Sunday, April 5, 2009
Movie Reaction
“Twelve Angry Men” a movie directed by Sidney Lumet, is about a jury case on a teenager accused of killing his father. Written in 1957 by Reginald Rose you know the consequences for such a crime is high. This kid was being tried for murder and he was getting the death sentence. Twelve men, who knew nothing about each other, were in charge of this child’s fate. All of the evidence was against him and it seems the jurors would have an easy job. I could not believe it when that one man voted not guilty, but I could understand. Putting a human being away to death is not an easy task. This is what made it so interesting.
The child had a neutral face; it was innocent enough to make him look not guilty, but he did have the look, also, of a crazy person. The one man who voted not guilty gave me a feeling of gratitude because I knew I wasn’t the only one. We shared the same belief. What made him stand out was in the midst of people who didn’t care about whether this child lived or died because it did nothing to them, he gave it doubt. These people weren’t all bad people either, but they just did not care. This similarly describes the attitude of people towards each other today. They really do not think about what could happen, and what did as long as it does not affect them. They are just worried about getting theirs, like the man that wanted to go to his baseball game, and really do not care much about what happens to others (this idea is generally what drives war as well). All of the characters’ unique personalities were also quite attractive as well. Every person had a specific idea, trait, skill, etc. that worked on this case and helped bring everything together. Even those who disliked the boy for good or bad reasons had their moments that brought about truth. This really made the movie more enjoyable.
The best part was the pieces of evidence become easily disproved while every jury member changes their minds. The pieces of evidence initially sounded like the boy was completely guilty, but given a little thought and examination the holes between the pieces of evidence were easily seen. This was very enjoyable to me because I love it when things with little relation come together. This is where character’s knowledge began to come together for the better of the case. The setting was perfect as well. The weather was a scorcher—the hottest day of the year as juror #7 called it. It was a perfect metaphor of how tensions were already high within the jury room because things immediately went off with a bang. When six of the jurors were convinced that the accused was not guilty, it became cloudy and a storm was rolling in. This was because the six easy ones were already convinced and the next six would be the hardest to get over and emotional tenses would turn into a storm.
In the beginning, I immediately disapproved of this movie because I was not a big fan of black and white movies. They always seemed to bore me to sleep, and I was more into the modern movies of my time. Older movies I could hardly understand as well because most of them had deeper meanings or at least a different way of getting to them. This one was different though, because there was always something going on in the case solving mystery. The setting was so simple, it only took place in one building and less than ten minutes was contributed outside of the one juror’s room. This kept the movie right at the main focus the whole time and the emotional turmoil kept turning up which made the movie even easier to watch. I was so surprised at how something so simple could not only be so complex, but entertaining as well. The plot was also simple enough for me to understand and follow as well as predict what may happen next. It kept unraveling like a good book as more and more was put out on the table, both literally and figuratively. All of these things made “12 Angry Men” the first black and white movie that I ever enjoyed and a great old style movie with modern issues. It is very easy to see how such a movie could have won three academy awards.
The child had a neutral face; it was innocent enough to make him look not guilty, but he did have the look, also, of a crazy person. The one man who voted not guilty gave me a feeling of gratitude because I knew I wasn’t the only one. We shared the same belief. What made him stand out was in the midst of people who didn’t care about whether this child lived or died because it did nothing to them, he gave it doubt. These people weren’t all bad people either, but they just did not care. This similarly describes the attitude of people towards each other today. They really do not think about what could happen, and what did as long as it does not affect them. They are just worried about getting theirs, like the man that wanted to go to his baseball game, and really do not care much about what happens to others (this idea is generally what drives war as well). All of the characters’ unique personalities were also quite attractive as well. Every person had a specific idea, trait, skill, etc. that worked on this case and helped bring everything together. Even those who disliked the boy for good or bad reasons had their moments that brought about truth. This really made the movie more enjoyable.
The best part was the pieces of evidence become easily disproved while every jury member changes their minds. The pieces of evidence initially sounded like the boy was completely guilty, but given a little thought and examination the holes between the pieces of evidence were easily seen. This was very enjoyable to me because I love it when things with little relation come together. This is where character’s knowledge began to come together for the better of the case. The setting was perfect as well. The weather was a scorcher—the hottest day of the year as juror #7 called it. It was a perfect metaphor of how tensions were already high within the jury room because things immediately went off with a bang. When six of the jurors were convinced that the accused was not guilty, it became cloudy and a storm was rolling in. This was because the six easy ones were already convinced and the next six would be the hardest to get over and emotional tenses would turn into a storm.
In the beginning, I immediately disapproved of this movie because I was not a big fan of black and white movies. They always seemed to bore me to sleep, and I was more into the modern movies of my time. Older movies I could hardly understand as well because most of them had deeper meanings or at least a different way of getting to them. This one was different though, because there was always something going on in the case solving mystery. The setting was so simple, it only took place in one building and less than ten minutes was contributed outside of the one juror’s room. This kept the movie right at the main focus the whole time and the emotional turmoil kept turning up which made the movie even easier to watch. I was so surprised at how something so simple could not only be so complex, but entertaining as well. The plot was also simple enough for me to understand and follow as well as predict what may happen next. It kept unraveling like a good book as more and more was put out on the table, both literally and figuratively. All of these things made “12 Angry Men” the first black and white movie that I ever enjoyed and a great old style movie with modern issues. It is very easy to see how such a movie could have won three academy awards.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Poet Analysis
Langston Hughes
1. Besides the Mississippi River that is in the United States of America, all the rivers he speaks of are in Africa. In literal terms, these are quite famous rivers, but also, these rivers are all the sites of major events of his life. They represent the struggle, growth, pain and accomplishments throughout not just his life, but the generations of African Americans. All of these rivers are also sites of literal struggles (war battles) as well.
