Freewrite

I thought the topic sentence in the first paragraph about Shiitakes was the beginning sentence. I felt that there was a lot of extra information about how to cook these mushrooms, unless the topic sentence was turned into something that details how to cook these mushrooms.

In the second paragraph I think the topic sentence, which is the first sentence needs to change and describe what vegans do to try and help the environment by what they eat. I just thought that the rest of this paragraph was a persuasive argument that did not relate to the beginning of the paragraph.

Tony Harrison "A Cold Coming"

This poem deals with birth because the soldier talks about other soldiers having offspring even after they die. The images of death are seen in the death of the soldiers. The author focuses on the idea of sperm banks and procreation in the portrayal of the atrocities of war because it shows how inhuman war is. I think Harrison is stating that it is a shame that war causes men to have to put sperm in sperm banks because they may not make it. This can be seen as inhuman because it is not at all natural. The Iraqi soldier is speaking to a poet rather than a journalist because poets can morph words and disguise his words with words that sound differently where as a journalist can only directly quote people or paraphrase what has been said.

Response to Interview

My interpretation of the story was similar to hers, but I felt hers was much deeper. In the interview she basically discusses that names should be chosen more carefully. I also found it interesting that she actually has personal experience with naming things due to different characteristics and not calling them the same thing. I did not realize that she did not mention the Bible in this interview until you posed the question. I find this interesting also. I think she used the story of Adam and Eve because it is something that most people know.

Tony Harrison “A Cold Coming”

I thought this piece was fairly blunt. The Iraqi soldier discusses US soldiers that froze their sperm in case they died in the war. The Iraqi soldier is not at ease with this decision because he did not think that he would have been put in the situation that he is in now when he went to war. He never thought that he would die this way and wants to send a message to the warring nations. He is basically saying that war solves nothing. It was interesting that he wants the reporter to portray him as a person that is okay with the situation. I think this helps to justify the point that war is unjustified.

T.S. Eliot “Journey of the Magi”

This poem is about the birth of Christ. The last stanza discuss a Birth and a Death. The Birth is Jesus being born and the death is the Magi no longer believing in pagan gods. The speaker was not at ease in his Kingdom because he realizes that Christ is real. I think personal religious beliefs have a lot to do with how one perceives the meaning of this poem. People with different religious beliefs feel differently about Jesus. When I was reading the questions following the poem it states that the narrator is neither Christian nor Jewish. I think he is contemplating his religious beliefs due to what he witnessed.

Ursula LeGuin “She Unnames Them”

This story discusses the generalization of names and how sometimes they do not fit a personality. I found it interesting that she discussed how the different animals feel about their names. The story came together for me at the end when I realized the speaker was Eve. I realized this when she called the man Adam and mentioned his father. The animals prefer Eve because she does not give them general names, but names that correspond with their personalities. At the end she realizes that words are powerful and should be chosen carefully.

William Butler Yeats “Leda and the Swan”

After doing my research I found that this was one of the most interesting poems. Zeus was king of the gods in Greek mythology. He changed into a swan and raped Leda. However, she went along with him. I think part of this poem has to deal with wanting the unattainable. I think Leda liked the idea of being with Zeus, but in reality she was with a swan. I think the last stanza of the poem puts it perfectly. Leda got caught up in the moment and did not process everything clearly.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson “Ulysses”

This poem is about Ulysses returning to his kingdom and being reunited with his wife and son. However, he wishes to go on another journey. This can be seen when he states, "Some work of noble note, may yet be done." I found the last line of the poem to be really significant. It seems as if Ulysses always wants to be on an adventure and learning knew things continuously. After looking online to find out the Greek mythology behind this poem I found out that Ulysses was a legendary Greek king who fought in the Trojan War. I think this connects it to Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem because it relates to his sense of wanting adventure.

Margaret Atwood “Siren Song”

After researching Siren in Greek mythology I found that they were women who served as seductresses. This poem is stating that it can be hard to resist something and when you don't something bad may result. This can be seen in the second stanza where it states that there are skull bones, but men still come. The women do not enjoy being on the island, but it seems like they have nothing else to do so this keeps them entertained. The speaker wants to control someone else because she doesn't have control over her own life.

