"The Boy Who Couldn't Die," a sixteen year-old-character in the book of the same name, became "invulnerable" to death by unknowingly becoming a zombie (a mindless creature that roams eternally (obeying its master)), through spiritual means. The common conception of becoming a zombie is that a virus invades your system, putting a stop to all conscious thought, transforming the remaining shell into a creature bent only on sustaining, attempting to satisfy its insatiable hunger; only able to be quelled by ingesting "other" humans. Of all the components of life, there are countless interpretations of each, usually either: spiritual, logical.
"Spiritual Satanism" advocates "using one's brains to their maximum potential" and "does not in any way conflict with science." They "believe that all spiritual and paranormal phenomena can be scientifically explained in a rational manner; scientific knowledge has not yet progressed far enough to comprehend or explain much of the so-called 'supernatural.'" "True Satanism... is based upon total transformation of the soul... The goal of Spiritual Satanism is to apply this knowledge [which was brought by Satan] and transform [their [the ones who practice this religion]] souls into godhead..." Spiritual Satanism apparently strives for the realization of all truths, however natural they may be, while understanding that all is because Satan wills it (which combats with Christians' vehement denial of the theory of evolution). This religion seems to cross the boundries between thought and feeling, utilizing both trains of thought. {I do not advocate Satanism, in any form, though, being a Baptist, I cannot say I am for it, I tolerate it}
Edgar Cayce, "the modern/new Nostradamus," apparently had access to the "Akashic Records" while in self-induced trances. These Records, prophesied of in several ancient religions, more of an allusion to (thought so because of broad interpretations), hold the collective knowledge of every plane of existence. A set of supposed logical data that exists because of and is known only through spiritual means.
"Philosophy of science," once thought to be a solidly founded principle, a way to enlighten (on(SOME) spiritual subjects)(an interpretation, not concrete fact) through the use of logic, reasoning, is beginning to quiver because of "the existence of unobservable entities and processes (atoms, fields, genes [god[s]])."
"To attain evidence that is unnatural is unreliable because it is so outside the realm of materialistic, historical evidence." Knowledge attained "tangibly" is, of course, easy to believe because it is founded, discovered perceptibly. The entire point of religion (things spiritual) is to explain things we know nothing about in ways we can believe; to comfort us; all knowledge in spiritual matters is based on faith - unsure. In this highly logical era, it is understandable that religion suffers, dwells within the shadow of science, leaving those true believers dull and in the dark. The duality of man, the paradoxes, permeate through all creatures of man by man, knowledge discovered through methods we deem secure.
Time travel, a concept highly promulgated in science fiction, has been pondered by actual scientist and has had several theories involving it made (wormholes, those mythical portals scattered in the void, + vehicles = possibility(/ies)).
Time travel, a concept highly promulgated in crystal balls, has been achieved - to the point of knowing of past lives (possible through reincarnation (a highly improbable claim because all prior knowledge is forgotten when a new body is entered by the soul))(no physical evidence to support the claim).
Perhaps the origins of phenomena we encounter on a daily basis may never be fully understood, be it 'cause of skepticism, hard-headedness, or any other flaw branded into our selves by the Creator. Without knowing how or why something came to be, to truly understand stuff - the explanations for things will always be somewhat flawed. All that can be done is to have our salt shakers at the ready and to be content with knowing we know everything about nothing and nothing about everything; logic always being flawed because of all the things we know not of; religino being flawed because of the uncertainty.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
12 Sentence Story
Ripe fruit refuse sustenance, their vines growing taut over the expanded forms, their color becoming more vivid despite the sinking sun, their creator appalled at the progress, and the foundation growing less stable.
Nature dominates the world; the inhabitants dominate things natural.
All humans, creators at heart, can build anything to manipulate accordingly, and never do they refuse refuse a place to be recycled.
However, Earth feels a growing tension springing from within, then across the sky, behind the towers, inside the beings, and throughout the waters.
Mother runs and revolves and finally discovers a solution to the forthcoming problem.
Yes indeed.
She hoped that they would learn and that the self would be preserved and that her children would have some peace.
Thoughts abound, but none are realized.
In the elements, terrible saviors found, released.
"What did we do to deserve this?"
Descendants prosper, or perish, or become mobile, or remain standing, or fall, or tremble.
Mother Earth, by allowing therepeutic typhoons to rip asunder that which man has laid before Her, by allowing man to pollute Hr with the trash he refuses to clean up, by allowing all forms of existence near Her salutory neglect--wreaks vengeance upon those conscious.
Nature dominates the world; the inhabitants dominate things natural.
All humans, creators at heart, can build anything to manipulate accordingly, and never do they refuse refuse a place to be recycled.
However, Earth feels a growing tension springing from within, then across the sky, behind the towers, inside the beings, and throughout the waters.
Mother runs and revolves and finally discovers a solution to the forthcoming problem.
Yes indeed.
She hoped that they would learn and that the self would be preserved and that her children would have some peace.
Thoughts abound, but none are realized.
In the elements, terrible saviors found, released.
"What did we do to deserve this?"
Descendants prosper, or perish, or become mobile, or remain standing, or fall, or tremble.
Mother Earth, by allowing therepeutic typhoons to rip asunder that which man has laid before Her, by allowing man to pollute Hr with the trash he refuses to clean up, by allowing all forms of existence near Her salutory neglect--wreaks vengeance upon those conscious.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Style Analysis Essay: "America Needs Its Nerds"
Leonid Fridman's urgency in revealing the injustices done on a daily basis against those who practice anti-"anti-intellectualism" conjures up several emotions in readers. Sympathy or empathy is felt for the victims, as Fridman's portrayal is comparable to commercials advertising abused animals, starving children. However, the modern world is already plagued by an overwhelming liberalism, was even in 1990; the (almost) necessary acceptance and respect, (and fear of infringing on these) social requirements. Because of this already instated tolerance, an almost tangible disgust for Fridman spawns ("Really?!" followed by laughter is a common response among readers). Agreed, bullying is a problem that needs to be adressed, solved. Disagreed, the method in which Fridman chose to state this. His advocation of the ever dominant liberalism (when no more propaganda advertising this mindset is needed), the way he conveys his idea(s), his call to arms to embrace those smarter [aimed at those smarter; meant as fuel for the attempted negotiations between these and their tormentors, when these arguments are hardly ever fruitful anyway]; noble in their own rights, laughable when stated by Fridman.
The intellectuals who practice "refusal to conform to society's anti-intellectual values," which indicates that "something (is) very wrong with the system," are ostracized and suffer because of their intellect. The United States is a country of and for the ignorant: those advancements made by the minority taken advantage of by the majority; this fact instills fear into those with aspirations. The inevitable collapse of the world (this country) will come when those "children who prefer to read books rather than play football, prefer to build model airplanes rather than get wasted at parties with their classmates" cease to be individuals.
The shift, "Enough is enough," an example of epanalepsis, seperates his analysis of and stating the problem and his condemning the ways of the greatest country on Earth. The problem, "that someone dedicated to pursuit of knowledge is compared to a freak biting the head off a live chicken," and the analysis, "anti-intellectualism is rampant," correctly summarizes a world threat. Committing treason in the guise of one of the most well known cities on Earth in the U.S., "there are very few countries in the world where anti-intellectualism runs as high in popular culture as it does in the U.S.," Leonid committs hara-kiri; dies a literary martyr, rivalling the burning monks.
"For America's sake, the anti-intellectual values that pervade our society must be fought," a haunting prediction from a modern Nostradamus. Illuminating the sophisticated to the plight affecting their apprentices, Fridman preaches "It is high time to face the persecutors who haunt the bright kid with thick glasses from kindergarted to the grave,"; voices his desire to see bullying taken to ((kangaroo)) court(((s))). The idea that supression only creates more pressure (/will to strive harder) is laughable; the very lives of the future leaders are in the hands of those tyrannically bored and envious true traitors to this country. Maintaining our status is of the upmost importance as it will be impossible "to compete in the technology race with Japan or remain a leading political and cultural force in Europe." [stated even after his damning of the (popular) culture of the U.S.] Inaction by the capable caused by the active may result in our home being forgotten, even wiped out.
Little variety in sentence structure, rhetorical devices, has little impact on the point. Proving himself an intellectual, by using extended, descriptive sentences, the passion emphasizes that much more [more of a look into his past than an article of any relevance]. Imagery set off by a professor's droning; nearly symmetrical sentences/paragraphs; the target audience is appealed to.
Of the limited rhetorical devices used, symploce and epanalepsis, the most stable of the devicese the most evident. In the third paragraph, Fridman explains that the problems in "prestigious academic institution(s)" also affect those inhabitants of "U.S. elementary and high schools,": "Children who prefer to... rather than..., prefer to... rather than..., become social outcasts." Fridman utilizes symploce to reveal the typical hobbies of the two opposites; to subliminally pose the question "Which end of the spectrum do you inhabit?"; to plant a desire in those who bullied to prevent future torture. The shift, "Enough is enough," an example of epanalepsis, provides more structure to the article, subliminally implanting a desire for unity, peace, stability, in the reader.
While I respect Fridman for wanting to put a stop to bullying, I laugh at the way he attempted to spread his word. Wanting to convey to his intelligent audience that he was too a victim via limited variety in sentence structure and rhetorical devices, with repetitive words and phrases meant to stir a strong emotional response that does so only because of the laughter that splutters forth, he fails to bring readers to his side. Bullies were born out of spite, scorn; why else did the "No Bullying" signs that choke hallways come a few years after his "America Needs Its Nerds" plea was published?
(extremely limited and picky internet connection at home; no way to go anywhere else to publish this; distracted by medical conditions still plaguing my sister and I; reasons for the delayed assignment)
The intellectuals who practice "refusal to conform to society's anti-intellectual values," which indicates that "something (is) very wrong with the system," are ostracized and suffer because of their intellect. The United States is a country of and for the ignorant: those advancements made by the minority taken advantage of by the majority; this fact instills fear into those with aspirations. The inevitable collapse of the world (this country) will come when those "children who prefer to read books rather than play football, prefer to build model airplanes rather than get wasted at parties with their classmates" cease to be individuals.
The shift, "Enough is enough," an example of epanalepsis, seperates his analysis of and stating the problem and his condemning the ways of the greatest country on Earth. The problem, "that someone dedicated to pursuit of knowledge is compared to a freak biting the head off a live chicken," and the analysis, "anti-intellectualism is rampant," correctly summarizes a world threat. Committing treason in the guise of one of the most well known cities on Earth in the U.S., "there are very few countries in the world where anti-intellectualism runs as high in popular culture as it does in the U.S.," Leonid committs hara-kiri; dies a literary martyr, rivalling the burning monks.
"For America's sake, the anti-intellectual values that pervade our society must be fought," a haunting prediction from a modern Nostradamus. Illuminating the sophisticated to the plight affecting their apprentices, Fridman preaches "It is high time to face the persecutors who haunt the bright kid with thick glasses from kindergarted to the grave,"; voices his desire to see bullying taken to ((kangaroo)) court(((s))). The idea that supression only creates more pressure (/will to strive harder) is laughable; the very lives of the future leaders are in the hands of those tyrannically bored and envious true traitors to this country. Maintaining our status is of the upmost importance as it will be impossible "to compete in the technology race with Japan or remain a leading political and cultural force in Europe." [stated even after his damning of the (popular) culture of the U.S.] Inaction by the capable caused by the active may result in our home being forgotten, even wiped out.
Little variety in sentence structure, rhetorical devices, has little impact on the point. Proving himself an intellectual, by using extended, descriptive sentences, the passion emphasizes that much more [more of a look into his past than an article of any relevance]. Imagery set off by a professor's droning; nearly symmetrical sentences/paragraphs; the target audience is appealed to.
Of the limited rhetorical devices used, symploce and epanalepsis, the most stable of the devicese the most evident. In the third paragraph, Fridman explains that the problems in "prestigious academic institution(s)" also affect those inhabitants of "U.S. elementary and high schools,": "Children who prefer to... rather than..., prefer to... rather than..., become social outcasts." Fridman utilizes symploce to reveal the typical hobbies of the two opposites; to subliminally pose the question "Which end of the spectrum do you inhabit?"; to plant a desire in those who bullied to prevent future torture. The shift, "Enough is enough," an example of epanalepsis, provides more structure to the article, subliminally implanting a desire for unity, peace, stability, in the reader.
While I respect Fridman for wanting to put a stop to bullying, I laugh at the way he attempted to spread his word. Wanting to convey to his intelligent audience that he was too a victim via limited variety in sentence structure and rhetorical devices, with repetitive words and phrases meant to stir a strong emotional response that does so only because of the laughter that splutters forth, he fails to bring readers to his side. Bullies were born out of spite, scorn; why else did the "No Bullying" signs that choke hallways come a few years after his "America Needs Its Nerds" plea was published?
