Conclusion of American Literature II

     I'm not exactly the sentimental type nor do I hold much appreciation for those who are "over-emotional" but I would like to recognize some of the more exciting and memorable times in class.
     My favorite quality: the food. I generally eat a decent sized breakfast but with 5 classes back-to-back one can run out of edible materials fairly quickly. However, all thanks to my early morning Literature class I was able to obtain donuts, pop tarts, and some fruit. Yum! That's definitely motivation to come to class everyday (which I will arrogantly claim "I did").
     On a more serious note, I did enjoy the many videos we were able to watch in relation to American Literature. The "Ain't Afraid of your Jails" movie provided an excellent insight into Civil Rights and the Black Literary Movement. I previously had a wealth of knowledge concerning African American history in the U.S., something that has augmented since watching the clip. Also, even though I am not a fan of Allen Ginsberg the video of his poem "Howl" proved to be entertaining, if somewhat disturbing. It helped me grasp the concept behind his work and understand not only what he was writing about but why he used such vivid description.
     Another worthwhile experience was hearing the actors (and ticket-saleswoman) from the play "Intimate Apparel" discuss their lives in the theater. Believe it or not I have actually considered becoming an actor (remember my final presentation?) or even a screenwriter. The questions posed at the cast of "Intimate Apparel" generated my interest in professional acting whether it be on a stage or set. Furthermore, I enjoyed listening to how they each "personified" their characters making them seem like real people to the audience.
     I was genuinely impressed with some of the discussions we cultivated in the classroom despite some branching into subjects wildly off-topic. Everybody was fairly attentive to each person's opinion and disagreements about certain passages were handled well. I really do wish some of my other classes retained this agreeable method of discussion. I myself did not try to participate in every class-wide argument since some things were haphazardly random and only listening quietly would hold my attention. Still, I did like many of the discussions that were created and ended up pleased with their results.
     Overall, this was not my favorite class but it certainly wasn't a terrible experience. I did learn about several authors for which I can confidently recite life stories and recall written works. Much of what I studied in this class assisted me with the development of my final project and gave me general information for the future.        

Class Discussion "On the Meaning of Invisible Man"

     Ralph Ellison's story "The Invisible Man" is partially about race in that it uses the social difference of blacks and whites to elicit a deeper meaning: No one should be mistreated based on the way they look, talk, or otherwise appear. Judgment should be based on beliefs and personalities. "All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what is was" (page 1264) is arguably the best representation of this idea since it references how people tried to tell the narrator WHAT his identity was and WHO he should be. Such can only be achieved by the individual.
     When this novel was published in the 1950s it is obvious why many perceived its meaning to refer to race. "I am not ashamed of my grandparents for having been slaves." (p. 1254) references slavery, "I was invited to give the speech at a gathering of the town's leading white citizens." denotes social inequality (p. 1255), "Let me at that big nigger." (p, 1257) shows racial slurs, and "You sure that about 'equality' was a mistake?" (p. 1263) is definitely segregation context. All of these factors would have made anyone who read the book during the 1950s think of Civil Rights and the conflicts between blacks and whites. It does not necessarily mean people at that time were ignorant, simply segregation was a major issue in the era.
     It would be easier now to grasp the story's true meaning because Civil Rights are U.S. law and racists are widely frowned upon. Nonetheless, it would require a thorough reading of the "Invisible Man" for one to fully comprehend its message. Currently, there are no all black sit-ins or mass marches specifically against segregation as shown in "Ain't Scared of Your Jails." Yes, there is still racism but the minority of racists in the U.S. do not conflict with the meaning of the "Invisible Man." Also, if a contemporary reader analyzed this novel without knowing Ellison's original statement it would make it harder to grasp the main idea but it would certainly not be impossible.

Thoughts on "Cathedral"

     I originally wrote this as one of my essays for quiz 5 but later decided it would go great here.

     In "Cathedral" the narrator experiences a dramatic shift in the way he views the world, much in thanks to the blind man named Robert. He later understands that blindness can help one achieve peace and sight is not needed for one to be happy. However, this occurs as the story progresses and the idea does not happen at the opening of the text.

     While learning about Robert's back-story, the narrator only concentrates on the negative aspects of being blind. Such is obvious on page 1559 "Hearing this, I felt sorry for the blind man a little bit," where the narrator ponders the thought that Robert never got to "see" his (Robert's) late wife. Later on, when the two men are watching television a story about cathedrals appears, prompting Robert to ask the narrator to describe the appearance of one. The narrator thinks "How could I begin to describe it?" (page 1565) which denotes a turning point in the story. After giving Robert a decent description of the Cathedral, Robert seems content. Eventually though, Robert states "The truth is, cathedrals don't mean anything special to me." (page 1566) This is extremely important in the story because it shows Robert was not asking questions for his benefit, but rather, to help the narrator. When Robert asks the narrator to help him draw a Cathedral (the narrator guiding Robert's hand) the narrator complies and soon actually becomes enthralled with the experience "It was like nothing else in my life up to now." (page 1567). He closes his eyes and continues to draw, fully engrosses with the task. Now, the narrator no longer sees the negative side of blindness, he appreciates it freedom, it laxity, the lack of judgement. He "sees" the Cathedral not with his eyes but entirely with his mind.

