Chapter 16
One of the most obvious cases of racism appears in this chapter with the character of Mrs. Turner, who is so obsessed with the white race she believes interracial marriage only causes more issues, as it produces more blacks, and thus society should work to "lighten up de race". The fact thatMrs. Turner is not fully white, makes her opinions all the more interesting. Later in the chapter, Tea Cake runs in to Mr. Turner, a sad looking man. Mr. Turner comments on his relationship with his wife, saying she "takes time fuh whatever she wants tuh do".
I thought this was interesting not only because of the switch of the usual male dominance and female subservience roles, but also because of its similarity to Janie's previous relationship with Jody. Although we only meet Mr. Turner for a short time, what do you think about Mr. and Mrs. Turner's relationship in comparison to Janie and Jody's? If you think of Their Eyes Were Watching God as a feminist novel, do you think this relationship plays any sort of role in that?
Chapter 17
In Chapter 17, Tea Cake beats Janie when he feels threatened by Mrs. Turner's brothers. This incident complicates our understanding of Tea Cake and Janie's relationship. Although Tea Cake is quick to pamper her afterwards, and Janie is quick to forgive him, the incident still lingers in our minds as we continue reading.
Why do you think Hurston included this scene in Their Eyes Were Watching God? Why do you think Janie is so passive about this incident?
Chapter 18
"They seemed to be staring at the dark, but their eyes were watching God."
Chapter 18 shows the climactic scene of the hurricane. The quotation above comes when Tea Cake, Janie, and Motor Boat are huddled together facing the monstrous hurricane. This scene shows that through human connections one is able to transcend the challenges of nature.
What kinds of challenges do you think Janie will be able to endure in the future as a result of surviving this hurricane with Tea Cake? On a somewhat unrelated note, what is your interpretation of the phrase "their eyes were watching God"? How does it relate to the novel as a whole? Why do you think Hurston chose it as her title?
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
White Boy -- Ch 5&6
In chapters 5 and 6 of White Boy, Richard explores a variety of subjects previously seen in the novel such as hunger, school, white people, and violence coming from various sources.
In these chapters, one of the main aspects of his learning that begins to deepen is his understanding of the relationship between white and black people.
(129-133) First, there is the newspaper job. Although it initially seems like an innocent and honest way to earn some money, Richard soon learns that the paper he is selling is teeming with racist articles advocating the ways of the infamous Ku Klux Klan. What I found interesting about this particular incident is that Richard is ashamed once he discovers what the newspaper suggests. Why do you think this, rather than mere shock, is his reaction?
(146-148) Next, Richard acquires his first few jobs actually working for white people, and it is there that he truly experiences the hostility between races. At his first job in the world of whites, he is fed stale food by a woman who then insults his ego by declaring, "[y]ou'll never be a writer." Her reaction is unsurprisingly ridden with disgust. His reaction is once again an interesting one. Rather than being appalled or upset, Richard is simply angered by her assault on his ego. Perhaps this reaction, which is directed toward the less important issue at hand, was simply due to the innocence of young Richard. The voice of older Richard then comes in with insight, stating that he was "too naive to think that there were many white people like that." To young Richard, this was simply a small section of the much larger white population. At his second job, Richard once again experiences the hostility of the white race. Differing from his first job, however, is Richard's reaction. It now becomes one of understanding as he begins to "learn the reality--a Negro's reality--of the white world." Something I found interesting about this part was Richard's reaction to the constant cursing and tension between the white people. Why do you think this is so peculiar to Richard? What about this environment captivates his interest in this behavior among the whites to the point where he is "always conscious of it"?
In these chapters, one of the main aspects of his learning that begins to deepen is his understanding of the relationship between white and black people.
(129-133) First, there is the newspaper job. Although it initially seems like an innocent and honest way to earn some money, Richard soon learns that the paper he is selling is teeming with racist articles advocating the ways of the infamous Ku Klux Klan. What I found interesting about this particular incident is that Richard is ashamed once he discovers what the newspaper suggests. Why do you think this, rather than mere shock, is his reaction?