(extremely limited and picky internet connection at home; no way to go anywhere else to publish this; distracted by medical conditions still plaguing my sister and I; reasons for the delayed assignment)
Monday, November 15, 2010
thINK #1
Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, a massive "article" written by Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, contains several powerful literary instances of his prowess as a writer ("gonzo" equaling "shocking"). One of the most striking excerpts from this "novel" is about the length of a paragraph; details his and his apparent attorney's literal car-full of intoxicants, more than two-thirds being illegal substances. These two are (almost) always intoxicated, going for great lengths without food, water, sleep (deprivation being the poor man's hallucinogenic), as well.
What would drive a man to push his body so hard, to abuse it with mind-altering, body-deteriorating substances?
Thompson's somewhat comedic, usually disturbing view ("beer" goggles being forced upon the reader as the author dons them) is entertaining and enlightening; pertains to aspects sobriety may cause the majority to overlook. As a journalist, this may have been his only motivation for punishing his body so: to write a piece that would force the readers to continue 'til no more pages remain (pain being universal, fodder for great art). Drug use/drinking/"fasting" is not uncommon among those who...
How to finish this sentence? There has not been identified any characteristics shared among all those who willingly seek an altered state of consciousness (though emotional problems and precarious perceptions (prior to use) are apparently common in these).
Ancient peoples would inebriate themselves to get in touch with a "universal force"-their gods. Holy men, past and modern, do so in the pursuit of enlightenment. Peer pressure, poor living conditions-little supervision; all factors contributing to addiction to these substances.
Any number of possibilities can be named.
I believe one of the most prominent reasons, though, is because reality simply isn't appealing to those who partake.
As stated by James Keenan of "Tool," if you desire for a "cure" to be found, you must destroy your favorite records, as the artists who made them were "r...eal ****'in high," (though this is not always true, of course; a generalization); but one of many ways to say that several aspects of life we take advantage of today have become so because of altering consciousness. Religion is a prime example (Greeks, civilizations prior (and after)).
I believe Cayce, "the other Nostradamus," was at least somewhat intoxicated while writing prophecy, despite the means by which he achieved this supposition (as the aforementioned Holy men and maybe even Nostradamus himself). I find him to be quite a "genius"-more so than Thompson because the drug use, if it indeed existed, was not flaunted by Cayce (subtlety is the key)-agreeing with several of his philosophies. He wrote that everyone has the capacity to do what everyone else (/he) can (/could) do, if willpower is honed and the desire exists. I may be guilty of plagiarism, though I wrote my/this philosophy prior to knowing of Cayce (writing without intoxication though).
I believe life is a journey, a point emphasized by Thompson despite the drama caused by the ever-approaching deadline and hectic-ness; the vehicle we find ourselves in (not a collective body) must be pushed to the limits to know what each of us is capable of (as retardation plagues several of us, in one way or another). The pursuit of enlightenment (/the knowledge of (how to obtain)), apparently able to be achieved through deprivation or gluttony, as it were, is ideal, otherwise a life is wasted. Opening your mind via secular means to escape secular bonds communally, as the filthy, dirty, hippies, would be a utopia; result in the end of the world.
What would drive a man to push his body so hard, to subject it to mind-opening, body-relieving substances?
The will/desire to live
(as we are all sadistic, prolonging Mother's and Father's punishment as long as possible, never wanting it to end).
What would drive a man to push his body so hard, to abuse it with mind-altering, body-deteriorating substances?
Thompson's somewhat comedic, usually disturbing view ("beer" goggles being forced upon the reader as the author dons them) is entertaining and enlightening; pertains to aspects sobriety may cause the majority to overlook. As a journalist, this may have been his only motivation for punishing his body so: to write a piece that would force the readers to continue 'til no more pages remain (pain being universal, fodder for great art). Drug use/drinking/"fasting" is not uncommon among those who...
How to finish this sentence? There has not been identified any characteristics shared among all those who willingly seek an altered state of consciousness (though emotional problems and precarious perceptions (prior to use) are apparently common in these).
Ancient peoples would inebriate themselves to get in touch with a "universal force"-their gods. Holy men, past and modern, do so in the pursuit of enlightenment. Peer pressure, poor living conditions-little supervision; all factors contributing to addiction to these substances.
Any number of possibilities can be named.
I believe one of the most prominent reasons, though, is because reality simply isn't appealing to those who partake.
As stated by James Keenan of "Tool," if you desire for a "cure" to be found, you must destroy your favorite records, as the artists who made them were "r...eal ****'in high," (though this is not always true, of course; a generalization); but one of many ways to say that several aspects of life we take advantage of today have become so because of altering consciousness. Religion is a prime example (Greeks, civilizations prior (and after)).
I believe Cayce, "the other Nostradamus," was at least somewhat intoxicated while writing prophecy, despite the means by which he achieved this supposition (as the aforementioned Holy men and maybe even Nostradamus himself). I find him to be quite a "genius"-more so than Thompson because the drug use, if it indeed existed, was not flaunted by Cayce (subtlety is the key)-agreeing with several of his philosophies. He wrote that everyone has the capacity to do what everyone else (/he) can (/could) do, if willpower is honed and the desire exists. I may be guilty of plagiarism, though I wrote my/this philosophy prior to knowing of Cayce (writing without intoxication though).
I believe life is a journey, a point emphasized by Thompson despite the drama caused by the ever-approaching deadline and hectic-ness; the vehicle we find ourselves in (not a collective body) must be pushed to the limits to know what each of us is capable of (as retardation plagues several of us, in one way or another). The pursuit of enlightenment (/the knowledge of (how to obtain)), apparently able to be achieved through deprivation or gluttony, as it were, is ideal, otherwise a life is wasted. Opening your mind via secular means to escape secular bonds communally, as the filthy, dirty, hippies, would be a utopia; result in the end of the world.
What would drive a man to push his body so hard, to subject it to mind-opening, body-relieving substances?
The will/desire to live
(as we are all sadistic, prolonging Mother's and Father's punishment as long as possible, never wanting it to end).
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Reading Plan
Being and Nothingness, Jean-Paul Sartre
"Its revolutionary approach challenged all previous assumptions about the individual's relationship with the world... challenging the reader to confront the fundamental dilemmas of human freedom, responsibility and action."
I have never heard of this book or author before, meaning I have no idea where I would obtain this text from. In the event no local library or store carries it, I will rely on Barnes and Noble to at least order it (if possible).
Meditations on First Philosophy: In Which the Existence of God and the Distinction of the Soul from the Body Are Demonstrated, Descartes (Donald A. Cress-translator)
"Many other matters respecting the attributes of God and my own nature or mind remain for consideration... Now... my principle task is to endeavour to emerge from the state of doubt into which I have these last days fallen, and to see whether nothing certain can be known regarding material things."
Again, to rely on book purveyors is most likely required if I am to obtain this/these books.
Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions, Edwin Abbott Abbott
"Part geometry lesson, part social satire, this classic work of science fiction brilliantly succeeds in enlarging all readers' dimensional prejudices... This new edition of Flatland illuminates the social and intellectual context that produced the work as well as the timeless questions that it raises about the limits of our perception and knowledge."
As the other two books, research must be conducted as to how to obtain the book and then be acted upon.
The standard fiction has begun to bore me. The modern nonfiction never interested me. Only so many "classics" exist - 1984, Farenheit 451, I, Robot, Of Mice and Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the works of H.G. Wells and Robert Louis Stevenson, etc. - therefore, new parameters for reading must be crafted for the prevention of reading becoming monotonous. Philosophy has always interested me and the books I have listed prior to this paragraph seem to be written on subjects I wish to learn more about.
"Its revolutionary approach challenged all previous assumptions about the individual's relationship with the world... challenging the reader to confront the fundamental dilemmas of human freedom, responsibility and action."
I have never heard of this book or author before, meaning I have no idea where I would obtain this text from. In the event no local library or store carries it, I will rely on Barnes and Noble to at least order it (if possible).
Meditations on First Philosophy: In Which the Existence of God and the Distinction of the Soul from the Body Are Demonstrated, Descartes (Donald A. Cress-translator)
"Many other matters respecting the attributes of God and my own nature or mind remain for consideration... Now... my principle task is to endeavour to emerge from the state of doubt into which I have these last days fallen, and to see whether nothing certain can be known regarding material things."
Again, to rely on book purveyors is most likely required if I am to obtain this/these books.
Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions, Edwin Abbott Abbott
"Part geometry lesson, part social satire, this classic work of science fiction brilliantly succeeds in enlarging all readers' dimensional prejudices... This new edition of Flatland illuminates the social and intellectual context that produced the work as well as the timeless questions that it raises about the limits of our perception and knowledge."
As the other two books, research must be conducted as to how to obtain the book and then be acted upon.
The standard fiction has begun to bore me. The modern nonfiction never interested me. Only so many "classics" exist - 1984, Farenheit 451, I, Robot, Of Mice and Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the works of H.G. Wells and Robert Louis Stevenson, etc. - therefore, new parameters for reading must be crafted for the prevention of reading becoming monotonous. Philosophy has always interested me and the books I have listed prior to this paragraph seem to be written on subjects I wish to learn more about.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Second Quarter Reading List
Ginsberg, Allen. "Howl And Other Poems." San Francisco: City Lights Books. 1956, 1959.
Ginsberg wrote "Howl" for a friend of his, Carl Solomon. If Solomon had not been in his life, Ginsberg may have committed suicide as he had "...from all the evidence, been through hell." The "Other Poems" do not seem to have any relevance to "Howl," other than the seemingly incomprehensible way in which Ginsberg wrote and the similarities of his condemnations (he blames drug use, capitalism, the modernization of the world for destroying "the best minds of [his] generation,"). "Howl" is a sort of love letter to Solomon in which Ginsberg dons insanity; the reader is allowed to delve into the minds and the relationship of the two men, with all the consequences surrounding them being revealed. The "Other Poems" seem to be written for the same reason; an almost tangible plea from Ginsberg: "know what I know, see as I see, I Dare You."
Some of Ginsberg's words ("Mohammedan angels," "who vanished into nowhere Zen New Jersey," "migraines of China," "who burned cigarette holes in their arms protesting the narcotic tobacco haze of Capitalism,") make little sense taken literally, logically, but, his words being poetry, may have a deeper meaning understood by those crazy enough to. The boundaries between religions are hazy; that which is applauded by the masses may very well be evil.
Sleator, William. "The Boy Who Couldn't Die." New York: Amulet Books. 2005.
Sixteen-year-old Ken undergoes a spiritual procedure to become "invulnerable" to death after his best friend dies in a plane crash. He unknowingly agrees to becoming a zombie, his soul being controlled by the bokor who granted him "immortality." With the aid of a native girl who knows of these spiritual matters, Ken embars on a journey to reclaim his soul.
The book, narrated by the "uppity teenager," is set off with italicized passages that are reminiscent of old vampire stories in the content and the way they are written. Still first person, the actions Ken committs and the details surrounding those actions seem otherworldly. The way in which Sleator embeds these pieces keeps the reader interested, even after the explanation of what these (") dreams (") mean is revealed. Two seemingly unrelated, parallel stories intertwined into one proves Sleator an experienced author.
Thompson, Hunter S. "Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas." New York: Vintage Books. 1971.
Hunter S. Thompson, a reporter on location in the (south)western United States, is expected to cover his various assignments (a massive race and a police convention among them) professionally and ably. The persuasion endowed him and his attorney through inhuman substance abuse allows him to to gather "necessary supplies" (an extremely impressive, to say the least, collection of intoxicants) completely unrelated to his mission (through the eyes of his superiors). What begins as a journalistic endeavour, in the warped hands of Thompson, morphs into a work of nonfiction more twisted and entertaining than some of the best fantasy; that dissects human nature through the altered perception of users.
There is no basis for comparison while analyzing the style in which this book was written. It being a massive article, "Fear And Loathing," contained several exerpts from various documents and articles Thompson encountered throughout his adventure(s). Chapter 9 of Part 2 begins with an Editor's Note in which it is revealed that "the original manuscript [was] so splintered that [the team at Rolling Stone magazine] were forced to seek out the original tape recording and transcribe it verbatim." The entire chapter is written as dialogue in a script is written.
Burgess, Anthony. "A Clockwork Orange." New York: W.W. Norton & Company. 1962, 1986.
Alex, a mentally disturbed fifteen-year-old, participates in horrific crimes with his fellow droogs in a futuristic nightmare world. When his soft side (his adoration of women who sing opera) clashes with his companions' strictly horrorshow look on life, they double-cross him, leaving him to be incarcerated. Desperate to resume his criminal career, with revenge closer to the front of his mind, he agrees to participate in a program guaranteed to reform him and which would allow him release much earlier than his sentence length. Alex's fantasy is put to the test and the conclusion of the story was cause for much controversy.
