Saturday, June 6, 2009
The Soloist: A New Beginning
During these chapters, Ayers life went through a complete change from being a poor homeless man on the streets of Skid Row to living in an apartment with his own studio. Before He was alone and had no one, no friends, no close relationships, and no one to care for him. Then Lopez came into his life and filled in the gaps. I was really shocked when Ayers has on of his episodes and even threatened to KILL Lopez…I really never would’ve seen that coming. This shows that no matter how much help he can give/offer to Ayers, this will always have to be expected because it’s something that HE can’t change. Towards the end of the book, you really wouldn’t call it “the end”. With Ayers and his new apartment and studio, he is able to produce music with the inspiration from his old and new friends and begin a new life.
Soloist 3
As I was reading through other peoples’ posts, a good point that was made was that Lopez swooped into Ayers’ life and made all these changes without being asked to. He publicized Ayers’ life without permission and even though he was helping, he kinda began leading his life for him. Now, whether or not everything Lopez has done is beneficial, which it is and was, what would happen if it weren’t? Everything Lopez did could’ve backfired, and if it did, what would happen and how would they solve it? Maybe Ayers would hate Lopez in the end? Anyway… even though Lopez has given up a lot of his own time…he is denying Ayers the experiences of dealing with problems and situations on his own. Eventually this could lead to a dependency on people for Ayers.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Soloist #2
During chapters 7-12 we meet Joseph Russo, whom considered himself a good friend of Nathaniel. He talks about how he made it all the way to Julliard and his experiences, memories, and relationship with Nathaniel. He also says that the first time he ever thought something may have been wrong with Ayers, is when they were at a party and Ayers got furious when Russo referred to him as “kid”. Ayers thought Russo was being racist towards him, even though they were close friends and he had invited him over for the holiday. This part of the story really gave some insight into the life of Ayers before he became homeless and schizophrenic.
Lopez at this point has become more than just a reporter. He has become Ayers’ friend and he cares about him and tries to help him out and he also acts as a guardian by looking out for him and worrying about his safety. Although it seems as if Lopez truly cares, it makes me wonder whether he cares for Ayers personally, or because he is so talented; and whether if he weren’t so talented, if he wouldn’t even bothered with him.
Lopez at this point has become more than just a reporter. He has become Ayers’ friend and he cares about him and tries to help him out and he also acts as a guardian by looking out for him and worrying about his safety. Although it seems as if Lopez truly cares, it makes me wonder whether he cares for Ayers personally, or because he is so talented; and whether if he weren’t so talented, if he wouldn’t even bothered with him.
Soloist Numero Uno
The Soloist is told in the first person point of view of a reporter trying to find a story in Nathaniel Ayers, an African American homeless musician he encounters on the street one day. Ayers is an alumni of a prestigious music school in NY, Julliard. Lopez is amazed at how an African American kid could triumph through a time when racism was apparent and most of his age group was barely surviving. Lopez attempts to find out any information he can about Ayers and connects with his sister, finds some old friends and acquaintances and writes his article. In response to his article on Ayers, people send him instruments to give to Ayers. Lopez was nervous that Ayers might get mugged with all the instruments attached to his shopping cart, so he convinces him to go to a place called Lamp Community, which offered services to mentally ill homeless people. At first Ayers didn’t like the idea, but he was eager to play his new instruments and that gave him the motivation to go there.
Up to this point, I like the book…it’s different than most stories that I’ve read in the way that it really fits its genre of being a non-fictional inspirational novel and it really gets to the issues of mental illness, racism, homelessness, and unlikely friendships between complete strangers. Most people would walk by homeless people on the street and not even care, so this story kind of opens up your eyes to the world and the few people in it who do the good deed. Steve Lopez writes to inform people about issues that they aren't educated in and wants to get those peoples’ stories across to other people and since he is a reporter, when he tells these stories he tells them in complete detail.
