It's hard for me to recommend a piece of fiction that we have read to a friend because both my friends and I are not avid readers. We tend to spend most of out time doing physical activities, leaving very little time to sit down and read for pleasure. Knowing this, I would still not be ashamed to strongly recommend Alexie's "Flight Patterns" to my good friends. I believe this is a story that is not difficult at all to read or understand, somewhat short and to the point, and its message is an extremely powerful one.
"Flight Patterns" is a story of the many perspectives of the world, deep character insight, and deals with every day stereotypes that civilization continually struggles with. "Flight Patterns" starts off giving detail about the main character, William, and his family situation. William is constantly on business trips, leaving his wife and daughter behind him as he travels the country selling his ideas. I'm sure many of us can relate to watching our parents leave for multiple extended periods of time that they call "business trips," possibly causing dilemmas to arise around the household. The story looks through the eyes of William as it analyzes both his view of the situation and the possible thoughts of his family. I really like this concept of taking multiple perspectives and bringing up tough questions, such as which view is more valid, and also the concerns for the family. The story then dives into the stereotype genre and makes a very clean attempt on looking at why stereotypes arise and how we can lessen their impacts.
The other literary element that is making me want to recommend this story is that of character development. For such a short tale, "Flight Patterns" dives deep into the readers mind as it portrays the similar and yet totally different characters, William and Fekadu. The simplicity of their concersations makes for an easy read, but contemplating and understanding the arguments and questions that arise can leave a reader puzzled for a long time. "Flight Patterns" is easy to relate to, as stereotypes are everywhere in contemporary society, and that is why I would strongly recommend this story to any of my overly-stressed college friends.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Turkey Has Accepted Your Friend Request
In the story “Bartleby, The Scrivener” by Herman Melville, there is a character who is an extremely proficient scrivener in the mornings. As the day goes on, he becomes clumsy and unproductive due to his consumption of alcohol.
Turkey’s facebook profile page would be very similar to one of a person who thinks very highly of himself, but at the same time has some very funny drunk photos. Turkey’s photo would most likely be oh him sampling a very expensive wine. Being that he is also an older fellow, he would be relaxing on a large sofa recliner with a pipe in his mouth to make him look sophisticated and intelligent as he ponders the toughest questions in life. Turkey would list his university association, his birthday (everyone does), and his relationship status (most likely not married because he is working as a scrivener in his retirement). Turkey has many photos with his friends and family, and occasionally you will run into a photo of him “hammered” or causing problems in the workplace or at home. He posts wall comments and sends messages to friends, but that only occurs in the mornings, and when he does make posts in the afternoon, they are full of spelling and grammatical errors. His status consists of statements about how he hates his co-worker, Bartleby, and how he hates the words, “I would prefer not to.” Nippers or Ginger-Nut have tagged Turkey in a video or two of him acting very clumsy and getting pissed-off at some rather funny situations.
I chose to describe Turkey’s profile as such because the Lawyer describes Turkey as a very efficient worker in the mornings, but as the afternoon arrives, he becomes gawky and unable to complete tasks. Turkey is an older man, and that is why I felt like he is sophisticated and sees himself as a better scrivener than Bartleby or Nippers. I chose for him to not be married because most people are retired by the time they are sixty or older, and for him to be working as a legal document copier shows that he has not been very successful in life. Turkey is a very unique minor character in this story, and that is why I was so intrigued to write about him.
Turkey’s facebook profile page would be very similar to one of a person who thinks very highly of himself, but at the same time has some very funny drunk photos. Turkey’s photo would most likely be oh him sampling a very expensive wine. Being that he is also an older fellow, he would be relaxing on a large sofa recliner with a pipe in his mouth to make him look sophisticated and intelligent as he ponders the toughest questions in life. Turkey would list his university association, his birthday (everyone does), and his relationship status (most likely not married because he is working as a scrivener in his retirement). Turkey has many photos with his friends and family, and occasionally you will run into a photo of him “hammered” or causing problems in the workplace or at home. He posts wall comments and sends messages to friends, but that only occurs in the mornings, and when he does make posts in the afternoon, they are full of spelling and grammatical errors. His status consists of statements about how he hates his co-worker, Bartleby, and how he hates the words, “I would prefer not to.” Nippers or Ginger-Nut have tagged Turkey in a video or two of him acting very clumsy and getting pissed-off at some rather funny situations.
