sometimes feeling as though if God/Jesus was black he would feel more comfortable, like they were born a kindred spirit. At his sometimes impatience and dark moments he asks for forgiveness. In the end I feel like he is saying that everyone is civilized but he hasn't realized it.
I was a little confused reading this at first. I’m still not super for sure what’s being written about. The writer is saying that they don’t doubt that God is good, but if He’s so good then why is a mole blind, why must his Son die, why is Sisphus destined to such an awful fate. If God is so good then why do these things still occur. We are have too petty of minds to look at the brain that God has that has such an awful hand. So why does God make bad things happen if He’s so good?
Heritage
Looking at their heritage what is Africa to them? They have been three centuries removed from the land that their father loved. They lie there all day listening to the different sounds of birds, herds and trampling in the grass. When thumbs are pressed against the ears, they can still hear the beat of drums. Africa is the book that one thumbs through until they fall asleep(people often forget of them), people forget about the bats that circle through the night, the cats that stalk their fleshy prey that feeds by the river bank, the snakes that shed but once a year. There they lie not finding peace from the pounding feet, up and down and treading out a jungle track. Lying never safely from the rain as it comes at night and during the day. Next he turns away from the heathen gods and goes to christianity. His conversion being high priced, but now being taught humility through christianity. Sometimes feeling as though if God/Jesus was black he would feel more comfortable, like they were born a kindred spirit. At his sometimes impatience and dark moments he asks for forgiveness. In the end I feel like he is saying that everyone is civilized but he hasn't realized it.
Talking about his heritage is interesting from the different descriptions of everything experienced in Africa. The end is what is interesting to me and what I wonder about. Is he saying that he hasn't realized that everyone is civilized just in different ways? Talking about Africa he seems like his nose is up to the way of life there because they sleep in the rain and there's the continual beat and nothing really modern. I feel like he's saying we're all civilized but being civilized is different depending where you go. Just feelings and guesses :)
T. S. Eliot "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
Beginning translation: If I believed my answer was to a person who'd ever get back to the world, this flame would keep still without moving any further. But since from those undergrounds no one has ever come back alive, if I hear what's true, I answer you without fear of infamy.
This seems super sad to me, not like what I expect a love poem to be about at all. He keeps talking about his age, line 41-42, 43-44, 120. At the beginning he is saying there will be time to do different things. This made me feel like he was growing older throughout the poem or is writing this with age and looking back on his younger times. I was also thinking that maybe he’s talking to someone who he loves, but isn’t in love with. For instance, maybe this is written to his daughter and he’s telling her that there is always time to live and not to grow up too fast, that he won’t be here forever so he has to tell her everything before he’s gone which is why he’s getting older. He could be saying that there are always people that will think that they’re better than others and not to let that fool you or change who you are. I was also thinking that maybe he was afraid to love which is why he was always asking the reader is it worth it? He didn't know whether the risk of doing anything was worth it and so he watched his life pass by.
The times where he says “In the room the women come and go Talking of Michelangelo,” makes me feel like he’s surrounded by people in different classes, and those of lower classes try to show that they’re in higher classes, that they fit in.
This seems super sad to me, not like what I expect a love poem to be about at all. He keeps talking about his age, line 41-42, 43-44, 120. At the beginning he is saying there will be time to do different things. This made me feel like he was growing older throughout the poem or is writing this with age and looking back on his younger times. I was also thinking that maybe he’s talking to someone who he loves, but isn’t in love with. For instance, maybe this is written to his daughter and he’s telling her that there is always time to live and not to grow up too fast, that he won’t be here forever so he has to tell her everything before he’s gone which is why he’s getting older. He could be saying that there are always people that will think that they’re better than others and not to let that fool you or change who you are. I was also thinking that maybe he was afraid to love which is why he was always asking the reader is it worth it? He didn't know whether the risk of doing anything was worth it and so he watched his life pass by.