2. He literally is the darker brother because he is black, but he is the side of society that is hidden and ignored from the world. It is a poem about racism. The white man tells the black man to eat in the kitchen to keep him hidden from company or the world, but as he is hidden he grows stronger and soon won’t be able to be ignored. That’s when he will “eat at the table” or share the benefits of white people as well. He also calls himself a “brother” because Hughes tries to show that we are all connected as one people and should not be segregated against. America is the land of equality, yet everyone is not equal. Blacks have always been counted as less than an American and he will shatter this ancient tradition shown though his title, “I Too” meaning, I too am human, I too am an American.
3. In this poem white supremacy prevails here. The boy is never listened to and the white man again leaves him and doesn’t believe him. This is exactly what black activists were trying to get rid of. Dubois and Locke would have disagreed about the negative talk towards the blacks. All of the degradation within the poem is not true about the beautiful black race.
4. McKay is a lot rougher on his poetry than Hughes is. McKay uses harsher syntax and tales and messages that put an aggressive look onto racism. It pumps everyone up ready to hate or fight against the struggles they have, while Hughes is calmer. He takes a more subtle step in his structure and writing. He flows more within his writing and tells us what struggles go on and how we can endure them, while McKay says something more like “This is the struggle, let’s end it!”
5. He was objecting to white people stealing black music and making it their own. They used blacks’ stories and cultures to keep them down. The whites also put their own little pieces in black cultures to “whiten it up” so to speak. This still goes on today, but not as badly as it did before.
6. Hughes talks more about America because America is the land with the problem. They’re supposed to be the land of the free, but they have the most divided country. It’s the land of opportunity for whites only. Africa has its issues, but they are not as violent and down-heartening on their people as America is. He does mention Africa sometimes because he want s to show everyone that he remembers where he came from and to remind them of their heritage.
Claude McKay
1. A harlot can be a common man with a low birth in society (peasant is an extreme, but accurate synonym). McKay uses this word to downgrade those Pharaohs and people who believe they’re over blacks or any other human. At the end of his poem he reminds us that after every day, our work is nothing compared to the mighty nations God created and his works under the sun.
2. He refers, in the beginning to us as “hogs” because we allow ourselves to be shut down by the white animals that contained us. As the poem goes on, we become the men who fight off the pathetic animals who try to stop our talents. Blacks saw us as no more than dogs. We were pets to them, just there to serve at their whim as slaves. Soon, though at the end of the poem, they become the dogs as we take our freedom.
3. McKay has more aggression to his messages. Instead of just stating the issues, he embraces them and puts his anger and the pride of all blacks together. His words and the way his poem flows gives it this effect. He also uses it to reach everybody for blacks to eventually rise up and whites to realize us as a people. Eventually he hopes that whites will realize this so all of the battles he puts in his poems will not have to come true. We can become equal without violence and his poems are a warning of what will happen if black people are kept condemned.
1. Besides the Mississippi River that is in the United States of America, all the rivers he speaks of are in Africa. In literal terms, these are quite famous rivers, but also, these rivers are all the sites of major events of his life. They represent the struggle, growth, pain and accomplishments throughout not just his life, but the generations of African Americans. All of these rivers are also sites of literal struggles (war battles) as well.
2. He literally is the darker brother because he is black, but he is the side of society that is hidden and ignored from the world. It is a poem about racism. The white man tells the black man to eat in the kitchen to keep him hidden from company or the world, but as he is hidden he grows stronger and soon won’t be able to be ignored. That’s when he will “eat at the table” or share the benefits of white people as well. He also calls himself a “brother” because Hughes tries to show that we are all connected as one people and should not be segregated against. America is the land of equality, yet everyone is not equal. Blacks have always been counted as less than an American and he will shatter this ancient tradition shown though his title, “I Too” meaning, I too am human, I too am an American.
3. In this poem white supremacy prevails here. The boy is never listened to and the white man again leaves him and doesn’t believe him. This is exactly what black activists were trying to get rid of. Dubois and Locke would have disagreed about the negative talk towards the blacks. All of the degradation within the poem is not true about the beautiful black race.
4. McKay is a lot rougher on his poetry than Hughes is. McKay uses harsher syntax and tales and messages that put an aggressive look onto racism. It pumps everyone up ready to hate or fight against the struggles they have, while Hughes is calmer. He takes a more subtle step in his structure and writing. He flows more within his writing and tells us what struggles go on and how we can endure them, while McKay says something more like “This is the struggle, let’s end it!”
5. He was objecting to white people stealing black music and making it their own. They used blacks’ stories and cultures to keep them down. The whites also put their own little pieces in black cultures to “whiten it up” so to speak. This still goes on today, but not as badly as it did before.
6. Hughes talks more about America because America is the land with the problem. They’re supposed to be the land of the free, but they have the most divided country. It’s the land of opportunity for whites only. Africa has its issues, but they are not as violent and down-heartening on their people as America is. He does mention Africa sometimes because he want s to show everyone that he remembers where he came from and to remind them of their heritage.
Claude McKay
1. A harlot can be a common man with a low birth in society (peasant is an extreme, but accurate synonym). McKay uses this word to downgrade those Pharaohs and people who believe they’re over blacks or any other human. At the end of his poem he reminds us that after every day, our work is nothing compared to the mighty nations God created and his works under the sun.
2. He refers, in the beginning to us as “hogs” because we allow ourselves to be shut down by the white animals that contained us. As the poem goes on, we become the men who fight off the pathetic animals who try to stop our talents. Blacks saw us as no more than dogs. We were pets to them, just there to serve at their whim as slaves. Soon, though at the end of the poem, they become the dogs as we take our freedom.