Burgess's Introductino reveals that the book was among his least favorite works, despite the world renown it gained, the American film adaptation being one of the main reasons for each of these. This version of the book contains the original final chapter; the next to last chapter was the end of the film - the ending the majority of the "readers" knew. One ending leaves Alex at peace and completely reformed and mature, his violent urges a product of adolescence. The other leaves him still violent, still rebellious, still a droog. In respect to the last chapter, the actual ending, Burgess wrote: "I meant the book to end in this way, but my aesthetic judgement may have been faulty."
Smith, Alexander Gordon. "Escape From Furnace: Lockdown." New York: Square Fish. 2009.
Alex, while robbing a house with his friend, experiences his last moments of freedom in pure horror. Massive blackcoats and a wheezer infiltrate the house, kill Alex's partner, and taunt Alex to run. Futilely, he flees, to be captured within grabbing distance of his home. He is sentenced to Furnace Penetentiary for the murder committed by the overseers there; that he was blamed for. The tagline of the book correctly elaborates: "Beneath Heaven is Hell. Beneath Hell is Furnace." Along with a few accomplices, not all invited, friendly, Alex devises a plan to escape, in the face of a fate worse than death, leering ever closer because of snitches.
Although the book was written to appeal to pre-teens, Smith crafted a text that leaves all readers in suspense, eagerly awaiting the next segment (especially because of the Sneak Peek at the next piece) of the series. One of the ways he does this is by appealing to peoples' dramatic side: revealing the conditions of the prison. The standard ideas of prison gangs adn small scale riots, real to us, blend with his fiction: the sadistic, otherworldly guards and their mutated minions and assistants, the rumors that are all too real, the psychotic warfare waged on the inmates; lockdown means more than boredom and slight physical pain/discomfort.
Ginsberg wrote "Howl" for a friend of his, Carl Solomon. If Solomon had not been in his life, Ginsberg may have committed suicide as he had "...from all the evidence, been through hell." The "Other Poems" do not seem to have any relevance to "Howl," other than the seemingly incomprehensible way in which Ginsberg wrote and the similarities of his condemnations (he blames drug use, capitalism, the modernization of the world for destroying "the best minds of [his] generation,"). "Howl" is a sort of love letter to Solomon in which Ginsberg dons insanity; the reader is allowed to delve into the minds and the relationship of the two men, with all the consequences surrounding them being revealed. The "Other Poems" seem to be written for the same reason; an almost tangible plea from Ginsberg: "know what I know, see as I see, I Dare You."
Some of Ginsberg's words ("Mohammedan angels," "who vanished into nowhere Zen New Jersey," "migraines of China," "who burned cigarette holes in their arms protesting the narcotic tobacco haze of Capitalism,") make little sense taken literally, logically, but, his words being poetry, may have a deeper meaning understood by those crazy enough to. The boundaries between religions are hazy; that which is applauded by the masses may very well be evil.
Sleator, William. "The Boy Who Couldn't Die." New York: Amulet Books. 2005.
Sixteen-year-old Ken undergoes a spiritual procedure to become "invulnerable" to death after his best friend dies in a plane crash. He unknowingly agrees to becoming a zombie, his soul being controlled by the bokor who granted him "immortality." With the aid of a native girl who knows of these spiritual matters, Ken embars on a journey to reclaim his soul.
The book, narrated by the "uppity teenager," is set off with italicized passages that are reminiscent of old vampire stories in the content and the way they are written. Still first person, the actions Ken committs and the details surrounding those actions seem otherworldly. The way in which Sleator embeds these pieces keeps the reader interested, even after the explanation of what these (") dreams (") mean is revealed. Two seemingly unrelated, parallel stories intertwined into one proves Sleator an experienced author.
Thompson, Hunter S. "Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas." New York: Vintage Books. 1971.
Hunter S. Thompson, a reporter on location in the (south)western United States, is expected to cover his various assignments (a massive race and a police convention among them) professionally and ably. The persuasion endowed him and his attorney through inhuman substance abuse allows him to to gather "necessary supplies" (an extremely impressive, to say the least, collection of intoxicants) completely unrelated to his mission (through the eyes of his superiors). What begins as a journalistic endeavour, in the warped hands of Thompson, morphs into a work of nonfiction more twisted and entertaining than some of the best fantasy; that dissects human nature through the altered perception of users.
There is no basis for comparison while analyzing the style in which this book was written. It being a massive article, "Fear And Loathing," contained several exerpts from various documents and articles Thompson encountered throughout his adventure(s). Chapter 9 of Part 2 begins with an Editor's Note in which it is revealed that "the original manuscript [was] so splintered that [the team at Rolling Stone magazine] were forced to seek out the original tape recording and transcribe it verbatim." The entire chapter is written as dialogue in a script is written.
Burgess, Anthony. "A Clockwork Orange." New York: W.W. Norton & Company. 1962, 1986.
Alex, a mentally disturbed fifteen-year-old, participates in horrific crimes with his fellow droogs in a futuristic nightmare world. When his soft side (his adoration of women who sing opera) clashes with his companions' strictly horrorshow look on life, they double-cross him, leaving him to be incarcerated. Desperate to resume his criminal career, with revenge closer to the front of his mind, he agrees to participate in a program guaranteed to reform him and which would allow him release much earlier than his sentence length. Alex's fantasy is put to the test and the conclusion of the story was cause for much controversy.
Burgess's Introductino reveals that the book was among his least favorite works, despite the world renown it gained, the American film adaptation being one of the main reasons for each of these. This version of the book contains the original final chapter; the next to last chapter was the end of the film - the ending the majority of the "readers" knew. One ending leaves Alex at peace and completely reformed and mature, his violent urges a product of adolescence. The other leaves him still violent, still rebellious, still a droog. In respect to the last chapter, the actual ending, Burgess wrote: "I meant the book to end in this way, but my aesthetic judgement may have been faulty."
Smith, Alexander Gordon. "Escape From Furnace: Lockdown." New York: Square Fish. 2009.
Alex, while robbing a house with his friend, experiences his last moments of freedom in pure horror. Massive blackcoats and a wheezer infiltrate the house, kill Alex's partner, and taunt Alex to run. Futilely, he flees, to be captured within grabbing distance of his home. He is sentenced to Furnace Penetentiary for the murder committed by the overseers there; that he was blamed for. The tagline of the book correctly elaborates: "Beneath Heaven is Hell. Beneath Hell is Furnace." Along with a few accomplices, not all invited, friendly, Alex devises a plan to escape, in the face of a fate worse than death, leering ever closer because of snitches.
Although the book was written to appeal to pre-teens, Smith crafted a text that leaves all readers in suspense, eagerly awaiting the next segment (especially because of the Sneak Peek at the next piece) of the series. One of the ways he does this is by appealing to peoples' dramatic side: revealing the conditions of the prison. The standard ideas of prison gangs adn small scale riots, real to us, blend with his fiction: the sadistic, otherworldly guards and their mutated minions and assistants, the rumors that are all too real, the psychotic warfare waged on the inmates; lockdown means more than boredom and slight physical pain/discomfort.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Reflection: Reading
Catch-22 was the first book i attempted to begin my eleventh grade reading career with; failure. This caused me to, basically, give up on reading for a while. Once this passed, more than halfway through the quarter, I, Robot was the next attempt; success. Though it took longer than it should have, I finished the book and comprehended the content. Brave New World, assigned by the mediator, was embarked upon in a different manner: reading was accomplished in irregular, far-between intervals, though when reading was done, several chapters were behind the left hand. Life: The Movie was read daily. Being in bed by 2300 hours is demanded of me; after reading, 0100 is a more prominent bed-time.
"Inking your thinking," though thought tedious and, somewhat, unnecessary, the benefits have been realized. The friendship I sustained with the dictionary has recently been renewed. I think that my "inking" my thougts has broadened my mind, but the thougts translated into text on paper may not be able to be comprehended by others of a name not mine.
If only I knew how to more precisely render my thoughts tangibly, it would be done. How to go about doing this though, as said, is unknown. Trial-and-error/experience seems to be the only way.
I used to favor fiction that allowed for the derived evaluation of human nature and the components of life (I, Robot); now, with the discovery of Life: The Movie, more philosophical texts that actually reveal components of human nature and of life are desired. The cataloging and genres of nonfiction, however, are unknown to me; perusing of libraries will now take much longer to find that which interest me.
"Inking your thinking," though thought tedious and, somewhat, unnecessary, the benefits have been realized. The friendship I sustained with the dictionary has recently been renewed. I think that my "inking" my thougts has broadened my mind, but the thougts translated into text on paper may not be able to be comprehended by others of a name not mine.
If only I knew how to more precisely render my thoughts tangibly, it would be done. How to go about doing this though, as said, is unknown. Trial-and-error/experience seems to be the only way.
I used to favor fiction that allowed for the derived evaluation of human nature and the components of life (I, Robot); now, with the discovery of Life: The Movie, more philosophical texts that actually reveal components of human nature and of life are desired. The cataloging and genres of nonfiction, however, are unknown to me; perusing of libraries will now take much longer to find that which interest me.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Socratic Seminar Reflection
The point of the socratic seminar seems to have been lost on me. The forced simulation of deep, intellectual discourse to be viewed and critiqued by others; the fixed time limit in which the discussion must be accomplished in; the strict regulations that could potentially hinder/intimidate the participants: all criticisms of the act.
The idea of an organized meeting designed to nurture the intellect and thought is, of course, a noble idea and something that should be pursued. Gathering information from the indicated source in the light of a proposed question/idea yields a greater understanding of the text, a greater understanding of the underlying themes.
My actual experience in the socratic seminar is not comparable to what is desired, ideal. Not liking the idea that the conversation is forced (though I do understand upon retrospect that this is really the only perceptible way to be able to grade the act), the fact that interrupting others is frowned upon and that anything mispoken or thought wrong by the majority would result in ridicule or a complete unacknowledgement in the future, to speak seemed an impossibility. Again, the concept is respectable; the actual act in action leaves much to be desired.
The idea of an organized meeting designed to nurture the intellect and thought is, of course, a noble idea and something that should be pursued. Gathering information from the indicated source in the light of a proposed question/idea yields a greater understanding of the text, a greater understanding of the underlying themes.
My actual experience in the socratic seminar is not comparable to what is desired, ideal. Not liking the idea that the conversation is forced (though I do understand upon retrospect that this is really the only perceptible way to be able to grade the act), the fact that interrupting others is frowned upon and that anything mispoken or thought wrong by the majority would result in ridicule or a complete unacknowledgement in the future, to speak seemed an impossibility. Again, the concept is respectable; the actual act in action leaves much to be desired.
Annotated Bibliography for Brave New World
Miller, Stuart. "http://media.www.the-standard.org/media/storage/paper1059/news/2003/05/02/Opinion/California.Embraces.Dangerous.Excessive.Textbook.Censorship-3364436.shtml". Missouri (State University). "The Standard." 2003.
In Brave New World, the collective government, namely The Controller, Mustapha Mond, directly decided what was able to be accepted by the public without stirring any (substantial) feelings or thoughts (at all). In this article, California is pasted onto the dartboard of scrutiny and is not allowed to fall off until the several spears of Miller's criticisms penetrate/reveal. "The whole politically correct, ultra-sensitivity movement continues to escalate," the whole "justified" censorship, over-protective elements of today's media, by the government (the whole point of the censorship being to protect the public from what we do not wish to hear), is not inching, maybe "mile-ing" us towards a newer, braver realm.
Dunn, Douglas. "http://www.wordwiz72.com/cloning.html". Douglas Dunn/World Wizards. 1998, 2001.
Directly referring to Brave New World in his article, Dunn, without hesitation, allows his rambling arguments to spill forth, with no actual evidence to support his claim that "In their hearts, human beings know that it is not so terrible to have a genetic double," hoping to disprove the world Huxley envisioned. Stating that in-vitro fertilization underwent the same skepticism from the public as cloning is now, apparently hoping for the conversion of people from "Cloning is morally wrong," to "It is but progress."
"http://www.scienceclarified.com/Qu-Ro/Reinforcement-Positive-and-Negative.html".
"Conditioning," in the context of Brave New World carries an evil connotation. This article reveals that conditioning is nothing to be feared or avoided at all; it is actually what enables us to learn (touch a hot stove, recoil; conditioning); strengthening the belief that the ones who crafted the world After Ford were in all reality evil, despite whatever the intentions were. The architects of this "improved" world utilized conditioning to teach the children/sprouts what they "needed" to be taught, rather than allowing natural conditioning to run its course, allowing the man-plants to be in control of their own destinies; the choices made in life yield exposure to different elements of life, different knowledge applicable to life, different paths through life. The latter is the way in which the world runs now-for now-is the best way for people to live.
