The Joy of Cooking
Elaine Margarrell
At first glace this poem seems to be cannibalistic, but with a deeper look, the poem could be interpreted into a very vivid metaphor addressing relationships amongst siblings. By addressing her "sister's tongue" and her "brother's heart", she is actually applying their body parts to their vices. It seems as if her sister's tongue is more so a sign of her gossiping, or rough vernacular than a tongue. Despite the speaker's energies to silence this rude language, it is "economical- it will probably grow back". Her brother's heart is addressed as dry, dull, and small. It needs " an apple-onion stuffing" to even be considered interesting. Nonetheless, it barely feeds two- it's small! She addresses their faulty attributes in such literal terms, that it seemed to the speaker that these might actually make a good meal. This poem reminded me a great deal of A Modest Proposal by Jonathon Swift, and like The Joy of Cooking, it is a satire that points out the indecencies of humanity through grotesque diction, surrounded by an overtone of cannibalism.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
The Drunkard (4/5)
The Drunkard
Frank O'Connor
I've heard from a fair amount of people that hey find humor in this short story. The book we've been reading from actually prompts us to see the humor in the story! I, however, can't get past the horror of a child drinking alcohol like his alcoholic father. I felt that this story was a testament to the influence of our parents on who we become and what we do. Good or bad, parents' characters reflect on their children's faces. It also seems tragic to me that the boy saved his father from another plummet into depression by taking his father's drink at the funeral. What sacrifice! The boy may not have known what he was doing to such an extent, by realistically he could have saved his father from weeks of depression. It's also incredible to me that people who witnessed this young boy's intoxication react with laughter. My God call social services! Take this poor boy away from this responsibility to keep his father from his own misery!
Frank O'Connor
I've heard from a fair amount of people that hey find humor in this short story. The book we've been reading from actually prompts us to see the humor in the story! I, however, can't get past the horror of a child drinking alcohol like his alcoholic father. I felt that this story was a testament to the influence of our parents on who we become and what we do. Good or bad, parents' characters reflect on their children's faces. It also seems tragic to me that the boy saved his father from another plummet into depression by taking his father's drink at the funeral. What sacrifice! The boy may not have known what he was doing to such an extent, by realistically he could have saved his father from weeks of depression. It's also incredible to me that people who witnessed this young boy's intoxication react with laughter. My God call social services! Take this poor boy away from this responsibility to keep his father from his own misery!
Once Upon a Time (3/5)
Once Upon a Time
Nadine Gordimer
The author of Once Upon a Time, Nadine Gordimer, when asked to write a children's story, not only declined the request, but developed a completely juxtaposed version of a fairytale, complete with traditional motifs and all. The "wise witch", or the husband's mother gave a particular piece of advice- that they not allow anyone from outside, in. Instead of a mere acceptance of this advice, the family that was seemingly cool-and-collected were eaten up with paranoia on the inside, as all of their neighbors were. A chain reaction influence the entire suburb to buy security systems, fences, and bars for their windows. This fairytale of a life is now chained up and put behind bars as the streets fill with the scent of unemployment, poverty, and the worst of all- common people. The most ironic and painful of all, is when the boy gets caught up in the spikes atop of the brick barriers while he was trying desperately to climb through "the thorns" like the prince of a fairytale who also climbed through to reach a princess. He was reaching for a fairytale- but instead, he was stabbed by his own family's fear of reality.
Nadine Gordimer
The author of Once Upon a Time, Nadine Gordimer, when asked to write a children's story, not only declined the request, but developed a completely juxtaposed version of a fairytale, complete with traditional motifs and all. The "wise witch", or the husband's mother gave a particular piece of advice- that they not allow anyone from outside, in. Instead of a mere acceptance of this advice, the family that was seemingly cool-and-collected were eaten up with paranoia on the inside, as all of their neighbors were. A chain reaction influence the entire suburb to buy security systems, fences, and bars for their windows. This fairytale of a life is now chained up and put behind bars as the streets fill with the scent of unemployment, poverty, and the worst of all- common people. The most ironic and painful of all, is when the boy gets caught up in the spikes atop of the brick barriers while he was trying desperately to climb through "the thorns" like the prince of a fairytale who also climbed through to reach a princess. He was reaching for a fairytale- but instead, he was stabbed by his own family's fear of reality.
A Worn Path (2/5)
A Worn Path
By Eudora Wetty
By Eudora Wetty
“No, missy, he not dead, he just the same (279).” It’s unfortunate to
say that her grandson actually is the same; the same as say, a little while ago
when he died. It seems as though this whole journey along the worn path is
centered around the central motive of trying to help her grandson. It’s ironic
though, because she preservers through such threats- a gun being pointed in her
face, hiking all day in her old fragile state, and she struggles with a
seemingly psychological abnormality. In all actuality, her grandson could be
alive, but this question of his current existence ends up being irrelevant to the story of Phoenix. Her love for her grandson still exists and needs to exist for her to remain an stable as she is. It is interesting, however, when Phoenix is asked about her grandson, she reveals that she draws a blank at the question. A nurse asks her, "'he isn't dead is he?' At last there came a flicker and then a flame of comprehension across her face" (229). Regardless of his state, it seems important that she makes this journey regularly (because it seems as if the office knows her). It may be some sort of therapy- adjusting to her mental capabilities to reset her strained eyes to reality.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Those Winter Sundays (1/5)
Those Winter Sundays
by Robert Hayden
Ouch- he was left out in the cold, hung out to dry, thrown under the bus, and any other cliches possible that reach the meaning that this poor father worked hard to please his children but was not seemingly ever verbally thanked. I find it interesting actually that even after all of the preparation the father does to heat the home and to make them feel comfortable before stepping out of bed, they still think of the house in terms of its supposed, "chronic anger" (Hayden, 781). It seems to be that the father has put a great deal of work into making his children feel like the first step they're going to take that day is one of comfort, that the first thing they wake up to is the crackling of a warm fire, and it seems awfully crude that they fear this house that he has woken up early (and on a Sunday, nonetheless) to break the cruel entrance back into the cold world from their warm dreamstate. Also, at the end of the poem, the author point out a greater reality. "Love's austere and lonely offices" are rather accurate statements of what love really is (Hayden, 782). Loving someone, most of the time, implies that one would care for the other to the extent that they themselves would wake up on a cold early morning, all alone, to bear the worst for the other. It's actually quite sad though, that sometimes loneliness comes out of even our best intentions.