3. McKay has more aggression to his messages. Instead of just stating the issues, he embraces them and puts his anger and the pride of all blacks together. His words and the way his poem flows gives it this effect. He also uses it to reach everybody for blacks to eventually rise up and whites to realize us as a people. Eventually he hopes that whites will realize this so all of the battles he puts in his poems will not have to come true. We can become equal without violence and his poems are a warning of what will happen if black people are kept condemned.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Apply Question
For those who can't remember, here it is: Write a short paragraph about someone, you know with the use of repetition, to express a tone of admiration.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Their Eyes Were Watching God Quote
“She knew now that marriage did not make love. Her dream was dead, so she became a woman,” (Hurston 25)
This quote really sticks out within the story and is a big eye catcher to be in the first twenty-five pages. It shows how quickly Zora jumps right into deeper meaning within her stories. This phrase caught a lot of my attention because it makes you think. It reveals truth in some respects. Hurston uses this statement as a major attention getter and one of the many rhetorical phrases in her story. The two truths are that marriage does not make love and dreams.
Our first truth is very self-explanatory. Marriage will not create love in the future. Janie found this out when she married Logan, a man she never loved. One big mistake that most people make today is waiting for love to come and just rushing into marriage when love is what marriage should be based off of anyway. Without that there is nothing to keep the two of you together when things get hard. It’s the sticky adhesive, supposedly unbreakable bond that keeps a couple together, but at this day and age that glue has been getting weak and dry. Love is becoming dry to only last a few years instead of when love lasted forever. A bond so strong cannot be created by anything other than the intertwined souls of two separate spirits and that is not what marriage is. Marriage is the public declaration of this bondage and legal unification, but is also a life-changing decision, commitment, agreement, and bonding. With this book being written in the early 20th century it is possible that Hurston saw that the main thing that kept this together, love, was becoming less noticed and warned us against it.
Another point she had was about Janie’s dreams. Janie claims that she was not grown enough when her Nanny said that she was now a woman. Janie was not ready for this, but it happened. She wanted to live young for a longer time like she was before. She then realized that this was not possible so her plans, her dreams died. Here Hurston says that “she became a woman,” (Hurston 25). It is true though that when you get older and eventually become grown some of your dreams—in some cases most or all dreams—die along with your younger years. Everything that you wanted to be or do you then realize you can neither do nor do so easily. Reality crashes in and it alters your vision. You begin to see the difference between reality and dreams and you must wake up. It makes you think your dreams are impossible and twists what really is possible. Once you realize that it is claimed that you reach another level in growing up—you reach another level in maturity. Hurston says that Janie realized this and became a woman, showing that just like that, she knew the struggle and sacrifices of womanhood. Once you are grown certain things are given up for your own future and the people around you. Hurston showed us that this was another level in maturity and one of life’s unfortunate lessons that does not go well when learned the hard way, especially when Janie was just crying when she realized it.
To conclude, there was a large message in this little phrase within the book. Love is not being used to keep lives together as it should be and it cannot be recreated by marriage. Also the dreams that you once had are slowly eroded as you become older and this is a new level of maturity and a painful life lesson. Hurston gives off many more messages within her book which makes it an entertaining book as well as education about what a textbook can’t teach you: life lessons.
This quote really sticks out within the story and is a big eye catcher to be in the first twenty-five pages. It shows how quickly Zora jumps right into deeper meaning within her stories. This phrase caught a lot of my attention because it makes you think. It reveals truth in some respects. Hurston uses this statement as a major attention getter and one of the many rhetorical phrases in her story. The two truths are that marriage does not make love and dreams.
Our first truth is very self-explanatory. Marriage will not create love in the future. Janie found this out when she married Logan, a man she never loved. One big mistake that most people make today is waiting for love to come and just rushing into marriage when love is what marriage should be based off of anyway. Without that there is nothing to keep the two of you together when things get hard. It’s the sticky adhesive, supposedly unbreakable bond that keeps a couple together, but at this day and age that glue has been getting weak and dry. Love is becoming dry to only last a few years instead of when love lasted forever. A bond so strong cannot be created by anything other than the intertwined souls of two separate spirits and that is not what marriage is. Marriage is the public declaration of this bondage and legal unification, but is also a life-changing decision, commitment, agreement, and bonding. With this book being written in the early 20th century it is possible that Hurston saw that the main thing that kept this together, love, was becoming less noticed and warned us against it.
Another point she had was about Janie’s dreams. Janie claims that she was not grown enough when her Nanny said that she was now a woman. Janie was not ready for this, but it happened. She wanted to live young for a longer time like she was before. She then realized that this was not possible so her plans, her dreams died. Here Hurston says that “she became a woman,” (Hurston 25). It is true though that when you get older and eventually become grown some of your dreams—in some cases most or all dreams—die along with your younger years. Everything that you wanted to be or do you then realize you can neither do nor do so easily. Reality crashes in and it alters your vision. You begin to see the difference between reality and dreams and you must wake up. It makes you think your dreams are impossible and twists what really is possible. Once you realize that it is claimed that you reach another level in growing up—you reach another level in maturity. Hurston says that Janie realized this and became a woman, showing that just like that, she knew the struggle and sacrifices of womanhood. Once you are grown certain things are given up for your own future and the people around you. Hurston showed us that this was another level in maturity and one of life’s unfortunate lessons that does not go well when learned the hard way, especially when Janie was just crying when she realized it.