Introduction to Essay #3

Nigerian author Chinua Achebe is known for writing pieces of literature that not only take the reader to a certain time in Nigerian history, but do it with an accurate historical account. In his short story Civil Peace, Achebe does just this. He uses the history of the time to give an account of how it would have been to live in Nigeria directly following the Nigerian War. Achebe also allows some of his personal experiences to be illustrated in his works. One of the themes from Civil Peace by Chinua Achebe is the struggle and hardships of life after war. This theme can be better understood through knowledge of the Nigerian War and through knowledge of the life of Achebe.

Annotated Bibliography

Chinua-Achebe.com. 6 Apr. 2008 <http://chinua-achebe.com/>.
This website is great for getting background information on Chinua Achebe and his feelings on some of his works and why he wrote them. This was the first source I found and it helped me understand the Nigerian war even better and its affect on how he wrote Civil Peace. This source will be very useful for my paper. It will provide me with
basic information about Nigeria, but most importantly it will give me an idea through quotes of how Achebe feels about the story and the Nigerian War.
Emenyonu, Ernest. “Post-War Writing in Nigeria.” Issue: A Journal of Opinion 3:2 (1973): 49-54.
This source was another very interesting source. It offered an overview of what kind of writing was being done after the Nigerian War by Nigerians. It quotes Achebe and gives insight into why he wrote the way he did and what specific aspects of the war affected his writing. I learned from this source that the war had a huge affect on Achebe’s writing and the points he wants to get across. I can definitely use this source to show how Achebe’s life has influenced his writing.
Interview: Chinua Achebe on Biafra. Transition. 36 (1968): 31-38.
I found this interview to be very interesting. It took part right in the middle of the Nigerian War. Achebe was still living in Nigeria at the time and is able to give many first hand experiences. Achebe’s responses indicated that he is really intent on affairs in Nigeria getting better. I think using this source is so important to my paper. The
theme I am addressing in my paper is war and the hardships and struggles people face after it. I can use this source to show how hard the war was, which made it difficult for the country as a whole to adapt once it was over.
Nafziger, Wayne E. The Economics of Political Instability: the Nigerian-Biafran war.
Colorado: Westview Press, 1983.
This source gives reasons as to why it was so difficult for the Nigerians to form a government after they were not under British rule anymore. It discusses how the country was dealing with difficult things, like thieves, which can be seen in Civil Peace. I learned from this source that the Nigerians were under British rule for so long that it was hard for them to come together as one people and form stable and working government. I can use this source to show why it was easy for thieves to rob people in Civil Peace and how this was common after the war ended.
Niven, Rex. The war of Nigerian Unity. Ibadan: Evans Brothers, 1970.
This source provides great information about the historical context of the Nigerian War. It is very objective because it just states the facts. It gives great information that I can link to certain situations in the short story. I learned about how the war started and
what it did to Nigeria from this book. After reading some information from this source it gave me a clearer picture as to why some of the characters acted the way they did in the story. This source would be helpful because it provides me with a great basis on what the war did to Nigeria as a country and a people.
Ojinmah, Umelo. Chinua Achebe: new perspectives. Ibadan: Spectrum Books Limited, 1991.
This source gives an account of how Nigerians were written about after the Nigerian War. This source shows that Achebe has pride in his country and wants it to improve. This book delves into why Achebe writes the way he does. It discusses his life experiences and how they affect his writings. This text will help me even more with relating Achebe’s personal experiences to the short story. Using this source will be very beneficial because it will help me to show the importance of knowing the author’s background information because it can be transferred into the piece of literature

Topic Proposal #3

I have decided to write my paper on Civil Peace by Chinua Achebe. It is important to write about this topic because it is often overlooked in history in general and I think Civil Peace contains so many links to the period in which it takes place. There are many historical and cultural connections to the work. The war is the biggest I have found so far. The short story is set after the Nigerian War had taken place. During this time the Nigerians were no longer under British rule. However, they had been under British rule for so long it was hard for them to start a new government. Therefore, people were doing whatever they had to do to get money. They would often steal because there was no law enforcement. This war put lots of strain on the Nigerian people, so to survive the war was no easy thing. This connection to the war helps me to understand the short story even more. This war was brutal and to survive it among all the destruction that was caused was nothing short of a miracle. When I first read the story I found it interesting that the townspeople would greet one another by saying “Happy Survival.” Now that I know that the war was really hard for them it makes more sense. One of the themes of the short story is definitely the hardships and struggles following war. Researching the war helped me to better understand why Jonathan was so grateful for his bicycle, his house, and most of all his family.
Researching the author is also important to understanding the theme of war in this story. Chinua Achebe is Nigerian and was alive during and after the war and often relates some of his experiences to the war and the short story. I think researching him and getting some of his first hand accounts of the war would be very beneficial in understanding the text even better. Knowing that he was alive during the war and in Nigeria during some of it gives him even more credibility and helps me to understand the story even more. While reading it I continuously thought about how optimistic the main character Jonathan was. Knowing that Achebe is Nigerian helps me to better understand why he was so happy. Achebe wants his country to get better as a whole and having an optimistic character helps lighten the mood and make it feel like things will get better.
As of now I think I have all of the information I need. For this essay I want to link the information about the war and Chinua Achebe to the short story and how its theme of war is portrayed.
Thesis: One of the themes from Civil Peace by Chinua Achebe is the struggle and hardships of life after war. This theme can be better understood through knowledge of the Nigerian War and through knowledge of the life of Achebe.