(146-148) Next, Richard acquires his first few jobs actually working for white people, and it is there that he truly experiences the hostility between races. At his first job in the world of whites, he is fed stale food by a woman who then insults his ego by declaring, "[y]ou'll never be a writer." Her reaction is unsurprisingly ridden with disgust. His reaction is once again an interesting one. Rather than being appalled or upset, Richard is simply angered by her assault on his ego. Perhaps this reaction, which is directed toward the less important issue at hand, was simply due to the innocence of young Richard. The voice of older Richard then comes in with insight, stating that he was "too naive to think that there were many white people like that." To young Richard, this was simply a small section of the much larger white population. At his second job, Richard once again experiences the hostility of the white race. Differing from his first job, however, is Richard's reaction. It now becomes one of understanding as he begins to "learn the reality--a Negro's reality--of the white world." Something I found interesting about this part was Richard's reaction to the constant cursing and tension between the white people. Why do you think this is so peculiar to Richard? What about this environment captivates his interest in this behavior among the whites to the point where he is "always conscious of it"?
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Things Fall Apart CH. 21
In chapter 21, a connection to the novel’s title is further established as things begin to “fall apart” for Okonkwo. His obsession and meticulous planning of his glorious return to his native land falls short of his expectations when the clan fails to recognize his arrival. Why is it that Okonkwo’s return is not the source of great rejoicing among the people of Umuofia as he had expected? Is it simply the fact that they are too consumed with the recent permeation of the European customs in their clan or did Okonkwo’s previous actions lead to this lack of excitement over his arrival?
The parallels and contrasts of the Umuofian and European views on religion are also explored in this chapter. While Akunna attempts to establish a connection between the two religions by comparing Chukwu to God, Mr. Brown is quick to sever any ties between the two while remaining attentive. Soon after this conversation is finished, Mr. Brown is said to have “come to the conclusion that a frontal attack on [the religion] would not succeed”. Should we as the readers therefore come to the conclusion that the conversation was simply a religious war tactic by Mr. Brown? Is it possible that this somewhat intolerant exchange may be foreshadowing an ominous event in the following chapters?
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Things Fall Apart -- Ch. 4
"Even Okonkwo himself became very fond of the boy--inwardly of course." In chapter 4 of Things Fall Apart, Achebe uses the word "inwardly" several times to describe Okonkwo's emotions. The effect of this is a convoluted mixture of feelings. While we may still believe that Okonkwo is a cold, harsh man, the word "inwardly" forces us to take a second look at his character. “Inwardly" serves to expose another side of Okonkwo. The inward Okonkwo is repentant, understanding, and even kind. What other emotions might Okonkwo be feeling inwardly that he is unable to show due to his preconceived notions of the definition of weakness? Is Okonkwo truly satisfied with his life or is his pride in his hard earned success simply a mask that once removed would reveal a desire for the ability to openly express emotion?
Sunday, October 4, 2009
A Day in the Life of the Typical PCDS Senior
The alarm sounds at exactly 6:20 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; 7:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Today is a Friday, and without fail my alarm begins its daily ritual of singing at me at 6:20. The song that is attempting to wake me up is one from my middle school years, transforming the last few minutes of my dreams into some memory from those days and thus easing me into the school mindset. I work up enough energy to kick off my warm covers and sit up in my bed. I walk to my bathroom and look in the mirror: my hair is wildly messy and there is an attractive drool mark on my cheek. I splash some water on my face and brush my teeth, then proceed to dress myself and fix my hair. It is now 6:45 and I do not need to leave until 7:00; this is a record. I contemplate what it is that I will do for the next fifteen minutes and finally decide that I will take this time to indulge in the riveting task that is making my bed.
Fridays are all about the countdown to the end of the day. Every class ends up feeling endless.
The first couple classes of the day are a never-ending blur of boringness. The only thing that keeps me going is the thought that soon it will be lunch, and I will be faced with the always exciting mission of choosing where it is that I will eat on this fine day. Lunch approaches and we decide on AJ’s. I am disappointed. Half of the time we decide on AJ’s and I was hoping today would be one of those rare days where we decide to go somewhere new and exhilarating. On the bright side, the company of my friends always makes up for it.
It is now 12:10 and an inescapable dread swoops over us all. In a measly five minutes we will have to put away our phones and go back to the reality that is learning.