To conclude, there was a large message in this little phrase within the book. Love is not being used to keep lives together as it should be and it cannot be recreated by marriage. Also the dreams that you once had are slowly eroded as you become older and this is a new level of maturity and a painful life lesson. Hurston gives off many more messages within her book which makes it an entertaining book as well as education about what a textbook can’t teach you: life lessons.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Glaspell
Glaspell uses a wide variety of symbolism to give out certain ideas about what happened in this house. There was a crime set and the items are rhetorically showing the idea, but not logically which is why they say that there is really no evidence. Glaspell uses the objects at the crime scene not only to prove the woman guilty, but he gives the differences of detective work between the men and the ladies which led them each, to their differing conclusions. He creates a dual-sleuth atmosphere where each group comes up with a conclusion with their own sets of evidence.
The ladies talk about Ms. Wright alone while they walk around the house. They Mrs. Hale claimed, “Wright was closed,” indirectly meaning that she kept everything to herself (Glaspell 14). She kept all of her emotions inside and when they decide to come out, it can be dangerous, specifically for her husband. Not only was she closed, but she claimed that Mrs. Wright and her husband did not get together. That definitely is not a good thing for a bottled up woman. Also the description of the things she had sitting around her house—her rotten fruit, the half-clean half-dirty towel, the quilt, and the bird cage—raises some eyebrows about that really went on there that left her stuff that way. Then men laughed as the women wondered if Mrs. Wright was going to quilt or knot her sowing design (Glaspell 17). They also find another one that is nice at the start but messy and incomplete near the end which is a symbol of her marriage (Glaspell 18). Her marriage began very nice, as every marriage does, but then it got messy and was incomplete by the end with “bad sewing” or issues in the marriage. The men don’t touch or even pay attention to the sewing which is also their marriage while the relationship and motive is all the ladies talk about. The women are underestimated in this story, but it is them who come up with the actual case.
Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters also found the most important piece of evidence. There was a bird that had its neck wrung until it was dead. This canary could be the spirit of Mrs. Wright that was killed by Mr. Wright —which could explain the sewing—since Mrs. Hale knew Mr. Wright (Glaspell 26). In return she killed him the exact same way he killed her. Here is the motive for what she did. This idea is also proven by the interview Hale had with Mrs. Wright when he asked for Mr. Wright and she laughed and said “He’s dead,” (Glaspell 6). These women knew what they were talking about because most of the attention was given to the women in the story as the men did their searching. As the men neglect their ideas they end up being exactly right. The case could not be completely solved with just the sheriff and attorney’s work because they did not have a motive. The women found that easily. It can be said that Glaspell mocks their detective work because the attention is all on the women and they knew the victim and suspect and claims them as smarter. Mrs. Wright was also smarter because such a simple way of murdering someone and an easy lie led them to a dead end. It is obvious that she did it, but they cannot prove it. The women’s gossip led them where the men’s evidence stopped along with the evidence and the untidiness of the house splits their methods, and gives a complete case to the audience, but leaves the characters in the dark.
The ladies talk about Ms. Wright alone while they walk around the house. They Mrs. Hale claimed, “Wright was closed,” indirectly meaning that she kept everything to herself (Glaspell 14). She kept all of her emotions inside and when they decide to come out, it can be dangerous, specifically for her husband. Not only was she closed, but she claimed that Mrs. Wright and her husband did not get together. That definitely is not a good thing for a bottled up woman. Also the description of the things she had sitting around her house—her rotten fruit, the half-clean half-dirty towel, the quilt, and the bird cage—raises some eyebrows about that really went on there that left her stuff that way. Then men laughed as the women wondered if Mrs. Wright was going to quilt or knot her sowing design (Glaspell 17). They also find another one that is nice at the start but messy and incomplete near the end which is a symbol of her marriage (Glaspell 18). Her marriage began very nice, as every marriage does, but then it got messy and was incomplete by the end with “bad sewing” or issues in the marriage. The men don’t touch or even pay attention to the sewing which is also their marriage while the relationship and motive is all the ladies talk about. The women are underestimated in this story, but it is them who come up with the actual case.
Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters also found the most important piece of evidence. There was a bird that had its neck wrung until it was dead. This canary could be the spirit of Mrs. Wright that was killed by Mr. Wright —which could explain the sewing—since Mrs. Hale knew Mr. Wright (Glaspell 26). In return she killed him the exact same way he killed her. Here is the motive for what she did. This idea is also proven by the interview Hale had with Mrs. Wright when he asked for Mr. Wright and she laughed and said “He’s dead,” (Glaspell 6). These women knew what they were talking about because most of the attention was given to the women in the story as the men did their searching. As the men neglect their ideas they end up being exactly right. The case could not be completely solved with just the sheriff and attorney’s work because they did not have a motive. The women found that easily. It can be said that Glaspell mocks their detective work because the attention is all on the women and they knew the victim and suspect and claims them as smarter. Mrs. Wright was also smarter because such a simple way of murdering someone and an easy lie led them to a dead end. It is obvious that she did it, but they cannot prove it. The women’s gossip led them where the men’s evidence stopped along with the evidence and the untidiness of the house splits their methods, and gives a complete case to the audience, but leaves the characters in the dark.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Bernice is A BEAST!!! lol
During a period of time (most likely shift from 19th to 20th century) the social structures of women began to change. The things that women were allowed to do began to significantly differ from the old times to the coming century which sparked a whole new idea and personality of the “common woman”. The old “cult of domesticity” women were considered obsolete and the new age of women (called that due to lack of a better name) was ready to take their place. This is where conflict came in and these weren’t always pretty, as Fitzgerald described with the story “Bernice Bobs Her Hair”. The two main characters, Bernice and Marjorie, are symbols of the strong impact and influence on one towards the other.
