TV Drama

TV Drama: does it compare with literature and plays? I think I will disagree on this one, for when I was watching "Modern Family," and I have a few favorite shows of my own that I like to watch weekly, I did not see the artistry that usually comes with literature. I feel it takes a different kind of language to write good literature, and it doesn't transfer well over television. Sure there have been movies made from books such as Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice that have been great films, and follow closely to the book. However, to write a television script and go backwards to call it literature, then that is a long shot. For instance, Modern Family is a good show full of drama, comedy, and a good story line; however, I wouldn't call that literature. To be literature I fill the theme needs to be complex and thought out in depth, but Modern Family barely skims the surface of complexity. Don't get me wrong I really enjoyed the show and the story line was enjoyable to watch, but when digging deep and trying to translate the theme of the show, I found it lacking in-depth and the characters to be oddly predictable.  So, maybe the next class will change my mine, but we will see.

Thoughts on The Glass Menagerie

After concluding "The Glass Menagerie" I have decided on a few key points from my own personal opinion. AMANDA- I generally love anything to do with the South and Southern culture, but she is a disgrace to all Southern Debutants. She reminds me a lot of Mrs. Bennett from Pride and Prejudice, for she is trying to pawn her daughter off to the highest bidder or any bidder at all, and is simply annoying. She is trying way to hard to impress Jim, and is putting a great demand on her son, Tom, to be the main supplier of the family. TOM - I have mixed emotions regarding Tom, for he is a dreamer and just wishes to live his own adventure and life. However, he does seem unmotivated, and lacks the drive to make something of himself at home. Instead he abandons Laura and his mom and goes off traveling. JIM - I liked Jim a lot even thought he for didn't not tell the family he was married at first. He did a big favor to Laura by bring her out of her shell and giving her a real confidence boost. He took a shy grown woman, and actually made her live a little. I think he would be my favorite character from the story, and he does seem the most realistic. Laura - I feel Laura has grown a lot after meeting Jim again and talking to him. I am hoping she will now know that she can be social and have normal conversations with people, then go out and actually live a real life outside of their fire trap of a home. Jim really gave her a chance to be normal and live a full live after that conversation.

Genocide...not exactly a happy topic for a Monday!

The holocaust has always interested me, for some reason it blows my mind how one man can take a country by storm, and convince actual humans that a certain group of people are not worthy of living. In the case of World War II, my opinion is simply that any person taking part in the genocide of the Jewish population should be held accountable and suffer the same consequences. Hitler, the Nazi party, as well as groups such as the gestapo should be held accountable as any other murderer would be, for even if they did not shoot one person, they were still apart of a group that killed more than 4 million innocent people. This week in class we read "The Table" by Ida Fink and she made the observation and asked the question should there be an alternative code for trying people that were involved with Genocide, instead of trying them by the same code we use for trivial crimes. After a writing exercise and a class discussion my view hasn't really changed.  To try a case such as genocide is in a totally different ballpark then trying a petty crime such as rubbery or a low grade misdemeanor. The nazi party killed millions of people, and that should not go without blame. I understand that these trials are hard to deal with for it was a long time ago, and the few survivors left have had their memories faded by the test of time, but we all know that their is something wrong with what they did. In "The Table," the prosecutor is finding fault, for even though all four stories are similar they have no concrete detail to go on in the crime, so for them to truly prosecute Kiper in the trial for this murder, they would need more evidence that they don't have. Therefore, a new code for trying genocide is needed to prove this man is guilty, and even though it may be tough to try someone on a new system--it would simply make the victims of WWII a little more at peace and have justice.

Plays, Drama, and Shakespeare?

