Hazel Tells LaVerne
Katharyn Howd Machan
I found that Katharyn Howd Machan conveyed Hazel Tells LaVerne as a quite humorous piece. Part of what created the poem's humor was the misspelling of words and the excessive usage of slang. I thought that this story was satirical toward fairytale stories. I felt as though it was making fun of "The Frog Prince" fairytale. Consequently, that just made the story a little bit funnier. "well i screams ya little green pervert an i hitsm with my mop.."(Howd Machan). The fact that she refers to a talking frog as 'a green pervert' made me laugh. I really thought that the improper use of grammar made the poem pretty funny. Most of the poems I have read have been gramtically correct for the most part and seeing a little of variation made it a little more enjoyable. I felt like Machan's humorous approach to poetry and satirical fairytales was very interesting and not typical in most poems.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Identity Unit Blog 4
Dream Deferred
Langston Hughes
I felt as though Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes was a very thought-provoking poem. Initially, I noticed that the poem started and ended with a question. I thought that this might have shown that each person could have had different inital and concluding thoughts upon reading the poem. Before learning that the author was African American, I felt as though the poem was put into a different perspective for me. I thought that maybe the poem stood for all of the dreams of African Americans that had to be put to rest because they simply did not have the right to pursue such things. Many of the dreams of African Americans did "fester like a sore"(Hughes, 805). Because of their race, they did not have the same freedoms as whites had to pursue their dreams. As a result, many African Americans had to settle. Consequently, their dreams were also compromised as well. I think that Hughes was speaking on behalf of all of the African Americans whose dreams were put to the side. This poem also serves as a type of warning for those who might be questioning the pursuit of their own dreams. Hughes is telling the reader that unless one pursues his dreams, the dream itself will dissipate somehow.
Langston Hughes
I felt as though Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes was a very thought-provoking poem. Initially, I noticed that the poem started and ended with a question. I thought that this might have shown that each person could have had different inital and concluding thoughts upon reading the poem. Before learning that the author was African American, I felt as though the poem was put into a different perspective for me. I thought that maybe the poem stood for all of the dreams of African Americans that had to be put to rest because they simply did not have the right to pursue such things. Many of the dreams of African Americans did "fester like a sore"(Hughes, 805). Because of their race, they did not have the same freedoms as whites had to pursue their dreams. As a result, many African Americans had to settle. Consequently, their dreams were also compromised as well. I think that Hughes was speaking on behalf of all of the African Americans whose dreams were put to the side. This poem also serves as a type of warning for those who might be questioning the pursuit of their own dreams. Hughes is telling the reader that unless one pursues his dreams, the dream itself will dissipate somehow.
Identity Unit Blog 3
Everyday Use
Alice Walker
As I read Everyday Use by Alice Walker, I found it to be extremely different from the other short story from this unit. Though there were some similar characteristics. Just like Interpreter of Maladies, Everyday Use had a variation of different types of characters throughout the story. I felt as though Maggie was a foil character in regards to her older sister, Dee. Both of the girls seemed very different to me. Maggie seemed slightly timid and a little bit clingy toward her childhood life. She seemed very wary of change and as I read the story, I could not help but feel a sense of pity for her. On the contrary, Dee was not timid at all. Ever since 'the fire' that was discussed in the story, Dee had a surge to create herself anew. She wanted to leave her old life behind and she even did so by creating a new name for herself, literally. Maggie is characterized as having her "chin on chest, eyes on ground, feet in shuffle..."(Walker, 175). She is indeed a foil character to her sister Dee who "was determined to stare down any disaster in her efforts" (Walker, 175). Both of these girls displayed their differences throughout the story. Walker's use of Maggie as a foil character makes the differences between Maggie and Dee more easily discernible.
