The Snows of Kilimanjaro.

Ernest Hemingway wasn't afraid to write what he wanted to. In this story he uses language that some may find offensive, most notably the word "bitch". His description of a young woman also can be seen as suggestive, but I thought it added to the story. The story takes place in Africa. The main character is a male writer with female companion. He seems to resent her because he has not been able to write due to living in the moment. He is also afflicted by a leg wound and has gangrene. Knowing the end is near, he decides he needs to write, but never get around to it. This story made me think about my life and how much time I waste doing paltry things. Sleeping when not needing to for one. Hopefully, we can explain this in class, but I doubt it due to the presentations next week and other things we must do.

Babylon Revisited.

Like many of the stories we have read during this quarter, this one made more sense after a discussion of it in class. I guess I just do not understand the deeper meanings in some things, so the discussion are a great boon to me. This story deals with a man who is finally realizing his past "sins" and is now atoning for them. It takes place in Paris during the 1920s. The man is returning to deal with his family problems. He seemed to be an alcoholic and it is apparent. He is a somewhat likable character, he cares about his daughter and doesn't want to lose her. However, he is having trouble dealing with his deceased wife's sister. Both are flawed and probably shouldn't be caring for a child in their state. She is mentally unhinged. The title is also suitable for the story that proceeds it. Babylon being an ancient city of decadence and Paris being a city with similar characteristics is a perfect match. We did not get to explain this story that much, but what I learned from it was insightful and interesting.

In Just.

E.E. Cummings is a poet I have heard of, but never really understood until I read his poetry. The only thing I knew of him before this was his quote "Listen; there's a hell of a good universe next door: let's go." After reading "In Just" and deciphering what it meant with my classmates, I have a greater respect for him now. He is very clever with his word and is able to slide things under people's nose without them noticing. The title is an onomatopoeia for the sound one makes during a sexual climax. The poem goes deeper into that as well, referencing a satyr and spring. The satyr symbolizing sexuality and spring symbolizing freedom. Hopefully, now I will read poems more closely to understand them and not let the vital parts of them escape me.

Harriet Beecher Stowe.

This is the poem I am doing for my Unpack a Poem project and I am glad I chose this one. It is a easy poem to understand and it makes a great deal of sense to me. Paul Laurence Dunbar concisely and eloquently described Stowe's rise to prominence and how she aided in the abolishment of slavery. This poem is a sonnet and the structure of it look very organized. It's written with one line then three lines proceeding under. This occurs throughout the entire poem, with the exception of a few lines near the end. It amazes me how powerful poetry can be if done in such a concise way. I hope to learn more about this poem when I unpack it and hear my classmates insights on it after I recite it.

A Streetcar Named Desire.

I really enjoyed this play. I use to dread reading plays rather than seeing them because I found it harder to get into the story. However, when I read this, it changed my whole perspective on reading them. This story is rich with detail and feeling. The characters and setting took me to a pleasant place in my mind. I liked the setting greatly. I've never been to New Orleans, but Williams painted a perfect picture of the festive city. Stanley Kowalski is a great character. He's very much of man in every way. His sense of humor is great and comes in at the right time. The language is also interesting. The local slang of the characters definitely shines. Even though swear-words were used, I wasn't offended; they were properly used and added color to the dialogue. Characters were not just swearing to fill-up dead-air, they had meaning and power behind them. I hope to discuss this play in class and get the insights of my fellow classmates.

The Souls of Black Folk.

Currently I am taking a African-American Studies class this quarter and this read went right along with it. There were somethings Du Bois wrote about that I could relate to growing-up as a person of color. One of those things  was realizing I was different from everyone else in school. I've always attended predominantly white schools and I didn't notice until the eighth-grade. For the most part, I was the only black person in my classes and having become aware of that made me feel like more of an outsider. Some of my fellow classmates welcomed diversity, if you can call one black student diverse, whereas others not so much. It seemed as though my teachers, treated my slightly different as well. Back then I thought they were doing me a favor, but now I wish that had not. Being treated differently due to racial background just to protect someone's feelings isn't doing anyone much help, in my opinion. Especially since many people in the past, W.E.B. Du Bois for example, fought so ardently for equality. Another thing I noticed in his writings were his thoughts about Booker T. Washington. It seemed as if he Du Bois was displeased with the way Washington was trying to gain equality. It was interesting to read this because I always had an idea in my mind that like-minded people agreed with each other's ideas.

