Theatre

During the Fall Semester I enrolled in the class "Participation in Theatre."  While taking the class I found out that I really enjoy theatre and the plays it produces.  After reading the play write "Fences"  I have once again found this area of the Arts to be fascinating and enjoyable.  I have a desire to start reading, attending, and maybe even acting in plays in the future.  I never really gave this area of life much thought because I was never really introduced to it growing up, but know that I have discovered it, a whole new exciting world has been opened up to me!

Overview of ENG200

When I first signed up for ENG200, I have to admit, I was a bit nervous because I thought it was going to be filled with weekly papers.  But to my delight, we only had to write one paper.  Papers have never been a strong point of mine but I hope to continue honing my skills in that area as I continue my education. 

One of the areas I really enjoyed about the class were the chat sessions. Even though I was one of the individuals left out on the second chat due to technical difficulties, the chats really helped me to see different points to a particular story or poem which allowed me to realize that we all bring different ideas and thoughts to the table when discussing a particular issue.  Since I am planning to go into counseling as a career choice, I am thankful to be enlightened with this idea that we all may view things differently even though we have read or seen the exact same thing.  It is all based on our own interpretation!

Comments About the Play, "Fences" by August Wilson

I really enjoyed the play write, "Fences," by August Wilson.  While reading the play it kept me captivated the entire time and I had a hard time putting the book down when I had to tend to my kids or make lunch for us.  I wonder if this play still gets performed somewhere in the states as I would really enjoy seeing the production.  I see that the original cast from the play had James Earl Jones in it of whom I am a huge fan.  He has made many great movies and has been the voice of many characters, most notably, Darth Vader from the Star Wars Trilogy. 

Since this play was 1 of 10 other play writes that August Wilson wrote which encompassed different decades of the 1900's, constituting his "Century Cycle", it would be interesting to read and/or see the production of the other 9 plays as well.

Comments About the Character of Troy Maxson In the Play, "Fences."

Troy Maxson hated his father and wanted to live a life that was different from his fathers.  As he grew up he ended up doing everything that he hated about his father.  Like his father, Troy was very hard headed, verbally abusive, physically abusive, and a womanizer at heart.  Throughout my life time I have seen many young men turn into their fathers just like Troy did.  It is exciting to see when a young man turns into their father when their father is a good upstanding citizen and devoted father to his children, while remaining a faithful husband to his wife.  But it is heartbreaking to see son's that mimic a father who was abusive, a lawbreaker, and unfaithful husband.  Unfortunately more and more fathers are starting to resemble how not to live instead of how to live.

Autumn Begins in Martins Ferry, Ohio by James Wright

The poem, "Autumn Begins in Martins Ferry, Ohio" by Wright depicts what I see play out each season when I coach my son's teams in baseball and football. 

Verse 5:

Dreaming of Heroes.

I see so many fathers living through there kids, pushing them to the point where the kids no longer enjoy playing.  They push them to be better and better athletes with the hopes that some day they may become a professional athlete.  I shudder when I see this happening because I feel sorry for these kids when a fun activity becomes more like a job, something they must grasp and succeed at or feel the wrath of disappointment and anger from the parent for not doing well.  I wish we could take all those parents and make them play the sport against other hardcore parents and have the kids watch them and critique them just as the parents are doing to them.  Wow, wouldn't that be an eye opener for these over the top parents!

To an Athlete Dying Young by A.E. Housman

The poem, "To an Athlete Dying Young" by Housman was a very powerful poem to me.  The poem to me depicts a hero that becomes more than a hero, he becomes a legend. 

Verses 9 and 10:

Smart lad, to slip betimes away
From fields where glory does not stay

These verses to me depict the way he became a legend.  He died an early death while still in his prime which allowed him to rise up to legendary status.  If he were to die at an old age long after his victory he would probably have been forgotten.  But because he died in his prime, people will remember him as a winner and hero, giving him legendary status with the likes of Elvis Presley, James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Lou Gehrig...etc.  There are probably hundreds of people we could name who died while in the height of their prime bringing them to legendary status, so I feel this poem is right on with its meaning!

Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird by Wallace Stevens

I had a hard time reading and understanding Wallace Steven's poem, "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird."  The poem to me did not seem to flow smoothly and it seemed to go in different directions.  After sitting and contemplating how this poem was to be read, I came to the conclusion that this is 13 different poems wrapped up in one.  Each section to me kind of stands alone and the only thing each section seems to have in common is a blackbird.  Am I way off base on this analysis or do others feel the same way I do about this poem?  I won't be offended if someone calls me crazy on my analysis so give me your true opinion!

Facing It by Yusef Komunyakaa

I could really see and understand what Yusef was trying to convey in his poem "Facing It."  In the beginning of the poem where it says "I said I wouldn't, dammit: No tears. I'm stone. I'm flesh." you can see and understand that he is telling himself he will not cry at the memorial but he ends up doing so anyway because of the emotions the Veterans Memorial brought back in him as he gazed upon all the names on the granite.  Later we see the author touch the name of his buddy Andrew Johnson who must have gotten killed while in the presence of the author because he describes the white flash of the booby trap while touching his name.  At the end of the story was the most touching to me when he describes a women erasing names but then corrects himself as he describes it as a mother caressing or stroking the granite as if she were caressing or brushing her son's hair.  Very powerful and heartfelt.

Dulce Et Decorum Est

Of all the dozen or so poems we read this week, none hit me harder than the poem by Owen named "Dulce Et Decorum Est."  I read through it several times and by the third time I could visually see the gas bombs being dropped on the troops while they all put on their gas masks, except for the one young soldier who was unable to get it on and then gasped for air as he suffered the gas being dispursed by the bomb.  It was very vivid and horrific sight in my mind as I read this story.  Even though this poem depicts the horrid deaths that accompany war, I really enjoyed this poem because I could understand and visually see what the author was trying to convey.  Wow, what a poem!

Comments About Kay Ryan

Do all poets speak with such poetic words as does Kay Ryan when simply answering questions?  When I read Kay Ryans answers to questions on pages 374 and 375, I noticed she spoke just like many poems, not really revealing a meaning but making you decipher what she is trying to say.  For instance, at the bottom of page 375 she states, "your atoms have been subtly distanced from each other, like a breeze is blowing through your DNA.  That's poetry loosening you."  Most people do not talk that way so it makes me believe that poets have their own unique thinking style which I must lack since I often times come away from reading a poem with no understanding of what I read.  In other words, I have a hard time understanding what the author is trying to convey. 

Second Round Of Thought Concerning "One Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovich"

I cannot fathom the way one must feel while living in a work camp such as the "Special" camp Ivan Denisovich (Shukhov) lived in or the similar type camps known as Concentration Camps put on by the Germans.  Having to be seperated from your family, not knowing if you will survive each day so you can be reunited with them later on.  Along with having to deal with all the hardships that come along with living in such horrid conditions and being treated with such inhumane treatment. 

Over the course of the reading I could see that Shukhov became hard and caloused to things around him and basically put his family out of his mind.  Even though I would find that hard to do myself, I understand his rational for doing so.  If he did not put his family out of his mind then his time would be that much harder and his will to survive would probably go out the window because he would constantly be dwelling on something he may never get to see again.  Also, he must remain focused on his survival at the camp so that he can outwit and stay ahead of all the other prisoners and guards who are trying to outwit him.  It seemed that the whole life in the camp was like a chess match where everyone has to jockey themselves around to stay in the good graces of certain people that could help them get extra food or equipment. 

My last thought about the book was that there were no chapters.  I am not sure if I have ever read a book without chapters.  This may be a common theme with Russian literature but to my knowledge I have never come across a book without chapters except for kids books that have pictures in it.  Just an observation.