It’s the last class of the day. I can’t help but count the seconds until the class is over. How can I describe the last class of the day on a Friday? It is like watching the grass grow for fifty minutes. There is an air of restlessness among the students. On rare occasions, the topic of the day is enthralling enough to prevent me from keeping my eyes glued to the clock. Today is not one of those days. The last five minutes are the most painful. You find that you are so close to the end of the day that it ends up feeling like someone tampered with the clock and now one clock minute equals five real life minutes.
Finally, the bell rings and a stampede of students rush out to the quad. Clusters of students discuss the plans for that Friday afternoon. Me? I am just glad I will have two whole days of relaxation until next week’s routine starts.
Monday, September 14, 2009
the grass should always be greener on our side
Beyond the humorous exterior of Jim Hall’s Spiderman poem lies a deeper truth that we could all relate to. We all possess flaws that we would like to change, parts of ourselves that we consider imperfect and are often ashamed of. For some it is introversion, others impatience, arrogance, an argumentative nature, a lack of humor, the list goes on. Sometimes our flaws may even be considered something good by another’s standards but for some reason we have a tendency to look at the dark side of things. One way or another we find that the grass is greener on the other side; we find ourselves wishing that we possessed someone else's qualities that we do not have.
Locating your flaws is not something that is terribly difficult, but as I sat in my room reflecting on my imperfections I found the task of making them public rather difficult. Needless to say, the open nature of our English class blogs scared me away from writing honestly. As I mulled over what defect of mine could be credible yet not too personal to expose to around 59 curious students I came to a sudden realization: my worries over broadcasting my flaws to my peers was in itself my biggest limitation, my “fwame-wesistant suit” that I dream of burning. I feel that this “fwame-wesistant suit” is in one way or another shared by everyone out there. At the core of our insecurities is the desire to be able to flaunt our flaws proudly. Think about it--don't we all wish that we could let go of our doubts and expose ourselves to the world as we are? We all wish to be accepted and although we often believe that the easiest way to do so is to modify our personalities to conform to society’s standards, it is probably less complicated to be ourselves. Yes, there will be those people in your life that just cannot seem to get past the fact that you are a bit strange or lack the right kind of humor, but chances are you will find people who accept you for who you are and when it comes down to it, it is probably better if the people you hang out with could not care less that you like to sing loudly at school.
In conclusion, I believe that we should all attempt to wear our “fwame-wesistant suits” with confidence and pride. More often than not we cannot shed the integral pieces that create our characters, for they are our identities and make us who we are. Therefore, what we must learn to do instead is accept our defects and embody an attitude that says, “If you don’t like who I am, then I am certainly okay with that.”
Locating your flaws is not something that is terribly difficult, but as I sat in my room reflecting on my imperfections I found the task of making them public rather difficult. Needless to say, the open nature of our English class blogs scared me away from writing honestly. As I mulled over what defect of mine could be credible yet not too personal to expose to around 59 curious students I came to a sudden realization: my worries over broadcasting my flaws to my peers was in itself my biggest limitation, my “fwame-wesistant suit” that I dream of burning. I feel that this “fwame-wesistant suit” is in one way or another shared by everyone out there. At the core of our insecurities is the desire to be able to flaunt our flaws proudly. Think about it--don't we all wish that we could let go of our doubts and expose ourselves to the world as we are? We all wish to be accepted and although we often believe that the easiest way to do so is to modify our personalities to conform to society’s standards, it is probably less complicated to be ourselves. Yes, there will be those people in your life that just cannot seem to get past the fact that you are a bit strange or lack the right kind of humor, but chances are you will find people who accept you for who you are and when it comes down to it, it is probably better if the people you hang out with could not care less that you like to sing loudly at school.
In conclusion, I believe that we should all attempt to wear our “fwame-wesistant suits” with confidence and pride. More often than not we cannot shed the integral pieces that create our characters, for they are our identities and make us who we are. Therefore, what we must learn to do instead is accept our defects and embody an attitude that says, “If you don’t like who I am, then I am certainly okay with that.”
