Text: "The Swimmer" by John Cheever (2043)
"Good Country People" by Flannery O'Connor (2211)
First off I would like to say that I found it very difficult to get into these two stories. At first, I thought they were quite boring, it wasn't until I found my way towards the end of the two stories that I actually began to get into them. Then once I had finished them I was left with no sense of resolution really, they just sort of ended and that frustrated me. But moving on to the assignment....
It seems to me that both stories, "The Swimmer" and "Good Country People" had various similarities and differences. "The Swimmer" started off really slow and I thought the main character, Neddy Merrill, was definitely crazy. "The Swimmer" was told from the view point of Ned and the reader only gets to see inside the head of him. No other characters are seen for very long, just long enough for him to swim through their pool actually. So there isn't a lot of characterization in terms of the other characters. Through Ned's journey to achieve his goal of swimming in all the pools in the county, the reader learns a lot about him. Things seem to happen very quickly within this story, however until the reader begins putting pieces of the puzzle together and starts seeing what's really going on it seems to be a pointless narrative. In the end the reader is left with the moral lesson, not to forget what's really important to you or else you'll lose it, there's not much less in terms of a resolution.
"Good Country People" seems like it's more like 3 stories rather than just one. Mrs. Freeman, Mrs. Hopewell, and Joy all seem to have a different goal with a different story. Throughout the story the reader gets to see what every character is thinking at different points in time. In this story there is a lot more characterization and the reader is able to identify more with the characters as a whole. Overall the reader gets to be much more involved with all the characters of this story. At times things got to be a little bit confusing because of how often you had to switch between different character's thoughts so that made the flow of the story a little bumpy, this is probably the result of having more like three stories condensed into one. So there's really no distinct "flow" to the story, but the characters are much more deeply defined.
These two stories do have some similarities. Both seem to have very slow starts to them. The beginnings were somewhat confusing, but once one really got towards the end of the story things began making more sense and got the reader much more engaged. This could be the result of not seeing the point of the stories until the very end. At the beginning of the both works the stories seemed quite pointless then in the end the reader was left with a moral point; however, there still seemed to be no resolution, the reader was more or less just left hanging to figure out what happened to the characters on his/her own. Another similarity that I found was the fact that both endings were quite shocking. It was almost impossible to predict how they were going to end and then once you got the end you were amazed at that's how it all ended.
I must confess, I found it difficult to get through these to works and I didn't really enjoy them. Once I finally got into the story I was disappointed my the ending.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Their Eyes were Watching God
Text: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Throughout Hurston's novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, the reader is introduced to a society where women are often times treated as objects and are expected to be completely obedient and submissive. Janie's experiences with men follow this view on women throughout most of the novel.
With Janie's relationship with Joe Starks the role of a submissive and obedient woman is greatly enforced over and over again. Perhaps not from the beginning of the relationship, but certainly as the relationship progresses the control Starks has over Janie is quiet clear. Starks required Janie to put her hair up and to have it covered. "This business of the headrag irked her endlessly. But Jody was set on it. Her hair was not going to show in the store" (55). The text also states, "... he [Starks] ordered Janie to tie up her hair..." (55). The fact that he "ordered" her to do it shows that Janie was expected to do whatever her husband wanted her to do - no questions asked. This follows the view that she was to be an obedient, submissive woman. Continuing on, Starks showed his control over Janie when it came to the mule dying. Janie asked why she couldn't go to the "draggin'-out". Starks responded saying, "Why, Janie! You wouldn't be seen at uh draggin'-out, wouldja? Wid any and everybody in uh passle pushin' and shovin' wid they no-manners selves? Naw, naw" (60). He pretty much laughed at the notion of her going with him. This is another instances where Stakrs shows his control over Janie and how she is expected to be obedient to him. She can't do what she wants to do, even if it means that she just wants to be with him.
Starks shows his control over Janie in the way he runs the store. Janie is always having to be at the store when he doesn't want to be there and by blaming her for everything that goes wrong there. A textual example of this would be when Starks says impatiently to Janie, "Why don't you go on and see whut Mrs. Bogle want? Whut you waitin' on?"; however, Janie didn't want to leave the porch, she "wanted to hear the rest of the play-acting and how it ended, but she got up sullenly and went inside" (70). Regardless of what Janie wants to do, she always has to do whatever Starks wants her to do. Starks didn't want to go inside the store and wait on a customer for the same reason Janie didn't want to, but Janie was Stark's wife and therefore was expected to do what was asked of her without complaint. Starks has complete control over Janie. In the same scene, we see Janie automatically get blamed for a problem with the store.