     Overall, the role of Robert is that of the helper, ironically, for the person who can see. Essentially, what Robert does is allow the narrator to experience how Robert views the world, without eyesight but with "mind sight." Colors, shapes, the organic, and the inorganic are worthless in meaning to Robert, he "sees" a deeper meaning: life is not about what is actually in front of you; it is what you make of it. He succeeds in conveying this to the narrator through the use of artistry, a simple pleasure.

Thoughts on "We Real Cool"

     Of all the poems we read in class I believe "We Real Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks was the most naturally lyrical. it could easily be turned into a short song or even a nursery rhyme (not that children would understand it). The poem contains obvious rhymes and enjambment which contribute to its musical qualities.
     Now for a literary dissection of this short piece. The first two lines are obvious, 7 (presumably black) people are hanging out at a joint called "The Golden Shovel."  "The Golden Shovel" sounds like a nice place but it is probably no different from "The Snugly Duckling" in Disney's animated film Tangled. The next two lines make the reader assume the people are adolescent youths who are not attending their school. Lines 5 and 6 are ambiguous; "lurk late"could imply the adolescents hang out at The Golden Shovel until nightfall but "strike straight" is downright confusing. However, it could refer to striking the cue ball in a game of pool, though, what would I know about pool? I've played it three times in my life. 7 and 8 are another easy set of lines. "Sing sin" means singing profane or unorthodox music and "thin gin" denotes cheaply made liquor or alcohol.
     I'm devoting an entire paragraph to lines 9 and 10 purely because of the hilarity of different opinions posed in class concerning what the text means. The "Jazz June" section was especially hard to understand but yielded interesting conversation. Some suggested that "June" was a female person at The Golden Shovel, either a seductive waitress or prostitute who "jazzed" or "slept" with each adolescent. Then, they conteacted and STD and "died soon." However, despite the filthy sexual views of Western Civilization I do not find this possible. Another suggestion was that the adolescents danced to jazz music during the month of June---a logical activity at "The Golden Shovel." But why only in June?Why would Gwendolyn Brooks bring up "June?" Honestly, I don't think I can offer my opinion on this one.
     In general, the poem was written fairly well---especially considering it might depict a certain reality. "We Real Cool" should be noted for both its lyrical and narrative content.

Thoughts on "How to Tame a Wild Tongue"

Clearly what the author was "talking" about.

     What I find so confounding about this piece is that it is completely different in form compared to other works we have read in class. It is not artistic poetry nor is it descriptive fiction; I would classify "How to Tame a Wild Tongue" as a non-fictional documentary or a personal reflection. That's not to say the story doesn't contain basic literary elements; there are plenty of metaphors and allusions which are common devices found in fiction. Still, it is interesting how Gloria Anzaldúa portrays her information. She uses emotional appeal, language reference, and educational and dental metaphors to relate the "prejudice" her tongue receives. I found most of the writing to be fairly positive, Gloria is proud of her language and the people who speak its variations. Whether or not this pride is constructive or destructive is open to debate but no one can argue against the vast amount of languages this woman knows. It's one thing to be able to write and speak multiple languages from different parts of the world but the author is actually capable of deciphering several different dialects originating from Spanglish (along with basic American English and Mexican Spanish). She lists many dialects which I have never heard of including Chicano, Tex-Mex, and Pachuco, truly some colorful names.
     The composition of this piece is special in that it reflects the overall theme of speaking Spanglish. While most of the text is written in English it is frequently sprinkled with Spanish words. Some readers may find this confusing, even irritating but it does add some flavor to the story. I happen to be proficient in basic conversational Spanish so many of the Hispanic terms were familiar, making for an easier read. Like I said above, I was also able to learn some new vocabulary such as the langages I previously listed.
     Finally, the piece on "Linguistic Terrorism" offered excellent insight into the harsh judgments the author received simply for her multilingual ability. It was interesting to hear how other "Chicanas" were so prejudiced that they could not even find comfort amongst each other. Clearly, discrimination of Spanish dialects in the U.S. will soon be seen for its true foolishness since Hispanics are the largest minority group in this country. When a masses of people speak a language, prejudice does little to affect their culture, obviously a good sign. Moreover, I think the author best sums up her story in these sentences: "So, if you really want to hurt me, talk badly about my language. Ethnic identity is twin skin to linguistic identity---I am my language."
                 