First round of thoughts on "One Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovich"

As I read the first half of the story by Alexander Solzhenitsyn, "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich," I was rather confused as who the characters were and how the book was flowing.  It was hard for me to decipher who was the bad guys in camp and who were the good guys.  I knew that the guards were the bad guys but it seemed like all the other characters in the story who were the prisoners were all enemies of eachother and could not be trusted, thus being bad guys as well.  As I proceeded to read the second half of the story I began to understand who the characters were and started to really enjoy the book.  By the end of the book I was really drawn in and could feel the emotions of each character.  So, even though the story started slow for me at first, it ended with much anticipation and curiosity. 

The Things They Carrie

The author, Tim O'Brien did a wonderful job of giving us insight into all the different objects each individual carried during the Vietnam War and probably all wars.  For those of us who were not there, we hear stories of how bad the war was, but we forget how their bodies must have been so tired and worn out from sleep deprivation, stress from losing friends to death or injury, stress of not knowing if you are going to be killed yourself at any moment, and then to top it all off, having to carry huge amounts of gear around that weighs a lot.  Wow, what harsh conditions to experience. 

At the end of the story when Lieutenant Jimmy Cross began to burn the love letters and pictures sent to him by Martha, I could feel and understand why he felt he had to do that.  He had to let go of the world thousands of miles away so he could focus and lead his men as his position demanded. If he continues to lose men on account of his lack of dedication, he realizes that it will haunt him for the rest of his life.  He also realized that the men under his care are counting on him to pay full attention and keep his head in the war for all their sakes.  I believe he also realized that if he made it back to the states alive, he was going to be a hardened person inside and may not be capable of giving the love to Martha that he thinks she deserves. 

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been

I was really drawn into the story and was held captive from the time Arnold Friend and his buddy Ellie showed up to Connie's house in his car.  The conversation between Arnold and Connie started off like a flirtation but I soon realized he was some type of lunatic or stalker when on page 329 Arnold states, "Connie, you ain't telling the truth.  This is your day set aside for a ride with me and you know it."  With them being out in the country in the middle of nowhere, I could see the scene being set up for some type of tragedy taking place.  As I read, I became ever on edge of my seat until I got to the end of the story.  Once I got to the end I about fell off my seat when I felt it came to an abrupt end.  I hated the ending.  We are left to imagine our own ending.  I felt as though she went willingly in the car so they would not hurt her family and once they left I imagined they brought her out to some desolate place and raped and murdered her.  I was so disappointed in the ending that I went online to see how the movie ending happened and it ended the same way, abruptly.  So, when all said and done, I felt this was a classic thriller of a story until the end, and then I wanted to have a word with Joyce Carol Oates (The Author of this story) and tell her she forgot to write an ending!!!!  Unfortunately the ending destroyed the story for me.

The Gift of the Magi

In the story, "The Gift of the Magi", we are informed at the beginning of the story on how important Della's hair and James watch is to their household.  Because the paragraph about the author explained that O Henry liked to have tricky endings, I prepared myself before hand on twists and turns that may pertain to the hair and watch.  As the story progressed I was able to stay one step ahead of the author and see before hand that she was going to cut off her hair and sell it so she could buy the chain for the watch.  I was also able to foresee that James would sell his watch to buy the set if combs for his wife. 

As humans we know how hard it is to give up something that means so much to us, so when we see someone act in this way we realize how much love is poured out into the thoughtful desire of the individual giving up what is so dear to them.  Even though we first see these two characters as being foolish because they gave up the most important material things in their household, they in turn are seen as very wise because they are not putting their hopes and dreams into material things, but into the one they truly love, their spouse.

The Lottery

I enjoyed the suspense of the story written by Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery."  It was not until Tessie Hutchinson started to yell out that the drawing was not fair and that her husband did not have time to choose that I became suspicious.  Up until that point I thought the drawing was for how each individual was going to participate in their community, a way in which each individual could help better the village.  However, from that point on I felt it was something bad but I did not know why.  Once I got to the end of the story and realized that the person who drew the paper with the black spot was to be stoned, it made me believe that we just got done reading a story that took place during the times of the Salem Witch Trials. 