Their conflict can be compared to a conflict between animals. When these two animals (referring to differing ideas) meet, one tries to get its influence over the other. Whoever is weaker, more passive, or not up to the challenge, must submit to the victor. This is much like the battle between the cult of domesticity and the new age. Marjorie continuously mocked the older women with her sarcasm and strict tone towards her argument with Bernice saying things like, “Yes they were—not!” and “The womanly woman!” (Fitzgerald 8). Marjorie had her ways of attracting people and Bernice had her own ways, but Marjorie was able to attract more people and just seeing the older ways of attracting made her sick. When Marjorie challenged Bernice she only had the choice of doing what she was thinking about doing in the first place, leaving, or submitting into the ideas and power of the new woman. Marjorie had a louder bark than Bernice so it influenced her. In this instance it was strong enough to turn Bernice into something she wasn’t, both literally and figuratively. Her desperate attempt for popularity caused her to cut her beautiful hair, and doing that was like cutting away at her soul or her confidence (much like the biblical tale Samson and Delilah). Bernice also became something she was not using her new methods given by her cousin to attract attention. It gave her the crazy idea of bobbing her hair. The best thing which Fitzgerald implied was that each woman should just live their own lives.
To conclude, “Bernice Bobs Her Hair” is a great symbol and story of the conflicts between the cult of true womanhood and the new age. These conflicting ages were sometimes very dangerous, but were necessary because there was no way the two could have compromised, being complete opposites. The cult of true womanhood was the general idea because men did everything else while the women sat around the house and pretty much served everyone else. The new age of women was much different because they were actually working women that could be independent and had more power to do things. This new privilege kept from them for so many years made them change their submissive attitude because men were no longer the focus of their attention. It was now getting/keeping a job, and with them doing this, they did not need to depend entirely on men. These two clashing forces were formidable opponents, but Fitzgerald made it seem that the new woman can overtake the old woman. There was one last message that was given out at the very end of the story though and it was shown through Bernice’s drastic action: Don’t ever count the old style of women out.
Their conflict can be compared to a conflict between animals. When these two animals (referring to differing ideas) meet, one tries to get its influence over the other. Whoever is weaker, more passive, or not up to the challenge, must submit to the victor. This is much like the battle between the cult of domesticity and the new age. Marjorie continuously mocked the older women with her sarcasm and strict tone towards her argument with Bernice saying things like, “Yes they were—not!” and “The womanly woman!” (Fitzgerald 8). Marjorie had her ways of attracting people and Bernice had her own ways, but Marjorie was able to attract more people and just seeing the older ways of attracting made her sick. When Marjorie challenged Bernice she only had the choice of doing what she was thinking about doing in the first place, leaving, or submitting into the ideas and power of the new woman. Marjorie had a louder bark than Bernice so it influenced her. In this instance it was strong enough to turn Bernice into something she wasn’t, both literally and figuratively. Her desperate attempt for popularity caused her to cut her beautiful hair, and doing that was like cutting away at her soul or her confidence (much like the biblical tale Samson and Delilah). Bernice also became something she was not using her new methods given by her cousin to attract attention. It gave her the crazy idea of bobbing her hair. The best thing which Fitzgerald implied was that each woman should just live their own lives.
To conclude, “Bernice Bobs Her Hair” is a great symbol and story of the conflicts between the cult of true womanhood and the new age. These conflicting ages were sometimes very dangerous, but were necessary because there was no way the two could have compromised, being complete opposites. The cult of true womanhood was the general idea because men did everything else while the women sat around the house and pretty much served everyone else. The new age of women was much different because they were actually working women that could be independent and had more power to do things. This new privilege kept from them for so many years made them change their submissive attitude because men were no longer the focus of their attention. It was now getting/keeping a job, and with them doing this, they did not need to depend entirely on men. These two clashing forces were formidable opponents, but Fitzgerald made it seem that the new woman can overtake the old woman. There was one last message that was given out at the very end of the story though and it was shown through Bernice’s drastic action: Don’t ever count the old style of women out.
MLK Answers
1. Alliteration- Repetition of consonant sounds in a series of words; Allusion- An indirect reference; Metaphor- Comparison that doesn’t use like or as; Simile- Comparison using like or as.
2. The beginning of his speech is an indirect reference to Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. This was really good because Lincoln was the president who freed the slaves, and his speech was about freedom from segregation. He referred back to Lincoln to refresh their memories. Lincoln was the reason they were there, not as literal slaves, but as slaves of oppression. MLK planned to finish what Lincoln started.
3. Bible: “Justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream,” (MLK 4). Declaration of Independence: “Now is the time to make real promises of democracy,” (MLK 3).
4. “…Color of their skin but by the content of their character,” (MLK 4)
5. “…Chains of discrimination,” (MLK 2)
6. “Justice rolls down like waters,” ((MLK 4)
7. This is a metaphor and it is a powerful tool because it reminds them of their suffering ancestors. He is also reminding them of their freedom, yet they are still enslaved. The same chains that kept them from their freedom in the cotton fields are holding them from freedom in society. He was making the inference that blacks are still enslaved, just not with literal chains. This should not be true after one hundred years of freedom and in a country that is supposed to be free for all. This must be fixed and that is what he planned to do.
8. a. “Now is the time” (MLK3) b. “We cannot be satisfied” (MLK 4)
9. One of the effects of his repetition is to stress his point. This method combined with his powerful voice was able to drill this idea into the minds and hearts of everyone listening to him. This is the “faith” he had and he wanted to make sure everyone both knew it and took it home with them (MLK 5). He also wanted to let everyone know how powerful their faith and to be in order to endure the suffering that is going on. They needed encouragement to get through the tribulations they had. Dr. King knew this would be tough and if he was going to lead these people, then he needed to get through to them and lift them up. Judging by the resounding applause that he received (a lot louder after the speech) he did just that.’
