The sybolism in Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken" Frost (1916) is the road represents a lifes journey. For many of us their is a choice of roads in our lives and for many of us the life we did not choose might fill us with a certain meloncholoy regret. We all have roads to travel and for us all other are those not taken. For every road we may have regret in not taking, there is an equal number we should be glad we did not take. The last line in the poem is one of truth and clarity. No matter the roads we did not travel, it is the one we did "that has made all the differance" (20)
Today I walk the road not taken
one I had passed by,
the path chosen on that day
has left me with a sigh.
a scary road I walk today
and this is saying why
the path I really chose that day
had left me with a sigh.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Poetry
I am having a lot of fun with this poetry. The disemination of the poem is like something out of Mary Shelly* biology. We use statements and questions like scalpels to try to look deeper into the poem. The stench of it rises to our minds through the olifactory senses of our eyes as we pick out microscopic details. Then as if imbued with God like powers of healing we reassemble the poem and see it the same but somehow differently as if we have added an extra leg or arm. The reality is it is the poem that has added another eye to our minds and the poem stays the same.
Mary Shelley (1818) "Frankenstein"
Mary Shelley (1818) "Frankenstein"
Freestyle Poem Jabberwoky.
"Jaberwoky" (1871)by Lewis Carol. page 484.
Remembering my first impression from my childhood I decided to read it again to see if I could find deeper meaning than the nonsence I saw as a child. Indeed our text has taught me to look beyond the words and ask the question "What could the writer possibly be saying in this poem?"
The tone is written in a whimsical dactylic meter of the traditional five feet per line. (I think?)
The story is about combatting a creature of some power, but add the whimsical tone and jibberish words you might see the author saying that battles like this are as nonsensical as the words in the poem indicate. The author provides a warning that is not jibberish in saying "Beware the Jabberwok my son" (5) this could be viewed as a warning to readers about wasting time on non-sense or Jabberwocks. Carrol might also be saying you can read any meaning you want into poetry.
Read the poem and the follow up conversation between one of carrols iconic characters "Alice" and "Humpty Dumpty" a self proclaimed expert on poetry that has been written and will be written, and try to decipher Carrols intent for yourself.
Remembering my first impression from my childhood I decided to read it again to see if I could find deeper meaning than the nonsence I saw as a child. Indeed our text has taught me to look beyond the words and ask the question "What could the writer possibly be saying in this poem?"
The tone is written in a whimsical dactylic meter of the traditional five feet per line. (I think?)
The story is about combatting a creature of some power, but add the whimsical tone and jibberish words you might see the author saying that battles like this are as nonsensical as the words in the poem indicate. The author provides a warning that is not jibberish in saying "Beware the Jabberwok my son" (5) this could be viewed as a warning to readers about wasting time on non-sense or Jabberwocks. Carrol might also be saying you can read any meaning you want into poetry.
Read the poem and the follow up conversation between one of carrols iconic characters "Alice" and "Humpty Dumpty" a self proclaimed expert on poetry that has been written and will be written, and try to decipher Carrols intent for yourself.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Why some people do not read Inquiry
My inquiry question is "why some people do not read." I found this website http://www.readfaster.com/education_stats.asp#educationstatistics it provides many different statistics. These statistics do not say specifically why some people do not read, but they do provide insight as to why some people do not read. This site also confrims that this is a complicated subject that will need more research for a complete answer. It appears as if there are many reasons people do not read.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Blog entry 12 poem Paraphrase
Sandburg, Carl (1918) "Grass" Liturature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. pp. 474
This poem titled grass is a point of veiw about the bloody battles throughout history. How the growth of grass erases the memory of those battlefield tragedies in the minds of people.
This poem titled grass is a point of veiw about the bloody battles throughout history. How the growth of grass erases the memory of those battlefield tragedies in the minds of people.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Entry 11 quote responce
I have decided not to quote a poem. Intead I am going to quote from the section on meter.
"To enjoy the rythms of a poem no special knowledge of meter is necessary. All you need to do is pay attention to stresses and where they fall." Kennedy/Gioia p. 581.