"Trifles" and "A Jury of Her Peers" Susan Glaspell

A Jury of Her Peers and Trifles by Susan Glaspell are very similar in nature. They both share the same plot. However, one piece is a play and one is a short story . I found that it was easier for me to read the short story. I believe plays are easier to understand if they are actually acted out, rather than reading them alone. Personally, I liked the short story better because it flowed much better because there were no breaks to denote what a character was doing. The only advantage I found in reading the play was that its title was more poignant. Another thing I found interesting was that even though both pieces have different names, both titles are effective after reading the pieces. The short story is named A Jury of Her Peers because Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peter basically decided the fate of Minnie. They both decided not to turn in the evidence and, therefore, held a major role in the story. The name of the play is also very interesting. In the play Hale states that women are constantly “worrying over trifles.” Yet, these are the same trifles that if the men paid attention to they would be able to get plenty of evidence against Minnie. It is very ironic that the men are sarcastic towards the women during the whole play when the women solved the case.
Before I first read the pieces I thought it would be easier to base the Cultural/Historical analysis off of the play because I thought it would be more descriptive. However, as I read the short story I changed my mind. I think through the descriptions given, it would be easier to relate the short story to what was actually going on in America at the time it was written. It would be good to research women's rights at the time and how women were perceived, especially by the opposite sex.

Cultural/Historical Analysis-Civil Peace, Chinua Achebe

I think this story has great potential to be the subject of an historical and cultural analysis. The story is based on the Civil War in Nigeria. This fact provides lots of insight into this story. Facts about how people lived during this time and what happened can be very beneficial in learning the themes of this story. I think one of the themes is be thankful for what you have been given, which can be seen in the line that was repeated over and over. The line is "Nothing puzzles God." It would be interesting to find out how much religion played into the lives of those who lived in Nigeria during this time. Culture also plays a big role in this story. Family seems to be a big part of it and a belief in God also prevails. As far as clues in the story, it is very easy to see that a war has gone on, that people are not in good financial standing, the country is a mess, and many people have lost family members and belongings. All of these clues are important because they give you even more insight into the characters lives and allows you to read into the story more and understand the themes. I think one of the first things that should be researched are the war in Nigeria and the author. Just knowing information about the author helps alot. I have read another piece by Achebe and I know that he is Nigerian. Knowing this gives him even more credibility when reading this piece. I think it would also be interesting to research relations between people living in the country because we see that gangs of thieves were hurting their fellow Nigerians. As in any story, culture is of utmost importance. It would be good to research African culture and how the Europeans affected this culture and how it changed after the war during the "Civil Peace."

Jean Toomer “Becky” Theme/Setting

I think the theme of this story is similar to that of "No Name Woman." I think it has a lot to do with finding your place in society. This story was set in the 1920s, in which there was a lot of tension between whites and African Americans. This made if even harder for biracial people. The point of view is taken from a person who lives in the same city as Becky and her two sons. She is an outsider looking in and doesn't always have a clear view concerning Becky and her sons.

Maxine Hong Kingston “No Name Woman” Theme/Setting

I think some of the themes of "No Name Woman" are the difficulties of being apart of two completely different cultures and the place of women in different cultures. The setting and point of view definitely affect the theme of the story. The setting, which is in China and America, helps illustrate the great differences between the cultures and how hard it is to find a median between the two. The narrator has a hard time finding this balance and it can be seen by how she narrates the story and explains her feelings about different situations. She doesn't know whether to feel sorry for her aunt or feel disgraced by her. Setting also affects the place of women in society. When the narrators aunt was pregnant, she was seen as an outcast because women were supposed to be faithful to their husbands. If not, the consequences were severe. However, in America if a woman is unfaithful to her husband, usually she is not shunned and made an outcast.

