Lyndsay's thoughts

Great ending to the semester!

2006-05-03T17:26:00.000-07:00

Dorothy Allison's "Bastard out of Carolina" proved to be my favorite piece of literature this semester. I got into the book right from the beginning. I think it is interesting that the birth certificate is focused on at the beginning and the end of the story. That is what the title and the book are based on. It seems that bone can not shake this title of Bastard until the end of the story. As we discussed in class it may contribute to why Daddy Glen abuses her. This was an intense and deep book. I had to stop and read many parts of text. They were so shocking that I couldn’t believe that was what the author wrote. This book explored deep into the psyche of a young abused girl. As disturbing as this book was I couldn’t put it down. It was so realistic I got chills. There were many defining moments throughout the text. There were also many parts that made me really angry. I really don’t understand Anney (Bone’s Mother). I thought a mother was supposed to protect her child. I thought that they had a close bond at the beginning of the book. She was so determined to get illegitimate off of Bone’s birth certificate. Now after completing the book I realize that Anney did that more out of her own insecurities. At the end when she gives the birth certificate to Bone, she seems to do it out of guilt. I think the most defining moment in the text comes after the Brutal rape at Alma’s house. Anney chooses Glen over Bone when she hugs him. This is absolutely disgusting. Daddy Glen is not only a child batterer but a molester. Anney sees it with her own eyes after walking in on Glen on top of Bone. It is undeniable. This part seems unrealistic to me. I mean how could she hug him immediately after seeing that? This is sad because a mother is supposed to help her child through difficult times. This book and “A Streetcar named Desire” left me with many questions. I never really thought about the motives behind rape and child molestation. I always thought that child molestation was due to pure sexual tendencies. I think that Daddy Glen really did want to assert control over Bone. I think that he thought of her on the same level. It is amazing how this abuse forces Bone to grow up. At the end of the novel she is an adult. A sad adult at that. I think this is very realistic. Abusive situations such as this, can take away one’s childhood quickly. An abused child loses their innocence. I think innocence is a defining factor in childhood. I liked this novel because it really made me think. It was very sad but enlightening. How could someone function normally after this abuse? This abuse can end up defining a woman for the rest of her life. I think this is really unfair. I love the quote at the beginning of the book. I think it fits perfectly. It is the only thing that settles me after finishing the novel. People pay by the way they live their life.

Who's the Bastard?

2006-04-26T17:25:00.000-07:00

I think the title of Bastard out of Carolina is interesting. I think the title implies that Bone is the Bastard. I think this book is interesting but hard to read. It has been hard to read because of the abuse scenes. The scene is really disturbing. I think it is so disturbing because it seems so realistic. I wonder if this story stems form abuse that has happened to the author Allison? I keep wondering about the question that was discussed in class. Why does Glen abuse Anney? Is it for power? I personally feel it is because he is a sick pervert. Why would anyone need to assert their power over a child in that way? He not only sexually abuses her but physically also. I feel that Anney is a terrible mother. In the beginning of the book I thought that Anney was a good mother. She and Bone seemed to have a really good, close relationship. I can’t help but blame her for the abuse that Bone is receiving. She should look past her love for Glen and what is good for her child. When you are a mother your child should come before your love life. She turns a blind eye to this abuse. I think that is really disgusting. It is sad that Abuse like this really happens. This abuse as a young child shapes a person as an adult. Bone will end up not only resenting Glen but her own mother. She will have a lot of issues that she will have to overcome that will stem from this abuse. 0 On the website http://www.prevent-abuse-now.com/stats.htm#Disclosures there are some abuse statistics. I was interested to see the stats on child abuse in females. This website states that 1.7 victims per 1,000 female children are victims of sexual abuse. I actually thought that the statistics would be higher.