I read this, thought about it, and reread many of the poems I had read earlier. First to myself looking for the stresses, and punctuation. Then after familiarizing myself with what was written, and how it was written. I would then read the poem aloud...........I still don't get it, but at least I was able to understand some of the poems better. It is probably more a matter of taste rather than a dislike of all poetry. Admittedly I am more a fan of Dr.Suess than anything I have read in our book so far, but a few of the poems have made me think, or brought a tear to my eye. Many more have been confusing and probably require a depth of thought I am not willing to commit. Maybe that is why poetry is not as widely popular as other writing like prose or drama. Maybe like reading in general, practice makes perfect and enjoyable. So in the words of one of my favorite actors in an ok movie, "I Shall endeavour to persevere" Chief Dan George (1976) "The Outlaw Josey Wales"
"To enjoy the rythms of a poem no special knowledge of meter is necessary. All you need to do is pay attention to stresses and where they fall." Kennedy/Gioia p. 581.
I read this, thought about it, and reread many of the poems I had read earlier. First to myself looking for the stresses, and punctuation. Then after familiarizing myself with what was written, and how it was written. I would then read the poem aloud...........I still don't get it, but at least I was able to understand some of the poems better. It is probably more a matter of taste rather than a dislike of all poetry. Admittedly I am more a fan of Dr.Suess than anything I have read in our book so far, but a few of the poems have made me think, or brought a tear to my eye. Many more have been confusing and probably require a depth of thought I am not willing to commit. Maybe that is why poetry is not as widely popular as other writing like prose or drama. Maybe like reading in general, practice makes perfect and enjoyable. So in the words of one of my favorite actors in an ok movie, "I Shall endeavour to persevere" Chief Dan George (1976) "The Outlaw Josey Wales"
Sunday, October 25, 2009
#1 reading issues, Why don't some people like to read?
Understanding punctuation is an important part of the enjoyment of reading, and another facet of literacy. I mentioned in the discussion group about the question posed to me by my college advisor. I was asked if I could write and said yes. I could write, but that is not what they meant, can you write at college level, and that is certainly different than writing to Grand-ma. Reading is like this in that you may know how to read, but to be truely literate you have to understand the function of punctuation. Where would reading be with out the poetic pause of a comma, the dramatic exclamation, or the qestion not asked in words but indicated by a question mark? I think this may be a reason so many people do not enjoy reading.
Try reading something without using the punctuation. It is hard if you are fully literate but you can do it. Boring, so imagine a series of books as large as the "The Wheel of time" by Robert Jordan (1990 ) without the benifit of punctuation. Hell, I'd be asleep in the first few minutes. It would be like reading a few thousand pages of technical manual, and that may be exactly what people who do not like to read are seeing.
I mean really, what is there not to love about reading, huh?
My wife thinks people who do not read are lazy and this may be true. I just wonder why?
Try reading something without using the punctuation. It is hard if you are fully literate but you can do it. Boring, so imagine a series of books as large as the "The Wheel of time" by Robert Jordan (1990 ) without the benifit of punctuation. Hell, I'd be asleep in the first few minutes. It would be like reading a few thousand pages of technical manual, and that may be exactly what people who do not like to read are seeing.
I mean really, what is there not to love about reading, huh?
My wife thinks people who do not read are lazy and this may be true. I just wonder why?
Post #10 song lyrics
"I remember when I was a lad times were hard and things were bad, but you could here us singing for a country mile,
Just four people thats all we were trying to make a livin out of black land dirt, we would gather in a family circle singing loud,
Daddy sang base, mamma sang tennor, me and little brother would join right in there, cause singing seems to help a troubled soul." (Cash) Daddy Sang Base
Just four people thats all we were trying to make a livin out of black land dirt, we would gather in a family circle singing loud,
Daddy sang base, mamma sang tennor, me and little brother would join right in there, cause singing seems to help a troubled soul." (Cash) Daddy Sang Base
I thought for a long time about this. I use song lyrics as a memory exercise and know the words to many songs. I use those songs to help myself feel better when I am down. One of the first songs that come to mind when I feel a little blue is a song by Johnny Cash: Daddy Sang Base.
It is the last line written that makes me feel better.
This says it all for me. I love this assignment as it helped me realize that not only have I listened to poetry (Music ) all my life, but that I love it.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Paraphrasing
The Victory (1974) by Anne Stevenson (b. 1933) paraphrased. a mother giving birth to a son. she fells angry at the pain she is in, but has already surrendered her love, thus giving him the the victory over her emotions.
Really cool poem Page 506
Really cool poem Page 506
Whew! Poetry is hard to read
I am trying to stay positive, but I am having difficulty enjoying the reading of poetry.