Ralph Waldo Ellison “Battle Royal”

The chapter given of this book was almost unlike anything I have ever read before. The narrator is thrown in a boxing ring before he can give his speech. This seems really degrading, but at the end of the chapter he does not feel ashamed at all. I find it interesting that he dreams about the grandfather that night because before going to be he doesn't feel ashamed anymore.

Claude McKay “America” and “If We Must Die”

"America" is an interesting poem. I always find it interesting that most countries,etc. are personified as a woman. The narrator is this poem is saying that even though he is having a hard time in America he can't help but love it.

McKay is stating in "If we Must Die" that he wants all of his fellow African Americans to die nobly for fighting for a cause that is well worth it. The many adjectives he uses are very effective in describing the enemies.

Jean Toomer “Becky”

The overall mood of this story is mysterious. I found it interesting how both the white and African American people shunned Becky. The setting of this story is also very important. Now interracial relationships are more common than they were when this story takes place. Because Becky was shunned, her sons obviously feel as if they have no place in society. It would have been interesting to know about her lover and what he is doing throughout the story.

Maxine Hong Kingston “No Name Woman”

This story was very interesting. The aunt, or 'No name woman,' was treated badly because she had a forced or consensual relationship outside of her marriage. I think it is interesting to look at this story from the time frame it is set in and compare it to now. Nowadays most people in American culture do not feel the need to commit suicide because of an affair. The setting of this story is very important.

Junot Díaz “How to Date a Browngirl, Whitegirl, or Halfie”

When I first saw the title of this piece it was easy for me to guess what it would be about. However, the perspective it is taken from is diffrent than I would have thought. The narrator is Dominican and lives in a neighborhood with lower socioeconomic people. He talks about the government cheese, which hints at his family's economic status. The way he described the girls was very stereotypical. I found it very interesting how he described how to act towards the girl's parents and to the girls themselves.

Freewrite II

Looking up the words "ball turret" does help me better understand the poem because I know more about what it is describing. Getting this background information makes this seem even more real and it makes me feel even more sympathy towards him. The line that states "six miles from earth" means being in the airplane really high in the sky. I did not get this before because I didn't know what the ball turret was.

It does also help to know Randall Jarrell's background information because we know that he was in the Army Air Corps. He had something to do with the war, but it may have been devastating to him to not be able to fly. He didn't have personal experience but maybe this is what he thought it would feel like.

Freewrite

a) war: disagreement, soldier, horror, emotions, hardship, madness, people, hurt, screaming

gunner: soldier, gun, weapons, lost, through this experience the gunner becomes forever changed

attack: people, innocence, full of pain and emotions, loss

b) I associate WW1 with many casualties, loss of innocent lives, homes being destroyed, and families torn and carrying lots of emotional baggage.

Randall Jarrell’s “The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner”

The tone of this poem can be described as melancholy. It tells of a soldier in a war. The third line states he was "loosed from its dream of life" meaning that he will never be able to go back and live the life he once had planned for himself. The last line shows the inhumanity of war because he was "washed out of the turret with a hose."

Reading for 3/18

Rupert Brooke The Soldier

This sonnet does not describe the pain and inhumanity of war as most pieces of literature about war does. The soldier in the poem is naive because he describes England, in the midst of war, as having laughter and peace. The emotions are unrealistic feelings towards war. The feelings are usually not felt by some people who have relatives in war or are involved in it themselves.

Wilfred Owen Anthem for Doomed Youth

This poem is also about war. The first line uses the word "cattle," which in this context stands for young men. These young men have died in battle. Owen uses lots of imagery and descriptive words in this poem. The mood of this poem is very melancholy.

Wilfred Owen Dulce et Decorum Est

This poem describes the negative aspect of war and how it takes a toll on the soldiers. The last lines are very poignant. The soldier tells of the man who wasn't able to get the gas mask on in enough time. I believe he is saying it is better to die for one's country than to be haunted of those images of war.

Siegfried Sassoon Glory of Women

I think Sassoon is saying that the women at home are being naive to the realities of war. They make objects for their loved ones in war to keep hope alive that they are okay. However they aren't, which can be seen in the last lines. Sassoon is stating that while the women are making socks, their sons are getting hurt even more mentally and physically by the war.