Although Janie has a lot more freedom after Stark dies, her relationship with Tea Cake still requires her to be somewhat obedient and submissive to him. Tea Cake once said in reference to Janie when speaking to another man, "Yo' wife doesn't seem tuh have nothin' much tuh do, so she kin visit uh lot. Mine got tooo much tuh do tuh go visitin' and too much tuh spend time talkin' tuh folks dat visit her" (144). The man Tea Cake tells this to responds with, "Mah wife takes time fuh whatever she wants tuh do" (144). So although not all men in the novel are controlling and expect their women to be submissive, in all of Janie's relationships she is expected to be a submissive and obedient woman. Janie is happier in her relationship, more than in another relationship throughout the novel; however, he is still controlling at some points, as exemplified in the previous passage.
Throughout the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, women are portrayed as very obedient and submissive human beings. The men are in control in all of Janie's relationships, even though she seems like a strong headed female she holds back and ends up not standing up for herself most of the time. Men expect women to be submissive and most often women do as they are expected to.
Throughout Hurston's novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, the reader is introduced to a society where women are often times treated as objects and are expected to be completely obedient and submissive. Janie's experiences with men follow this view on women throughout most of the novel.
With Janie's relationship with Joe Starks the role of a submissive and obedient woman is greatly enforced over and over again. Perhaps not from the beginning of the relationship, but certainly as the relationship progresses the control Starks has over Janie is quiet clear. Starks required Janie to put her hair up and to have it covered. "This business of the headrag irked her endlessly. But Jody was set on it. Her hair was not going to show in the store" (55). The text also states, "... he [Starks] ordered Janie to tie up her hair..." (55). The fact that he "ordered" her to do it shows that Janie was expected to do whatever her husband wanted her to do - no questions asked. This follows the view that she was to be an obedient, submissive woman. Continuing on, Starks showed his control over Janie when it came to the mule dying. Janie asked why she couldn't go to the "draggin'-out". Starks responded saying, "Why, Janie! You wouldn't be seen at uh draggin'-out, wouldja? Wid any and everybody in uh passle pushin' and shovin' wid they no-manners selves? Naw, naw" (60). He pretty much laughed at the notion of her going with him. This is another instances where Stakrs shows his control over Janie and how she is expected to be obedient to him. She can't do what she wants to do, even if it means that she just wants to be with him.
Starks shows his control over Janie in the way he runs the store. Janie is always having to be at the store when he doesn't want to be there and by blaming her for everything that goes wrong there. A textual example of this would be when Starks says impatiently to Janie, "Why don't you go on and see whut Mrs. Bogle want? Whut you waitin' on?"; however, Janie didn't want to leave the porch, she "wanted to hear the rest of the play-acting and how it ended, but she got up sullenly and went inside" (70). Regardless of what Janie wants to do, she always has to do whatever Starks wants her to do. Starks didn't want to go inside the store and wait on a customer for the same reason Janie didn't want to, but Janie was Stark's wife and therefore was expected to do what was asked of her without complaint. Starks has complete control over Janie. In the same scene, we see Janie automatically get blamed for a problem with the store.
"Janie, where's dat last bill uh ladin'?"So Janie is under complete control of Joe Starks, and she is expected to be completely obedient and submissive to him. Even though she has the tendency to fight back every once in awhile, we see that Starks isn't going to rest until he can say that he has complete control over Janie physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
"It's right dere on de nail, ain't it?"
"Naw it ain't neither. You ani't put it where Ah told yuh tuh. If you'd git yo' mind out de streets and keep it on you' business maybe you could git something' straight sometimes."
"Aw, look around dere, Jody. Dat bill ain't apt tuh be gone off nowheres. If it ain't hangin' on de nail, it's on yo' desk. You bound tuh find it if you look."
"Wid you heah, Ah oughtn't tuh hafta do all dat lookin' and searchin'. Ah done told you time and time agin tuh stick all dem papers on dat nail! All you got tuh do is mind me. How come you can't do lak Ah tell yuh?
"You sho loves to tell me whut to do, but Ah can't tell you nothin' Ah see!"
"Dat's cause you need tellin',...It would be pitiful if Ah didn't. Somebody got to think for women and chillun and chickens and cows. I god, they sho don't think none theirselves."
"Ah knows uh few things, and womenfolks thinks sometimes too!"
"Aw naw they don't. They just think they's thinkin'. When Ah see one thing Ah understands ten. You see ten things and don't understand one."...
He wanted her submission and he'd keep on fighting until he felt he had it. (70)
Although Janie has a lot more freedom after Stark dies, her relationship with Tea Cake still requires her to be somewhat obedient and submissive to him. Tea Cake once said in reference to Janie when speaking to another man, "Yo' wife doesn't seem tuh have nothin' much tuh do, so she kin visit uh lot. Mine got tooo much tuh do tuh go visitin' and too much tuh spend time talkin' tuh folks dat visit her" (144). The man Tea Cake tells this to responds with, "Mah wife takes time fuh whatever she wants tuh do" (144). So although not all men in the novel are controlling and expect their women to be submissive, in all of Janie's relationships she is expected to be a submissive and obedient woman. Janie is happier in her relationship, more than in another relationship throughout the novel; however, he is still controlling at some points, as exemplified in the previous passage.