In Brave New World, the collective government, namely The Controller, Mustapha Mond, directly decided what was able to be accepted by the public without stirring any (substantial) feelings or thoughts (at all). In this article, California is pasted onto the dartboard of scrutiny and is not allowed to fall off until the several spears of Miller's criticisms penetrate/reveal. "The whole politically correct, ultra-sensitivity movement continues to escalate," the whole "justified" censorship, over-protective elements of today's media, by the government (the whole point of the censorship being to protect the public from what we do not wish to hear), is not inching, maybe "mile-ing" us towards a newer, braver realm.
Dunn, Douglas. "http://www.wordwiz72.com/cloning.html". Douglas Dunn/World Wizards. 1998, 2001.
Directly referring to Brave New World in his article, Dunn, without hesitation, allows his rambling arguments to spill forth, with no actual evidence to support his claim that "In their hearts, human beings know that it is not so terrible to have a genetic double," hoping to disprove the world Huxley envisioned. Stating that in-vitro fertilization underwent the same skepticism from the public as cloning is now, apparently hoping for the conversion of people from "Cloning is morally wrong," to "It is but progress."
"http://www.scienceclarified.com/Qu-Ro/Reinforcement-Positive-and-Negative.html".
"Conditioning," in the context of Brave New World carries an evil connotation. This article reveals that conditioning is nothing to be feared or avoided at all; it is actually what enables us to learn (touch a hot stove, recoil; conditioning); strengthening the belief that the ones who crafted the world After Ford were in all reality evil, despite whatever the intentions were. The architects of this "improved" world utilized conditioning to teach the children/sprouts what they "needed" to be taught, rather than allowing natural conditioning to run its course, allowing the man-plants to be in control of their own destinies; the choices made in life yield exposure to different elements of life, different knowledge applicable to life, different paths through life. The latter is the way in which the world runs now-for now-is the best way for people to live.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Annotated Reading List for Independent Reading
(NO FORMATTING COULD BE APPLIED, IN ALL ATTEMPTS)
Huxley, Aldous. "Brave New World." New York: HarperCollins. 1932, 1946.In the year A.F. 632, there are is a significant difference in the ratio between types of people to number of people from our time. Inflicting a feeling of ominousness on the readers, achieved by enlightening the time travelers that "...the World State's motto [is], COMMUNITY, IDENTITY, STABILITY," it is almost certainly known before the end of the first chapter that some kind of, basically, moral dilemma is going to affect the way the world will evolve.
John the Savage, a man born of natural causes, (even mentioning this act in public arouses hysterical laughter or wary uneasiness of whoever spoke such "blasphemy") is actually quite civilized, rather as civilized as is possible, with being exposed only to the primitivity of, not really "his" people but the ones that he has been forced to live amongst. Because of this, it is quite plausible to believe that Huxley, in prophesying the dys-/u- topia that is sure to become, implied a certain, sort of devolution of the human race. Yes, the technology in this new world is extremely exceptional ("feelies" are movies that, by interacting with an apparatus, cause real emotions, sensations to be felt by the "viewers"), but by applying these advances (particularly to cloning), almost everything that makes humans human has been wiped from the civilized world (i.e., nothing but happiness is ever felt). This is what makes John such an easy character to identify with. Our world is constantly being "improved" by the daily technological developments, but humanity is still something to be treasured and flaunted (though it is slowly being marginalized by entertainment); John was raised by "savages," ones who forsook the progression of the world and decided to retain their traditionalist values (it is quite amazing how people in the future were able to revert back to a world almost identical to that of the Indians/Native Americans, especially with all history before the revolution (that brought on the "A.F." prefix to dates) being wiped from earth). ((259))
"I, Robot" began as seperate stories in science fiction publications.
Asimov, Isaac. "I, Robot." New York: Fictioneers, 1941; Street and Smith 1941; Street and Smith, 1941; Street and Smith, 1942; Street and Smith 1944; Street and Smith, 1945; Street and Smith, 1946; Street and Smith, 1947; Street and Smith, 1950. 1950A reporter, Asimov incarnate, is extremely eager to interview the most prominent robopsychologist in this year, 2057. Robots have completely overtaken assembly lines, and the popularity of these machines is balanced by the criticisms of the traditionalists, effectively outlawing their presence on the earth (interplanetary travel has been "mastered," colnies exist on several other planets). Every chapter in this book was once published as its own story; Asimov crafted the story of the reporter and his interviewee, one Susan Calvin, to tie these seperate entities into one anthology, which reveals the history of robotics, how what progress has been made was made, problems and solutions to quandaries pertaining to robots and the Three Laws that bound them into servitude.
Of course, to do all this, Asimov had to become a robot during the writing process; the transformation from entity of flesh to an object of metal is completely seamless. In "Reason," one of the most advanced robots, at that time, questions everything his "masters," those foolish beings "...made of...soft and flabby [material], lacking endurance and strength, depending for energy upon the inefficient oxidation of organic material...", inform him of: the Energy Converter that powers the Solar Station #5 is not a tool created by humans for humans, absurd, it is the Master; space is "exactly what it seems-a black material just beyond this glass that is spotted with little gleaming dots... That is all." ((272))
Gabler, Neal. "Life the Movie." New York: Vintage Books. 1998
Hypothesis: Entertainment is slowly overtaking reality, becoming reality even. Discuss: Through the natural progression of humanity in every field, particularly technology, (')men have become lazier but more rebellious (of the ever ruling aristocracies), more wary (of those in any kind of power) but (despite that) content, more advanced but even more delusional (/ignorant). Chronicling the path to our current situation, to be informed is less significant than to be entertained, (entertainment represents the baser instincts and art is equated to the pursuit of knowledge, of the betterment of oneself on a transcendic level ("the difference between entertainment and art is the difference between 'spurious gratification and a genuine experience as a step to greater individual fulfillment.'")), from the 1800's to the present, so in-depth and precisely, that Gabler's opinions are hard to actually be called that.
Gabler's overall mission in having spawned this literature is to enlighten people of what is happening to us: we have become blinded by our addiction to entertainment, which we are exposed to almost ceaselessly, and from birth even!, and, while it is satisfying to "us," it hurts us, the true inner beings that need legitimate intellectual discourse, no matter what the means of achieving this. That description makes Gabler seem more like a (far-out) philosopher, which he is not, than a true crusader for men to, at least acknowledge what he has discovered, at most change their ways in pursuit of a higher level of civilization. ((303))
ARTICLES RELATED TO B.N.W. COMING SOON
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Analysis Paragraph: "A Whole New Mind"
Pink's self-righteous humor (that is to say, he knows he is correct in what he writes ("On the off chance that you're still not convinced, let me offer one last-and illuminating-statistic."), but he attempts to use "comedy" to smoothly 'suade others rather than blatantly stating his truths) (somewhat) subtly warns his fellow academics of the impending doom progress bears for them: "our left brains have made us rich...(but) the very triumph of L-Directed Thinking has lessened its significance. The prosperity it has unleashed has placed a premium on less rational, more R-Directed sensibilities-beauty, spirituality, emotion." The development achieved thus far is due to the abundance of worldly knowledge cultivated and the applications found for that knowledge. Whether more progress cannot be made in this same way, or whether humans have grown weary of academics and would rather explore what our ancestors did, it is hard to say; regardless, "In an age of abundance, appealing only to rational, logical, and functional needs is woefully insufficient." To ensure modern legacies will be carried on, offspring must be exposed to as many members of the "hippie" (politically correct term unknown) population as possible (evolution will prevent any ancestors from being shamed, as these "hippies" will don suits), far from the domain of public education, where they must spend only the minimum amount of time required (until the education system realizes in what way the world is traveling), to become successful members of society. Attractive and somewhat functional services/products/etc. will sell more than plain services/products/etc. that are extremely functional. The all too necessary pursuit of (applicable (to the world)) knowledge will become the pursuit of "Why?" (knowledge applicable to (just) ourselves) (transcendence), which will, ironically, be trekked upon (/achieved) by means of creativity. Worldly pursuits do not make people happy; what else is there? The answers can only possibly exist in the "abnormal." "The paradox of prosperity is that while living standards have risen steadily decade after decade, personal, family, and life satisfaction haven't budged." Prophesying the end of (the flourishing) of minds like his, Pink uses this book as what could be a last opportunity to sound smart while smartness is treasured.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Advertisement Analysis
During the 1940's, every American was concerned with how World War II was unfolding. Several companies in the U.S. exploited patriotism to "build up hype" for whatever product was being sold. The Scotch tape company was no different.
In the ad found at http://adflip.com/addetails.php?adID=2323, Scotch tape applies ethos to improve potential sales. By mentioning Uncle Sam, the universal symbol for the United States (' army), readers are subconsciously forced to give their undivided attention to what Scotch tape has to say: American soldiers are using the tape to help bring Victory back home. If the United States Army can use Scotch to stay alive and vanquish the enemy, problems in our own country do not stand a chance. The "INVEST IN VICTORY - BUY WAR BONDS" at the bottom is more proof that the company is helping the Army, providing space in an ad the tape company paid for for the government to ask for help. By referring to their product as "good old Scotch tape," the company calls upon itself; "We've been around a while, so you can trust us." It is because of the long-standing record that the company holds that the readers are expected to understand that all the tape made is being sent overseas, as winning the war is more of a priority than pleasing the citizens. The tape will return when Victory does.
The men to the immediate right of the focal point, the woman in red, beam pathos from their faces. The woman in red (sexy, appealing to men, usually the larger demographic, especially from the viewpoint of an... "immature (and sexist)" publication) was carrying a lunch sack but now all her food has ripped through the puny bag and has fallen (which would not have happened had Scotch tape been applied). The two men are waiting for her to bend over and retrieve her food, like nearly any man, other than a gentle, would. Everybody on the train is smiling, except for the woman, who looks shocked, so readers are expected to either smile as well, or maybe even laugh at the woman, both positive responses. As mentioned before, the tape company uses the credibility of the nation's army to help sale the tape. By mentioning the fact that the army uses the tape, any readers who also use the tape, or that are planning on it, can feel a sense of patriotism, that they are helping the country.
It is logical for any company to list some of the potential uses of its product, and with the flexibility of the tape, Scotch is a brand to be trusted. However a company goes about advertising its product, though, if appealing to ethos, pathos or logos, no doubt the ad will help "move a few units."
In the ad found at http://adflip.com/addetails.php?adID=2323, Scotch tape applies ethos to improve potential sales. By mentioning Uncle Sam, the universal symbol for the United States (' army), readers are subconsciously forced to give their undivided attention to what Scotch tape has to say: American soldiers are using the tape to help bring Victory back home. If the United States Army can use Scotch to stay alive and vanquish the enemy, problems in our own country do not stand a chance. The "INVEST IN VICTORY - BUY WAR BONDS" at the bottom is more proof that the company is helping the Army, providing space in an ad the tape company paid for for the government to ask for help. By referring to their product as "good old Scotch tape," the company calls upon itself; "We've been around a while, so you can trust us." It is because of the long-standing record that the company holds that the readers are expected to understand that all the tape made is being sent overseas, as winning the war is more of a priority than pleasing the citizens. The tape will return when Victory does.
The men to the immediate right of the focal point, the woman in red, beam pathos from their faces. The woman in red (sexy, appealing to men, usually the larger demographic, especially from the viewpoint of an... "immature (and sexist)" publication) was carrying a lunch sack but now all her food has ripped through the puny bag and has fallen (which would not have happened had Scotch tape been applied). The two men are waiting for her to bend over and retrieve her food, like nearly any man, other than a gentle, would. Everybody on the train is smiling, except for the woman, who looks shocked, so readers are expected to either smile as well, or maybe even laugh at the woman, both positive responses. As mentioned before, the tape company uses the credibility of the nation's army to help sale the tape. By mentioning the fact that the army uses the tape, any readers who also use the tape, or that are planning on it, can feel a sense of patriotism, that they are helping the country.
It is logical for any company to list some of the potential uses of its product, and with the flexibility of the tape, Scotch is a brand to be trusted. However a company goes about advertising its product, though, if appealing to ethos, pathos or logos, no doubt the ad will help "move a few units."
Monday, August 16, 2010
Make Sense of This, You Are My Friend
Jeff Lyons, the illustrator of this painting, comments on the comments others have made at http://lyonsart.com/wordpress/surrealism-abstract-artwork/; he explains that there is no symbolism in paintings of his like this one: “These are essentially meaningless images.” Acknowledged… Because I spent two hours looking for any image that was not copyright protected, though, I am going to pretend that some kind of analysis of this image other than an aesthetic one is able to be made and attempt to make a few such examinations.