Siegfried Sassoon They

I think this poem is very straightfoward. It states that people obviously change once coming back from war because of what they have witnessed. The last line states, ' The ways of God are strange,' which means we cannot understand fully why war happens and we cannot run from what occurs in life.

Concerns for Paper

I am most concerned that my paper will only address one side of the issue and not the other. I think that I dealt mostly with why I bought the purse, and did not focus on the reasons some buy it. Some people buy them so others know that they are wealthy and so they can be treated in a certain manner. Another area of concern is that I did not explain myself completely with details. My last area of concern is some of my sentence structures. Sometimes they do not flow, which is something I need to change for the final draft.

Warm-up/Social Issue

I chose to do my poster on Health Insurance because it is unfortunate that in our country we do not have universal health care. This causes many people not to b able to afford medicine. My poster is simple and to the point. I did this because there is no humorous approach to tackle this problem. It needs to be tackled head on. I do not think I would change much because I think it needs to be simple and to the point.

Topic Proposal #2

I have chosen to analyze a Spring 2008 Coach purse. The object serves to hold women's belongings, but is also a rather stylistic. Upon closer examination this purse may, but not necessarily, indicate wealth in having enough extra money to spend on a rather expensive purse. The purse also shows that the person wearing it is in style and knows about various designers. The features of the object that are crucial to my analysis are the size of the purse, its stitching, the inside pockets, and its overall appearance. The size is not to big or small, so it may be the perfect everyday purse. It looks as if the purse was meticulously crafted because there is not a stitch out of place and it looks like great care was taken in making it. The inside pockets provide a place for a cell phone and two other pockets. This may indicate that most who carry this purse like to be organized. As far as words, the purse was C's all over it, which stands for Coach. There is also a tag that says Coach on it to further indicate the designer. The colors in the purse are gold and a light tan color. These colors fit very well together. The intended audience for this purse are stylish women who do not necessarily have lots of money. I was able to buy this purse for my self over Winter Break through working. This indicates that you do not have to have lots of money to afford this splurge. Basically, this purse indicates that the person carrying it is aware of designers and what is in style. As far as culture, it could indicate that people may carry this purse to give off a certain appearance of wealth. When it comes to values, this shows that nowadays people are okay with spending hundreds of dollars on a single object if it makes them happy.

Thesis Statement:
This paper will argue that a simple object, like a Coach purse, can imply an image of wealth, shows that values in the US are changing, and indicates a competition for consumer allegiance.

Visual Arguments

Ron English is being very critical in his billboards. He is definitely getting his point through that cigarettes are harmful. His approach is very hands on and catches your eye. Basically he is very blunt.

A billboard that always sticks in my head are the abortion ones. They are also very blunt in getting their point across. They appeal to human emotion because of the pictures they show.

"The Politics of Design"/ "Analyzing Design of an Everyday Text"

This group of articles was about how designers are being used to create ads and design products for the sole reason of advertising products. It was interesting to read these articles because I never thought of graphic designers in this way. I do agree that in some ways they are being explioted by companies who hire them for profit, not so they can create their own true art.

I think writing this paper will be interesting. I have never written a paper like this before. I think one of the hardest parts will be to actually pick a subject because as I am writing now there are many objects that are going through my head that could be possibilities.

Beyond Words: “Car Culture”

This reading was very interesting. I enjoyed reading the different articles about buying preferences between men and women. The first article, "A Prius-Hummer War Divides Oscarville" is about different stars and how they arrive to publicized events. The article states that the older crowd are more likely to arrive in a Prius because they will probably be more environment conscious. The younger crowd is more likely to arrive in gas guzzlers because they may be more interested in how they appear to others. The second article, "Women Giving the Directions: Now, It's Time for Female Designers" states women "rule the U.S. auto market." Because of this fact, automobile makers are trying to market cars to women through design. The problem is there are not a lot of women car designers, so men have to almost think like women when marketing and designing cars. The third article, "Car Makers Aim for the 'Love It or Hate It' Category" describes how some auto makers are going to extreme measures to sell cars for their uniqueness. Either this idea works sometimes are flops on the market. The final article, "My Life, My Cadillac Escalade EXT" follows the story of a 16 year old getting an Escalade for her birthday. She gets it because she wanted a truck not a car. On some levels I agree with her. I drive a 2 door Honda right now, but I think I want an SUV for my next car because they are roomy and sit high.