Throughout the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, women are portrayed as very obedient and submissive human beings. The men are in control in all of Janie's relationships, even though she seems like a strong headed female she holds back and ends up not standing up for herself most of the time. Men expect women to be submissive and most often women do as they are expected to.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Sound Elements: Stevens & Moore
TEXT: Stevens – “The Emperor of Ice-Cream” pg. 1237
Moore – “Nevertheless” pg. 1332-1333
The Wallace Stevens poem I chose to look at is “The Emperor of Ice-Cream”. When strictly looking at the sound elements I noticed a couple things that seemed relevant. There is use of alliteration, which is when the beginning letters and sounds of words are the same. In line 3 we see the last part of the line is, “cups concupiscent curds” which is alliteration. I also found the use of assonance, which is the repetition of vowel sounds within a phrase or line. In line two there is the phrase, “bid him whip” which is the first place where assonance is used. Then in line 7, “Let be be finale of seem”, also is an example of assonance.
Although I didn’t seem a real rhyme scheme from start to finish there is a rhyme towards the ending of the poem. In the first stanza, lines 7 and 8 rhyme. Then with second stanza, line 13 rhymes with 14 and line 15 rhymes with 16. I thought this created sort of a sing-song feel towards the end of each stanza. The only line which I found that repeats in the last line of both stanzas, which is for the most part the title of the poem, “The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream” (lines 8 and 16).
The Marianne Moore poem I chose to look at is “Nevertheless”. Unlike Steven’s poem I did not find a lot of different sound elements however, I found one big one – a rhyme scheme. In “Nevertheless”, the last two lines of every stanza rhyme. In stanza one, we see lines 2 and 3 which rhyme with “yet” and “met”. Then in stanza two “multitude” and “food” rhyme in lines 5 and 6, continuing on in the third stanza lines 8 and 9 rhyme with “in” and “twin”. That rhyme scheme continues on until the very end of the poem. The first couple of times I read the poem I got stuck in the ninth stanza with the words “under-” and “stir”. I wondered if they actual do rhyme, but in the end I decided that they do in fact rhyme. It’s just not a very clear rhyme like it is throughout the rest of the poem.
The easy part of this assignment was to identify the use of sound throughout the two poems and identify how they are similar and different. Stevens contains several other elements which contribute to the sound of the poem than Moore does. However, Moore is much more consistent with the sound of her poem than Stevens is. I did not find it easy to figure out why they made their poems sound the way they did. Then I realized that the way the poems sounded was much different than I would expect from modernist poetry. When I read the poems aloud, especially in the case of Moore’s poem, the poems seemed to flow very smoothly together. They didn’t sound too disjointed or fragmented, even though the phrases and lines were very fragmented when you just read the words on the page. Just looking at the two poems you can see that the ideas and phrases are fragmented and disjointed. So I thought the purpose of making a rhyme scheme and allowing the poems to sound like they do was to develop a sense of smoothness and a sense of whole amongst everything else that was fragmented and disjointed.
Moore – “Nevertheless” pg. 1332-1333
The Wallace Stevens poem I chose to look at is “The Emperor of Ice-Cream”. When strictly looking at the sound elements I noticed a couple things that seemed relevant. There is use of alliteration, which is when the beginning letters and sounds of words are the same. In line 3 we see the last part of the line is, “cups concupiscent curds” which is alliteration. I also found the use of assonance, which is the repetition of vowel sounds within a phrase or line. In line two there is the phrase, “bid him whip” which is the first place where assonance is used. Then in line 7, “Let be be finale of seem”, also is an example of assonance.
Although I didn’t seem a real rhyme scheme from start to finish there is a rhyme towards the ending of the poem. In the first stanza, lines 7 and 8 rhyme. Then with second stanza, line 13 rhymes with 14 and line 15 rhymes with 16. I thought this created sort of a sing-song feel towards the end of each stanza. The only line which I found that repeats in the last line of both stanzas, which is for the most part the title of the poem, “The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream” (lines 8 and 16).
The Marianne Moore poem I chose to look at is “Nevertheless”. Unlike Steven’s poem I did not find a lot of different sound elements however, I found one big one – a rhyme scheme. In “Nevertheless”, the last two lines of every stanza rhyme. In stanza one, we see lines 2 and 3 which rhyme with “yet” and “met”. Then in stanza two “multitude” and “food” rhyme in lines 5 and 6, continuing on in the third stanza lines 8 and 9 rhyme with “in” and “twin”. That rhyme scheme continues on until the very end of the poem. The first couple of times I read the poem I got stuck in the ninth stanza with the words “under-” and “stir”. I wondered if they actual do rhyme, but in the end I decided that they do in fact rhyme. It’s just not a very clear rhyme like it is throughout the rest of the poem.