Up to this point, I like the book…it’s different than most stories that I’ve read in the way that it really fits its genre of being a non-fictional inspirational novel and it really gets to the issues of mental illness, racism, homelessness, and unlikely friendships between complete strangers. Most people would walk by homeless people on the street and not even care, so this story kind of opens up your eyes to the world and the few people in it who do the good deed. Steve Lopez writes to inform people about issues that they aren't educated in and wants to get those peoples’ stories across to other people and since he is a reporter, when he tells these stories he tells them in complete detail.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
How Many Still Die "The Death Of A Salesman"
( [ and ] = a question)
When we first started "The Death of a Salesman", watching the play was a little confusing for me at first. I don't remember his name, but the guy in white that Willy kept seeing; it took me some time to figure out he was a conscious figure or an apparition. A classic family themed problem was portrayed in this play with Willy trying to fulfill his dreams throughout his children. I disagree with that idea because people should be able to fulfill their own dreams if they want them that bad...they are THEIR dreams after all. (I'm unsure whether this post is supposed to be completely on this play or not, but Ill write about the play and any other things that come out of it.) [I tend to wonder why people put their dreams on their children, especially if they had the time to fulfill them themselves] It seemed to me that the man wearing white (Willy's apparition) was the influence on Willy. In a way it made him strive for something, but I wonder if the gas intake made him think of him, or if he referred to him before he started taking in the gas. Also at the end when he leaves the house... It seemed like it was a really big metaphor, but I didn't know if he suffocated in his car, or if he got in a crash because of his intoxication. It seems as if some people debate over it because I got these two ideas from different people and both seem possible. In response to Mr. Fiorini about how people define their dreams of success, I believe some people define their success in life as a legacy being passed down from generation to generation, but then again there are the other people who live their lives to fullest and try to accomplish anything and everything in their lifetime, whether or not their children continue the dream, or if they even WANT them to. Some people like to live to themselves. I dont think that we are only worth what we can sell, because we can offer things to people, but if we need more than what we already have, it is always obtainable. It is always possible to aquire a new skill or ability and thus surpass others making you worth more. So maybe that means your only worth what you can sell at a given time, but not completely. In reference to power and who had what in the play, it was clear that Willy had power over his family and his wife had almost no power. everytime she tried to say something, Willy would drown her out and wouldnt let her finish a thought. Howard had power over Willy, but I veiwed him as a type of enemy to Willy because he seemed really stern and ungrateful even though Willy spent so much time into that company. He was pretty much being an ass for firing him even after Howard knew he has a family to support. And the fact that he was so arrogant and ignorant that all he could pay attention to was his recorder... it was unprofessional and I gotta say, I dont like his character at all, he was really selfish and ignorant. Other than that it seems that power may have shifted between Willy and Biff towards the end, but I think Willy doesnt get as much power, because he was truly weak to have been inhaling gas like that. [Why is it that in hard times people turn to things that harm themselves (drugs/alcohol/suicide/etc.) rather than things that can benefit them?]
When we first started "The Death of a Salesman", watching the play was a little confusing for me at first. I don't remember his name, but the guy in white that Willy kept seeing; it took me some time to figure out he was a conscious figure or an apparition. A classic family themed problem was portrayed in this play with Willy trying to fulfill his dreams throughout his children. I disagree with that idea because people should be able to fulfill their own dreams if they want them that bad...they are THEIR dreams after all. (I'm unsure whether this post is supposed to be completely on this play or not, but Ill write about the play and any other things that come out of it.) [I tend to wonder why people put their dreams on their children, especially if they had the time to fulfill them themselves] It seemed to me that the man wearing white (Willy's apparition) was the influence on Willy. In a way it made him strive for something, but I wonder if the gas intake made him think of him, or if he referred to him before he started taking in the gas. Also at the end when he leaves the house... It seemed like it was a really big metaphor, but I didn't know if he suffocated in his car, or if he got in a crash because of his intoxication. It seems as if some people debate over it because I got these two ideas from different people and both seem possible. In response to Mr. Fiorini about how people define their dreams of success, I believe some people define their success in life as a legacy being passed down from generation to generation, but then again there are the other people who live their lives to fullest and try to accomplish anything and everything in their lifetime, whether or not their children continue the dream, or if they even WANT them to. Some people like to live to themselves. I dont think that we are only worth what we can sell, because we can offer things to people, but if we need more than what we already have, it is always obtainable. It is always possible to aquire a new skill or ability and thus surpass others making you worth more. So maybe that means your only worth what you can sell at a given time, but not completely. In reference to power and who had what in the play, it was clear that Willy had power over his family and his wife had almost no power. everytime she tried to say something, Willy would drown her out and wouldnt let her finish a thought. Howard had power over Willy, but I veiwed him as a type of enemy to Willy because he seemed really stern and ungrateful even though Willy spent so much time into that company. He was pretty much being an ass for firing him even after Howard knew he has a family to support. And the fact that he was so arrogant and ignorant that all he could pay attention to was his recorder... it was unprofessional and I gotta say, I dont like his character at all, he was really selfish and ignorant. Other than that it seems that power may have shifted between Willy and Biff towards the end, but I think Willy doesnt get as much power, because he was truly weak to have been inhaling gas like that. [Why is it that in hard times people turn to things that harm themselves (drugs/alcohol/suicide/etc.) rather than things that can benefit them?]