Revelations

2006-04-19T17:32:00.000-07:00

I found the story Revelation to be the most interesting of Fannery O'connor's writings that we have studies in class. It was interesting to discuss and analyze this reading. I honestly did not understand the full meaning after the first time I read it. It helped hearing other people's perspective on the story. After class today(Wed) I found myself wondering about Mary Grace. I wanted to know her true meaning in the story. I found this analysis at the website http://www.storybites.com/oconnorrevelation.htm" On a deeper level, however, Mrs. Turpin's question may have something to do with the nature of the epileptic's relationship to God. Tradition holds that St. Paul was an epileptic. In many primitive cultures, the ecstatic states of shamanism are occasionally brought on, preceded, or characterized by convulsions. Seen in this light, Mrs. Turpin's question is a request for a revelation from God through the oracular function of someone who has just seen Him -- and this is the explanation most consistent with the title of the story"./ I thought this was very interesting. I nver thought of Mary Grace as being an epileptic. I also never knew that St. Paul was an epileptic. If this author of the website is correct then this story has deep roots in the bible and catholism. I don't have a strong backround in either. I would have never picked up on this if I hadn't come across this website. I luike how O'connor incorporates these themes to get her point across.

Presentations.

2006-04-12T17:38:00.001-07:00

I thought everyone did a wonderful job on their presentations. It was interesting to see different cultural aspects of the South. I really enjoyed seeing the artwork in Tina and Cassy's presentation. It was really beautiful and interesting. It was cool how he based his paintings on the narrative of Frederick Douglas. It is nice to get two be famailier with both. I also found Phil and Nicole's presentation informative. I never knew how to make chicken gumbo or what it looked like. I think that Brian and Courtney did an excellent job as well. I like how they incorporated Jeff Foxworthy into their presentation. I think it made it easier for the class to relate and gave us a better perspective. I was also reallly impressed with Rae and Amy's presentation. I found the adoption issue very sad. I can't believe that actually happened. I thought that everyone's presentation today(Wed) was very passionate. I liked how Diane and Kevin presented. It was a unigue and great idea. I love the movie color purple. Great Choice guys. It was a great change of pace. Dorothy and Lisa seemed very passionate about "Driving Misss Daisy". I liked how you both showed and explained the clips. Dorothy seemed to really understand the movie. Great job everyone! Have a great break!

Presentations.

2006-04-12T17:38:00.000-07:00

I'm glad we studied O'Connor.

2006-04-07T06:18:00.000-07:00

I am really glad that we studied Flannery's O'Connor's writings. She is such an interesting and unique writer. I wish that I had a better backround on Christianity and catholism. I think that I could find the deeper meaing in her stories. At first, when I read her stories I was very unsettled. Now after analyzing them in class I am starting to see the depth in them. I really do respect her as a writer. I have found myself wondering how much thought it would take to write something like her litereature.

Film Version of Desire!

2006-03-29T17:48:00.000-08:00

I have really enjoyed the film version of this play. I like the characters that they picked to play Stanley, Stella and Blanche. I am usually disappointed when I see a film version of a book I have read. I think Marlon Brando epitomizes the manly character of Stanley. You couldn’t have asked for a more masculine actor to play Stanley. He really captures Stanley’s Essence. I also think Vivian Leigh is a great Blanche. She epitomizes the Southern Belle. She also plays a version of this Southern Belle in gone with the wind. The batting of the eyes and the play of innocence is great. I think it is interesting how she turns away. When that was brought up in class I wasn’t sure why Blanche was doing this. Is it because she has something to hide or is this a trait of the Southern Belle? Is it insecurity or innocence? I’m still unsure. I also noticed some differences besides the one we talked about in class. She admits to Stella that she did some undesirable things after losing Belle Reve just before Stella leaves and before the young boy from the newspaper comes in. It is interesting how Blanche takes interest in the young boy. Is she caught up in the past or does she have pedophilic tendencies? We would look at the situation a little different if the roles were reversed. I think this part in the movies is funny. I think she overwhelmed the young boy. I thought the actor that plays Mitch is a little goof and frumpy. I imagined him much differently. I guess these characteristics make him come across more vulnerable in the movie. It makes him susceptible to Blanche’s deceitfulness. I wonder how the film version will portray the rape? I wonder if they will censor it completely? After all, it was very discreet in the play.