10. His most powerful method, I believe, was when he spoke of not solving this issue with violence. It takes a lot of strength for a man, a culture, to walk around their home, the one place you deserve to have peace in “exile” (MLK 1). Yet this man still resorts to nonviolence; he says he will not have their “creative protest degenerate into physical violence” (MLK 3). He uses the word degenerate inferring that it will lower the status of their already powerful battle and claims to keep their victories on high by using “Dignity and discipline,” fighting “physical force with soul force” (MLK 3). He is also teaching them (and us) not to give in to the typical idea of a violent black man. If we resort to nonviolence we can always defeat the “evil with the good” (Rom 12:21).
11. 100 years ago we were set free from slavery by the great man Abraham Lincoln. Well I am here to tell you that we are far from free. Our physical chains may be gone, but we still are figuratively shackled by the segregation of our own country. Our nation told us in the documents that all laws are based off of that all men are created equal. This, in fact, is an abandoned idea which the country believes does not apply to the black race. We will make sure that this phrase written by our forefathers will be followed to the fullest and if the nation believes we will quiet this then they are wrong. We will fight to the bitter end, not with violence, but with strength, determination and dignity. So have hope for one day every city, every county, and every state will become as one just as the people of the nation will become as one and then we all can sing our country’s national anthem with pride and the satisfaction of truth. One day we will all stand together as a people and be thankful to be fully free.
12. The world’s biggest crime was the ignorance of thinking that black people were not a human race, like whites are. Discrimination and segregation were the effects of this stupid belief. The world separated blacks as lower beings and this is not right, nor can be true. Skin color does not make a person any more or less than another person. If either one gets shot they can die the same, if either one gets an education they can teach the same, if either one had the skill they could do the same. We are all a people and splitting us up can only cause one thing as it did: revolution.
13. I believe the American Dream is the idea that anyone can have the opportunity and chance to succeed and do well for themselves. They can also live in a peaceful world that is not like any other on earth and is better than any other. In a nutshell, it’s the only place you can have your cake and eat it too.
14. Dr. King names the states that have the heaviest segregation and are the most dangerous for blacks. Knowing this it almost seems impossible to see such a time when these states walk with blacks instead of hanging them. This adds to the effect of what he is saying and adds a lot more hope to his speech. If the most segregated areas in the whole country become unified peacefully and equally, then there is not a single place that segregation can hide.
15. I would have been extremely moved. Just watching it on TV made your spine tingle. Also knowing the time that they were in and all the suffering that they had gone through, this would have been a big encouragement if I were there. The speech touched the hearts of every American there and woke up many people to the problems and solutions to these problems in that time. This would make a lot of people ready to go out there and suffer and work hard so that they could look forward to equal rights and no more discrimination.
16. Racism is the prejudice of one race towards another. It also creates the effect of looking down towards these people and hatred between them. This can create great wars, violent or nonviolent.
17. These people resorted to violence because they did not believe blacks were not supposed to be free. This was mostly hatred and rage toward black people that fueled their violence. They wanted to prove that blacks were lower beings as well as everything else that they thought black were: violent, ignorant, etc. Blacks did not resort to violence, I believe, because MLK was powerful enough to convince black people to resort to nonviolence. He was a great leader because he influenced the black race to follow his plan. They also were not going to give up when they came so far or give in to the oppression. They were determined to continue.
18. I don’t believe that they are as dangerous as the Nazis. They are still dangerous because of their beliefs and oppression, but they are old-fashioned. We are in a new age where there are too many people ready to move on to a better life for them to make such a drastic change. If more people are going to keep the new idea instead of giving up to oppression, then they are going to be shut down before they even start.
19. There is no more segregation at this time. The whole idea about separated water fountains, separate schools and bathrooms no longer exist. Blacks and whites can now walk down the same street, into the same buildings, and use the same bathrooms without it being illegal. A black man has even become president of the United States! We have come very far and Dr. King would be very proud to see this. His dream with these things is truly fulfilled.
There is still some work to be done though. This is the most difficult part of his dream. This is the part in convincing people that blacks are humans and are just as good as whites at doing anything. We are all equal and some people are just prejudiced in this idea. Black are not equal in their eyes. We still have to prove to them that we are just as good, if not better than they are. This may not be possible, since these people are too stubborn to realize what we have already done. Hopefully convincing them can be accomplished.
2. The beginning of his speech is an indirect reference to Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. This was really good because Lincoln was the president who freed the slaves, and his speech was about freedom from segregation. He referred back to Lincoln to refresh their memories. Lincoln was the reason they were there, not as literal slaves, but as slaves of oppression. MLK planned to finish what Lincoln started.
3. Bible: “Justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream,” (MLK 4). Declaration of Independence: “Now is the time to make real promises of democracy,” (MLK 3).
4. “…Color of their skin but by the content of their character,” (MLK 4)
5. “…Chains of discrimination,” (MLK 2)
6. “Justice rolls down like waters,” ((MLK 4)
7. This is a metaphor and it is a powerful tool because it reminds them of their suffering ancestors. He is also reminding them of their freedom, yet they are still enslaved. The same chains that kept them from their freedom in the cotton fields are holding them from freedom in society. He was making the inference that blacks are still enslaved, just not with literal chains. This should not be true after one hundred years of freedom and in a country that is supposed to be free for all. This must be fixed and that is what he planned to do.
8. a. “Now is the time” (MLK3) b. “We cannot be satisfied” (MLK 4)
9. One of the effects of his repetition is to stress his point. This method combined with his powerful voice was able to drill this idea into the minds and hearts of everyone listening to him. This is the “faith” he had and he wanted to make sure everyone both knew it and took it home with them (MLK 5). He also wanted to let everyone know how powerful their faith and to be in order to endure the suffering that is going on. They needed encouragement to get through the tribulations they had. Dr. King knew this would be tough and if he was going to lead these people, then he needed to get through to them and lift them up. Judging by the resounding applause that he received (a lot louder after the speech) he did just that.’