Does anybody else feel this way?
How many times should you read a poem, or should have to?
Does anybody else feel this way?
How many times should you read a poem, or should have to?
Freestyle from furter readings
John Updikes "Ex-Basketball Player" (1958) I think is a narrative poem with cosmic or tragic irony. The basketball player "He was good, in fact he was the best" never went beyond high school basketball. the way the poem reads implies the writer believed the Ex-basketball player could have been somebody. He revels in the heroic past deeds of the ex-basketball player, but then goes on to describe the mundane aspects of his life as a gas station attendent.
The tone was neutral, but it contained hints of unfulfilled expectation.
I have read quite a few of these poems and wonder if reading poetry will ever come easy for me.
The tone was neutral, but it contained hints of unfulfilled expectation.
I have read quite a few of these poems and wonder if reading poetry will ever come easy for me.
Freestyle 8 "White lies"
I confess of all the books I've read, a poetry book never made the list. after reading these poem I may have to rethink that. I have always had trouble with reading poetry. The paraphrasing technique worked great.
I loved the poem by Natasha Trenthewey "White Lies" (2000) I read this and easily identified with this person. I am sure some others may have also. After reading this poem I reflected on my childhood. We lived in a trailer park. In seventh grade social studies I was told people who live in trailer parks were of the lower class. I did not tell a soul for the next two years I lived in a trailer park. I told them I lived in a house. As an adult I would not trade the memories from that park for all the money in the world, but at the time it was like living in hell for me. To my eternal regret I onced mentioned this to my mother, my ear still hurts.
No more apartment it is all gone,
we baught a trailer in a park with a lawn.
We live in a trailer, my family and me,
a trailers not a house, how can that be?
I loved the poem by Natasha Trenthewey "White Lies" (2000) I read this and easily identified with this person. I am sure some others may have also. After reading this poem I reflected on my childhood. We lived in a trailer park. In seventh grade social studies I was told people who live in trailer parks were of the lower class. I did not tell a soul for the next two years I lived in a trailer park. I told them I lived in a house. As an adult I would not trade the memories from that park for all the money in the world, but at the time it was like living in hell for me. To my eternal regret I onced mentioned this to my mother, my ear still hurts.
No more apartment it is all gone,
we baught a trailer in a park with a lawn.
We live in a trailer, my family and me,
a trailers not a house, how can that be?
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Freestyle #2 for week 3
"A Worn Path" Eudora Welty (1941):
This story is about an old woman who makes a walking journey to her nearby town to get medicine for her granson. She encounters many obsticles on the way has has an encounter with a mangy cur dog that almost ends her relentless march but she perseveres and gets to the hospital only to forget why she is even there. This is a story that makes you think throughout that love is the driving force for the worn path,but the reasons for getting the medicine are that her grandson had eaten lye and was suffering from chemical burns to his throat. Near the end of the story the old woman says "I not going to forget him again." So the question is it love or guilt that brings the old woman, guilt for forgetting to put the lye away, guilt for forgetting the boy was loose and able to get the lye, maybe this is what I thought after the second reading.
This story is about an old woman who makes a walking journey to her nearby town to get medicine for her granson. She encounters many obsticles on the way has has an encounter with a mangy cur dog that almost ends her relentless march but she perseveres and gets to the hospital only to forget why she is even there. This is a story that makes you think throughout that love is the driving force for the worn path,but the reasons for getting the medicine are that her grandson had eaten lye and was suffering from chemical burns to his throat. Near the end of the story the old woman says "I not going to forget him again." So the question is it love or guilt that brings the old woman, guilt for forgetting to put the lye away, guilt for forgetting the boy was loose and able to get the lye, maybe this is what I thought after the second reading.
Freestyle
"My Life With the Wave" Octavio Paz (1951)
This story is about a man who has a wave as a companion. Maybe it is to deep, maybe it was written in Spanish and lost something in translation, but outside the well described relationship with and the personality of the wave, I do not see any correlation to any other subject. I thought maybe he was using the wave as a metaphore for a woman, but clearly he is describing a wave.
I did not like this story, but it did have the quality of evoking thought.
This story is about a man who has a wave as a companion. Maybe it is to deep, maybe it was written in Spanish and lost something in translation, but outside the well described relationship with and the personality of the wave, I do not see any correlation to any other subject. I thought maybe he was using the wave as a metaphore for a woman, but clearly he is describing a wave.