The easy part of this assignment was to identify the use of sound throughout the two poems and identify how they are similar and different. Stevens contains several other elements which contribute to the sound of the poem than Moore does. However, Moore is much more consistent with the sound of her poem than Stevens is. I did not find it easy to figure out why they made their poems sound the way they did. Then I realized that the way the poems sounded was much different than I would expect from modernist poetry. When I read the poems aloud, especially in the case of Moore’s poem, the poems seemed to flow very smoothly together. They didn’t sound too disjointed or fragmented, even though the phrases and lines were very fragmented when you just read the words on the page. Just looking at the two poems you can see that the ideas and phrases are fragmented and disjointed. So I thought the purpose of making a rhyme scheme and allowing the poems to sound like they do was to develop a sense of smoothness and a sense of whole amongst everything else that was fragmented and disjointed.
Sunday, March 4, 2007
The Waste Land
Text: The Waste Land - T.S. Eliot; pgs 1430-1443
After reading The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot I feel more confused than I was before I read the text. I found The Waste Land to be a series of loops which were yearning to become straight lines and squares trying to fit into circular cut outs. Every time I thought to myself that something was making sense Eliot would steer the reader in a completely different direction and I would be lost in the sea of words yet again. I found this text, needless to say, frustrating. However, regardless of how often I felt as though I was drowning in a sea of words, I still find myself liking the modernists as well as The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot. Yet because I found this text to be quite confusing I must warn you that this post may be just as confusing as the text!
While reading The Waste Land I kept of list of everything that I found similar to other modernists we have covered so far and differences which I found. Throughout the entire text I only found two things which I thought were different from other modernists. Everything else I noticed or took away from The Waste Land seemed to be typical of a modernist. However, I do admit that because I found the text confusing I may have missed some critical differences or similarities. One can't be too sure when she spends most of the time looking at the piece as though it is written in a foreign language!
There were several similarities I found with The Waste Land and texts written by other modernists. I noticed that there was a definitely fragmented outlook on everything presented, which is something which we identified with the modernists. Also the text seemed very impersonal, also common with the modernists. "I can connect/Nothing with nothing" (pg. 1439/lines 301-302) which to me means that the 'narrator' also feels isolated from everything. Nature seemed to be mention quite often, however, it was not an optimistic view of nature as it was with say Walt Whitman. Eliot seems to take a look at the darker side of nature; which is something I noticed with some other modernists we've studied thus far. Basically it seemed as though Eliot had a very bleak outlook on the world and society, which goes along with other modernists.
As I stated earlier I didn't find too much that was different about The Waste Land in comparison with other modernists we've studied. One thing I thought was different was the fact that this was sort of story like. It seemed to tell a story, which is not something we saw in other modernists texts (with the exception of Dorothy Parker's The Waltz). Another thing that I noticed which I thought was quite different from other modernists, was the structure which Eliot used. In a lot of other modernists texts the structure is unique and different than poets before. However, in Eliot's The Waste Land the structure seemed quite traditional. The stanzas seemed traditional as did his lines. What made The Waste Land so unique and considered a "modernist text" is the content and the way in which it is presented, not in the structure.
After reading The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot I feel more confused than I was before I read the text. I found The Waste Land to be a series of loops which were yearning to become straight lines and squares trying to fit into circular cut outs. Every time I thought to myself that something was making sense Eliot would steer the reader in a completely different direction and I would be lost in the sea of words yet again. I found this text, needless to say, frustrating. However, regardless of how often I felt as though I was drowning in a sea of words, I still find myself liking the modernists as well as The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot. Yet because I found this text to be quite confusing I must warn you that this post may be just as confusing as the text!
While reading The Waste Land I kept of list of everything that I found similar to other modernists we have covered so far and differences which I found. Throughout the entire text I only found two things which I thought were different from other modernists. Everything else I noticed or took away from The Waste Land seemed to be typical of a modernist. However, I do admit that because I found the text confusing I may have missed some critical differences or similarities. One can't be too sure when she spends most of the time looking at the piece as though it is written in a foreign language!
There were several similarities I found with The Waste Land and texts written by other modernists. I noticed that there was a definitely fragmented outlook on everything presented, which is something which we identified with the modernists. Also the text seemed very impersonal, also common with the modernists. "I can connect/Nothing with nothing" (pg. 1439/lines 301-302) which to me means that the 'narrator' also feels isolated from everything. Nature seemed to be mention quite often, however, it was not an optimistic view of nature as it was with say Walt Whitman. Eliot seems to take a look at the darker side of nature; which is something I noticed with some other modernists we've studied thus far. Basically it seemed as though Eliot had a very bleak outlook on the world and society, which goes along with other modernists.