     Well we are now beginning the final unit of our Literature journey and ending with non other than DRAMA. I have mixed emotions when it comes to drama, because I love broadway plays and musicals, but when it comes to reading things such as Shakespeare I literally get "lost in translation." I was rather fond of Romeo and Juliet and I enjoyed watching the Leonardo Decaprio movie, but I find the language very outdated, and just cannot understand the rhythm at which Shakespeare was writing it in. We have chosen as a group to read a few plays that the class will read, and one I am rather interesting in has to deal with Southern Belle in the title, and I am game for anything that is southern.  I like to read things that I find an interest in and can understand easily, for I find it easier to get in to the story and it reads much smoother that way.  I have seen RENT and went and saw CHICAGO on broadway and I found those plot lines to be funny and humorous and they kept my attention very easily; however, that might have been because they were musicals. Plays are not exactly my forte in English, but I am looking forward to see what chosen student reading has in store, and we shall go from there. Also, I am brainstorming ideas for my final paper, and I might even try my hand at poetry, but we shall see how that turns out, but I am always up for a challenge.

The Young Lieutenant

While reading Guests of the Nation, there was an interesting debate that came up. Should the Young Lieutenant feel guilty? Should soldiers feel remorse? Should anyone feel guilty if they were committing their active 'duty?' Of course they should they are human, and if you not the least bit of sadness for taking another's life then I would be worried you had no soul. I feel that in a time of war it makes the situation tough, and I am not saying you should not fulfill your duties for the betterment of the nation; however, I do believe you should feel something for you actions. The murder you perform causes a lot more damage, and emotional conflict with the victim's family, friends, and country as well. Therefore, I think they should take in consideration that they are not just killing an enemy, but they are killing perhaps a father, son, friend, or husband and that impacts people. A duty is a duty, in a militia standpoint you do need to perform it if told to do, but you have options. You could rebel and say no, alter the actions in someway, or you can perform them. The choice is yours, but when faced with the action of taking another person's life in my hands, I would feel a lot of remorse and feel guilty. You are playing a key factor in that person's fate, and they will no longer have a chance to live a full life. That is a lot to take in when it comes to a decision, and that would be a life altering one at that.

Freedom and Confinement

I'd like to start of this week's blog with a couple of lines out of "Guests of the Nation." "Nobel says he saw everything ten times the size, as though there were nothing in the whole world but that little patch of bog with the two Englishmen stiffening into it, but with me it was as if the patch of bog where the Englishmen were was a million miles away, and even Nobel and the old woman, mumbling behind me, and the birds and the bloody stars were all far away, and I was somehow very small and very lost and lonely like a child astray in the snow.  And anything that happened to me afterwards. I never felt the same about again," states the narrator.  This ending somehow struck out to me, and just made me think how deep words can go when spoken with that much emotion. "And anything that happened to me afterwords.  I never felt the same about again," is such a passionate, complex line, for the story changes him in such away that it takes a bit of his soul with it.  He will never be the same after what he has witnessed tonight, and that just shows the intensity of the situation. It has to be a dramatic, impacting even for something to change you in such a way that you know in your mind you can never fully recover to your old self.  Therefore, O'Connor has put together a good story, but what really caught my eye was the last 2 sentences!

A Touch of English During Spring Break. . .

It is a beautiful Sunday for Spring Break, and not too bad of a day to write my post for the week. However, I will say the story I want to write about may put a damper on your day. "The Penal Colony," was a very interesting story, for it goes back in time to a colony that has no standards when it comes to punishment.  The colonial of the story is so obsessed and mesmerized by this 'apparatus,' he is always concerned with how it works, and is in love with explaining how it works to the explorer. The old commandant of the colony was the mastermind behind this machine and his method of punishment was a hierarchy of power. He had the colonial handle his dirty work with the execution and he is in charge to processed with the prosecution. It is an unusual method, for they don't even have a trial for the prisoner in the story, but they just accuse him and send him to die.  The famous 'apparatus,' basically engraves or tattoos the crime you committed onto your body, but you don't die instantly.  The process takes about 6-12 hours to take its effect, and then the machine just throws you into a large pit to bury.  In the end of explaining this to the explorer, the colonial partially asks him what he thinks and he sort of believes it is cruel and unusual.  His opinion is what triggers an odd reaction for the colonial, for that was the answer I guess he was dreading to face. The new commandant had been trying to get rid of the apparatus, but the colonial must have just needed to hear it from someone else. The colonial then gave his life to the machine he loved, and died with the machine not operating correctly.  