Monday, September 7, 2009
Antigone and the question of pride and
This past week in our English class we were asked to read the play Antigone by Sophocles. The play’s ultimate moral was what seemed to intrigue me the most, for I found it to be exceedingly important:
Before I could ponder the truth behind this statement, I contemplated Creon’s situation. Was Creon’s tragic flaw one of pride or simply skewed principles?
Upon thinking I found that Creon’s problem comes from a little bit of both those options, but weighs more heavily on his pride. I believe that Creon’s arrogance was fueled by his single minded nature, which saw only one alternative to ruling his kingdom. When his “my way or no way” method of ruling is defied by a woman, the claws come out and the instinct of pride takes over. His egotism hampers his ability to see the illogicality of his actions and thus brings the death of his son and wife, an event that finally cures Creon’s blindness towards reason. Although too late for actions, the tragic occurrence allows him to see his wrongdoings as well as shows the audience the toxicity of pride.
After analyzing the root of the problem, I considered its application to real life. How often do we see pride or skewed principles bring down people? Must we suffer in order to acquire wisdom? I came to the personal conclusion that pride is more often the source of downfall in plays than in life. This is not to say that pride is non-existing in real life but rather that we seldom see someone’s overly haughty nature become the downfall of them. Unfairly enough, excessive pride frequently goes unpunished. On the other hand, single mindedness when it comes to ruling is many times seen as the collapse of said ruler. In many but not all cases, the “bad guys” fall from power as a result of their oppressive laws. Consider if you will, Hitler. Although this may be a cliché example, Hitler can be seen as the quintessence of someone whose clearly inequitable laws eventually brought him down. As an answer to my second question, I think that suffering is not required for the process of obtaining wisdom, but is however often the case. We attain knowledge in many ways, but sometimes the more valuable pieces of wisdom come after some form of affliction. By affliction I don’t mean that death or utter desolation has to happen in order to gain from it. Even something as seemingly trivial in comparison such as getting caught doing something bad can teach us something valuable.
In the end I found Antigone to be an extremely thought provoking play whose morals can be applied in various situations.
“Wisdom is by far the greatest part of joy,
and reverence toward the gods must be safeguarded.
The mighty words of the proud are paid in full
with mighty blows of fate,
and at long last
those blows will teach us wisdom.”
and reverence toward the gods must be safeguarded.
The mighty words of the proud are paid in full
with mighty blows of fate,
and at long last
those blows will teach us wisdom.”
Before I could ponder the truth behind this statement, I contemplated Creon’s situation. Was Creon’s tragic flaw one of pride or simply skewed principles?
Upon thinking I found that Creon’s problem comes from a little bit of both those options, but weighs more heavily on his pride. I believe that Creon’s arrogance was fueled by his single minded nature, which saw only one alternative to ruling his kingdom. When his “my way or no way” method of ruling is defied by a woman, the claws come out and the instinct of pride takes over. His egotism hampers his ability to see the illogicality of his actions and thus brings the death of his son and wife, an event that finally cures Creon’s blindness towards reason. Although too late for actions, the tragic occurrence allows him to see his wrongdoings as well as shows the audience the toxicity of pride.
After analyzing the root of the problem, I considered its application to real life. How often do we see pride or skewed principles bring down people? Must we suffer in order to acquire wisdom? I came to the personal conclusion that pride is more often the source of downfall in plays than in life. This is not to say that pride is non-existing in real life but rather that we seldom see someone’s overly haughty nature become the downfall of them. Unfairly enough, excessive pride frequently goes unpunished. On the other hand, single mindedness when it comes to ruling is many times seen as the collapse of said ruler. In many but not all cases, the “bad guys” fall from power as a result of their oppressive laws. Consider if you will, Hitler. Although this may be a cliché example, Hitler can be seen as the quintessence of someone whose clearly inequitable laws eventually brought him down. As an answer to my second question, I think that suffering is not required for the process of obtaining wisdom, but is however often the case. We attain knowledge in many ways, but sometimes the more valuable pieces of wisdom come after some form of affliction. By affliction I don’t mean that death or utter desolation has to happen in order to gain from it. Even something as seemingly trivial in comparison such as getting caught doing something bad can teach us something valuable.
In the end I found Antigone to be an extremely thought provoking play whose morals can be applied in various situations.
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