As I stated earlier I didn't find too much that was different about The Waste Land in comparison with other modernists we've studied. One thing I thought was different was the fact that this was sort of story like. It seemed to tell a story, which is not something we saw in other modernists texts (with the exception of Dorothy Parker's The Waltz). Another thing that I noticed which I thought was quite different from other modernists, was the structure which Eliot used. In a lot of other modernists texts the structure is unique and different than poets before. However, in Eliot's The Waste Land the structure seemed quite traditional. The stanzas seemed traditional as did his lines. What made The Waste Land so unique and considered a "modernist text" is the content and the way in which it is presented, not in the structure.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Impressions of An Indian Childhood
Text: Zitkala Sa's "Impressions of An Indian Childhood pgs. 1006-1019
While reading Zitkala Sa's "Impressions of An Indian Childhood" I began picking up on some general themes that are presented throughout the text. I thought there was a big theme of freedom being developed as well as a big theme on the importance of family and tradition. From the very beginning Sa's mother expresses her deep hatred for the "paleface" or the white man; this is important in seeing how Sa was brought up to view the white man. Zitkala Sa was brought up to hate the white man, however, at the same time we see Sa's mother have relationships with white men and Zitkala Sa is in fact half white. So there is quite a contradiction when it comes to what her mother says and what Zitkala sees her doing. I thought that was very interesting.
I was rather surprised when Zitkala Sa's mother allowed her to go to the East and travel away from home like she did. It's obvious throughout the story that Sa looked up to her mother and that family was a big part of their everyday lives. However, Zitkala Sa's mother allows her to go regardless of what she thinks about the white man. I think her mother allows her to go because she realizes that Zitkala Sa is very curious about what is virtually unknown to her. I think that she realizes that if she doesn't let Zitkala Sa go then she might lose her.
Freedom is another big theme throughout the text. It seems to me that Zitkala Sa cares a lot about freedom and is sometimes worried about losing it. Her mother talks about when their freedom was taken away and how they were forced to move to another place. So Zitkala Sa grows up with these stories of the freedom of her family members being stripped away from them and then having to grow up and realize that she's not so free herself. So I think that Zitkala Sa struggles with freedom and the fact that she wants it but sometimes feels as though freedom is too far out of reach for her.
I think this is a story about freedom, family and traditions, as well as a growing up story. A story about identity and about a girl trying to find herself. It's about a girl trying to find herself is a very confusing world. She's trying to find her own identity amongst all the people who already have an idea about who she is. She's trying to find her place in the world.
While reading Zitkala Sa's "Impressions of An Indian Childhood" I began picking up on some general themes that are presented throughout the text. I thought there was a big theme of freedom being developed as well as a big theme on the importance of family and tradition. From the very beginning Sa's mother expresses her deep hatred for the "paleface" or the white man; this is important in seeing how Sa was brought up to view the white man. Zitkala Sa was brought up to hate the white man, however, at the same time we see Sa's mother have relationships with white men and Zitkala Sa is in fact half white. So there is quite a contradiction when it comes to what her mother says and what Zitkala sees her doing. I thought that was very interesting.
I was rather surprised when Zitkala Sa's mother allowed her to go to the East and travel away from home like she did. It's obvious throughout the story that Sa looked up to her mother and that family was a big part of their everyday lives. However, Zitkala Sa's mother allows her to go regardless of what she thinks about the white man. I think her mother allows her to go because she realizes that Zitkala Sa is very curious about what is virtually unknown to her. I think that she realizes that if she doesn't let Zitkala Sa go then she might lose her.
Freedom is another big theme throughout the text. It seems to me that Zitkala Sa cares a lot about freedom and is sometimes worried about losing it. Her mother talks about when their freedom was taken away and how they were forced to move to another place. So Zitkala Sa grows up with these stories of the freedom of her family members being stripped away from them and then having to grow up and realize that she's not so free herself. So I think that Zitkala Sa struggles with freedom and the fact that she wants it but sometimes feels as though freedom is too far out of reach for her.
I think this is a story about freedom, family and traditions, as well as a growing up story. A story about identity and about a girl trying to find herself. It's about a girl trying to find herself is a very confusing world. She's trying to find her own identity amongst all the people who already have an idea about who she is. She's trying to find her place in the world.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Washington Vs. Du Bois
Washington at the beginning of his speech seems to really want the Negro race to move forward and to leave behind the prejudices of the Southern white people. Washington is seemingly encouraging them to join together, work together with each other in order to better both races. However, as the speech goes on we see Washington contradict himself (he seems to change his stance) and basically tell the Negroes that they should try and get whatever they can. That they need to work on obtaining equality with the Southern white people and that they need to bring themselves up to the 'level' of the whites. So I found Washington's speech to be quite contradictory.
Du Bois' piece was basically his way of disagreeing with what Washington was saying and pointing out the bad aspects of his speech. Du Bois repeats parts of Washington's speech and comments on them. He explains that although Washington sounded as though he was all for the equality between races it seemed that he didn't think that the equality should be an immediate change and that Negroes should be happy for what they get. Basically Du Bois thought Washington was telling the Negro community to give up some parts of equality in order to obtain other aspects.