A Streetcar Named Desire

2006-03-22T17:23:00.000-08:00

I really like the play “A Streetcar named Desire” by Tennessee Williams. It was really fast-moving and interesting. I was really shocked with the ending. I was shocked when Stanley rapes Blanche. I kept reading it over and over and tried to determine if that’s what really happened. When Stanley breaks the bottle and says “We’ve had this date from the beginning”. It makes it seems as though it was premeditated. Stanley and Blanche have had a power struggle since she came to town. I think that this is Stanley’s ultimate display of power over her. It is sad because Blanche is not powerful at all. She is like a sad, hurt and confused soul. Her past has damaged her. She has nothing to hold onto except her sister. Although she is pathetic, selfish and deceitful, she is for the most part harmless. Stanley resents her because she makes him feel like a low-class animal with her comments. Before Stanley raped Blanche I thought he was a half way decent guy (besides beating Stella). I thought that he was just rude to Blanche because he could see that she is a phony and her comments about him. In reality Blanche saw Stanley correctly at the beginning. She stated that he was animal. She was correct. The day that Blanche is taken away by the Doctor and Nurse is sad also. It is sad for both Stella and Blanche. Blanche is raped by Stanley and Stella is deceived by him. This rape has sent Blanche over the edge. Before she leaves she takes an extra long bath. She seems to be cleansing herself of Stanley due to the rape. It has a different tone than her previous baths. She also is afraid to go into the room where the men are playing poker. At the beginning of play she has no problem engaging with them. Stanley has scarred her even more. Blanche has to leave after the rape. I wonder if Stella believes that Stanley raped Blanche? Does she really think Blanche is crazy and made it up? If she did believe it was true she probably would stay with him anyway. She would live in denial.

I like it!

2006-03-15T17:55:00.000-08:00

I have found Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston to be an easier read compared to Go, Down Moses by William Faulkner. I thought it was interesting how Hurston starts the book in the present and then tells the past. I like her story telling style of writing. She uses interesting language that gives you a sense of culture. You feel like you are right there with Janie. You can see the characters and their surroundings vividly. I liked how you can see her feelings of the past in Their Eyes Were Watching God along with “How it feels to be me”. As we discussed in class Nanny represents the past and the roots. Here feelings that her race should let go of the past exemplified in both her book and essay that we have read. I thought it was great how Nanny represented this. I also thought it was interesting when she plays with the Washburns she thinks she is white. She finds out later that she is black by seeing a photograph of herself. This is similar to our previous reading of The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man by James Weldon Johnson. He had no idea he was white until the teacher told home to sit down. I think that this book has many similar themes to our previous literature. The themes of miscegenation, Social Hierarchy, racism, passing, and a women’s role and place in society are all classic themes in Southern Literature. They are definatley present in this book and I am sure we will see more to come.

Jim Crow Laws

2006-03-01T17:56:00.000-08:00

I think the “Ethics of Living Jim Crow, an Autobiographical Sketch” by Richard Wright was one of the most horrifying stories of racism that we have read yet. It is really sad that the author wrote this story based on his own personal experiences. The education of Jim Crow was a terrible one. The Jim Crow Lessons were to never fight and succumb to the white race. If you did not succumb, worse things might happen to you. You might even be killed. He was abused physically, mentally and emotionally. I found the lessons that he spoke of were similar to the messages that Frederick Douglas was trying to portray. That a black person or slave was better off if he kept quiet. I also found other similarities in the text. His first experience of work he works with two white men. They become very threatened when he tries to learn. Frederick Douglass experienced the same thing when he was trying to learn to read. The slave owner tells his wife that a slave with knowledge will create a problem for a slave owner. It is a threat. When the author gets in his first fight with the white boys, it is significant. It is significant because it is his first taste of the injustices he will encounter. It is more significant because of the way his mother reacted. His mother was very angry that he fought back. “She grabbed a barrel stave, dragged me home, stripped me naked, and beat me till I had a fever of one hundred and two. She would smack my rump with the stave, and, while the skin was still smarting, impart to me gems of Jim Crow wisdom. I was never to throw cinders any more. I was never to fight any more wars. I was never, never, under any conditions, to fight white folks again. And they were absolutely right in clouting me with the broken milk bottle. Didn't I know she was working hard every day in the hot kitchens of the white folks to make money to take care of me? When was I ever going to learn to be a good boy? She couldn't be bothered with my fights. She finished by telling me that I ought to be thankful to God as long as I lived that they didn't kill me”. This passage expressed how the important the ethics of Jim Crow were and what they basically are. I also find the last passage very significant. “How do Negroes feel about the way they have to live? How do they discuss it when alone among themselves? I think this question can be answered in a single sentence. A friend of mine who ran an elevator once told me: "Lowd, man! Ef it wuzn't fer them polices 'n' them ol' lynch-mobs, there wouldn't be nothin' but uproar down here!" This expresses that they were not happy about these ethics that they had to abide by but were something of necessity. They were necessary in order to survive in this southern society.

