“The girls looked like tall, exotic grazing animals …” (p. 75) Note: Women are being depicted as whores here yet again. Why must all of the females besides Molly or Linda be considered whores?
"Molly was snorting on the temperfoam….transparent cast ran from her knee to a few millimeters above her crotch…” (p.76) Note: The way that Case is looking at Molly almost brings her down to the ideology of a sexual object. From other scenes in our book, we know that Molly is a strong character. Why weaken a strong woman down to just a piece of meat?
“They sure as hell did shaft you boss.” (p. 79) Note: Case is lying down next to Molly when he acknowledges the fact that she is a woman but has the power of a boss. à Women can be in charge.
“Not enough sweetmeat.” (p. 84) Note: Finn was depicting strong, bossy Molly yet again as a thing rather than a person. Why must all these men always put poor Molly down? She plays a key role in this matrix/non-matrix reality.
“His name is Terzibashijan.” (p.85) Note: Up to this point in the book, many of the characters that are involved are just men. The only two women that were not background characters are Molly and Linda. At this point, Linda has already died, so it is a very male driven novel. The one strong woman in this novel, Molly, is what links all the guys together. Who would want to read a novel about all guys? Boring.
“In Turkey, women are still women” (p. 87) Note: Terzibashijan was referring to that fact that Turkish women play their “womanly” role in society. He finds it unusual that Molly doesn’t fit into this stereotype.
“You’re an asshole….I’ll kill you.” (p. 90) Note: Molly was upset at Terzibashijan for not having enough faith in her to finish the job. He made the move. He is just proving here that he believes that women are weak and need help from men.
“Can’t get off sexually unless he knows that he is betraying the object of desire.” (p.92) Note: This is discussing the fact that men objectify and use women for their own pleasure. If Riveria can’t get off without knowing that he is hurting them some way, obliviously he does not care about women, period.
“How about me….hike in the opposite direction.” (p. 125) Note: Molly was asking what she could do, and she was told to hike. Basically, they are representing the idea that women can’t do things like men can.
“Her leg seemed to be bothering her…” (p. 69) Note: Molly was experiencing pain but did not say anything. She is such a strong woman that she didn’t see any reason to complain about it. If she appears weak, she may not be accepted as a “strong player” in the man world of the Matrix.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
"The Chat" and "Night City"
The novel “Neuromancer” by William Gibson was a story written before the “matrix era.” I found it quite hard to read at the beginning. I found myself rereading a lot of the same passages to try and understand what was actually going on. From what I have read so far, I have been introduced to the following characters: Case, Linda, Lonny, Wage, Julie, and Ratz. From what I understand, the novel is going to be based around the main character Case. Case is an illegal dealer who is addicted to acetaminophens.
I noticed that Gibson uses a lot of imagery to help breakdown the settings in each scene. In the first few pages of the novel, he depicts a place called “The Chatsubu” or “The Chat” for short. It is a bar that Case visits often. Ratz is the bartender at this bar. This bar represents a starting, central point for the novel. Immediately following a conversation that Ratz had with Case, it goes into detail about who Case used to be.
In this beginning passage with Ratz and Case, Gibson describes Ratz as an “ugly bartender.” Through the dialogue in this scene, you could already tell that Ratz would be an important informer in the novel. Most bartenders have that “awareness” aspect to them. I see “The Chat” as being a source of where information is given. Case lives in this odd world where strange things happen. I believe “The Chat” will be a major reference point in the novel.
A few pages later, the novel describes the idea of “Night City.” From what I have read, “Night City” is the world in which people do illegal selling of things. It is a type of black market. If you did not do what you should, you could have to deal with the consequences of obstructing the layout of the market. The whole idea of “Night City” is very hard for me to grasp. I do not know if it is actually a city or whether it is just a word used to represent the “black market culture.” I do not know if this has anything to do with idea of the matrix yet, but I have a feeling it does. The way that “Night City” has been depicted so far gives me a vague image of what it truly represents. Hopefully, later in the novel I will get a better idea of what “Night City” truly is.
I noticed that Gibson uses a lot of imagery to help breakdown the settings in each scene. In the first few pages of the novel, he depicts a place called “The Chatsubu” or “The Chat” for short. It is a bar that Case visits often. Ratz is the bartender at this bar. This bar represents a starting, central point for the novel. Immediately following a conversation that Ratz had with Case, it goes into detail about who Case used to be.
In this beginning passage with Ratz and Case, Gibson describes Ratz as an “ugly bartender.” Through the dialogue in this scene, you could already tell that Ratz would be an important informer in the novel. Most bartenders have that “awareness” aspect to them. I see “The Chat” as being a source of where information is given. Case lives in this odd world where strange things happen. I believe “The Chat” will be a major reference point in the novel.
A few pages later, the novel describes the idea of “Night City.” From what I have read, “Night City” is the world in which people do illegal selling of things. It is a type of black market. If you did not do what you should, you could have to deal with the consequences of obstructing the layout of the market. The whole idea of “Night City” is very hard for me to grasp. I do not know if it is actually a city or whether it is just a word used to represent the “black market culture.” I do not know if this has anything to do with idea of the matrix yet, but I have a feeling it does. The way that “Night City” has been depicted so far gives me a vague image of what it truly represents. Hopefully, later in the novel I will get a better idea of what “Night City” truly is.