After reading the pieces by Washington and Du Bois I have no choice but to agree with Du Bois. Du Bois addresses how he disagrees with Washington's advice to the Negro race and how he thinks Washington was wrong. Du Bois criticizes Washington's speech only after he admired the small parts which he thought were well done. Du Bois brings up very valid points about the downfalls of Washington's speech. As Du Bois stated:
Du Bois' piece was basically his way of disagreeing with what Washington was saying and pointing out the bad aspects of his speech. Du Bois repeats parts of Washington's speech and comments on them. He explains that although Washington sounded as though he was all for the equality between races it seemed that he didn't think that the equality should be an immediate change and that Negroes should be happy for what they get. Basically Du Bois thought Washington was telling the Negro community to give up some parts of equality in order to obtain other aspects.
After reading the pieces by Washington and Du Bois I have no choice but to agree with Du Bois. Du Bois addresses how he disagrees with Washington's advice to the Negro race and how he thinks Washington was wrong. Du Bois criticizes Washington's speech only after he admired the small parts which he thought were well done. Du Bois brings up very valid points about the downfalls of Washington's speech. As Du Bois stated:
"Mr. Washington distinctly
asks that black people give up,
at least, for the present, three
things --
1. political power
2. insistence on civil rights
3. higher education of Negro youth" (889)
and Washington instructs them to instead focus all of their energy on "industrial education, the accumulation of wealth, and the conciliation of the South" (889). Du Bois, and I agree, seemed to feel as though that is a lot to give up and there is a lack of anything really gained.asks that black people give up,
at least, for the present, three
things --
1. political power
2. insistence on civil rights
3. higher education of Negro youth" (889)
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Regionalism - Story
“Look Mommy, I’m dancing in a snow globe!” six-year-old Molly yelled to her mother a few feet away.
“Awesome Moll,” her mother responded, “just be careful!”
Maura, single mother of one, loved the fact that Molly was so carefree. Despite the hardships and all the problems they had encountered over the last few years, that all disappeared as the snow continued to fall around her. Molly was the single thing that kept Maura going and made her remember the good things in life.
The snow covered wood filled with naked maple and oak trees surrounded the mother and daughter. For miles all one could see was snow covered wildlife and nature. The snow covered everything, making the landscape turn a beautifully pure shade of white. Glancing around Maura scanned the forest for a sight of her daughter.
“Molly!” she screamed. “Molly, where are you!?”
Maura turned around and around frantically searching for her little girl. After what seemed like forever, she hears a faint giggle amongst the deafening silence.
“Mommy, look,” Molly giggled, “I made a snow angel!”
Looking behind her, Maura finds her daughter slowly getting up as to not smudge her perfect snow angel.
“That’s lovely Molly,” Maura breathed a sigh of relief, “but make sure you stay with me, you want to get to the top of the hill don’t you?”
“Yes Mommy.” Molly said picking up the sled that was discarded just a few moments earlier in the snow.
Earlier that morning Maura woke up at quarter to 6 to the sound of her alarm clock. Quickly, as to not disturb Molly, she snapped the alarm off and sluggishly crawled out of bed. Slowly she made her way to the kitchen, poured herself some coffee that was left over from the day before and placed it in the microwave. Sitting down at the dinning room table she reached for the remote and click on the television.
“What one of the three News programs do I want to watch this morning?” Maura grumbled to herself.
She hated not having more than three channels. Although she would love to have some of the educational channels and maybe the Disney channel for Molly she couldn’t afford the extra bill every month. So for now they made due with the three local channels.
“For those of you who haven’t looked out your windows yet,” the weather man boomed, “we had quite the storm while you were sleeping!”
Beep…beep…beep…the microwave sounded altering her that it had been two minuets and her coffee was ready to be consumed.
“Great more snow,” Maura mumbled as she reached to add some sugar in her coffee.
Sitting down at the kitchen table once more Maura watched the school closing run along the bottom of the screen.
“I wouldn’t plan on going anywhere today because it can only get worse folks!” the weather man pronounced with a huge grin.
“Why are you so happy? You get paid even if it doesn’t snow so can’t you just predict it to be nice for a change?” Maura asked the weather man while intently watching the schools continue to scroll.
“Mommy! Mommy!” Molly gleefully proclaimed while running out of the bedroom.
“Yes dear?” Maura asked.
“Did you see the snow outside? Did you see all of it? There’s so much! I can’t believe it! I think it’s higher than I am! Can I go play in it? Please Mommy! Please!” Molly pleaded.
“Don’t you want to know if you have to go to school or not?” Maura asked while proceeding to stand up to grab a bowl for Molly’s breakfast.
“Mommy, I can’t have school today! Nothing can get through that stuff! It’s people proof!” said Molly in all seriousness.
“Oh is it now?” Maura asked with a giggle.
Maura placed a bowl filled with CHERRIOS and milk in front of Molly so she could eat some breakfast.
“Orange Juice or Apple Juice this morning, kiddo?” Maura asked opening the fridge.