I did not like this story, but it did have the quality of evoking thought.
Irony "The Gift of The Magi"
I love stories like this, I will not deal with the obvious irony of the story, but instead the irony of the most precious gift of all that does not cost a penny, LOVE. To me that is the fullest irony of them all in this story, that the sacrifice of their posession balanced out in the end but the mosr presious gifts were the expressions of love. Finally the most important gift of all, the realization the their love for each other was equally deep and appreciative, even though they no longer had the possesions to appreciate. This is the most precious gift exchanged between two people deeply in love. even the last line is full of irony. "Everywhere they are wisest. They are the Magi" O. Henry (1906) who did not even realize the true meaning of their gifts.
Tone and Style: "A Clean Well Lighted Place"
as far as style I have not read enough hemingway to say if this is typical of his style or not. The tone for me was set with lines
"Last week he tried to committ suicide," one waiter said.
"Why?"
"He was in despair."
"What about?"
"Nothing"
"How do you know it was nothing?"
"He has plenty of money." Hemingway (1933) This tells me along with the date of the story that at the height of the depression the rich got very little sympathy from the working class. The other side of it, and in my opinion why this is a great story is that simultaneously Hemingway is giving us true insight to who he was and what he had done in reflecting accuratly the attitudes of restrauntours, and bar keeps at closing time. I have been both, and I'll tell you the easiest way to cut someone off at closing is to demonize them first. People who have not worked in situations like this would not know it, but as many of you read this, if you have worked in a "Clean Well Lighted Place" then you know what I mean.
"Last week he tried to committ suicide," one waiter said.
"Why?"
"He was in despair."
"What about?"
"Nothing"
"How do you know it was nothing?"
"He has plenty of money." Hemingway (1933) This tells me along with the date of the story that at the height of the depression the rich got very little sympathy from the working class. The other side of it, and in my opinion why this is a great story is that simultaneously Hemingway is giving us true insight to who he was and what he had done in reflecting accuratly the attitudes of restrauntours, and bar keeps at closing time. I have been both, and I'll tell you the easiest way to cut someone off at closing is to demonize them first. People who have not worked in situations like this would not know it, but as many of you read this, if you have worked in a "Clean Well Lighted Place" then you know what I mean.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
The Cathedral
Great story that illustrates the only way to overcome prconceived notions on the perceived suffering of the handicapped is to spend time with them. I love the quote "The blind man had right away located his food" this was the beginning of acceptance and perceptual change for the antagonist as he seemed amazed that this could happen in the same instant he realized how ridiculous this sounded.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
"You've been crying?" he said to Hazel. "Yup" she said. "What about" he said "I forget" she said. "Something real sad on television" I first read this story thirty years ago and it scared the hell out of me then, and it still scares the hell out of me now. The commentary on life under an all controlling goverment is just as pertinant today as it was when "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. was written in 1961. The most telling commentary for me was the quote I have given in that it is true how quickly we as a people forget the tragedies of everyday life when we sit in front of a television that tells us what to think and when.
"The Lottery"
Geez, as I read this I swear heard the theme to the Twilight Zone. The black box in "The lottery" by Shirly Jackson is a symbol of dark mystery that in my psyche is never good; however the symbol of the lottery has alway represented something positive for me. The discription of the black box and what I supposed was its purpose, dispensation of the lottery, right away made suspicious of something I had viewed as positive, the lottery. These contrasting symbols made the story that much more intriguing and scary to me.
Freestyle Blog Entry Five
"What they Carried" by Tim O'Brian is a story about the day to day details of an average American combat soldier in Viet Nam. Starkly written, you indeed find out what the title implies, although you may not be ready for the reality of what a combat soldier carries. The most poinant part of this short story is the main charcters destruction of photos from his love interest back home. He blames himself and his attraction to this woman as the reason he was distracted when one of his men was killed. In an attempt to relieve his anguish and guilt he burns her letter and pictures vowing to never again let love come between he and his mission, to lead men combat.