The times where he says “In the room the women come and go Talking of Michelangelo,” makes me feel like he’s surrounded by people in different classes, and those of lower classes try to show that they’re in higher classes, that they fit in.
T. S. Eliot "The Wasteland"
Well wasn't this just the most confusing piece to read on the planet? I kind of just want to make my blog post a large question mark and leave it at that:
?
but I won't.
This is split into five different sections, though it didn't help me a bit. The titles didn't always make sense compared to what was written in that section. There are many different ideas talked about ranging all over the spectrum. The meaning behind a lot is lost on me because I don't read poetry well. The way in which he wrote changed at different parts of the poem, which also threw me off.
Section 4 seemed very sad to me, and it also confused me. Being dead totally sucks, but are these two dead dead or just dead inside? They have been dead for a fortnight(line 313) but talking about he passed the stages of his youth and entered a whirlpool. To me this seemed like they fell into a bad drinking habit maybe(hints death by water?) and then they looked back on their lives and the different stages all while or before being swept into the whirlpool of drinking and spinning around in this habit just stuck and can't get out. I was got caught in a whirl pool just off the coast when I was younger and I couldn't get out, only when I was pulled out by my oldest brother was I free from the encircling fear that I had.
?
but I won't.
This is split into five different sections, though it didn't help me a bit. The titles didn't always make sense compared to what was written in that section. There are many different ideas talked about ranging all over the spectrum. The meaning behind a lot is lost on me because I don't read poetry well. The way in which he wrote changed at different parts of the poem, which also threw me off.
Section 4 seemed very sad to me, and it also confused me. Being dead totally sucks, but are these two dead dead or just dead inside? They have been dead for a fortnight(line 313) but talking about he passed the stages of his youth and entered a whirlpool. To me this seemed like they fell into a bad drinking habit maybe(hints death by water?) and then they looked back on their lives and the different stages all while or before being swept into the whirlpool of drinking and spinning around in this habit just stuck and can't get out. I was got caught in a whirl pool just off the coast when I was younger and I couldn't get out, only when I was pulled out by my oldest brother was I free from the encircling fear that I had.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Mark Twain
The War Prayer begins with the excitement and patriotism that is going on during this time. The pride of fathers, mothers, sisters and sweethearts of the soldiers who are being sent off to war and those who are coming home. The town will send off troops the next morning so they gather in the church to pray, they pray that their men seek victory and that they will do things to bring pride to their family. During this church service an old man comes into the church and stops the pastor and begins to talk. He says that with these things the congregation prays for there is also an opposite. He says if you pray for your men to win then you are also praying for others to lose their lives, homes and food. There is always an opposite side to what you are praying for. When the man left it was said that he was a lunatic because he didn't make any sense.
This is an interesting look at religion and people of every time period. This old man is incredibly right in that when you pray for something good to happen to you, you are also praying inadvertently that something not so good happens to someone else. Whether it be something less important like rain for a crop, or more serious like someone's life and shelter after battle. The people called him a lunatic because he didn't make sense, but I think what's really happening is that they don't want to look at themselves as anything but good Christian folk. In the bible God says to look at the log in your eye before pointing out the sick in someone else's, I think this is where Christians have difficulty in this story. If these people were to actually think about what this "lunatic" of a man said they might try to just pray in a way that won't also be taking away from someone else.
This is an interesting look at religion and people of every time period. This old man is incredibly right in that when you pray for something good to happen to you, you are also praying inadvertently that something not so good happens to someone else. Whether it be something less important like rain for a crop, or more serious like someone's life and shelter after battle. The people called him a lunatic because he didn't make sense, but I think what's really happening is that they don't want to look at themselves as anything but good Christian folk. In the bible God says to look at the log in your eye before pointing out the sick in someone else's, I think this is where Christians have difficulty in this story. If these people were to actually think about what this "lunatic" of a man said they might try to just pray in a way that won't also be taking away from someone else.
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