"Pantaloon in Black"

2006-02-15T17:55:00.000-08:00

I thought "Pantaloon in Black" was violent but essential to Go Down Moses. It included the most graphic example of racial conflict that we have seen yet I didn't quite understand how Rider fit into the story until later. Rider is not a McCaslin but rents a house from Carothers Edmonds. Rider was a strong masculine character but could not express his emotions. he was very family oriented and was deeply saddened by the loss of gis wife. He is grief stricken about his wife and turns this grief into agression. He drinks to stifle his grief and lets it get the best of him. I was really surprised when he cut the guard's throat. I also knew that he would suffer severe repercussions for this action. I found is disturbing how misunderstood Rider was by the Deputy. When the Deputy explained these events to his wife he described it as though Rider didn't really care about his deceased wife. He also seemed unaffected and causal about the events that took place and the lynching. Was this something that occured often?

The autobiography of an ex-colored man

2006-02-05T14:47:00.000-08:00

I thought James Weldon Johnson’s “The Autobiography of an ex-colored man” was interesting from the beginning. The narrator's begins with writing that he is divulging the greatest secret of his life in the opening line. Later in the book we find out that he is black even though he can pass as white. The narrator does not find out he is black until his teacher asks him to sit down when she asks for the white kids in school to stand up for the principal. When he gets home and asks his mother if he is white. His mother tells him that she is black and that his father is white. She says is "one of the greatest men in the country-the best blood of the South is in you”. I was trying to determine after reading this exert if the narrator was ashamed of being black or just wanted to be white. I think the author was trying to convey the message of the reasons a black man would want to appear as white. Why did the narrator not realize he was black until the teacher pointed it out to him? The author of this autobiography, James Weldon Johnson, was a black man. He seems to be trying to give the reader insight on why a black man would want to deny his heritage and what the consequences of this would be.

Chopin

2006-02-02T20:15:00.000-08:00

The “Cadian Ball” by Kate Chopin is not what I expected. It depicted the life of a southern women in the Civil war times. It seems that Calixta and Bobinot’s marriage is something of necessity. Maybe something that was a result of her past. Their marriage is not about love and passion but one of comfort and stability in society. Calixta trys to be a good wife but passion dwells deep inside her. I enjoyed the “The Storm” more than “Cadian Ball”. In “The Storm,” the author is more risky. She depicts an intense sexual setting. She uses the stages of the thunderstorm as a parallel to the stages of lust and passion that can build between two individuals. She compares controlling passion to controlling a force of nature(a storm). You cannot control it.

Swallow Barn

2006-01-24T11:17:00.000-08:00

John Pendleton Kennnedy's exerts from Swallow Barn helped me understand what is meant by Southern Literature. In Chapter 1 Swallow Barn, he writes about the land, mansion and barn in great detail. He paints a picure with words. He described everything as big and beautiful while at the same time old and lived in. On page 61 he describes "The great hall door is an acient piece of walnut work, that has grown too heavy for its hinges, and by its daily travel has furrowed the floor with a deep heavy for it's hinges , and by its daily travel has furrowed the floor with a deep quadrant, over which it has a very uneasy journal." I like how he describes the door as grand and great but also lets the reader know that it is old and worn. He idealizes the plantation life in Virginia. His descriptions give the impression that he has a great love forthis life. In Chapter 2 , a country gentleman he describes Frank Meriwether in great detail. I can't decide if I like this character or not. He seems harmless but lazy at the same time. I guess that Pendleton is really describing what a country gentleman was. A person that was a pewople pleaser and didnt want to step on anyone's toes.

testing..1..2...3

2006-01-22T15:53:00.000-08:00

hmmmmmmm