"Harrison Bergeron"

"The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal.  They weren't only equal before God and the law.  They were equal every which way.  Nobody was smarter than anybody else.  Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else," states Kurt Vonnegut. Personally, I believe America looks more towards competition, than equality.  I am for equality, but I value the achievement and benefit that comes from competition. If we were to live in a socialist world that is suggest in Vonnegut's story, then the thrill to win and to be better then oneself would be instantly taken away.  We would live in a stagnate world and no one could use there God given gifts to perform at the most maximum level, and that would be very sad.  The United States was built on capitalism, we believe in Darwin's "Survive of the Fittest," and therefore we thrive on competition and we have that desire in our competitive nature. We want to be the fastest, richest, more advanced, and overall dominant in our industry. Vonnegut's world would of course make us all equal, but it would hold us back from reaching our full maximum potential, and that potential could do some wonderful things for this world if given the chance! **Steps down from Soapbox**

"The Lottery"

Every time I read "The Lottery," I find it interesting for how this town is so accepting of this ritual. To sum it up, The Lottery is an annual event in which every subject meets in the town square of the village.  First pieces of paper are put in the box, and there is one piece of paper with a black mark on it, the recipient of that paper whens the lottery. The town does it by family names first the head of household, generally a man but not always, draws for his family.  The 'lucky' winner this year was the Hutchinson family, so then they put pieces of paper in the box for as many members are in the family, and each member has to draw their on slip of paper. As a sidebar note, I would like to mention how accepting this village is of the lottery, until someone has actually been chosen. For instance, the patrons worry about the children of the village being chosen, and then when the Hutchinson family is chosen,  Mrs. Hutchinson pitches a fit, for she believes it was unfairly executed and that her husband was not given enough time to choose. So, to conclude this sidebar the people of the town is accepting of this annual event, until they are chosen or if it threatens the younger people of the village.  Therefore, I say if you feel the ritual is unjust and dangerous -- then STOP it!  However, the town is so superstitious and fearful that if they don't, then their harvest will fail; then, they continue with their event and stone an innocent person, for no good reason!

"Carolina In My Mind"

I really enjoyed the poetry unit, surprisingly! Generally I do not like that unit in any english class I have ever taken, but this one sort of changed my mind.  The poems we read were sentimental and could be understood on a college students terms. We read about stereotypes, love, death, and woodchucks. (However, I still do not understand what a woodchuck is? Yet, that is beyond the point.)  Our last assignment we to write an essay developing a claim of whether a song we choose is poetry or not poetry.  I chose one of my favorites, "Carolina In My Mind," by James Taylor, it is a good song for any of you that have not heard it. I made the claim that it was poetry, because it consisted of a lot of the terms that we refer to in poetry, for it had metaphors, imagery, and themes.  As it goes, a lot of other students did different songs, and came to the same conclusion as well. Therefore, it makes me think, have we all enjoyed poetry all along? Since we said all or these songs were poetry, and as most young adults do we listen to a lot of music during the day, or at least I do. So, does that mean we all technically really love poetry, for songs are poetry. Its a good question to think about, but I am going to have to say that this unit has truly changed my opinion of poetry. I went in dreading it, and thinking here comes another few boring weeks of reading and trying to translate nonsense. However, I have been converted and if music is poetry, then I am a poetry lover! (:

Pigeons!

Stereotypes: are not cool! I found it interesting reading the stereotypes section of poetry, and then I went to a meeting for a greek leader seminar, and the topic was stereotypes that greeks are standardized in. Ironic, I know! However, these poems sort of hit a soft spot for me, because people are stereotyped all the time without even knowing, and we live in a very judgmental society. The poets of these set poems are strong willed people to put their opinions in words. I strongly felt an understanding to the poem about pigeons, because personally I hate pigeons, they look like rats with wings, and I judge them very easily. I fill like they are useless creatures, and reading this was sort of humorous. Yet, this poem made me feel sorry for them, and guilty for disliking them. Therefore, I have changed a mind set and try not to judge people, and stereotypes are hurtful. So, poetry is still growing on me, and is starting to be a good thing, I guess! I just needed to find the right poetry to read, and read subjects that I could understand or relate to, and I did!