MAC or PC user

I use PC's because that is what I have used all of my life so far. The first time I used a MAC was here at USC in some of the computer labs. Personally, I feel PC's are easier to use and navigate to locate certain information. This is probably because I have used them longer.

As far as outwardly design I think both PCs and MACs look very good. It seems to me that MACs have better advertisements on TV that make them look very sleek and in style.

Quote/Lyric

I chose a quote from singer India Arie. It is from her CD Acoustic Soul and she states: And to all of the names That I do not know But whose blood runs thru my veins This is a song for you. I love these lyrics because when she sings she is being very passionate about her music and is singing for all of those who came before her and helped paved the way for her success.

When I play flute or piano I like to think that I am playing for a greater being and for all of the people that support me. I am very passionate about my music because I love it so much.

Short Writing Assignment #2-Introduction

"Swamp Song" by Kwame Dawes explores the complexity of having a relationship strictly built on outwardly appearance. The narrator of the story is described as a "simple colored girl" who makes the central point of the argument. She states that getting involved with someone because of looks may seem okay at the present, but as time goes by he will lose the intoxication he once had for his mate. In his poem "Swamp Song," Kwame Dawes explores the emotions involved in being attracted to someone for the wrong reasons through his use of metaphors, imagery, and his word choice.

Topic Proposal #1

I have chosen "Swamp Song" by Kwame Dawes for the close reading assignment. The central claim of this poem is one should love someone for what is on the inside rather than the outside because outward appearance does not always last. I believe stanzas 11-22 are most central to understanding the text. Dawes uses many adjectives that add to the meaning of the poem. He describes some of the girls as "simple colored girls" instead of black girls. His diction definetely adds to the overall meaning of the poem. The words he uses also bring images to mind. Dawes also rhymes in the poem. All of these aspects add to the central meaning of the poem.

Thesis:
In his poem "Swamp Song," Kwame Dawes explores the emotions involved in being attracted to someone for the wrong reasons through his use of metaphors, imagery, and his word choice.

Sonny's Blues, Keyword: Laugh

The word laugh plays a significant role in the short story. The word is used at the beginning of the story when the older brother is describing the laugh of the kids in the playground. He says it was "not the joyous laughter which-God knows why-one associates with children." He is making a big statement here. He is saying that the laugh of these children is not light-hearted, but it contains negativity. This helps set the mood for the story. The mood is one of sadness for the children and is very melancholy. The word laugh is also used when the older brother and Sonny are talking about life after they have been united again. I felt as if this laugh were strained because these brothers weren't talking to one another as family members but as acquaintences. Laugh was also used at the nightclub were Sonny was playing. I thought this was the time when it was used most sincerely. It was used were Sonny felt comfortable with himself and was doing what he wanted to do. It seemed like at this point the story made a full circle.

Inhabiting and Transforming a Poem

1 Character

by Taslima Nasrim

You're a girl
and you'd better not forget
that when you step over the threshold of your house
men will look askance at you.
When you keep on walking down the lane
men will follow you and whistle.
When you cross the lane and step onto the main road
men will revile you and call you a loose woman.

If you've got no character
you'll turn back,
and if not
you'll keep going
as you're going now.

2 This poem is about how women should carry themselves in certain situations. The author is warning women not to stoop down to the level of some men. She is discussing men who are disrespectful to women and make unneccessary remarks. Nasrim is telling women to not respond to these men because it only encourages them. She says to not turn back.

3 Women sometimes receive remarks from men because of their appearance. If a woman responds to these remarks, she is hurting herself. If she ignores the remarks, she becomes the bigger person in the situation.

4 The narrator is a woman. She is probably the author of the poem. The narrator is speaking to females in general, but most likely young women. The relationship between the speaker and listener is very general. The speaker is warning women in general. Therefore, she doesn't really have a close relationship with the listener.

5 The theme is the character of a person is defined by how he or she reacts to situations. This theme can be seen in the last lines of the poem. Nasrim is basically trying to get the point across that if the woman acknowledges the man, she is encouraging the behavior. And in turn becoming what the man is calling her.

Videotape, Don DeLillo

I thought this story was really interesting. I found it intriguing that the videotape was taken by a child. This child filmed the murder and it felt as if while the murder was taking place she lost her innocence. This child was exposed to something that she most likely was not ready for in her life. If felt that the ending was cold because it states that people watch the video simply because it is out there and that the media plays it for entertaining. Morally this isn't right.