I chose to describe Turkey’s profile as such because the Lawyer describes Turkey as a very efficient worker in the mornings, but as the afternoon arrives, he becomes gawky and unable to complete tasks. Turkey is an older man, and that is why I felt like he is sophisticated and sees himself as a better scrivener than Bartleby or Nippers. I chose for him to not be married because most people are retired by the time they are sixty or older, and for him to be working as a legal document copier shows that he has not been very successful in life. Turkey is a very unique minor character in this story, and that is why I was so intrigued to write about him.
link for photo:
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Montresor, the Lying Psycopath
Remembering details, coupled with the act of consuming alcohol never go well together. Alcohol, when consumed, affects the cerebrum, which is the part of the brain responsible for motor movements, balance, and coordination. After the cerebrum has been partially shutdown, alcohol has an effect on the hippocampus, slowing down encoding, and has the potential to completely turn off the hippocampus. This part of your brain is used for creating lasting images and emotions known as MEMORY. In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado”, the narrator, Montresor, consumes a large quantity of wine and in doing so, makes it extremely difficult for me to believe his story on the murder of Fortunato.
Montresor states while guiding Fortunato through the catacombs, “My own fancy grew warm with the Medoc” (129), and right away destroys any notion of remembering the murder with such vivid detail as he has presented. Details can easily be imagined and presented in a convincing matter, but when we know of the consumption of alcohol during Montresor’s encoding period, there leaves little doubt of his lack of integrity. In addition, we are never told of exactly what Fortunato had done to Montresor to bring about this lethal plot. The beginning lines pronounce, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge” (127). This insult had to be the worst thing that could possibly be spoken to bring about a desire to kill the speaker, and I simply don’t believe this is the reason for the wasting of Fortunato. Finally, Montresor describes Fortunato literally sucking down a bottle of “De Grave” when he says, “He emptied it at a breath” (129). This Fortunato character was described as a connoisseur of wine, and I know by my parents’ own actions that wine is to be sipped and enjoyed due to its rich flavor and scent. Someone who takes pride in wine would not quickly swallow a bottle of wine, regardless of the make.
Having said all this, I do not believe Montresor, or his murderous tail of Fortunato. In fact, I believe Montresor to be a psychopath for the simple reason that he does not ever regret his actions. “My heart grew sick; it was the dampness of the catacombs that made it so” (131). Details can be thought up, but the loopholes in this story cause credibility to be “thrown out the window.”
Poe, Edgar Allen. “The Cask of Amontillado”. The Norton Introduction To Literature. Allison Booth, J. Paul Hunter, Kelly J. Mays.-9th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2005.
Montresor states while guiding Fortunato through the catacombs, “My own fancy grew warm with the Medoc” (129), and right away destroys any notion of remembering the murder with such vivid detail as he has presented. Details can easily be imagined and presented in a convincing matter, but when we know of the consumption of alcohol during Montresor’s encoding period, there leaves little doubt of his lack of integrity. In addition, we are never told of exactly what Fortunato had done to Montresor to bring about this lethal plot. The beginning lines pronounce, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge” (127). This insult had to be the worst thing that could possibly be spoken to bring about a desire to kill the speaker, and I simply don’t believe this is the reason for the wasting of Fortunato. Finally, Montresor describes Fortunato literally sucking down a bottle of “De Grave” when he says, “He emptied it at a breath” (129). This Fortunato character was described as a connoisseur of wine, and I know by my parents’ own actions that wine is to be sipped and enjoyed due to its rich flavor and scent. Someone who takes pride in wine would not quickly swallow a bottle of wine, regardless of the make.
Having said all this, I do not believe Montresor, or his murderous tail of Fortunato. In fact, I believe Montresor to be a psychopath for the simple reason that he does not ever regret his actions. “My heart grew sick; it was the dampness of the catacombs that made it so” (131). Details can be thought up, but the loopholes in this story cause credibility to be “thrown out the window.”
Poe, Edgar Allen. “The Cask of Amontillado”. The Norton Introduction To Literature. Allison Booth, J. Paul Hunter, Kelly J. Mays.-9th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2005.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Introduction for "Diving into the Wreck"
When the word “ocean” is heard in one’s ear, one may think of the Pacific Ocean, or possibly the Atlantic Ocean. Others may picture the ocean, with waves crashing into the shore, causing bubbles to form as the salt-water hits the small rocks. The almost black water slowly creeping in, changing to lighter colors as it transforms from dark-blue to a lighter blue, and then to a greenish-blue. Additional sights could be dolphin fins off towards the horizon, or a small fishing boat where a father and son are enjoying the day, bonding and fishing for the local catch. One may think of the sounds of the ocean, as seagulls fly overhead letting out their somewhat annoying cackles, while children play in the sand with their toys, building sand-castles and burying their parents and siblings in the warm sand. The sounds of the shore are incredibly peaceful, and the ocean has always been a symbol of a site where fun experiences and love are shared between people.