To Build A Fire.

To Build A Fire by Jack London was a very satisfying read in my opinion. It made me appreciate the fact that the weather where I live could be harsher, but isn't. The story centers around a man in the Yukon trekking across its terrain. The only companion he has is a unnamed dog. The weather of the area isn't a character, but it does play an integral part in this story. It is the antagonist of the story and drives what the man does, most of which seems instinctual. For example, when the man has to beat on his chest to relieve the numbing sensation in his hands. London describes the man's struggle to get warm in extreme detail, it made empathize with the man even more. If I had to categorize the perspective/World View of this story I'd say it's a realist perspective. Especially in the way it end, however, the climax seemed to have some elements of naturalism. I'm not sure what else I can say about this story, hopefully I'll learn more about it when we discuss it in class.
                                                                                                        - Michael Frazier

Trifles.

This story centers around the murder of Mr. Wright, the husband of Minnie Wright. There is an investigation going on and the two female characters' husband are trying to solve the case. This story, or play, is filled with things that say a lot about how the opposite sex is perceived in during this time. On example that comes to mind is when Mr. Hale said women only spend their time caring about trifling things. It is fact the trifling things that crack the case wide open. If I had to guess which writing style this was, I'd have to say it's realistic. Everything is presented in such a way that it leaves the reader with a yearning for how the characters felt emotionally. I think everyone can relate this story to some moment in their lives. We've all been underestimated at some point and the same frustrations they experienced, we've experienced. After reading this I'd like to read more works by Susan Graspell. I like that this story made me think and I always enjoy good social commentary hidden in literature.

The Yellow Wallpaper.

This is not the first time I've read this story, but it is the first time I've fully understood what Gilman was writing about. The story deals with postpartum depression and obsession. In it the main character is on bed-rest due to hear husband's wishes. She has no say in what her treatment is and this seems typical for the time this story takes place in. Her husband even refers to her as a "little-girl", she has no ability to be an independent woman. What I enjoyed about this story was the detail. The main character goes into great detail when describing the intricacy of the wallpaper in her room. The wallpaper becomes like a living, breathing entity throughout the course of the story and it is nice to see that progression. Her obsession with the wallpaper at night reminds me of one of my own obsessions. My closest door is open at night and during this time nothing can be seen in it. It is very mysterious and frightening at the same time. I fear peering at it too long because I imagine something might come out of it. However, this is all in my imagination. Reading this story for a second time has helped me to truly understand what it means and allowed me to look into myself afterwards.
                                                                                                    -Michael Frazier

Blog Posting for 1/11/11.

This week we were required to read three short stories. "The White Heron", "The Notorious Jumping from of Caleveras County" and "Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge". I'd like to explain the third one in more detail because that one pulled me in the most. The setting of the story is at Owl Creek Bridge during the Civil War period in the United States. The main character, Peyton Fahrquhar, is being hung for interference with Union Soldier's plan to rebuild the bridge. Peyton, a Confederate Army sympathizer never did have a chance to fight in the war so he tries to help be sabotaging the Union Soldier's efforts. I don't summarize the entire story because I feel that would be too redundant, especially to the people who have already read the piece.  What I like most about this story is its whole take on the idea that one's life flashes before their eyes. Instead, Peyton's escape from his situation came to his mind. The entire story is mostly focused on this and it is very vivid. You can almost imagine being with Peyton as he is making his perilous escape down the river. The thing that surprised me most was the way Union soldiers were portrayed in this story. What they do to Peyton in something you wouldn't expect from the "good-guys" of the Civil War. It really turns the whole idea of good/evil on its head. I did enjoy the other two stories as well, but I guess I'm not experienced in reading Twain yet so it didn't have the effect on me that it should have had. I'm still getting used to his humor and use of irony in his stories, but I'll grasp the idea sooner or later.
                                                               -Michael Frazier