Third Quarter Reflection Blog about Blogging
I think that blogging is better in many ways. It helps for the entire class to organize thoughts before we even have a class. It is valuable to me because Im more of a typer than a writer and I find it much more cofortable to type out paragraphs than to write them out. I like looking about other peoples' opinions on certain topics and sometimes reading others' writing helps spark my own. Id definantly rather continue blogging because year after year of writing, especially with English being a class you write alot in, it feels so much better to just type eveything out in my opinion. Even though there is spell check here, i dont think it should be counted for grading, if it already is, because inless its a major paper, which would most likely be collected in hard copy, then blogging in our own type of mispellings and whatnot is just our style of writing, although it should be understandable. I havent noticed a change between our classes really, but blogging does allow us to share our ideas more openly, which I find useful.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Light-winged Smoke, Icarian Bird by Thoreau
Light-winged Smoke, Icarian Bird
Light-winged Smoke, Icarian bird,
Melting thy pinions in thy upward flight,
Lark without song, and the messenger of dawn,
Circling above the hamlets as thy nest;
Or else, departing dream, and shadowy form
Of midnight vision, gathering up thy skirts;
By night star-veiling, and by day
Darkening the light and blotting out the sun;
Go thou my incense upward from this hearth,
And ask the gods to pardon this clear flame.
Henry David Thoreau (born David Henry Thoreau; July 12, 1817– May 6, 1862) was an American author, poet, naturalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, historian, philosopher, and leading transcendentalist. He is best known for his book Walden, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay, Civil Disobedience, an argument for individual resistance to civil government in moral opposition to an unjust state. Thoreau was a writer during the Romantic period. Romantic writers looked at literature as an outpouring of the inner spirit, and saw imagination as the means of summoning this spirit. They reacted against classical formalism and symmetry, against rationalism, and against other restrictions on individual expression and imagination. Romantic writers celebrated the freedom of the individual, whom they placed at the center of life and art, and the expression of personal emotion. Perceiving physical objects as representative of spiritual, moral, and intellectual reality, Romantic writers relied heavily on symbolism and allegory. Romantic literature displayed a number of recurrent motifs: the theme of the individual in rebellion; the symbolic interpretation of the historic past; subjects from myth and folklore; the glorification of nature; faraway settings; sentimentalism; the nobility of the uncivilized man (the Native American, for example); admiration for the simple life; the elevation of the common man; a fascination with Gothic themes, with the supernatural and mysterious, with introspection, melancholy, and horror; and a humanitarian political and social outlook. The American experience provided much raw material suited to Romantic interpretation.
Thoreau connects to Romanticism with this poem by use of figurative language. I found that "Icarian" is in reference to Icarus, the man who tried to fly with wax wings that melted by the sun. He also uses metaphors although I'm not really sure what they are refering to, but my only guess is that as an extended metaphor the Icarian bird symbolizes change of day. At dawn it rises up to the sky only to melt due to the sun and create a white smoke that brings out the night and stars.
I found it very difficult trying to analyze this poem partially because to the language and also because of its length. It first stood out to me because from a first glance it seemed interesting. I wanted to read closer and find out more about it. Although I didnt learn much, it doesnt mean this isnt a powerful piece, because i think the more difficult the understanding, the better message there is to be found.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-moon/
The second Poem I decided to read is called 'The Moon'. In this poem Thoreau personifies the moon with the title 'she'. One possible meaning of this is that he can be referencing a woman to be as the moon. He states that even though the moon isnt around for long, and that its light isnt as bright as the sun, nonetheless, it always shines and it shines on, illuminating the earth. In the last stanza, Thoreau is referencing dawn. The moon begind to lose its glow as the sun begins to come out but even so, the moon has a place in night, it is as he says "mistress of the night" and that is the moons domain; and also that even if the moon's light isnt visible, it still continues to shine even during the day and even in other places around the world, it is night somewhere.
Being a reader of Thoreaus work is a bit challenging for me. Im not sure whether it is the themes or the old writing which he uses, but even as interesting and seemingly understandable his poetry may be, I still find it difficult to understand his work to the fullest extent. Although I am interested in it because it provides a challenge, and it doesnt just hand you the meaning or theme or analysis... His poems make you really think of the possiblities of what they really mean.
Lastly, I dont really see anything that particularly sets his writing as American. There is nothing that is distinctly directed towards being American. Just as he referenced icarus in "Smoke", it is clear that even if it was American, it is not all American.