Through all the joyous thoughts of the ocean, it’s easy to forget how dangerous and frightening this place can be. Conflicting images of the blissful ideas of the ocean could be tsunamis, tidal waves, hurricanes, and the overall brute strength of the ocean. Lives can be lost so easily in the unrelenting body of water known as the sea, and the strains that may occur to survive are an incredible concept. In the poem “Diving into the Wreck” by Adrienne Rich, we are presented with images of a “shipwreck,” the “dive,” and the “speaker” herself. These images are seen as their true identities in the beginning stanzas of the poem as the speaker suits up and plunges into the ocean to view the shipwreck at the bottom of the sea. As we read further into Rich’s poem, these images begin to show their alternate meanings as the “shipwreck” becomes the feminist movement, the “dive” becomes the struggle for equality and social rights for all females, and the “speaker” loses her identity as she is lost in this ongoing struggle. There are many other symbols in “Diving into the Wreck” that support the feminist movement and express gratitude to all those who have tirelessly labored for the success of the movement and fought to acquire equality in all aspects of female life.
Through all the joyous thoughts of the ocean, it’s easy to forget how dangerous and frightening this place can be. Conflicting images of the blissful ideas of the ocean could be tsunamis, tidal waves, hurricanes, and the overall brute strength of the ocean. Lives can be lost so easily in the unrelenting body of water known as the sea, and the strains that may occur to survive are an incredible concept. In the poem “Diving into the Wreck” by Adrienne Rich, we are presented with images of a “shipwreck,” the “dive,” and the “speaker” herself. These images are seen as their true identities in the beginning stanzas of the poem as the speaker suits up and plunges into the ocean to view the shipwreck at the bottom of the sea. As we read further into Rich’s poem, these images begin to show their alternate meanings as the “shipwreck” becomes the feminist movement, the “dive” becomes the struggle for equality and social rights for all females, and the “speaker” loses her identity as she is lost in this ongoing struggle. There are many other symbols in “Diving into the Wreck” that support the feminist movement and express gratitude to all those who have tirelessly labored for the success of the movement and fought to acquire equality in all aspects of female life.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
The Juggernaut
Many of you do not know my I.D.,But look at me and you’ll never forget,
Get in my way and you’ll fall, guarantee,
I run through walls without breaking a sweat.
I’m huge, I’m red, my outfit is metal,
View me with fear, because everyone does,
Most shall see, I weigh more than a petal,
If you’re hit, your head will be in a buzz.
Many have died trying to slow me down,
It takes some time for me to get going,
As I watch people fly, I do not frown,
If I’m angry, fists I’ll be throwing.
I am the juggernaut; I’ll say it loud,
I’m strong as an ox; I’ll run over a crowd.
I chose to write about the DC Comics character, Juggernaut, for two main reasons. One, he is not very well known by most of society, and two, this was my nickname in high school. People used to and still call me this because when I played football I was hard to tackle, and in baseball I was considered a power-hitter. Some of the football guys on varsity during my junior year said I reminded them of the juggernaut for how I ran when I had possession of the ball, and the name has stuck with me ever since. As far as the poem goes, I have never written one in my life before, so I have attempted a sonnet. I focused mostly on the rhyme scheme and making sure each line had ten syllables. Other than that, the poem basically describes what the character looks like and what he does, and that is run over and through things.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
The Tyger
William Blake’s poem “The Tyger” is a compilation of questions about a tiger from a child’s perspective that one may find frustrating due to there being no answers coming from the text. There are also many paradoxes and contradictions presented from the questions pointed towards this amazing creature. The main contradiction I saw in this poem is how the tiger was made, and looking at the spelling of “tyger” and our prompt, I believe the “tyger” is a symbol for the industrial revolution or the advancing of technology in today’s society.