Quote Response for Miss Brill
"Yes I have been an actress for a long time." This line gave me the impression that Miss Brill was in fact a loner who had not been an active part of society for a long time. Instead of real interaction with people, like an actor she wrapped herself in an insulating cacoon of a two dimentional character and acted a roll that could only belong to her as long as she wished to play it. At first I thought how lonely, but then I realized that it would be lonely to me, and I remembered the excitment she felt on many occasions for many different reasons, telling me that what appears to me a lonely way of life is actually a fullfilling life to her.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
Free Style
Freestyle! Reading Issue:
Availability to the homeless is an issue for me. I have an occasion to visit Portland Oregon now and again. When I do I always take the time to deliver old books and blankets to the homeless. You would not believe the reactions I get when I offer them a book. Keep in mind I usually visit Portland in the late fall right before the outset of winter so imagine my suprise when when it soon became apparent that the books were more popular than the blankets. I asked an old timer i have gotten to know over the years and he told me that blankets were a dime a dozen for homeless, but the escape offered by a good book. Well he left it at that, and I was smart enough to figure it out. I still take blankets, but the first thing I offer now is a good book.
Please make a used book donation to one of the Portland area shelters if you ever get a chance.
Availability to the homeless is an issue for me. I have an occasion to visit Portland Oregon now and again. When I do I always take the time to deliver old books and blankets to the homeless. You would not believe the reactions I get when I offer them a book. Keep in mind I usually visit Portland in the late fall right before the outset of winter so imagine my suprise when when it soon became apparent that the books were more popular than the blankets. I asked an old timer i have gotten to know over the years and he told me that blankets were a dime a dozen for homeless, but the escape offered by a good book. Well he left it at that, and I was smart enough to figure it out. I still take blankets, but the first thing I offer now is a good book.
Please make a used book donation to one of the Portland area shelters if you ever get a chance.
Quote Response:
"Most people sensibly assume that writng is propaganda" John Updike, from Writers on Writing.
The author opens a critique, with this quote, on the expected insight into an authors personal thought process, or interpertation of their work by readers. In a rambling parable he asks the real question which is why do you write.
When I read the fables and short stories I experianced the same emotions thousands of others who had read these stories before me had experianced themselves. Then I read John Updikes A & P and the stark reality of the writing was just another emotion. In all of these writngs this was the propaganda. From the stated moral of a fable or the hidden meaning of a parable or the extended message of a short story it is always the same, the writer is just propagandizing his emotions.
So I asked myself "why do I write?" The irony of this commentary by John Updike is that in the end he turns the questions of the reader back on themselves by writing in a somewhat confusing manner forcing the reader to ask "What was he thinking?
"Most people sensibly assume that writng is propaganda" John Updike, from Writers on Writing.
The author opens a critique, with this quote, on the expected insight into an authors personal thought process, or interpertation of their work by readers. In a rambling parable he asks the real question which is why do you write.
When I read the fables and short stories I experianced the same emotions thousands of others who had read these stories before me had experianced themselves. Then I read John Updikes A & P and the stark reality of the writing was just another emotion. In all of these writngs this was the propaganda. From the stated moral of a fable or the hidden meaning of a parable or the extended message of a short story it is always the same, the writer is just propagandizing his emotions.
So I asked myself "why do I write?" The irony of this commentary by John Updike is that in the end he turns the questions of the reader back on themselves by writing in a somewhat confusing manner forcing the reader to ask "What was he thinking?
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Holy Moly I am in.
Hello my name is Rob. I am a forty-four year old freshman who has worked as a laborer all my life. Last winter I had one of those life changing moments of bravery that ended with me enrolled as a student last spring. I am working towards a degree in social welfare. I love to read and I read alot. I read everything from technical manuals to the bible, comicbooks to the classics, science textbook to science fiction novels. In fact I enjoy just about any kind of reading there is, and often have more than one book being read at once.
I am married to my high school sweetheart and we have a twenty year old son we love very much. I enjoy every facet of life here in Eastern Oregon as I have for a better part of my life.
I am looking forward to this class both for the traditional English curriculam, and the technical computer applications such as this blog, which is a first for me. I will say that alll the reading i have done still did not keep me from making many mistakes both on the first quiz and setting up this blog.
I am married to my high school sweetheart and we have a twenty year old son we love very much. I enjoy every facet of life here in Eastern Oregon as I have for a better part of my life.
I am looking forward to this class both for the traditional English curriculam, and the technical computer applications such as this blog, which is a first for me. I will say that alll the reading i have done still did not keep me from making many mistakes both on the first quiz and setting up this blog.
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