“Apple, please!” Molly said with a mouthful.
“Okay, well while you eat, Mommy is going to watch for school closings to see if you can go outside and play.” Maura explained setting down the cup of juice.
“What does school starts with?” Molly asked.
“School stars with an ‘s’ but your specific school starts with a ‘d’” Maura said.
“I’ll watch for a ‘d’.” Molly said taking a huge spoonful of CHERRIOS in her mouth.
While Molly’s eyes were glued to the screen watching for a ‘d’ to come on Maura went to pour herself another cup of coffee.
“There it is Mommy!” Molly yelled, jumping out of her seat and running over to her.
“Yep, no school for you!” Maura said.
“Yay!! I get to go play then?” Molly asked.
“Do you want to go sliding?” Maura asked.
Molly’s eyes grew to be as big as she thought about this question. You could see the excitement in her eyes and she thought about it. Her mouth gapped open and she began to giggle.
“Am I old enough?” Molly asked.
“I think so, it’ll be fun. A great way to spend a day a snow day!” Maura said. “Now go on and get ready, we have a long walk ahead of us!”
Molly ran into the bathroom and started brushing her teeth. Maura heard the faucet turn on and Molly humming along while brushing her teeth. Maura sat down at the kitchen table and smiled. At least snow is good for something, she thought to herself.
As Maura and Molly finally reached the top of the hill and Molly was glad.
“That’s a big hill mommy” Molly said.
“I know baby” Maura said patting her on the top of the head.
Maura turned around and looked down the hill. It was higher than she had remembered. It was more beautiful than she had remembered too.
“Mommy are we going to go down the hill?” Molly asked after waiting patiently for a couple of minuets.
Snapping back into reality Maura looked down at Molly and said, “Yes dear. Now here, I’m going to sit down on the sled and you can sit in front of me.”
Molly sat down in between Maura’s legs and held on tightly. Maura pushed them off and held onto Molly tightly as they went speeding down the hill. Maura could hear Molly’s giggle get louder as they went down the huge hill. Their hair flying back in the wind as they glided on top of the snow, seemingly weightless.
At the bottom of the hill Molly rolled off of the sled and rolled around on the ground laughing. Her laughter echoed throughout the wood as Maura sat there starring at her. Slowly a smile came to Maura’s face and she began to giggle. Molly’s laugh was like and infection spreading into Maura’s body and making her so happy. The sound of the laugh was contagious creating and impossible urge in Maura to laugh just as loudly and just as long. Eventually Maura couldn’t help herself any longer and began laughing along with her daughter.
“Mommy, what’s wrong?” Molly said standing over her Mother.
“What do you mean?” Maura asked sitting up and looking at the terrified look that had crossed Molly’s face.
“You’re crying…” Molly said quietly.
“Oh hunny,” Maura said, bringing her close to her in order to give her a hug. “I’m just so happy that I started to cry but I’m not upset. I’m just so happy.”
“I’ve never heard you laugh like that.” Molly said.
“I know, hun, and thanks to you I’ll be able to laugh like that more often.” Maura said tickling her.
Molly started laughing hard again and so did Maura.
Together laughing hysterically the mother and daughter were having the time of their lives. Getting soaked from the snow beneath them and covered with the falling snow. Amongst the tall Maple and Oak trees, Maura remembered what it meant to grow up in Western New York.
“Awesome Moll,” her mother responded, “just be careful!”
Maura, single mother of one, loved the fact that Molly was so carefree. Despite the hardships and all the problems they had encountered over the last few years, that all disappeared as the snow continued to fall around her. Molly was the single thing that kept Maura going and made her remember the good things in life.
The snow covered wood filled with naked maple and oak trees surrounded the mother and daughter. For miles all one could see was snow covered wildlife and nature. The snow covered everything, making the landscape turn a beautifully pure shade of white. Glancing around Maura scanned the forest for a sight of her daughter.
“Molly!” she screamed. “Molly, where are you!?”
Maura turned around and around frantically searching for her little girl. After what seemed like forever, she hears a faint giggle amongst the deafening silence.
“Mommy, look,” Molly giggled, “I made a snow angel!”
Looking behind her, Maura finds her daughter slowly getting up as to not smudge her perfect snow angel.
“That’s lovely Molly,” Maura breathed a sigh of relief, “but make sure you stay with me, you want to get to the top of the hill don’t you?”
“Yes Mommy.” Molly said picking up the sled that was discarded just a few moments earlier in the snow.
Earlier that morning Maura woke up at quarter to 6 to the sound of her alarm clock. Quickly, as to not disturb Molly, she snapped the alarm off and sluggishly crawled out of bed. Slowly she made her way to the kitchen, poured herself some coffee that was left over from the day before and placed it in the microwave. Sitting down at the dinning room table she reached for the remote and click on the television.
“What one of the three News programs do I want to watch this morning?” Maura grumbled to herself.