At first glance, the “surrealist abstract artwork” looks to be a picture of some kind of eastern dragon, such as the ones that roam the streets during Chinese New Year. The red curtains on either side are pulled aside to release the “beast.“ The green figure on top is the horns. The “house-like things” on either side could be the eyes. All the blue and orange (bright colors, such as the ones splashed onto the Oriental dragons) make up the nose and mouth region. The blue “C” shapes, the curved part inside them, would be the snout extending from the face. The minuscule brick region in the middle would be the actual orifice that would take in food and release fire. The tiny figures on the tiled floor are most likely humans, which gives the paining a somewhat eerie feeling (as if the alien-like figure on top (green skin tone and cloak, white eyes without pupils, mouth agape, slight horns, pose), surrounded by some sort of aura, didn’t already). Such a small “mouth” on such a huge “creature” and we are still able to be consumed when anything else would be safe from such a tiny hole. The staircases on either side of the form are the legs, ironically. The towers on either side of the green figure at the top look as if they could be part of the whole “creature,” but the towers also look to be part of the windows surrounding the “dragon” and for the whole complex to be one solid body, keeping the “dragon theory” in mind, seems unlikely.
The multiplex may be nothing other than that. Red curtains are drawn to reveal a show or attraction and all the people, those behind and those blocked off by the curtain’s path, before being drawn, are aimed towards the only opening (there are stairs but the proportions make it look as though the stairs are at least three feet tall (assuming the humans are six feet high) and why climb when there is an open door); the red above the door signifies, if not says, “Vacancies.” In the open windows are shapes that look like hands… “beckoning people to come closer,” to be polite and optimistic. The green “man” on top must be the manager, or at least the magician, as that “man” must have been the one to open the massive curtains, to conjure the huge shadowy “limbs” in the windows. The “man’s” expression does not seem to be one of malice and mischief, but of concentration or surprise or ecstasy, if anything. Upon closer inspection, what I assumed to be the guardrail of the stairs, as they dipped down into the floor, may be the actual stairs. Following those lines up leads the eye to the windows of the towers on either side of the extraterrestrial, where there are two more “human-sized” shapes.
Random objects could have been thrown together, arranged symmetrically, to truly make nothing more than a “surrealist abstract” work of art. The central yellow part looks like a bell that has been filled with brick, to never resonate sound again. The white pieces in the middle of the bell, in the middle of the blue and yellow ornate decorations on the bell, look like a flower, with the blue and yellow surrounding it being the organs of the flower (perhaps the alien turned the flower inside-out to be able to examine more closely). The brick walls surrounding the bell are the walls of the garden. The buildings coming out of the sides of the bell are the groundskeepers’ shacks. The eaves above the doors are fanned out banana peels with cherries at the center of the “spokes.” The doorways are covered in lambs’ blood, to prevent plagues coming to their doorsteps. The gardeners gloat about their preparedness, hands in the windows, but the other inhabitants on the ground were not so thoughtful. They are being attracted by the alien’s bright tractor beam, emitting from the bottom of the bell-shaped UFO; the master’s mansion was converted to the space creature’s chambers. The two sentinels in the windows of the highest towers are the galaxy’s last defense: Alien escapes and everybody’s doomed.
I doubt if all, IF ANY, of this made sense but I just wanted to prove that whether the artist intends for there to be deeper meaning in their works or not, the more you dig, the more potential meaning can be found. Any meanings that are found, if enough evidence is present, can be proven to be right. The artist creates a world that we are sucked into and to hold our hand through the journey and tell us any meaning instead of making us find it renders art pointless. Again, how much sense this all made is another matter but just to find meaning that the creator did not intend to be found in their works is an accomplishment (…or maybe just a sign of a lack of a life).
At first glance, the “surrealist abstract artwork” looks to be a picture of some kind of eastern dragon, such as the ones that roam the streets during Chinese New Year. The red curtains on either side are pulled aside to release the “beast.“ The green figure on top is the horns. The “house-like things” on either side could be the eyes. All the blue and orange (bright colors, such as the ones splashed onto the Oriental dragons) make up the nose and mouth region. The blue “C” shapes, the curved part inside them, would be the snout extending from the face. The minuscule brick region in the middle would be the actual orifice that would take in food and release fire. The tiny figures on the tiled floor are most likely humans, which gives the paining a somewhat eerie feeling (as if the alien-like figure on top (green skin tone and cloak, white eyes without pupils, mouth agape, slight horns, pose), surrounded by some sort of aura, didn’t already). Such a small “mouth” on such a huge “creature” and we are still able to be consumed when anything else would be safe from such a tiny hole. The staircases on either side of the form are the legs, ironically. The towers on either side of the green figure at the top look as if they could be part of the whole “creature,” but the towers also look to be part of the windows surrounding the “dragon” and for the whole complex to be one solid body, keeping the “dragon theory” in mind, seems unlikely.
The multiplex may be nothing other than that. Red curtains are drawn to reveal a show or attraction and all the people, those behind and those blocked off by the curtain’s path, before being drawn, are aimed towards the only opening (there are stairs but the proportions make it look as though the stairs are at least three feet tall (assuming the humans are six feet high) and why climb when there is an open door); the red above the door signifies, if not says, “Vacancies.” In the open windows are shapes that look like hands… “beckoning people to come closer,” to be polite and optimistic. The green “man” on top must be the manager, or at least the magician, as that “man” must have been the one to open the massive curtains, to conjure the huge shadowy “limbs” in the windows. The “man’s” expression does not seem to be one of malice and mischief, but of concentration or surprise or ecstasy, if anything. Upon closer inspection, what I assumed to be the guardrail of the stairs, as they dipped down into the floor, may be the actual stairs. Following those lines up leads the eye to the windows of the towers on either side of the extraterrestrial, where there are two more “human-sized” shapes.
Random objects could have been thrown together, arranged symmetrically, to truly make nothing more than a “surrealist abstract” work of art. The central yellow part looks like a bell that has been filled with brick, to never resonate sound again. The white pieces in the middle of the bell, in the middle of the blue and yellow ornate decorations on the bell, look like a flower, with the blue and yellow surrounding it being the organs of the flower (perhaps the alien turned the flower inside-out to be able to examine more closely). The brick walls surrounding the bell are the walls of the garden. The buildings coming out of the sides of the bell are the groundskeepers’ shacks. The eaves above the doors are fanned out banana peels with cherries at the center of the “spokes.” The doorways are covered in lambs’ blood, to prevent plagues coming to their doorsteps. The gardeners gloat about their preparedness, hands in the windows, but the other inhabitants on the ground were not so thoughtful. They are being attracted by the alien’s bright tractor beam, emitting from the bottom of the bell-shaped UFO; the master’s mansion was converted to the space creature’s chambers. The two sentinels in the windows of the highest towers are the galaxy’s last defense: Alien escapes and everybody’s doomed.
I doubt if all, IF ANY, of this made sense but I just wanted to prove that whether the artist intends for there to be deeper meaning in their works or not, the more you dig, the more potential meaning can be found. Any meanings that are found, if enough evidence is present, can be proven to be right. The artist creates a world that we are sucked into and to hold our hand through the journey and tell us any meaning instead of making us find it renders art pointless. Again, how much sense this all made is another matter but just to find meaning that the creator did not intend to be found in their works is an accomplishment (…or maybe just a sign of a lack of a life).
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Radical Ways to Alert - Like Gojira
The painting at * http://www.artquotes.net/artists/keck/abstract-painting3.html evokes a feeling of violent movement: possible escape, probable pursuit. The red figure moves from the right, out of what appears to be a jungle of sorts, towards a tower at the left. From right to left, the shape's "back" has three jags on it, to illustrate movement (as in the common character for lightning). These bumps could also be the scales of a dragon, or maybe even raised hairs of sorts, like on a cat, which would show aggression, alertness. To the left of the third spike is another, more flat, one. This is either another result of movement as the malevolent form rushes towards civilization, or the ear of the dragon, lowered in the same manner dogs exhibit while combating each other. To the left of this: an upward "swooping" slash of lighter color. Is this figure pure fire or a creatures with slanted, concentrated eyes? I say the latter. Below the "ear" is another jag, the assumed chin or jowl, and to the far left of the form is a rounded part on top and a circular void below, perfect size for a mouth that is preparing to unleash a powerful force from within (and it is in this void that the lightest shade of yellow originates).
Clouds of fire emanate from the creature's back as smoke from the charred forests left behind are caught below the beast, sucked into the rush of air. This monster is clearly one of fire. Fire was discovered and harnessed by man. Man tears down forests and does what suits him best with the earth that is meant for all living creatures. The shape at the left of the image is clearly man-made, indicated by the intricacies of the stone and the small towers at the top of this larger. Perhaps the creature's motivation for charging so fiercely is to end the tyrannical reign of man, to save what is left of it's earth (ironically burning some of the most precious resources in the process (all wars suffer casualties)). The colors in this image (parchment yellow, charcoal black, vivid red and moss green) suggest some Asian influence, as does the nature of the building. Asian countries are some of the most polluted on the earth. The illustrator might have meant for this to be a warning: "The earth (the past, the forces, the ancestors) will take vengeance upon you for destroying this planet... brutally."
This painting is divided in two vertically. Maybe this is because the image took up two canvasses but maybe this was intentional. Looking at the left half alone, the proposed meaning of this image (a cry to end, or, at least, limit, pollution) cannot be. Without the forest and the entire length shown of the red figure, the tower stands alone with a path of blood moving towards it, or possibly a mountain range. The right half of the image still shows fire leaping forth (the red shape is wider at the far right end) from the jungle, but with no visible target. The forest could still be taking action against some unknown force. A fire started by man may be rejected from the forest, it shoving the flames back towards the creators.
However this picture is broken down, a slight feeling of uneasiness creeps into the viewer. The manifestation of man (the tower) looks so insignificant when compared to the vibrant shape of red hurtling towards it. The edifice is even slightly curved where the cloud of orange impacts. Man may have dominated and taken control of the earth, but the earth has the power to overthrow us whenever it so desires.
* During the composition of this journal, the URL from which I gathered this image, a website that sells art pieces, ceased to exist; the art piece this journal is about was sold or moved. So I included the image in this post, but kept the original link.
Abortion:Murder. Death Penalty:Justice.
The death penalty is utilized to decrease the populations of prisons and to rid society of the worst offenders, today (though it has existed for thousands of years). This sentence is never taken lightly and is only administered justifiably... say supporters. People even remotely against the practice, though, oftentimes believe that this punishment is anything but fair and justified.
The picture found here, http://theblacksentinel.wordpress.com/2007/08/09/death-penalty-becomes-the-new-lynching/, illustrates the idea that the decision between the death penalty and a life sentence (black and white, opposites) is based solely on race (black or white). In the article containing this illustration, it is mentioned that through studies it has been found that the number of inmates on death row coincides with the number of lynchings in olden times, "proof" of the claim (if inspected carefully, the scale in the middle of Blind Justice and Grim Reaper leads the viewers' eyes upward, to the shoulders, where there are ruffles in the garment(s): a possible invisible, implied noose). The title of this image is "And Justice For All," but in the bottom right (Death's side) corner, there is a character proclaiming "Injustice for all..." that are sentenced to Death; because of the Reaper's preparedness to harvest while Justice allows the "Whites" to live, with her sword at her side. Ethnicity is not the only area in which opponents of the death penalty believe there to be bias, though.
The representation of a scale balancing nooses, as found at http://ucsbglobalvoices.wordpress.com/2009/03/25/episode-10-day-of-debate/, (the second picture down the page), further illustrates the concept that capital punishment is "unfair." One noose is heavier than the other, though there are less victims on the heavy side than people on the light. The left, heavy side is also darker than the right, light, lighter side, proving that the decision of a "jury" to put a person to death obliterates any hope the convicted held on to. The use of color and the depiction of the victims (none fleeing or panicking, plainly) evokes the feeling in viewers that perhaps the whole situation surrounding the executions is a sacrifice of some sort (if this is the case, the "peasants" would not view the action as executions but the fact that the victims are being sent to death equates to death sentences, the whole point of this "journal"). The scene is too broad for any further comments on the population to be made; no bias can be said to exist among them, though, if anything, the ones on the right must have acted as the jury condemning the ones on the left, outweighing the victims' (possible) objections.
Sometimes, no bias may exist at all; the whole reason for the execution is to provide a show for supporters of the "method of punishment." The image at http://www.drakecentral.info/cuba/cubainthenews/cubanews-2008.html, (about three-fourths of the length down the page, to the left of the bold "April 29") depicts an executioner questioning, who is assumed to be, the "marshal" of the village, about the prominent trend in executing at the time. The victim, of course, looks terrified, but the bulging of his eyes suggests mental cries of "What?! I'm about to die and you're only worried about pleasing the onlookers?!" The viewers stand in the background, looking anticipative and curious, completely unfazed that a man is about to die (quite the contrary).
Due to images such as the one shown in https://sloone.wordpress.com/2008/04/17/are-we-sure-there-are-no-secret-executions-in-malaysia/ (portraying an annoyed California informing the anesthesiologist that the nervous wreck of an Opposition is the one in need of the anesthetic, not the criminal, who lies on his death bed terrified and waiting), advocates and enemies of the death penalty are the most dedicated, respectfully. The juries that now send convicts to death may soon be voting on whether or not to completely abolish the practice. I do not support the possibility, but I do not completely savor the idea that my fellows' lives may be in the hands of some who are not capable of judging correctly and justly.