Lost in the Funhouse, John Barth

It was difficult to read "Lost in the Funhouse" due to all of the text that interrupted the story. After reading the story I thought funhouse was used as a metaphor. I took the story to mean that sometimes you get lost in life and it may not seem fun. However, you can call on others for help and try to better your life for yourself. My analysis may not coincide with others. It was difficult for me to interpret and get a clear understanding of the story.

Sonny's Blues, James Baldwin

I found this story very interesting. The two brothers have a complicated relationship in which the narrator, the older brother, doesn't necessarily always listen to what his brother, Sonny, is saying. The brothers have different personalities and handle situations differently. Sonny has a problem with drugs, which is the event in the story that reunites the brothers. At the end of the story Sonny gets in touch with his feelings and suffering through music. He is able to let everything go and focus on his music. By the end of the story the brothers gain more understanding of one another and their lives.

Freewrite

This morning I was thinking about how I am continously late to English because my prior class gets out at 9:15 at the School of Music. A color to define this situation would be gray.
I was also thinking about getting a new purse. A color to define this situation would be red.

Sherman Alexie

The narrator feels discriminated against because of the color of his skin. He feels the cop pulled him over because of his color and that the store clerk thought he was suspicious because of his ethnicity. He does feel out of place sometimes because of this. I believe he has reason to feel this way because the officer was obviously being racist with his comment. The author is obviously trying to get this point across because he calls the characters in the story either white or indian.

Jamaica Kincaid

In this piece of literature the mother is the main speaker because she speaks more often than the daughter. The daughter hardly talks because the mother is preaching to her and out of respect she rarely speaks. The mother is also the main speaker because she is teaching the daughter about how to carry herself. Her daughter obviously takes a secondary role in this conversation.

Hemingway

The couple was arguing about an abortion. Clearly Jig was worried about it and brought it up frequently. I felt as if she needed the man to tell her it was going to be okay so that she would feel more justified. The man seems as if he is not strong enough to deal with the thought of a child coming in to the picture. Jig is going through with the abortion because it helps her hold on to hope that their relationship will be the same as it previously was.

Ernest Hemingway "Hills Like White Elephants"

Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants" is about a male, simply called The American, and a female named Jig. The couple is deciding whether or not to go through with an abortion. The man wants her to go through with the operation because he is not happy with the possibility of her having a baby. He says that the operation is normal and "it's just to let the air in." He also assures her that this operation will make their relationship comparable to how it was before the pregnancy. Deep down Jig knows that this will not happen because she keeps on questioning him about their relationship and if it will get better. She wants to drop the subject many times because she doesn't want to deal with and come to terms with what is happening in her life. The couple is obviously not on the same page. However, the man makes the decision to go through with the abortion because he takes their bags and they get ready to board the train. The train is taking them to Madrid, which is probably where the abortion will take place.

Jamaica Kincaid "Girl"

"Girl," by Jamaica Kincaid consists of a list of orders from a mother given to her daughter about how to handle herself in life. Since all of her advice and orders are stringed together, it seems as if maybe the mother is having a flashback of all the things she advised to her daughter. The mother wants her daughter to be a good person and not the "slut" she often warns about. The last line is very interesting. The mother says, "You mean to say that after all you are really going to be the kind of woman who the baker won't let near the bread?" It seems as if the daughter takes heed to what the mother was telling her over a period of time. Because the mother says this, I believe that in the end the daughter turns out to be a very smart woman. The baker knows this and will not let her near the bread because he knows that she is aware of whether it is good or not.

Esenin "Golden Grove"

I found the first translation of "Golden Grove," by Philip Nikolayev to be a little confusing the first time I read it in its entirity. After reading it the second time I was able to grasp its meaning a little better. Some of the words used in this translation make it harder to comprehend the work. The second translation was easier to read and to gain understanding from. The translation was very straight forward and easier to understand. Overall, I like the second translation better. As time goes by people talk differently and it would be interesting to know when both translations were created. Since I am part of a younger generation I would think the second translation was written later.
The translations do have similarities. First of all, both tell the same story. They use similar words when describing those without a home. One uses the word "wanderer" and the other "rover." The words used in the ending of both poems are also very similar. The tone of both translations also seem very melancholy.
However, the two translations have their differences. The first translation uses many words to get simple points across, while the second translation sems short and to the point. As I stated above, it also seems as if both translations were written at different periods of time. Overall, the second version seems more "user friendly" and is more easily understood.