Light-winged Smoke, Icarian bird,
Melting thy pinions in thy upward flight,
Lark without song, and the messenger of dawn,
Circling above the hamlets as thy nest;
Or else, departing dream, and shadowy form
Of midnight vision, gathering up thy skirts;
By night star-veiling, and by day
Darkening the light and blotting out the sun;
Go thou my incense upward from this hearth,
And ask the gods to pardon this clear flame.
Henry David Thoreau (born David Henry Thoreau; July 12, 1817– May 6, 1862) was an American author, poet, naturalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, historian, philosopher, and leading transcendentalist. He is best known for his book Walden, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay, Civil Disobedience, an argument for individual resistance to civil government in moral opposition to an unjust state. Thoreau was a writer during the Romantic period. Romantic writers looked at literature as an outpouring of the inner spirit, and saw imagination as the means of summoning this spirit. They reacted against classical formalism and symmetry, against rationalism, and against other restrictions on individual expression and imagination. Romantic writers celebrated the freedom of the individual, whom they placed at the center of life and art, and the expression of personal emotion. Perceiving physical objects as representative of spiritual, moral, and intellectual reality, Romantic writers relied heavily on symbolism and allegory. Romantic literature displayed a number of recurrent motifs: the theme of the individual in rebellion; the symbolic interpretation of the historic past; subjects from myth and folklore; the glorification of nature; faraway settings; sentimentalism; the nobility of the uncivilized man (the Native American, for example); admiration for the simple life; the elevation of the common man; a fascination with Gothic themes, with the supernatural and mysterious, with introspection, melancholy, and horror; and a humanitarian political and social outlook. The American experience provided much raw material suited to Romantic interpretation.
Thoreau connects to Romanticism with this poem by use of figurative language. I found that "Icarian" is in reference to Icarus, the man who tried to fly with wax wings that melted by the sun. He also uses metaphors although I'm not really sure what they are refering to, but my only guess is that as an extended metaphor the Icarian bird symbolizes change of day. At dawn it rises up to the sky only to melt due to the sun and create a white smoke that brings out the night and stars.
I found it very difficult trying to analyze this poem partially because to the language and also because of its length. It first stood out to me because from a first glance it seemed interesting. I wanted to read closer and find out more about it. Although I didnt learn much, it doesnt mean this isnt a powerful piece, because i think the more difficult the understanding, the better message there is to be found.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-moon/
The second Poem I decided to read is called 'The Moon'. In this poem Thoreau personifies the moon with the title 'she'. One possible meaning of this is that he can be referencing a woman to be as the moon. He states that even though the moon isnt around for long, and that its light isnt as bright as the sun, nonetheless, it always shines and it shines on, illuminating the earth. In the last stanza, Thoreau is referencing dawn. The moon begind to lose its glow as the sun begins to come out but even so, the moon has a place in night, it is as he says "mistress of the night" and that is the moons domain; and also that even if the moon's light isnt visible, it still continues to shine even during the day and even in other places around the world, it is night somewhere.
Being a reader of Thoreaus work is a bit challenging for me. Im not sure whether it is the themes or the old writing which he uses, but even as interesting and seemingly understandable his poetry may be, I still find it difficult to understand his work to the fullest extent. Although I am interested in it because it provides a challenge, and it doesnt just hand you the meaning or theme or analysis... His poems make you really think of the possiblities of what they really mean.
Lastly, I dont really see anything that particularly sets his writing as American. There is nothing that is distinctly directed towards being American. Just as he referenced icarus in "Smoke", it is clear that even if it was American, it is not all American.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Does writing have the power to enact social change?
I think writing can affect social change because all throughout time leaders and just other people in general have written speeches, poems, etc., to appeal to peoples' minds and emotions about certain topics, in hopes of getting them to agree with what they were talking about. Some writing can be very powerful in the usage of words or details along with fact and opinion and can really affect how a person sees something in the way they already see it or in a new way. In this poem by June Jordan, she is very expressive of the damage the U.S has done to the Middle East, and in truth i really was for nothing and now we have to help in rebuilding. She talked of bombing. Bombing, bombing, bombing, bombing and more bombing. The kind of repetition she used is very influencial because when she taslk about all the bombings and what we actually bombed... we werent aiming for a target...it made it seem like the entire nation was our target and there was no mercy. so can writing have the power to enact social change? Yes, i believe it can definantly change your views about something...anything, even the world we live in and the injustice that people think is so justified.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)