by Robert Hayden
Ouch- he was left out in the cold, hung out to dry, thrown under the bus, and any other cliches possible that reach the meaning that this poor father worked hard to please his children but was not seemingly ever verbally thanked. I find it interesting actually that even after all of the preparation the father does to heat the home and to make them feel comfortable before stepping out of bed, they still think of the house in terms of its supposed, "chronic anger" (Hayden, 781). It seems to be that the father has put a great deal of work into making his children feel like the first step they're going to take that day is one of comfort, that the first thing they wake up to is the crackling of a warm fire, and it seems awfully crude that they fear this house that he has woken up early (and on a Sunday, nonetheless) to break the cruel entrance back into the cold world from their warm dreamstate. Also, at the end of the poem, the author point out a greater reality. "Love's austere and lonely offices" are rather accurate statements of what love really is (Hayden, 782). Loving someone, most of the time, implies that one would care for the other to the extent that they themselves would wake up on a cold early morning, all alone, to bear the worst for the other. It's actually quite sad though, that sometimes loneliness comes out of even our best intentions.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
5. A Raisin in the Sun
A Raisin in the Sun
Lorraine Hansberry
I feel terrible for Walter, I think he feels the most alone throughout the play. In the beginning, Ruth hushes up his desire to dream and have ambitions, but she simply tells him, "eat your eggs". It seems as if she's saying that's all he's good for, being another mouth at the table and a man of a low-paying simple job. He longs for so much more. He reveals eventually that he wants to be the CEO of a company, but first, he starts smaller, by trying to start a liquor store. He pays his friend Willy his dues, who is supposedly going to be a co-owner of the place. I think it is when Willy betrays him and runs away with the money (including the money for Beneatha's schooling) that all hope seems to be lost for Walter. His amitions are literally just stolen away and he is left with the same old painful situation. His stolen dreams are dried up, like a raisin in the sun.
Lorraine Hansberry
I feel terrible for Walter, I think he feels the most alone throughout the play. In the beginning, Ruth hushes up his desire to dream and have ambitions, but she simply tells him, "eat your eggs". It seems as if she's saying that's all he's good for, being another mouth at the table and a man of a low-paying simple job. He longs for so much more. He reveals eventually that he wants to be the CEO of a company, but first, he starts smaller, by trying to start a liquor store. He pays his friend Willy his dues, who is supposedly going to be a co-owner of the place. I think it is when Willy betrays him and runs away with the money (including the money for Beneatha's schooling) that all hope seems to be lost for Walter. His amitions are literally just stolen away and he is left with the same old painful situation. His stolen dreams are dried up, like a raisin in the sun.
4. A Raisin in the Sun
A Raisin in the Sun
Lorraine Hansberry
I suppose there are a large amount of differences in the hiatus between generation, but it was especially apparent in the play when Mama and Walter were talking about what is important in life. Walter is complaining to Mama about this and that, the job, feeling worthless. He mentions money- and Mama asks, "Son- how come you talk so much 'bout money?" He responds, "Because it is life, Mama!" (Hansberry, 475). Obviously at this point in time, caring for the family with an abundant (well, or sufficient) supply of money is the most important and can most impact the well-being of the family. Mama testifies that it isn't money that controls lives, but freedom! I like her comeback to Walter here, she really puts in perspective her concerns at the time she was growing up- fighting for freedom. Mama point out the obvious difference when she asserts, " You my children- buy how different we done become!" I can't help but think of the differences between my parents and me. Obviously there's an obnoxious amount of things alike between us, like our brutal stubbornness, but the way we have been raised and in the setting in which we've been raised is very different, and we have slightly different views on life because of it.
Lorraine Hansberry
I suppose there are a large amount of differences in the hiatus between generation, but it was especially apparent in the play when Mama and Walter were talking about what is important in life. Walter is complaining to Mama about this and that, the job, feeling worthless. He mentions money- and Mama asks, "Son- how come you talk so much 'bout money?" He responds, "Because it is life, Mama!" (Hansberry, 475). Obviously at this point in time, caring for the family with an abundant (well, or sufficient) supply of money is the most important and can most impact the well-being of the family. Mama testifies that it isn't money that controls lives, but freedom! I like her comeback to Walter here, she really puts in perspective her concerns at the time she was growing up- fighting for freedom. Mama point out the obvious difference when she asserts, " You my children- buy how different we done become!" I can't help but think of the differences between my parents and me. Obviously there's an obnoxious amount of things alike between us, like our brutal stubbornness, but the way we have been raised and in the setting in which we've been raised is very different, and we have slightly different views on life because of it.
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