"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" - Robert Frost

For Arguments Sake: What is the speaker's promises to keep and why is out in the darkest night of the year?"

    To work on all this new terminology and make my opinion clear I thought I would contribute more to the class discussion and the debate about this poem.  Personally, the speaker in this poem seems to be procrastinating his journey home, and is fighting with the temptation of the snowy woods. I know this temptation seems vague, but in a metaphorical since he does have an issue and is trying in some way to figure it out. For instance, when stating, "Between the woods and frozen lake. The darkest evening of the year," the speaker could be referring to a difficult issue he is experiencing or debating with, and the snowy woods good be his saving grace per say.  If we are going in-depth snow could be what is saving his fight with temptation, and be coving up what doubts he maybe having about going home, and instead of going in the "tempting" woods.  Therefore, back to my main question, "What is the speaker's promises to keep?" He states, "The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep," and I generally think he has an obligation, to maybe a family, that he needs to get back to.  The woods maybe lovely and tempting to him, but he made a promise and he intends on keeping that promise to get back to them, for he states the ending line twice. "And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep," as if he is reassuring himself that he has promises, or maybe just giving himself a gesture that he knows it will be a while before he gets to sleep. Just something to think about!


"Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right. I have been one acquainted with the night."
                                                                                         -Robert Frost

TRUE LOVE: One thing poetry has going for it!

As always I was a bit skeptical about starting the poetry unit, for it has never been one of my favorites.  I generally get confused on some of the poems we have to read, because the structure and the rhythm can throw me off trying to figure out the main idea.  However, we learned in class this week that we should read the poem and understand it on our own terms, and figure out what it means to us as an individual.  Therefore, as I read through the text of "True Love," one poem stuck out among the rest --True Love: By: Wislawa Szymborska (page 577 in our literature book for those who are following along). The poem follows as if she is just thinking all of this in her head. Asking questions about love, being sarcastic, making remarks about how pathetic the world would think they are, if they could actually understand the mockery and logic behind love.  Personally, I do not like the poem, because I agree or disagree with the writer, but I like it because she question's the reasons for love.  The fact that she question's whether it is necessary or not, and puts that into a poem is very interesting--I like it! So she may have just converted the originally unconverted poet 'disliker.'


"True love. Is it normal, is it serious, is it practical? What does the world get from two people who exist in a world of their own?"    -Wislawa Szymborska

What is Literature? With a CAPITAL "L."

Literature as defined by Webster's as, "writings in which expression and form, in connection with ideas of permanent and universal interest, are characteristic or essential features, as poetry, novels, history, biography, and essays." However, that gives only a vague description of the true meaning, what we all want to know is, what is Literature with a capital "L?" They might as well ask us also what makes classics...classic? The answer is, they are timeless pieces of art that can be related to during all time periods.   What makes literature matter is the fact that you can read a poem or a novel and find depth in your readings.  Literature is there for you to understand a more metaphorical theme that you can relate to on a personal level.  Hypothetically speaking, when you read a work of art in the form of literature, think of yourself as a detective.  You read the article first to get a skim of things and make vague remarks, but if you look deeper you find clues that help you solve the bigger picture and find a deeper meaning. The work asks you a question as you read, and to find the answer you must decode the sentences and find it for yourself. Everyones' answer maybe different, because we have all had different experiences that make us relate to the piece of work differently. The varies of diverse answers, puts the "L" in Literature! 


P.S.  I would like to end every blog with a little excerpt or quote that I found in the reading that I liked or  just stuck out to me, and here is the first!


"There is a point in the distance where the road meets itself, where coming and going must kiss into one. She is always at that place, seen from behind, motionless, torn forward, living in a zone all her own.  It is like she has burned right through time, the brand, the mark, owning the woman who bears it."
                                                                                             -Louise Erdrich
                                                                      The Lady in the Pink Mustang