The picture found here, http://theblacksentinel.wordpress.com/2007/08/09/death-penalty-becomes-the-new-lynching/, illustrates the idea that the decision between the death penalty and a life sentence (black and white, opposites) is based solely on race (black or white). In the article containing this illustration, it is mentioned that through studies it has been found that the number of inmates on death row coincides with the number of lynchings in olden times, "proof" of the claim (if inspected carefully, the scale in the middle of Blind Justice and Grim Reaper leads the viewers' eyes upward, to the shoulders, where there are ruffles in the garment(s): a possible invisible, implied noose). The title of this image is "And Justice For All," but in the bottom right (Death's side) corner, there is a character proclaiming "Injustice for all..." that are sentenced to Death; because of the Reaper's preparedness to harvest while Justice allows the "Whites" to live, with her sword at her side. Ethnicity is not the only area in which opponents of the death penalty believe there to be bias, though.
The representation of a scale balancing nooses, as found at http://ucsbglobalvoices.wordpress.com/2009/03/25/episode-10-day-of-debate/, (the second picture down the page), further illustrates the concept that capital punishment is "unfair." One noose is heavier than the other, though there are less victims on the heavy side than people on the light. The left, heavy side is also darker than the right, light, lighter side, proving that the decision of a "jury" to put a person to death obliterates any hope the convicted held on to. The use of color and the depiction of the victims (none fleeing or panicking, plainly) evokes the feeling in viewers that perhaps the whole situation surrounding the executions is a sacrifice of some sort (if this is the case, the "peasants" would not view the action as executions but the fact that the victims are being sent to death equates to death sentences, the whole point of this "journal"). The scene is too broad for any further comments on the population to be made; no bias can be said to exist among them, though, if anything, the ones on the right must have acted as the jury condemning the ones on the left, outweighing the victims' (possible) objections.
Sometimes, no bias may exist at all; the whole reason for the execution is to provide a show for supporters of the "method of punishment." The image at http://www.drakecentral.info/cuba/cubainthenews/cubanews-2008.html, (about three-fourths of the length down the page, to the left of the bold "April 29") depicts an executioner questioning, who is assumed to be, the "marshal" of the village, about the prominent trend in executing at the time. The victim, of course, looks terrified, but the bulging of his eyes suggests mental cries of "What?! I'm about to die and you're only worried about pleasing the onlookers?!" The viewers stand in the background, looking anticipative and curious, completely unfazed that a man is about to die (quite the contrary).
Due to images such as the one shown in https://sloone.wordpress.com/2008/04/17/are-we-sure-there-are-no-secret-executions-in-malaysia/ (portraying an annoyed California informing the anesthesiologist that the nervous wreck of an Opposition is the one in need of the anesthetic, not the criminal, who lies on his death bed terrified and waiting), advocates and enemies of the death penalty are the most dedicated, respectfully. The juries that now send convicts to death may soon be voting on whether or not to completely abolish the practice. I do not support the possibility, but I do not completely savor the idea that my fellows' lives may be in the hands of some who are not capable of judging correctly and justly.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
My Photo Stories
Sorry if too small. Kind'a struggled to conceive of any picture to go with the stories and once one was conceived, I struggled even more to bring it to the digital world. Ended up having to scan the background picture and every hand-drawn piece into the computer then rearrange everything then print it then rescan it and finally begin on the process of completing the homework. Irrelevant but I wanted to share my pain... Few picture ideas, so I pieced together three dam workers; the middle one surrounded on either side by a fellow he likes (left) and one he does not (right). This is illustrated by the illustration of his divided face. So handsome. Oh, and he has a clipboard. 'Cause every foreman needs to feel important. (The face is not supposed to be a representation of myself.)
Monday, May 24, 2010
Analysis: Of Mice and Men
Details:
From his first two paragraphs, John Steinbeck sets the scene in Of Mice and Men through his use of imagery/foreshadowing as he describes the natural world in a parallel to later events in the novella. "...under the trees the leaves lie deep and so crisp," may be talking simply about nature or of George and Lenny and the relationship between them. Under implies some thing over another, or protecting another, or above another. The leaves lie to viewers about the depth of them. Deep means not shallow, much to be gone through. Lenny is under George in intelligence as George is under Lenny in size. Lenny sometimes lies to George to try and keep himself out of trouble (he did not have a rat in his pocket apparently). George's motives for protecting Lenny are deeper than some think; he is not just doing it for protection, to have Lenny over him. The trees, George, protect the leaves, Lenny, even though they are slowly dying, the leaves are crisp and Lenny is doomed. "...a path beaten hard by boys coming down from the ranches to swim in the deep pool, and beaten hard by tramps who come wearily down from the highway," is able to be related to Lenny's impending doom. Lenny has made the mistake of getting into trouble with women because of his unknown strength. This has occured more than once, the beaten path. The boys coming down from the ranch are doing so in the pursuit of recreation, the elimination of one they do not particularly like, Lenny. The boys follow Slim, the leader, who handles his problems with violence and vasoline. The tramps, the women Lenny gets in trouble for associating with, come wearily, weary of Lenny and his ignorance and of life, in one case, down from the highway. Lenny and George were constantly on the move, symbolized by the highway. "...the limb is worn smooth by men who have sat on it," suggests tearing away a figurative mask, to reveal the true essence of a thing. George is the limb in this parallel. He is hard on the outside; with questioning, men sitting on the limb, the bark begins to wear away and his affection for Lenny is revealed. Countless authors describe the setting in a manner completely seperate from the characters, unless the story somehow involves the surrounding area; the description of setting has no point but to allow the reader to have some idea as to where to place the story. Steinbeck, however, describes the setting in a way that can also be applied to the characters and the story, through foreshadowing and parallels.
Point of View:
The third-person objective point of view accentuates the differences between each character through descriptions of their traits by the other characters' observations ("others" including the "unbiased" opinion of the "omnipotent" narrator). The chosen quote, from page 37 of the novel states that "Curley seemed really to see George for the first time. His eyes flashed over George, took in his height, measured his reach, looked at his trim middle." When Curley encountered George in the bunkhouse, looking for his wife, Curley only noticed George because of his involvement in locating the woman, and because of George's attitude ("cold," slightly confrontational). Curley was a small man and had self-confidence issues, forcing him to constantly be vigilant in the pursuit for fights to prove to himself and others that he was not to be underestimated. He looked over George to see how big he was in comparison, sizing up a potential opponent. George also happened to be small, this making Curley feel relieved and more at ease when talking to him, reassuring him that the fight, if one ensued, would not be a great challenge. Crooks, the black, handicapped, stable buck, always "...kept his distance and demanded that other people kept theirs." (pg. 67) As also stated in this passage, Crooks was "proud" and "aloof." These quotes show that Crooks knew he was different from the others. Keeping out of the way of the other ranch workers was the only way Crooks knew of to maintain his pride and to prevent his insecurities from overwhelming him. Third-person perspective allows readers to see the differences in Crooks better than if first-person perspective was used; first-person often evokes feelings similar to the narrator's and unbiased opinions, best derived from the third-person, are better for evaluating the text (readers are given the information and are able to make their own conclusions about the content). Without the descriptive passages regarding these characters in third-person perspective, these inhabitants of Of Mice and Men would not be as clear to "see" as they are.
Tones:
Steinbeck emphasizes the significance of trust between people and causes a significant amount of empathy to be had by the readers for the innocent and ignorant. George confesses to Slim that in page 40 that he "'Used to play jokes on 'im 'cause he was too dumb to take care of 'imself. But he was too dumb even to know he had a joke played on him... Why he'd do any damn thing I tol' him... He never got mad about it, neither. I've beat the hell outta him, and he coulda bust every bone in my bodyjus' with his han's, but he never lifted a finger against me... I turns to Lennie and says, 'Jump in.' An' he jumps. Couldn't swim a stroke... he was so damn nice to me for pullin' him out. Clean forgot I told him to jump in.'" George and Lennie are almost as brothers. George protects Lennie by looking out for him with his intellect; preventing people from taking advantage of Lennie because of his ignorance. Gerge confesses to Slim in this exerpt that he used to take advantage of Lennie in this very way. Lennie never got upset with him because he did not know any better. He completely trusted George and knew that he knew best. He followed him basically blindly. This system of protecting each other completely worked, as George managed to save Lennie from several near-death events. Lennie's size was his main contribution to the partnership. A big guy following a much smaller one is a sign to any potential attacker that the targets are brothers in arms and to mess with the scrawny man is to anger the bigger. This brotherhood would have lasted as long as the lives of the "brothers." And did, though George was forced to end Lennie's life. Why George had to do so is explained in this passage from pages 90 and 91: "'I like to pet nice things with my fingers, sof' things.'... Curley's wife laughed at him... 'When I'm doin' my hair sometimes I jus' set an' stroke it 'cause it's so soft...Here-feel right here.' She took Lennie's hand and put it on her head. 'Feel right aroun' there an' see how soft it is.' Lennie's big fingers fell to stroking her hair... She jerked her head sideways, and Lennie's fingers closed on her hair and hung on. 'Let go,' she cried. 'You let go!' Lennie was in a panic. His face was contorted. She screamed then, and Lennie's other hand closed over her mouth and nose. 'Please don't,' he begged... 'George'll be mad.'... Lennie began to cry with fright... 'George gonna say I done a bad thing. He ain't gonna let me tend no rabbits.'... He shook her then, and he was angry with her... and he shook her; and her body flopped like a fish. And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck." Lennie is mentally challenged. He enjoys simple pleasures, the most prominent being touching soft things and enjoying the texture. Curley's wife is what is known as a "floozy," unfaithful to her husband, and is always looking to spend time with random gentlemen (cough, cough). Soft things are usually delicate and dainty, and with Lennie's strength, this hobby of his is dangerous for him to pursue, as his great strength always seemed to damage whatever it was that he was petting (be it a small creature or a full grown woman). Curley's wife takes advantage of Lennie's weakness adn has him pet her hair, an attempt at having him open up to her for... further exploration for and of both of them (COUGH, COUGH). Lennie never means any harm to any thing and it is because of this that readers will feel empathy/sympathy for him. He is like a massive child: very easily entertained and subdued but overwhelmingly strong. Lennie only wishes to feel pleasant things but Curley's wife's panic at his insistence on petting her thoroughly causes him panic. Not knowing how to handle the situation, Lennie grabs on to her almost ferociously and ends up killing her, completely involuntarily. Steinbeck manages to grip readers' hearts in alternating ways through his nearly beligerant use of the tones of brotherhood and empathy, which seem to drip from the pages after having read the book.
From his first two paragraphs, John Steinbeck sets the scene in Of Mice and Men through his use of imagery/foreshadowing as he describes the natural world in a parallel to later events in the novella. "...under the trees the leaves lie deep and so crisp," may be talking simply about nature or of George and Lenny and the relationship between them. Under implies some thing over another, or protecting another, or above another. The leaves lie to viewers about the depth of them. Deep means not shallow, much to be gone through. Lenny is under George in intelligence as George is under Lenny in size. Lenny sometimes lies to George to try and keep himself out of trouble (he did not have a rat in his pocket apparently). George's motives for protecting Lenny are deeper than some think; he is not just doing it for protection, to have Lenny over him. The trees, George, protect the leaves, Lenny, even though they are slowly dying, the leaves are crisp and Lenny is doomed. "...a path beaten hard by boys coming down from the ranches to swim in the deep pool, and beaten hard by tramps who come wearily down from the highway," is able to be related to Lenny's impending doom. Lenny has made the mistake of getting into trouble with women because of his unknown strength. This has occured more than once, the beaten path. The boys coming down from the ranch are doing so in the pursuit of recreation, the elimination of one they do not particularly like, Lenny. The boys follow Slim, the leader, who handles his problems with violence and vasoline. The tramps, the women Lenny gets in trouble for associating with, come wearily, weary of Lenny and his ignorance and of life, in one case, down from the highway. Lenny and George were constantly on the move, symbolized by the highway. "...the limb is worn smooth by men who have sat on it," suggests tearing away a figurative mask, to reveal the true essence of a thing. George is the limb in this parallel. He is hard on the outside; with questioning, men sitting on the limb, the bark begins to wear away and his affection for Lenny is revealed. Countless authors describe the setting in a manner completely seperate from the characters, unless the story somehow involves the surrounding area; the description of setting has no point but to allow the reader to have some idea as to where to place the story. Steinbeck, however, describes the setting in a way that can also be applied to the characters and the story, through foreshadowing and parallels.