Thoughts on "The Invisible Man"

     While I was reading The Invisible Man I was shocked at the rapid change in events starting with the youth's arrival at the hotel and ending with him receiving a scholarship to the black college. Now, this type of literature is not something I would prefer to read for fun but I still believe it contains some of the best examples of literary devices that make it a smooth flowing story. The ability of the author to transition between mini-scenes and change the pace of action was what kept this story moving until the denouement and final resolution.
     I believe there is a decent example of foreshadowing present before the narrator moves deeper into the hotel. This occurs when he is inopportunely forced to join the ranks of his fighting schoolmates despite his scheduled intellectual engagement (speech delivery). By joining a fighting brigade the narrator elicits a future brawl. There is also an excellent example of antithesis between the woman and the narrator. While both are similar in that they are mistreated by the rich, white male populace, their gender and race are different: Caucasian woman---African American man. The sexual dancing of the woman and the brutal fight of the narrator show how two people of completely different cultural and gender backgrounds are still viewed as inferior to white men. Finally, a literary device known as "Chekhov's gun" is used which presents material previously thought irrelevant that is later deemed important. This refers to the deathbed words of the narrator's grandfather whose knowledge does not directly apply until the story's end where the narrator receives the diploma from the white men. When the narrator hears the "laughter" of his grandfather in his head it symbolizes how the narrator has won the approval of the rich white men, people he should not associate with. Thus, his grandfather's unheeded wisdom haunts him and earns its relevance in the story.
     Of course, the literary devices were used astoundingly well but the true flavor of the story came from the authors use of description and sentence structure. In the first paragraph, the phrase "invisible man" is used indicating the title is more than just a colorful representation---for the narrator it is reality. This is followed up quickly by the wisdom from the narrator's grandfather, setting the scene and showing the reader the current situation of the narrator. From there the story takes off, one moment the youthful narrator is fantasizing about his speech, next he being bloodied in a boxing ring. Here Ralph Ellison easily transitions from one mini-scene to the next, keeping the reader interested in what's going on. Ellison continues, describing the duel between the narrator and Tatlock following with vivid descriptions of the electrified mat. The story gradually slows after the narrator walks away with his "golden" coins. However, the movement picks up again when the youth learns his speech is ready to be heard. Soon, the story reaches a climatic event when the narrator, chided by the wealthy white men around him, accidentally says "social equality" instead of "social responsibility." This mini-scene is important because it gives a verbal representation of racism rather than the previous methods of physical humiliation. It shows how the narrator is simply another form of entertainment and the white men do not care for his philosophical dialect. The final paragraphs in the text describe how the narrator receives a scholarship to an esteemed black college, his "reward" for associating with white men and the realization that his grandfather was right.
     In conclusion, I do think this story contains definite literary merit. True, some parts are fairly unnecessary such as the character's refection of his grandfather's words prior to arriving at the hotel, but these are trivial complaints. The ability of Ellison to craft his character's motives and further his plot are what makes this piece of literature remarkable and unique. For those who attempt to write narratives I would recommend Ellison's style among many other forms.                   
     
               

Thoughts on "The Paper Nautilus"

     Since my group conquered this poem in class I felt I might as well blog about it and state some of the more "literal" ideas of "The Paper Nautilus." But before I begin I must ask: Did Marianne Moore have a fascination with marine biology (i.e. nautilus and snails)? Because such creatures seem to be...ahem...flooding her work.

     I'll start by giving a definition of a nautilus based on research I completed long ago. Essentially, a nautilus is like an octopus only the core of it body is covered in a protective, spiral, shell. From this body armor emerges the eyes and mass of tentacles giving this animal its resemblance to spaghetti protruding from a dough of bread (it's the only analogy I could come up with). Obviously, the nautilus is a sea creature like most tentacled entities. Also, the shells themselves are highly collectable and are still being used in decoration. You can probably see the individual sections that compose the shell interior creating the unique fractal effect. This occurs with the progression of the nautilus' life, as it grows larger, it adds more area/living space for itself ("how?" you ask. I'm not quite sure).
     There are other important biological and historical allusions present in "The Paper Nautilus." I find the Parthenon to be a unique reference, especially because of its ironic background. Originally, the Parthenon was a glorious structure, practically a three-dimensional mosaic filled with intricate carvings that were not often seen around the time it was first built. The irony here is that it was entirely aesthetic, it served no political or economic purpose. However, when the Turks invaded Greece they found it was perfect for ammunition storage...of gunpowder (the enemy of the Greeks made their buildings work)! So of course a stray spark from enemy bombardment would blow it up in 1687. Otherwise, the references to the Hydra, Hercules, and even classical Greece are generally known by more people in comparison with the Parthenon, I'm not going to elaborate on those (the book does a decent job).
     Now to tackle the theme. By writing this piece, the author meant to communicate to the reader the concept that many "old-style" writers/poets continue their work mainly out of the want for publicity and or monetary reward. Meanwhile, the nautilus nurtures unhatched infants who will become the new, the brilliant writers of the next generation. These "new" writers will be pure (the many references to the color white) and strive to uphold the modern day versions of Greek ideals, holding to the importance of physical and mental health (Greek references). Thus, they will venture forth from their nautilus mother, not subject to the "wasp-nest flaws" of their predecessors. Again, my group covered this in class but this is CONCRETE PROOF of our information. 
     Ultimately, no I did not enjoy this poem even if my lengthy description makes it seem as such. There are so many other more simple ways to convey the same thought the idea tried to express (assuming this interpretation is even remotely correct). And yes, I do believe there is a "correct" interpretation but only the author can really give us an accurate insight.