She hated not having more than three channels. Although she would love to have some of the educational channels and maybe the Disney channel for Molly she couldn’t afford the extra bill every month. So for now they made due with the three local channels.
“For those of you who haven’t looked out your windows yet,” the weather man boomed, “we had quite the storm while you were sleeping!”
Beep…beep…beep…the microwave sounded altering her that it had been two minuets and her coffee was ready to be consumed.
“Great more snow,” Maura mumbled as she reached to add some sugar in her coffee.
Sitting down at the kitchen table once more Maura watched the school closing run along the bottom of the screen.
“I wouldn’t plan on going anywhere today because it can only get worse folks!” the weather man pronounced with a huge grin.
“Why are you so happy? You get paid even if it doesn’t snow so can’t you just predict it to be nice for a change?” Maura asked the weather man while intently watching the schools continue to scroll.
“Mommy! Mommy!” Molly gleefully proclaimed while running out of the bedroom.
“Yes dear?” Maura asked.
“Did you see the snow outside? Did you see all of it? There’s so much! I can’t believe it! I think it’s higher than I am! Can I go play in it? Please Mommy! Please!” Molly pleaded.
“Don’t you want to know if you have to go to school or not?” Maura asked while proceeding to stand up to grab a bowl for Molly’s breakfast.
“Mommy, I can’t have school today! Nothing can get through that stuff! It’s people proof!” said Molly in all seriousness.
“Oh is it now?” Maura asked with a giggle.
Maura placed a bowl filled with CHERRIOS and milk in front of Molly so she could eat some breakfast.
“Orange Juice or Apple Juice this morning, kiddo?” Maura asked opening the fridge.
“Apple, please!” Molly said with a mouthful.
“Okay, well while you eat, Mommy is going to watch for school closings to see if you can go outside and play.” Maura explained setting down the cup of juice.
“What does school starts with?” Molly asked.
“School stars with an ‘s’ but your specific school starts with a ‘d’” Maura said.
“I’ll watch for a ‘d’.” Molly said taking a huge spoonful of CHERRIOS in her mouth.
While Molly’s eyes were glued to the screen watching for a ‘d’ to come on Maura went to pour herself another cup of coffee.
“There it is Mommy!” Molly yelled, jumping out of her seat and running over to her.
“Yep, no school for you!” Maura said.
“Yay!! I get to go play then?” Molly asked.
“Do you want to go sliding?” Maura asked.
Molly’s eyes grew to be as big as she thought about this question. You could see the excitement in her eyes and she thought about it. Her mouth gapped open and she began to giggle.
“Am I old enough?” Molly asked.
“I think so, it’ll be fun. A great way to spend a day a snow day!” Maura said. “Now go on and get ready, we have a long walk ahead of us!”
Molly ran into the bathroom and started brushing her teeth. Maura heard the faucet turn on and Molly humming along while brushing her teeth. Maura sat down at the kitchen table and smiled. At least snow is good for something, she thought to herself.
As Maura and Molly finally reached the top of the hill and Molly was glad.
“That’s a big hill mommy” Molly said.
“I know baby” Maura said patting her on the top of the head.
Maura turned around and looked down the hill. It was higher than she had remembered. It was more beautiful than she had remembered too.
“Mommy are we going to go down the hill?” Molly asked after waiting patiently for a couple of minuets.
Snapping back into reality Maura looked down at Molly and said, “Yes dear. Now here, I’m going to sit down on the sled and you can sit in front of me.”
Molly sat down in between Maura’s legs and held on tightly. Maura pushed them off and held onto Molly tightly as they went speeding down the hill. Maura could hear Molly’s giggle get louder as they went down the huge hill. Their hair flying back in the wind as they glided on top of the snow, seemingly weightless.
At the bottom of the hill Molly rolled off of the sled and rolled around on the ground laughing. Her laughter echoed throughout the wood as Maura sat there starring at her. Slowly a smile came to Maura’s face and she began to giggle. Molly’s laugh was like and infection spreading into Maura’s body and making her so happy. The sound of the laugh was contagious creating and impossible urge in Maura to laugh just as loudly and just as long. Eventually Maura couldn’t help herself any longer and began laughing along with her daughter.
“Mommy, what’s wrong?” Molly said standing over her Mother.
“What do you mean?” Maura asked sitting up and looking at the terrified look that had crossed Molly’s face.
“You’re crying…” Molly said quietly.
“Oh hunny,” Maura said, bringing her close to her in order to give her a hug. “I’m just so happy that I started to cry but I’m not upset. I’m just so happy.”
“I’ve never heard you laugh like that.” Molly said.
“I know, hun, and thanks to you I’ll be able to laugh like that more often.” Maura said tickling her.
Molly started laughing hard again and so did Maura.
Together laughing hysterically the mother and daughter were having the time of their lives. Getting soaked from the snow beneath them and covered with the falling snow. Amongst the tall Maple and Oak trees, Maura remembered what it meant to grow up in Western New York.
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