Point of View:
The third-person objective point of view accentuates the differences between each character through descriptions of their traits by the other characters' observations ("others" including the "unbiased" opinion of the "omnipotent" narrator). The chosen quote, from page 37 of the novel states that "Curley seemed really to see George for the first time. His eyes flashed over George, took in his height, measured his reach, looked at his trim middle." When Curley encountered George in the bunkhouse, looking for his wife, Curley only noticed George because of his involvement in locating the woman, and because of George's attitude ("cold," slightly confrontational). Curley was a small man and had self-confidence issues, forcing him to constantly be vigilant in the pursuit for fights to prove to himself and others that he was not to be underestimated. He looked over George to see how big he was in comparison, sizing up a potential opponent. George also happened to be small, this making Curley feel relieved and more at ease when talking to him, reassuring him that the fight, if one ensued, would not be a great challenge. Crooks, the black, handicapped, stable buck, always "...kept his distance and demanded that other people kept theirs." (pg. 67) As also stated in this passage, Crooks was "proud" and "aloof." These quotes show that Crooks knew he was different from the others. Keeping out of the way of the other ranch workers was the only way Crooks knew of to maintain his pride and to prevent his insecurities from overwhelming him. Third-person perspective allows readers to see the differences in Crooks better than if first-person perspective was used; first-person often evokes feelings similar to the narrator's and unbiased opinions, best derived from the third-person, are better for evaluating the text (readers are given the information and are able to make their own conclusions about the content). Without the descriptive passages regarding these characters in third-person perspective, these inhabitants of Of Mice and Men would not be as clear to "see" as they are.
Tones:
Steinbeck emphasizes the significance of trust between people and causes a significant amount of empathy to be had by the readers for the innocent and ignorant. George confesses to Slim that in page 40 that he "'Used to play jokes on 'im 'cause he was too dumb to take care of 'imself. But he was too dumb even to know he had a joke played on him... Why he'd do any damn thing I tol' him... He never got mad about it, neither. I've beat the hell outta him, and he coulda bust every bone in my bodyjus' with his han's, but he never lifted a finger against me... I turns to Lennie and says, 'Jump in.' An' he jumps. Couldn't swim a stroke... he was so damn nice to me for pullin' him out. Clean forgot I told him to jump in.'" George and Lennie are almost as brothers. George protects Lennie by looking out for him with his intellect; preventing people from taking advantage of Lennie because of his ignorance. Gerge confesses to Slim in this exerpt that he used to take advantage of Lennie in this very way. Lennie never got upset with him because he did not know any better. He completely trusted George and knew that he knew best. He followed him basically blindly. This system of protecting each other completely worked, as George managed to save Lennie from several near-death events. Lennie's size was his main contribution to the partnership. A big guy following a much smaller one is a sign to any potential attacker that the targets are brothers in arms and to mess with the scrawny man is to anger the bigger. This brotherhood would have lasted as long as the lives of the "brothers." And did, though George was forced to end Lennie's life. Why George had to do so is explained in this passage from pages 90 and 91: "'I like to pet nice things with my fingers, sof' things.'... Curley's wife laughed at him... 'When I'm doin' my hair sometimes I jus' set an' stroke it 'cause it's so soft...Here-feel right here.' She took Lennie's hand and put it on her head. 'Feel right aroun' there an' see how soft it is.' Lennie's big fingers fell to stroking her hair... She jerked her head sideways, and Lennie's fingers closed on her hair and hung on. 'Let go,' she cried. 'You let go!' Lennie was in a panic. His face was contorted. She screamed then, and Lennie's other hand closed over her mouth and nose. 'Please don't,' he begged... 'George'll be mad.'... Lennie began to cry with fright... 'George gonna say I done a bad thing. He ain't gonna let me tend no rabbits.'... He shook her then, and he was angry with her... and he shook her; and her body flopped like a fish. And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck." Lennie is mentally challenged. He enjoys simple pleasures, the most prominent being touching soft things and enjoying the texture. Curley's wife is what is known as a "floozy," unfaithful to her husband, and is always looking to spend time with random gentlemen (cough, cough). Soft things are usually delicate and dainty, and with Lennie's strength, this hobby of his is dangerous for him to pursue, as his great strength always seemed to damage whatever it was that he was petting (be it a small creature or a full grown woman). Curley's wife takes advantage of Lennie's weakness adn has him pet her hair, an attempt at having him open up to her for... further exploration for and of both of them (COUGH, COUGH). Lennie never means any harm to any thing and it is because of this that readers will feel empathy/sympathy for him. He is like a massive child: very easily entertained and subdued but overwhelmingly strong. Lennie only wishes to feel pleasant things but Curley's wife's panic at his insistence on petting her thoroughly causes him panic. Not knowing how to handle the situation, Lennie grabs on to her almost ferociously and ends up killing her, completely involuntarily. Steinbeck manages to grip readers' hearts in alternating ways through his nearly beligerant use of the tones of brotherhood and empathy, which seem to drip from the pages after having read the book.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Response to Powerpoint
Incredibly poor housing and one parent to four children; Dorothea Lange's pictures depict a depressing scene. The thirty-two year old mother looks around 40-something and the children weep and are listless. Living in the middle of a field with no protection from the elements but a tarp and poles stuck in the ground convey feelings of hopelessness. The mother's contemplative concentration and concern for her and her children are evident and seem to express a need for help from any viewers. How she is going to provide for her family and ensure their very survival from one day to the next is shown/felt and serves as a grisly reminder to how terrible depressions are. The mother still wears her wedding ring, a small sign of hope perhaps. Few pieces of furniture (trunks included) signify the absence of comfort. The family is dirty and shaggy which is another indicator of poor living conditions. Feelings of pity and remorse emit from these photographs.
Mask Poem
Counterfeit consequences of "comical" 'capades,
Brain's automatic switch to "courtesy," on my face,
Eye contact and generous nods
Belie the underlying thoughts
Within; I spin
For the shock of the feelings I feel
(Is apparent from my posture and 'stant scowls); "Evil"
Comes to mind
Lives in mine
Alone, unengaged, I am Me.
In the presence of company?
Veneer is injected into my lips and my throat.
"Carefree, careful, careless," in my eyes, are clearly show'.
Brain's automatic switch to "courtesy," on my face,
Eye contact and generous nods
Belie the underlying thoughts
Within; I spin
For the shock of the feelings I feel
(Is apparent from my posture and 'stant scowls); "Evil"
Comes to mind
Lives in mine
Alone, unengaged, I am Me.
In the presence of company?
Veneer is injected into my lips and my throat.
"Carefree, careful, careless," in my eyes, are clearly show'.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
The Effectiveness of Orwell's Use of Animals as Characters
Orwell, in Animal Farm, wrote an allegory of Russia and its communistic past, in an unimpressed manner. Some could say his manner was even one of laughing. It is common knowledge that fairy tales and fables are, more often than not, aimed at children and are therefore hardly taken seriously by those above the age of twelve. Animal Farm was dubbed by its own author a "fairy story." The satiric content of this story, involving talking animals as the main focus, could be said to be mocking the Russian failures.
The animals on the farm, though clearly endowed with human characteristics, are still felt to be animals by the reader, of course. These creatures' pursuit of freedom/their own utopia causes feelings of uneasiness in readers. We humans hardly think about animals and their means of existing, but Animal Farm forces readers to look into and ponder what we hardly would have otherwise. Orwell's use of animals expresses the fact that it is important to think about all the affected sides in a manner.
Orwell's use of animals as characters was more effective on readers than if the characters had been humans. It is apparently natural human nature to have more pity for "cute, cuddly-wuddly" animals than "stinky and stupid" fellow men. The feelings (such as sympathy) felt by the readers would not have been felt had the characters been anything other than animals; some of the important story elements (feelings evoked have different effects on people as they read) would have been lost.
The animals on the farm, though clearly endowed with human characteristics, are still felt to be animals by the reader, of course. These creatures' pursuit of freedom/their own utopia causes feelings of uneasiness in readers. We humans hardly think about animals and their means of existing, but Animal Farm forces readers to look into and ponder what we hardly would have otherwise. Orwell's use of animals expresses the fact that it is important to think about all the affected sides in a manner.
Orwell's use of animals as characters was more effective on readers than if the characters had been humans. It is apparently natural human nature to have more pity for "cute, cuddly-wuddly" animals than "stinky and stupid" fellow men. The feelings (such as sympathy) felt by the readers would not have been felt had the characters been anything other than animals; some of the important story elements (feelings evoked have different effects on people as they read) would have been lost.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Yeah, Sheee, Yeah!
Paranoia runs in my family. I'm always devising plans in my head of what other people are doing, the motives that drive them to do something, etc. My parents are always questioning me about every little thing and attempt to be slick about making me incriminate myself in whatever I'm supposed to have done.
They are not slick, no offense meant. I realize what they are doing when they are doing it, but I usually just submit. Way easier, conflict is avoided, less stuff to deal with. Plus, I only have two more years of it to deal with (constantly, that is) so I can take it.
I say "deal with" and "take it." Maybe not the right words. I love both of my parents and am thankful for the role they play in my life. I am also quick to anger, though (like my dad). The fact that I know they think they are slick rubs me the wrong way sometimes and the constant hints they are dropping that I am "in trouble" just sets me off.
Back to the point, if I am suspected of doing something as slight as dropping a sock on the way to the laundry room, I get confronted by Dad with a false cheerful shout of "Uhh..Son? Heh, you dropped a sock, ya know!" His shouting puts me in an ill mood, so I go to pick it up. Apparently, I'm "storming" and he wants to know what's wrong. "Nothin', just get tired of you always yelling unnecesarilly." This continues and expands for quite some time.
A grade of 80 on anything causes my parents to question my sobriety and ethics. I am glad that my parents are strict because of what that means in the future (virtuous, better character, better job) but right now, I sometimes feel it is impossible to deal with the fecal matter they always drop on me(possible explanation: standard teenage mentality).
They are not slick, no offense meant. I realize what they are doing when they are doing it, but I usually just submit. Way easier, conflict is avoided, less stuff to deal with. Plus, I only have two more years of it to deal with (constantly, that is) so I can take it.
I say "deal with" and "take it." Maybe not the right words. I love both of my parents and am thankful for the role they play in my life. I am also quick to anger, though (like my dad). The fact that I know they think they are slick rubs me the wrong way sometimes and the constant hints they are dropping that I am "in trouble" just sets me off.
Back to the point, if I am suspected of doing something as slight as dropping a sock on the way to the laundry room, I get confronted by Dad with a false cheerful shout of "Uhh..Son? Heh, you dropped a sock, ya know!" His shouting puts me in an ill mood, so I go to pick it up. Apparently, I'm "storming" and he wants to know what's wrong. "Nothin', just get tired of you always yelling unnecesarilly." This continues and expands for quite some time.
A grade of 80 on anything causes my parents to question my sobriety and ethics. I am glad that my parents are strict because of what that means in the future (virtuous, better character, better job) but right now, I sometimes feel it is impossible to deal with the fecal matter they always drop on me(possible explanation: standard teenage mentality).
Monday, April 12, 2010
Poem Modeled After "The Red Wheelbarrow"
Fantastic rays
shine,
Flow from the
fireplace,
Sparked at will,
blaze
Awakens the
int'llect
shine,
Flow from the
fireplace,
Sparked at will,
blaze
Awakens the
int'llect
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Saint Patty's Day
March 17 is just another day for me. Although my family is descended from Irishmen, this holiday goes uncelebrated, but not totally unrecognized. My dad will offhandedly mention how today is as Irish as it gets and I like the attitude of "Come on, it's Saint Patty's Day, everyone's Irish tonight." Seems to me, this day is one of the most peaceful; nature's starting to bloom more and men are celebrating brotherhood and potatoes.
On Saint Patrick's Day, I am more proud of my ancestry than any other day, though it is a bit weird to have what I claim as my culture shoved into my face all at once and then have it disappear the next day. Irishmen are notorious for owning luck and so of course I lay claim to some luck as well, even though I am the exact opposite of a leprechaun. Most people wear green and pinch others who are clad in colors besides. I do not wear green for two reasons. I feel I don't have to with my blood how it is (not the most sane reasoning but it makes sense to me); at full length, my beard is red around my chin and my eyes are green. The other reason is that I do not own anything green. Oh well.
Snakes despise this day, full blooded Irishmen love this day (another excuse to drink, to fulfill the common stereotype), and I am somewhere in the middle. This isn't really a minor's holiday. Without alcohol, March 17 is just a day full of green and pinching and bad accents and stereotypical jokes. I don't really consider it a holiday at all but I am proud that those that I claim as my people at least have a day to them(/our)selves.
(At the risk of being questioned and interrogated, I am not advocating the use of alcohol. Merely stating that other than to partake of liquor, wear green, pinch others, and talk in a mocking fashion, there isn't much to do on or remember of this day (for the average person).)(I am pretty sure that today is a celebration of the liberation of Ireland from snakes by Saint Patrick.)