Warm-Up and Freewrite

1. Close reading is reading a text for complete understanding. When close reading, evaluate the text and pay close attention to the words used and the ideas presented. The purpose is to gain insight into what is being read and to be able to discuss the text with great understanding.
2. Pastoral is acting as if one were a shepherd. The formal definition of pastoral as a verb in Oxford English Dictionary is to play at being shepherd or shepherdess. Etymology: N.E.D 1904. Nymph is a pretty young woman. The formal definition is a chiefly poet, beautiful young woman, a maiden, a damsel. Etymology: second half of 12th century, Old French. Mistress is a secret lover. The formal definition of mistress is a woman loved and courted by a man, a female sweetheart, or a female considered to be chief, first, or unequalled among a specified group. Etymology: 13th century.

Freewrite:

1. Heart: love, family, people
2. Desert: dry, hot, sand, mirages, alone
3. Universe: huge, search for the unknown, earth, people, stars, planets, exploration, empty
4. Shepherd: sheep, mentioned in the Bible

6-E pg134-135

"Grandmother" represents the strength, backbone, and love in a family. When I think of my Grandmother I think of love, affection, and an overall caring attitude. I imagine her in the kitchen cooking delicious meals, talking to loved ones, and sewing Sweetgrass Baskets. Overall, Grandmother means love.

6-D pg 134-135

The names "Black Elvis" and "Butch" are metaphoric. Black Elvis is a guitarist and shares other traits with Elvis. Both men dress similarly and and Black Elvis sings some of Elvis' songs. Certain elements from the text also link Black Elvis to Elvis. One quote is, "He was Black Elvis. He had a show to put on." Black Elvis wants to be similar to Elvis in the fact that Elvis was legendary. Black Elvis wants to show everyone that he himself is legendary and can be successful. Black Elvis represents change. Elvis changed the way some looked at music and dancing. Black Elvis changes the way his community views him through his music.

Sir Walter Raleigh “The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd”

Sir Walter Raleigh's "The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd" states the nymph is not necessarily interested in all of the material items the shepherd could give her. The poem begins with the nymph stating that she would only take the shepherd's offer if the world and love were young and if time were not a factor. She states if the shepherd gave her gowns, shoes, beds of roses, and amber studs, that with time these items would be useless. She is looking for a relationship that can stand the test of time. She wants a love that will never fade. The poem comes to a close with the nymph stating, like at the beginning, if time were not a factor she would be the shepherd's love.

Christopher Marlowe “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love”

Marlowe expresses the love of a passionate shepard for a woman who goes unnamed during the poem. The shepard details all of the wonderful things he can give and do for the woman if she will be his mate. Many of the things he details are materialistic. He discusses giving her "a gown made of the finest wool" and "fair lined slippers for the cold, with buckles of the purest gold." It seems as if the shepard is ignorant because he believes a good relationship can be built on materialistic things. He is asking for a woman to love him if he gives her exquisite items. He underestimates the woman because he believes if he gives her beautiful items, she will fall in love with him.

Notes/Comments to Strategies

Notes:

• always differentiate between leisure and academic reading
• academic reading should be purposeful
• most people that read for leisure read passive
• primary text: original piece of fiction or poem
• secondary text: literary criticism or other historical articles of information
• summary: a restatement of the main ideas
• dialogue, double entry journal: write quotations from the text and add responses in a two column list

Comments:

When I read for academics, I like to formulate summaries as I read the text to make sure I am on the right track as far as understanding the material. I thought the material that was assigned was similar to material that I have already reviewed in previous English classes. However, I gave me a review of how I should approach reading and responding to various texts I may encounter.

Study Guide from Beyond Words-20 Questions

3. The focal point of a text is what the writer decides to discuss. Focal points can be found in the
form of thesis statements, topic sentences, big headings, and in many other forms.

4. Genre is a category used to identify text with consistent and familiar features.

12. Context is the who, what, when, where, and why of a subject matter.

15. Details are important in texts because they often offer support for a claim or make a story
seem valid.

19. The Wall Street Journal uses hedcuts because the paper believes in focusing on hard news
and not using photographs that could possibly overwhelm the surrounding text.