The foreshadowing of the boys picking up and laying out stones was brilliant!  I did not catch it at first but when I reminisced about the story it really intrigued me how Shirley allowed us to see into the end of the story before getting to it!  I love stories that give twists and turns like this story did, which makes sense why I also really enjoy stories told by Alfred Hitchcock and/or the Twilight Zone. 

A Pair of Tickets

What an intriguing story told in "A Pair of Tickets".  I have two children, so I am flabbergasted when I hear stories of mothers giving up their baby's because I know first hand how much you come to love and cherish your kids.  However, in the circumstances that the narrators mother was put in, I can totally understand why she left the twin baby's.  She did not believe she herself was going to survive, so she wanted her twin girls to have the best chance to live.  What a courageous and selfless act to give up everything you own and hold dear in life.  I can only imagine her heartache and anguish throughout her entire life knowing she had children she could not find and hold, telling them why she did it, and that she loved them wholeheartedly.  Another point I was amazed at was the mother's ability to remain silent all those years, not revealing her twin girls to her second husband and the narrator, her daughter.  How could someone hold a secret for an entire life time as big as this!  Wouldn't you want others to know so they could help in finding the twin girls?  I realize different cultures view situations differently, so I chalk this decision not to tell her family up to the culture the mother grew up in.  The culture may have expected her to remain silent on something so tragic because it may have brought shame to her and the family.  Just a thought.

Cathedral

Of the four short fiction stories this week I enjoyed the Cathedral the most.  I felt the story was easy to read and understand.  I was also able to follow along and comprehend each step of the story unlike the first two stories, "A & P" and "A Rose for Emily".  I have known people like the narrator of Cathedral who always seem to look negatively at life and constantly look for ways to criticize the people around them.  What a horrible and unfulfilled way to live.  I also viewed the narrator as a very jealous person by his actions and his belittling of the blind man whenever his wife were to speak about him.  The drug and alcohol consumption also forces me to believe that the narrator is rather unhappy with life in general and does these things in order to cope with his unhappiness. 
The end of the story was the only part of the story I did not quite understand.  Did the end of the story hold the epiphany?  If it was, I did not quite understand what the epiphany was.  To me it just sounded like the drugs talking.

Alexander Solzhenitsyn Nobel Lecture

While reading this lecture I found the scales of value very interesting.  It is amazing how different parts of the world put different values on what they see as important and worth while.  People typically believe, especially in the U.S., that all peoples should hold the same values and beliefs they themselves do.  This mindset within the human race often times fuel the violence and wars we see in our world today and in past centuries because we all come to the table with different scales of value.  Our country is probably seen as the worst in this area because we often times impose our scale of values on other countries, forcing them to adhere to what we want them to or else they suffer the consequences of our wrath. 

As I finished the lecture I was able to see the importance of literature and the role it plays to understanding the cultures of the day, but it also teaches us about cultures and peoples throughout history, allowing us an insight into how they thought and interacted with others.  This can be a great learning tool for our futures which can allow us to look at past failures and learn from them.  The only problem is, humankind usually does not learn from past failures they read about. They end up thinking they can do better and go about the destructive paths just as previous generations have done before them, thinking this time will be different and they will succeed. 

Backpack Literature Ch. 29

Over the years of taking different classes in college I have found how important it is to organize and layout your thoughts before actually starting a paper just as chapter 29 points out.  However, I typically do not prewrite papers which is something that I see could be very beneficial going forward.  Another important lesson brought up by this chapter relates to picking topics that interest you when it is possible.  By doing this it allows a person to stay focused and engaged in the reading/writing because it is a topic you may enjoy doing or learning about. 

As I began to near the end of chapter 29 I was made aware that different writings within fiction, poetry and Drama, along with the length of a paper requires a person to format and set up the essay or paper differently.  Since I have not studied these readings in much detail or depth in the past this was all new information for me.  Unfortunately I am not one who can read a section and keep it to memory like some, but I will be able to revert back to this section as a good reference tool going forward. 

Overall, this chapter was not the most interesting topic to read but it was very beneficial as it will allow each of us to be guided by rules already set up for specific type of writings.

Hi classmates of ENG200.  This is my blog for class.