On Saint Patrick's Day, I am more proud of my ancestry than any other day, though it is a bit weird to have what I claim as my culture shoved into my face all at once and then have it disappear the next day. Irishmen are notorious for owning luck and so of course I lay claim to some luck as well, even though I am the exact opposite of a leprechaun. Most people wear green and pinch others who are clad in colors besides. I do not wear green for two reasons. I feel I don't have to with my blood how it is (not the most sane reasoning but it makes sense to me); at full length, my beard is red around my chin and my eyes are green. The other reason is that I do not own anything green. Oh well.
Snakes despise this day, full blooded Irishmen love this day (another excuse to drink, to fulfill the common stereotype), and I am somewhere in the middle. This isn't really a minor's holiday. Without alcohol, March 17 is just a day full of green and pinching and bad accents and stereotypical jokes. I don't really consider it a holiday at all but I am proud that those that I claim as my people at least have a day to them(/our)selves.
(At the risk of being questioned and interrogated, I am not advocating the use of alcohol. Merely stating that other than to partake of liquor, wear green, pinch others, and talk in a mocking fashion, there isn't much to do on or remember of this day (for the average person).)(I am pretty sure that today is a celebration of the liberation of Ireland from snakes by Saint Patrick.)
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Persuasion
Persuasion is a tool to be sharpened and honed daily. Persuasion and arguing go hand in hand, which is why I consider myself good at it. If I have a point to make and no outside factors prevent me from arguing/attempting to persuade, I will do just that until it can be done no longer. Whining does not do any good when trying to persuade. Assault the enemy constantly on all fronts or be prepared to surrender.
Persuasion is important in everybody's lives, whether they are the smooth talker or the eager consumer. Persuasion is used constantly in the media: "Buy this and in return..." Most people do not find it offensive, though, because the products generally: do help and that is that, do not help and are discontinued, make the consumer feel as if they work when they really do not (if this is the case, the results are often as good as the first scenario's (whether it works or not, if the consumer is content, the producer is twice as happy)).
Persuasion is important in everybody's lives, whether they are the smooth talker or the eager consumer. Persuasion is used constantly in the media: "Buy this and in return..." Most people do not find it offensive, though, because the products generally: do help and that is that, do not help and are discontinued, make the consumer feel as if they work when they really do not (if this is the case, the results are often as good as the first scenario's (whether it works or not, if the consumer is content, the producer is twice as happy)).
Motivation/The Winter Olympics
The participants of the Winter Olympics are very highly motivated to undergo such strain and to weather such scrutiny as they are subjected to. To be able to handle the physical torment the games cause, the mental torture ("...what if I mess up?! How can I win this for sure?!"), and the judges'/spectators' verdicts of the performances is amazing of the athletes; the players' willingness to go through so much just to play the games is quite honorable.
I do not think that I could ever be that motivated about anything. Sure, I want good grades so I will pursue them and if I want to buy something, I will work to earn the money to be able to make it mine. I just care too little to ever have a goal comparable to "competing in the Winter Olympics," whether compared by scope or importance it does not matter. Therefore, I care too little to be determined enough to follow through on that nonexistent goal.
I salute all the competitors and their will and determination to play. Anybody who conjures up a dream and pursues it is a winner, even if the dream is not achieved. Life is a journey, not a destination, though I do not know where my path is centered and doubt if any desires discovered along the way will be enough to motivate me more than minimally.
I do not think that I could ever be that motivated about anything. Sure, I want good grades so I will pursue them and if I want to buy something, I will work to earn the money to be able to make it mine. I just care too little to ever have a goal comparable to "competing in the Winter Olympics," whether compared by scope or importance it does not matter. Therefore, I care too little to be determined enough to follow through on that nonexistent goal.
I salute all the competitors and their will and determination to play. Anybody who conjures up a dream and pursues it is a winner, even if the dream is not achieved. Life is a journey, not a destination, though I do not know where my path is centered and doubt if any desires discovered along the way will be enough to motivate me more than minimally.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Embedded Link ("Hidden" Being a Hint)(Arrgh)
The debate "Who would win in a battle, pirates or a ninja?" has been the cause of countless fights between geeks who would only care about matters such as this, me being one of them. This argument arose around the same time as internet chat rooms, though the roots of this hideous plant started before then.
In 1989, Atari released Skull & Crossbones, a video game that allowed players to play as pirates who fought groups of ninja. It was no doubt due to this release that the seeds of the conflict took root, though it is possible for it to have started before then.
Enough background. Who really would win? Several have tried to analyze the strategies of the opposing sides before, but I have not seen any that have done so thorough a job as http://www.ninjapirate.com/battle.html, though this website may seem a little biased towards the ninja. Despite the possible favoritism, I agree with thilo, the assumed author of the linked site, in that, even though he never comments on who would actually win, the ninja would be victorious.
Several factors have to be taken into account. Of course, fighting prowess is a major one. But the subtle differences might be what could make the biggest upset in a fight. As stated by thilo, pirates are smelly, loud, and, assuming the stereotype is correct, impaired in vision and mobility. Ninja are "nonexistent" (otherwise he is not a ninja at all), so therefore quiet, and very mobile and agile. Pirates are brutes and may overcome any obstacle with raw power, but ninja are great tactictians, observing their targets for a great time before making a move, which is usually a killing blow done in a split second. Pirates tend to enjoy being inebriated, so even if the ninja were defeated, they may only be made prisoners, which would allow time for the ninja to plan their escape while the pirates got drunk and pillaged.
The pen is mightier than the sword and brain overcomes brawn. Ironic how ninja weild swords, typically that is, though blades in general are used quite often (shurikens), and superior brain power over pirates.
In 1989, Atari released Skull & Crossbones, a video game that allowed players to play as pirates who fought groups of ninja. It was no doubt due to this release that the seeds of the conflict took root, though it is possible for it to have started before then.
Enough background. Who really would win? Several have tried to analyze the strategies of the opposing sides before, but I have not seen any that have done so thorough a job as http://www.ninjapirate.com/battle.html, though this website may seem a little biased towards the ninja. Despite the possible favoritism, I agree with thilo, the assumed author of the linked site, in that, even though he never comments on who would actually win, the ninja would be victorious.
Several factors have to be taken into account. Of course, fighting prowess is a major one. But the subtle differences might be what could make the biggest upset in a fight. As stated by thilo, pirates are smelly, loud, and, assuming the stereotype is correct, impaired in vision and mobility. Ninja are "nonexistent" (otherwise he is not a ninja at all), so therefore quiet, and very mobile and agile. Pirates are brutes and may overcome any obstacle with raw power, but ninja are great tactictians, observing their targets for a great time before making a move, which is usually a killing blow done in a split second. Pirates tend to enjoy being inebriated, so even if the ninja were defeated, they may only be made prisoners, which would allow time for the ninja to plan their escape while the pirates got drunk and pillaged.
The pen is mightier than the sword and brain overcomes brawn. Ironic how ninja weild swords, typically that is, though blades in general are used quite often (shurikens), and superior brain power over pirates.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Entergy is Picky
My dad is a lineman for Entergy of Arkansas. He has been doing this kind of work for close to twice my age. He first started as a lineman in southern Texas in the '80's. The most advanced piece of equipment was a truck full of sub-par tools. He literally climbed poles and put his life in danger every day for barely more than minimum wage. He knows (nearly) everything there is to know about everything that is related to his work.
Coming to Arkansas in 2000, he had to make major adjustments. For one thing, there are bucket trucks here. A truck that climbs for you?! Wow! Had it not been for all his prior experience, he would have had to start a "greenhorn." He had to learn all the company's procedures and techniques and the "proper" ways of completing the tasks he was assigned. No problem.
Recently, there was a problem. He had to go clean up and replace a damaged line, which would cause him to deepen the rut he walks every day. Arriving at the sight, he saw that the line was lying across the street. As most people know, live power lines are feisty. They will shake and spark and sputter all over the place until the juice runs dry. This massive snake was dead. So Dad began to remove the line from the street. This is the part where he begins to "get dumped on."
He did not check to make sure the line was dead before he began maintenance, which is against company policy. "I'm not an idiot, son, I know if a line is live and I know that that one wasn't," Entergy found out about this "ignorance and stupidity" and forced unpaid leave on him.
During this "break," he began to make his case, going back to the sight, reliving everything and recording it. His hearing came up and he made his case. The company's only argument was, "It was against company policy," which is to say they knew he was right but because he did not do things by the book, he got demoted and, in his own words, screwed.
Sometimes Goliath falls on David. Who wins then?
Coming to Arkansas in 2000, he had to make major adjustments. For one thing, there are bucket trucks here. A truck that climbs for you?! Wow! Had it not been for all his prior experience, he would have had to start a "greenhorn." He had to learn all the company's procedures and techniques and the "proper" ways of completing the tasks he was assigned. No problem.
Recently, there was a problem. He had to go clean up and replace a damaged line, which would cause him to deepen the rut he walks every day. Arriving at the sight, he saw that the line was lying across the street. As most people know, live power lines are feisty. They will shake and spark and sputter all over the place until the juice runs dry. This massive snake was dead. So Dad began to remove the line from the street. This is the part where he begins to "get dumped on."
He did not check to make sure the line was dead before he began maintenance, which is against company policy. "I'm not an idiot, son, I know if a line is live and I know that that one wasn't," Entergy found out about this "ignorance and stupidity" and forced unpaid leave on him.
During this "break," he began to make his case, going back to the sight, reliving everything and recording it. His hearing came up and he made his case. The company's only argument was, "It was against company policy," which is to say they knew he was right but because he did not do things by the book, he got demoted and, in his own words, screwed.
Sometimes Goliath falls on David. Who wins then?
The Power of I and I
Being quiet and reserved most of the time, I am hardly ever subject to opportunities that would require me to "take a stand," though I do remember a time when third grade Braden did so.
"Time to put your books away, kids. Class time," the substitute spouted. This was wrong. We were given 30 minutes every morning to read before we even recited the pledge of allegiance. It was early in the morning, so I figured she may have skimmed over that part in the lesson plan.
"Uh... Miss? The teacher lets us read for a while first. Is she not going to let us today?"
"Uh... Kid? Your teacher is not here and she left a lot for us to do today. So put your book up and pay attention."
A little unnecessary, but I wasn't going to argue further on that subject. The substitute conducted class in the worst way, the other kids in class agreed. A few of them also tried to let her know that her age was not an excuse for mishaps. She would not have it. None of us had recess that day. I would not have been fazed over this, being an indoor kid, but it was the way she denied us, with so much unjust authority, that angered me.
Sitting in my desk at five past noon felt weird. The other classes kids' squeals did not help any. She told us to get out our books and read, as punishment. That was it.
Substitute had cut short our reading earlier in the day, even when it was evident we wanted to and were allowed to (which should have been evident, but apparently was not). This went against our regular teacher. Substitute stole our recess. This went against the school. Substituting recess for reading as punishment was so wrong I started laughing out loud.
"What's so funny?"
I would type the conversation but third grade logic isn't the most comprehensible thing, and I do not remember everything. My argument made complete sense to myself and my fellows but, again, she wouldn't have it. Within three hours of freedom, she sent me to the warden's office. I explained myself to the principal and for whatever reason, she agreed with me.
I have not seen that substitute to this day. I would feel bad about snitching... but I don't. She deserved it and I still find it funny.
"Time to put your books away, kids. Class time," the substitute spouted. This was wrong. We were given 30 minutes every morning to read before we even recited the pledge of allegiance. It was early in the morning, so I figured she may have skimmed over that part in the lesson plan.
"Uh... Miss? The teacher lets us read for a while first. Is she not going to let us today?"
"Uh... Kid? Your teacher is not here and she left a lot for us to do today. So put your book up and pay attention."
A little unnecessary, but I wasn't going to argue further on that subject. The substitute conducted class in the worst way, the other kids in class agreed. A few of them also tried to let her know that her age was not an excuse for mishaps. She would not have it. None of us had recess that day. I would not have been fazed over this, being an indoor kid, but it was the way she denied us, with so much unjust authority, that angered me.
Sitting in my desk at five past noon felt weird. The other classes kids' squeals did not help any. She told us to get out our books and read, as punishment. That was it.
Substitute had cut short our reading earlier in the day, even when it was evident we wanted to and were allowed to (which should have been evident, but apparently was not). This went against our regular teacher. Substitute stole our recess. This went against the school. Substituting recess for reading as punishment was so wrong I started laughing out loud.
"What's so funny?"
I would type the conversation but third grade logic isn't the most comprehensible thing, and I do not remember everything. My argument made complete sense to myself and my fellows but, again, she wouldn't have it. Within three hours of freedom, she sent me to the warden's office. I explained myself to the principal and for whatever reason, she agreed with me.
I have not seen that substitute to this day. I would feel bad about snitching... but I don't. She deserved it and I still find it funny.
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