Alice Walker
As I read Everyday Use by Alice Walker, I found it to be extremely different from the other short story from this unit. Though there were some similar characteristics. Just like Interpreter of Maladies, Everyday Use had a variation of different types of characters throughout the story. I felt as though Maggie was a foil character in regards to her older sister, Dee. Both of the girls seemed very different to me. Maggie seemed slightly timid and a little bit clingy toward her childhood life. She seemed very wary of change and as I read the story, I could not help but feel a sense of pity for her. On the contrary, Dee was not timid at all. Ever since 'the fire' that was discussed in the story, Dee had a surge to create herself anew. She wanted to leave her old life behind and she even did so by creating a new name for herself, literally. Maggie is characterized as having her "chin on chest, eyes on ground, feet in shuffle..."(Walker, 175). She is indeed a foil character to her sister Dee who "was determined to stare down any disaster in her efforts" (Walker, 175). Both of these girls displayed their differences throughout the story. Walker's use of Maggie as a foil character makes the differences between Maggie and Dee more easily discernible.
Identity Unit Blog 2
Interpreter of Maladies
Jhumpa Lahiri
I found that even though Interpreter of Maladies only had a few pivotal characters throughout the story, Lahiri was able to incorporate a dynamic character into the short story. I felt as though Mr. Kapasi was a dynamic character. Even though he was a tour guide when the story began and ended, his capricious opinions about Mrs. Das made his character dynamic. Near the beginning of the story, Mr. Kapasi felt as though "Mr. and Mrs. Das behaved like an older brother and sister, not parents" (Lahiri, 151). This was Mr. Kapasi's opinion of Mrs. Das early on in the story; however, his opinion changed drastically over the course of the story. Mr. Kapasi evolves into a dynamic character when his views of Mrs. Das become a little bit more romanticized when he imagines them exchanging letters with each other after she travels back home. "In time she would reveal the disappointment of her marriage, and he his. In this way their friendship would grow, and flourish" (Lahiri, 156). Mrs. Das's sudden interest in Mr. Kapasi began once he elaborated on his other job aside from a tourist. She had a new found fascination for him as an 'interpreter', so she felt as though she could explain all of her trivial problems to Mr. Kapasi and he in turn would assist her. However, he found this extremely insulting and lost all of his fantasizing views of Mrs. Das. If Mr. Kapasi had kept the same view of Mrs. Das throughout the entire story, then his course of action may have changed and he may have tried to pursue Mrs. Das. His inconsistent views of Mrs. Das are what make Mr. Kapasi a dynamic character.
Jhumpa Lahiri
I found that even though Interpreter of Maladies only had a few pivotal characters throughout the story, Lahiri was able to incorporate a dynamic character into the short story. I felt as though Mr. Kapasi was a dynamic character. Even though he was a tour guide when the story began and ended, his capricious opinions about Mrs. Das made his character dynamic. Near the beginning of the story, Mr. Kapasi felt as though "Mr. and Mrs. Das behaved like an older brother and sister, not parents" (Lahiri, 151). This was Mr. Kapasi's opinion of Mrs. Das early on in the story; however, his opinion changed drastically over the course of the story. Mr. Kapasi evolves into a dynamic character when his views of Mrs. Das become a little bit more romanticized when he imagines them exchanging letters with each other after she travels back home. "In time she would reveal the disappointment of her marriage, and he his. In this way their friendship would grow, and flourish" (Lahiri, 156). Mrs. Das's sudden interest in Mr. Kapasi began once he elaborated on his other job aside from a tourist. She had a new found fascination for him as an 'interpreter', so she felt as though she could explain all of her trivial problems to Mr. Kapasi and he in turn would assist her. However, he found this extremely insulting and lost all of his fantasizing views of Mrs. Das. If Mr. Kapasi had kept the same view of Mrs. Das throughout the entire story, then his course of action may have changed and he may have tried to pursue Mrs. Das. His inconsistent views of Mrs. Das are what make Mr. Kapasi a dynamic character.