In the beginning of the poem, the speaker lays down imagery of the tyger, describing it as a ferocious beast, and something to gaze in awe upon. In the fourth stanza, the reader is presented with many questions about the creation of this unique creature: “What the hammer? What the chain?/ In what furnace was thy brain?/ What the anvil? What dread grasp/ Dare its deadly terrors clasp?” These questions reference many tools that a blacksmith would use, and going along with the paradoxes, I interpreted this as the “tyger” being the symbol for industrialization. In stanza three, the speaker asks, “And what shoulder, & what art,/ Could twist the sinews of thy heart?” I believe the speaker, or possibly Blake is referencing industrialization and putting a negative connotation on it. In addition, in line twenty the speaker asks, “Did he who made the Lamb make thee?” Looking at this line, I noticed “Lamb” is capitalized, and I believe there is another symbol here, possibly being that the lamb is the innocence and beauty of nature and it’s creations. The comparison of the tyger and the lamb furthers the harmful outlook of the tyger, or the advancing technology of the modern world. The speaker is making a case that modern technology is becoming a very hazardous and detrimental cause in today’s society. Finally, looking at the nursery rhyme characteristics of the poem and the repetition of the first and last stanzas, I believe the speaker wants to make his message easier to understand for the youth so that our coming generations do not continue on this terrible course. The speaker wants everyone to be able to look at this robotic tiger and see that nature did not create it, but rather man did, and nothing good will come out if it.
Blake, William. “The Tyger”. The Norton Introduction To Literature. Allison Booth, J. Paul Hunter, Kelly J. Mays.-9th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2005.
In the beginning of the poem, the speaker lays down imagery of the tyger, describing it as a ferocious beast, and something to gaze in awe upon. In the fourth stanza, the reader is presented with many questions about the creation of this unique creature: “What the hammer? What the chain?/ In what furnace was thy brain?/ What the anvil? What dread grasp/ Dare its deadly terrors clasp?” These questions reference many tools that a blacksmith would use, and going along with the paradoxes, I interpreted this as the “tyger” being the symbol for industrialization. In stanza three, the speaker asks, “And what shoulder, & what art,/ Could twist the sinews of thy heart?” I believe the speaker, or possibly Blake is referencing industrialization and putting a negative connotation on it. In addition, in line twenty the speaker asks, “Did he who made the Lamb make thee?” Looking at this line, I noticed “Lamb” is capitalized, and I believe there is another symbol here, possibly being that the lamb is the innocence and beauty of nature and it’s creations. The comparison of the tyger and the lamb furthers the harmful outlook of the tyger, or the advancing technology of the modern world. The speaker is making a case that modern technology is becoming a very hazardous and detrimental cause in today’s society. Finally, looking at the nursery rhyme characteristics of the poem and the repetition of the first and last stanzas, I believe the speaker wants to make his message easier to understand for the youth so that our coming generations do not continue on this terrible course. The speaker wants everyone to be able to look at this robotic tiger and see that nature did not create it, but rather man did, and nothing good will come out if it.
Blake, William. “The Tyger”. The Norton Introduction To Literature. Allison Booth, J. Paul Hunter, Kelly J. Mays.-9th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2005.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Much More Than Meets the Eye: "In a Station of the Metro"
Although “In a Station of the Metro” by Ezra Pound is a very short poem, I realized very quickly that it was not lacking in imagery. With the help of our assignment guidelines, I was also able to pick up on the two contrasting views for pro-modernism and anti-modernism.
Pound’s poem can be seen in the eyes of pro-modernity with the help of the word “apparition” in line one, as well as the word “Petals” in the second line of the poem. Apparitions are most often referred to as ghosts or unfamiliar objects, and looking with a pro-modernity perspective, the apparition of faces is an amazing sight to look upon. The speaker is amazed at all the people in the metro, and this goes to support technological advances in transportation. The “Petals” can also be used to support pro-modernity as the speaker views each person in the metro as an individual petal of a flower. Flowers are frequently used as a symbol of beauty, so someone may interpret the speaker comparing the people with petals of a flower in order to show the beauty of nature and how urbanization and industrialization are advancing nature’s beauty.
On the contrary, one may also see an anti-modernity theme in “In a Station of the Metro.” The “apparition,” or ghostly figures can be interpreted as an evil sighting, with the ghosts being full of malicious intent. Ghosts are seldom seen as beautiful, and one may believe the speaker mentions these beings in order to bring about thoughts of how urbanization leads to the destruction of nature. This claim can also go along with the second line, “Petals on a wet, black bough.” The fact that the petals are black results in feelings of death and wickedness. The movement of urbanization and industrialization may be leading to the deaths of all the people in the crowd at the metro. The adjective “wet,” in line two also makes one perceive a feeling of a gloomy, rainy day at the metro, casting a pessimistic outlook on the modernism movement.
Rich, Adrienne. “Diving into the Wreck”. The Norton Introduction To Literature. Allison Booth, J. Paul Hunter, Kelly J. Mays.-9th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2005.
Link for flower image:
Link for subway image:
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