10. His most powerful method, I believe, was when he spoke of not solving this issue with violence. It takes a lot of strength for a man, a culture, to walk around their home, the one place you deserve to have peace in “exile” (MLK 1). Yet this man still resorts to nonviolence; he says he will not have their “creative protest degenerate into physical violence” (MLK 3). He uses the word degenerate inferring that it will lower the status of their already powerful battle and claims to keep their victories on high by using “Dignity and discipline,” fighting “physical force with soul force” (MLK 3). He is also teaching them (and us) not to give in to the typical idea of a violent black man. If we resort to nonviolence we can always defeat the “evil with the good” (Rom 12:21).
11. 100 years ago we were set free from slavery by the great man Abraham Lincoln. Well I am here to tell you that we are far from free. Our physical chains may be gone, but we still are figuratively shackled by the segregation of our own country. Our nation told us in the documents that all laws are based off of that all men are created equal. This, in fact, is an abandoned idea which the country believes does not apply to the black race. We will make sure that this phrase written by our forefathers will be followed to the fullest and if the nation believes we will quiet this then they are wrong. We will fight to the bitter end, not with violence, but with strength, determination and dignity. So have hope for one day every city, every county, and every state will become as one just as the people of the nation will become as one and then we all can sing our country’s national anthem with pride and the satisfaction of truth. One day we will all stand together as a people and be thankful to be fully free.
12. The world’s biggest crime was the ignorance of thinking that black people were not a human race, like whites are. Discrimination and segregation were the effects of this stupid belief. The world separated blacks as lower beings and this is not right, nor can be true. Skin color does not make a person any more or less than another person. If either one gets shot they can die the same, if either one gets an education they can teach the same, if either one had the skill they could do the same. We are all a people and splitting us up can only cause one thing as it did: revolution.
13. I believe the American Dream is the idea that anyone can have the opportunity and chance to succeed and do well for themselves. They can also live in a peaceful world that is not like any other on earth and is better than any other. In a nutshell, it’s the only place you can have your cake and eat it too.
14. Dr. King names the states that have the heaviest segregation and are the most dangerous for blacks. Knowing this it almost seems impossible to see such a time when these states walk with blacks instead of hanging them. This adds to the effect of what he is saying and adds a lot more hope to his speech. If the most segregated areas in the whole country become unified peacefully and equally, then there is not a single place that segregation can hide.
15. I would have been extremely moved. Just watching it on TV made your spine tingle. Also knowing the time that they were in and all the suffering that they had gone through, this would have been a big encouragement if I were there. The speech touched the hearts of every American there and woke up many people to the problems and solutions to these problems in that time. This would make a lot of people ready to go out there and suffer and work hard so that they could look forward to equal rights and no more discrimination.
16. Racism is the prejudice of one race towards another. It also creates the effect of looking down towards these people and hatred between them. This can create great wars, violent or nonviolent.
17. These people resorted to violence because they did not believe blacks were not supposed to be free. This was mostly hatred and rage toward black people that fueled their violence. They wanted to prove that blacks were lower beings as well as everything else that they thought black were: violent, ignorant, etc. Blacks did not resort to violence, I believe, because MLK was powerful enough to convince black people to resort to nonviolence. He was a great leader because he influenced the black race to follow his plan. They also were not going to give up when they came so far or give in to the oppression. They were determined to continue.
18. I don’t believe that they are as dangerous as the Nazis. They are still dangerous because of their beliefs and oppression, but they are old-fashioned. We are in a new age where there are too many people ready to move on to a better life for them to make such a drastic change. If more people are going to keep the new idea instead of giving up to oppression, then they are going to be shut down before they even start.
19. There is no more segregation at this time. The whole idea about separated water fountains, separate schools and bathrooms no longer exist. Blacks and whites can now walk down the same street, into the same buildings, and use the same bathrooms without it being illegal. A black man has even become president of the United States! We have come very far and Dr. King would be very proud to see this. His dream with these things is truly fulfilled.
There is still some work to be done though. This is the most difficult part of his dream. This is the part in convincing people that blacks are humans and are just as good as whites at doing anything. We are all equal and some people are just prejudiced in this idea. Black are not equal in their eyes. We still have to prove to them that we are just as good, if not better than they are. This may not be possible, since these people are too stubborn to realize what we have already done. Hopefully convincing them can be accomplished.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Hughes Questions
1. Hughes main point was that church can be deceptive. Although it was at the end, it was one of his strongest statements. He lay in a bed crying because of that and the fact that he lied to his aunt to be saved. All those who told him about the great feelings of being saved and his aunt's misunderstanding with his feelings were the complete opposite of how he felt.
2. Hughes saw his friend who lied and became saved which was a sin, but he was not punished for it. Also he felt guilty for making everyone wait, and since he did not see Jesus or feel anything, he just gave up and went along with them to be saved.
3. The first two sentences contradict the idea of being saved. If people are saved, why do they still sin? What is the point of being saved from sin if all humans do is sin? His contradiction plays throughout the passage when he was saved from sin by sinning. If this can happen, what is the sense in being saved?
4. I believe Langston wrote Salvation twenty years later to expose his miscomprehension of the bible’s ideas. The bible is a very hard book to understand because there is so much to pull from it. Everything in there is not literal; there are many symbols. In fact the very Bible itself is a symbol of God’s voice. Everything the adults said were shown figuratively, not literally. The very fact that he was crying after he did what he did and his hesitation of doing it gave a sign of good in him. He was also thinking about everyone else and how tired they might be. He was caring for others, concerned for his friend, and upset that he lied. He also shows significance of his crying since he said he only did it once more in his lifetime showing he doesn’t cry a lot. With this you can say he wasn’t touched by a Holy Ghost, but he knew right from wrong and for that you can see a lot of good in him.