Identity Unit Blog 1
Interpreter of Maladies
Jhumpa Lahiri
As I read the short story, Interpreter of Maladies, I noticed Lahiri's use of the literary technique of characterization. There were several points throughout the story where Lahiri revealed a great deal about the characters which really helped me to understand the background of the story a little better. When the Das family had first arrived, the characterization was revealed in the form of Mr. Das's clothing. "He had a sapphire blue visor, and was dressed in shorts, sneakers, and a T-shirt. The camera slung around his neck, with an impressive telephoto lens and numerous buttons and markings, was the only complicated thing he wore"(Lahiri, 148). This way in which Lahiri uses characterization reveals that Mr. Das seems to come off as the typical tourist. After reading this description of Mr. Das, I was able to picture what I thought he would look like. By describing the clothing that Mr. Das was wearing, Lahiri was able to utilize characterization in an effective way. Lahiri describes Mrs. Das's appearance as well, which reveals a great deal about her character also. Mr. Kapasi is also described in what he is wearing. Lahiri proves that through the revealing of something as menial as clothing can contribute a great deal to characterization in a story.
Jhumpa Lahiri
As I read the short story, Interpreter of Maladies, I noticed Lahiri's use of the literary technique of characterization. There were several points throughout the story where Lahiri revealed a great deal about the characters which really helped me to understand the background of the story a little better. When the Das family had first arrived, the characterization was revealed in the form of Mr. Das's clothing. "He had a sapphire blue visor, and was dressed in shorts, sneakers, and a T-shirt. The camera slung around his neck, with an impressive telephoto lens and numerous buttons and markings, was the only complicated thing he wore"(Lahiri, 148). This way in which Lahiri uses characterization reveals that Mr. Das seems to come off as the typical tourist. After reading this description of Mr. Das, I was able to picture what I thought he would look like. By describing the clothing that Mr. Das was wearing, Lahiri was able to utilize characterization in an effective way. Lahiri describes Mrs. Das's appearance as well, which reveals a great deal about her character also. Mr. Kapasi is also described in what he is wearing. Lahiri proves that through the revealing of something as menial as clothing can contribute a great deal to characterization in a story.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Perrine Blog
I found Perrine's article to be extremely insightful and helpful in interpretting poetry. After reading this article, I was able to understand that my interpretations of the poems in class were not entirely correct. I would have never guessed that Melville's poem had anything to do with the stars and constellations. However, Perrine states that "there are no correct or incorrect readings: there are only readings which differ more or less widely from a statistical norm." Though I feel that correct and incorrect interpretations of poetry exist, I believe that the interpretation of poetry is subject to change depending on the reader. I agree with Perrine that the interpretation of poetry can be judeged based off of two criteria: all details must be accounted for and too many assumptions cannot be made. Once too many assumptions are made, the validity of the interpretation becomes less reliable. All details are put in poems for a particular reason, the reader cannot just disregard details that they find inconsequential.
Many of Perrine's tools he uses when interpretting poetry are quite useful in my opinion. For example, I really enjoyed his thoughts on the usage of symbols in poems. As he analyzed Blake's poem, he stated that symbols can have many different interpretations, but they must all have the same general meaning. For example, the rose must stand for something "good" or "innocent", and the worm must stand for something "bad" or "deceitful." I believe that symbol interpretations can be multiple, but misinterpretting the symbols could lead to a false interpretation of the poem itself. Each person will interpret the symbols different, and as a result, there interpretations of their poems as a whole may differ. I think one problem I had with figuring the meaning of symbols was that my interpretations were too literal. I think that after reading this article, my interpretations of poetry will be more valid.(hopefully!)
Many of Perrine's tools he uses when interpretting poetry are quite useful in my opinion. For example, I really enjoyed his thoughts on the usage of symbols in poems. As he analyzed Blake's poem, he stated that symbols can have many different interpretations, but they must all have the same general meaning. For example, the rose must stand for something "good" or "innocent", and the worm must stand for something "bad" or "deceitful." I believe that symbol interpretations can be multiple, but misinterpretting the symbols could lead to a false interpretation of the poem itself. Each person will interpret the symbols different, and as a result, there interpretations of their poems as a whole may differ. I think one problem I had with figuring the meaning of symbols was that my interpretations were too literal. I think that after reading this article, my interpretations of poetry will be more valid.(hopefully!)
Thursday, August 9, 2012
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