5. He assumes that the audience knows about the gist of the ceremony because he jumps right into it. He does add detail though to describe the way his church does it, if it is done differently than another local church.
6. All of the ideas about him being alone, everyone waiting on him in paragraphs 3-10, as well as the fact it was getting late, made Hughes very anxious. He “began to be ashamed,” so the pressure got to him (Hughes). The most powerful was probably the song that was used about the lonely sheep that almost literally referred to him. This really got to him and hits the audience emotionally because you know when a song is about you it makes its way to the heart quickly.
7. With narration it had a better effect on the audience. An argumentative essay would have turned some readers away who had different beliefs. In the form of a story, it can attract anyone, even those who are not in this specific religion. The title would probably be “What Is Salvation?”
8. He shortens the time taken to get to the sermon as well as shortening the service of the church that day besides the altar incident. He skips all the people that went except him and Wesley. He drew out his part to add more expression to his experience. At the end he jumps to his home in bed, because it was the only thing that mattered at the time. When you are that upset as a child the only thing left for you to do is go in the bed and cry. This gives the ending of his reason for writing this chapter.
9. During the sermon, he uses shorter transitions that consider a shorter time period than days or weeks like then, finally, and suddenly, (Hughes). Then he once again uses “That night” as a jumper transition (Hughes).
10. This is the focal point of the narrative. This is the place and time he learns this big lesson so we must know how it works to get the full understanding of his experience.
11. I think he feels understanding. He now realizes what happened at this time and even though he was ashamed as a child, he may not have redone it any kind of way even if he could. In the beginning when he spoke of those who told him he would see Jesus and whatnot, he did not call them liars. He just merely said that he did not feel anything.
12. He is setting up the time period. His sentences are child-like because he is a child at the time in the story. It would be a little strange to have sophisticated, advanced writing as a 13 year old boy.
13. Hughes expected to see Jesus in the literal sense while his aunt expected him, not to literally see him, but feel his spirit come over him. It would be more accurate to say see as Jesus in the sense that he would be able to see what Jesus would do or “What is the right choice?” This is a very significant difference because it gives the contradiction of a literal and figurative sense of the Bible. It is also where they say the “Holy Ghost” comes in because eit is supposedly the spirit that guides you to the path of justice.
2. Hughes saw his friend who lied and became saved which was a sin, but he was not punished for it. Also he felt guilty for making everyone wait, and since he did not see Jesus or feel anything, he just gave up and went along with them to be saved.
3. The first two sentences contradict the idea of being saved. If people are saved, why do they still sin? What is the point of being saved from sin if all humans do is sin? His contradiction plays throughout the passage when he was saved from sin by sinning. If this can happen, what is the sense in being saved?
4. I believe Langston wrote Salvation twenty years later to expose his miscomprehension of the bible’s ideas. The bible is a very hard book to understand because there is so much to pull from it. Everything in there is not literal; there are many symbols. In fact the very Bible itself is a symbol of God’s voice. Everything the adults said were shown figuratively, not literally. The very fact that he was crying after he did what he did and his hesitation of doing it gave a sign of good in him. He was also thinking about everyone else and how tired they might be. He was caring for others, concerned for his friend, and upset that he lied. He also shows significance of his crying since he said he only did it once more in his lifetime showing he doesn’t cry a lot. With this you can say he wasn’t touched by a Holy Ghost, but he knew right from wrong and for that you can see a lot of good in him.
5. He assumes that the audience knows about the gist of the ceremony because he jumps right into it. He does add detail though to describe the way his church does it, if it is done differently than another local church.
6. All of the ideas about him being alone, everyone waiting on him in paragraphs 3-10, as well as the fact it was getting late, made Hughes very anxious. He “began to be ashamed,” so the pressure got to him (Hughes). The most powerful was probably the song that was used about the lonely sheep that almost literally referred to him. This really got to him and hits the audience emotionally because you know when a song is about you it makes its way to the heart quickly.
7. With narration it had a better effect on the audience. An argumentative essay would have turned some readers away who had different beliefs. In the form of a story, it can attract anyone, even those who are not in this specific religion. The title would probably be “What Is Salvation?”
8. He shortens the time taken to get to the sermon as well as shortening the service of the church that day besides the altar incident. He skips all the people that went except him and Wesley. He drew out his part to add more expression to his experience. At the end he jumps to his home in bed, because it was the only thing that mattered at the time. When you are that upset as a child the only thing left for you to do is go in the bed and cry. This gives the ending of his reason for writing this chapter.
9. During the sermon, he uses shorter transitions that consider a shorter time period than days or weeks like then, finally, and suddenly, (Hughes). Then he once again uses “That night” as a jumper transition (Hughes).
10. This is the focal point of the narrative. This is the place and time he learns this big lesson so we must know how it works to get the full understanding of his experience.
11. I think he feels understanding. He now realizes what happened at this time and even though he was ashamed as a child, he may not have redone it any kind of way even if he could. In the beginning when he spoke of those who told him he would see Jesus and whatnot, he did not call them liars. He just merely said that he did not feel anything.
12. He is setting up the time period. His sentences are child-like because he is a child at the time in the story. It would be a little strange to have sophisticated, advanced writing as a 13 year old boy.
13. Hughes expected to see Jesus in the literal sense while his aunt expected him, not to literally see him, but feel his spirit come over him. It would be more accurate to say see as Jesus in the sense that he would be able to see what Jesus would do or “What is the right choice?” This is a very significant difference because it gives the contradiction of a literal and figurative sense of the Bible. It is also where they say the “Holy Ghost” comes in because eit is supposedly the spirit that guides you to the path of justice.
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