Monday, April 27, 2009
mortality
Imagine yourself leading a normal, healthy life. Then, all of a sudden, one day you become bed ridden with some unknown, deadly disease. Should you accept the fact that you are dying and that it is your time to go, or should you try to fight your way to recovery even though the disease will end up killing you soon enough? William Shakespeare’s “That time of year thou mayst in me behold” and Dylan Thomas’ “Do not go gentle into that good night” discuss this very idea. Death has been around since the beginning of time. It is a natural part of the life cycle, in which we will all experience. The big question that comes to mind is whether or not one can accept the idea of death. Shakespeare and Thomas had opposing ideas on the subject.
William Shakespeare and Dylan Thomas lived in opposite times and had different artistic outlooks on writing. William Shakespeare was alive during the mid-1500’s through the early 1600’s. He wrote plays, sonnets, poems, and narratives. He was married young and was very involved in theater. Some of his sonnets suggested that he may have had more feelings for men than for women. He died with an unknown cause in 1616.
On the other hand, Dylan Thomas was alive during the early to mid- 1900s. He wrote poems, scripts for films and movies, and narratives. Dylan had three children and was an alcoholic. He was well known for his somewhat “lyrical” writing. Although both men grew up in two completely separate worlds, each of their individual problems in life influenced their writings. Both William Shakespeare’s “That time of year thou mayst in me behold” and Dylan Thomas’s “Do not go gentle into that good night” discussed the idea of mortality in a different light. Their contrasts into the way in which people should respond to death were polar opposites. The idea of mortality is a controversial issue that has affected the way that people approach the idea. The two poems toyed with the idea that death was inevitable. Since death is inevitable, one must understand that dealing with death is inevitable, too. Death is a natural part of life and should be treated as so. When it is a person’s time to pass on, the choice of how and when they die lies with them.
Beginning with the fundamentals, William Shakespeare’s “That time of year thou mayst in me behold” and Dylan Thomas’ “Do not go gentle into that good night” both exemplify the fact that death is a natural, reoccurring part of the life cycle. In Shakespeare’s sonnet, he uses the nature of seasons to help illustrate how death will eventually affect an individual. He describes the fall season as being delicate and beautiful but natural. Over the fall season, leaves slowly fall off of the branch one by one, until eventually one day they are all gone. At one point in time, the branches had been full of life, but the liveliness does not last forever. Shakespeare uses this seasonal metaphor to describe the effects of death. In the second part of his sonnet, he brings together the whole idea of how fall and death are interrelated. The sonnet uses words such as “expire” of “the glowing fire.” He describes the “the glowing of fire” burning away into “ashes.” What he really means is that slowly you die and you’re once liveliness fades away. In the last two lines of the sonnet, he wraps up the comparison by saying that life must eventually end.
Thomas, on the other hand, used nature as something to fight against. His villanelle format helped emphasize the main points he was trying to make. In each stanza, he describes different way in which men respond to the fact that they are dying. He repeatedly described different types of men: grave, wise, wild, and good. Each type of man handled death differently. The “grave men” go into the falling night of war. The “wise men” fought against their death even though they knew it was their time to go. The “wild men” knew their death was coming, but they did not think about it. Those men just went on their merry way. The “good men” say goodbye to all of the good they have done in their lives. Thomas wraps up the villanelle by comparing men to a father figure. He ends the villanelle in begging his dad to fight against the light and stay with him. He wants him to struggle and fight against, so that he can have more time.
The two different approaches to mortality cause confrontation to whether death should be perceived as a natural process or something to avoid. The fact of the matter is that different cultures and societies react to death differently. A very sensitive issue in people of today is idea of Euthanasia. Euthanasia is a term used to describe the process of physicians helping assist people who are dying painful deaths; the physician’s hope is to add comfort to their passing. The reason it is being discussed today is because it brings up the moral matter of whether death should be a natural process or that it should be chosen. Euthanasia’s biggest problem is the fact that not all of the people that are treated gave their consent.
The inadequacy to prove whether a Euthanasia death is morally acceptable is still around today. Unfortunately, people such as Terri Shiavo still have to deal with the consequences of this ongoing debate. Terri Shiavo was a woman from Florida who had been brain-damaged for years. She had been bed ridden for years but was still alive due to feeding tube that was inserted into her body. Her husband finally won his case in March of 2005 to take his wife off of her feeding tube. He believed that she had the right to die. However, her family believed that she would eventually recover from her vegetable state. The problem with the morality of this case is that Mrs. Shiavo had not agreed to being taken off of her life support. Shakespeare’s idea of death would have supported such an idea because he believed that death should occur naturally. Thomas would have agreed with Mrs. Shiavo’s family because he did not believe one should give into death. All we can do in such cases is hope that other individuals in certain predicaments do not have struggle with the same issues that Mrs. Shiavo had to. Death is here and is, and always will be, part of nature.
Even though both of the poems discussed the idea of mortality, they both presented issues that will never be resolved because of the fact that many people’s individual beliefs, religious beliefs, or personal ties to death will influence how they feel about the issue. Shakespeare’s sonnet describes the process of dying as something pleasant and peaceful. Thomas’ villanelle describes death as something to “rage against.” Death will continue to occur no matter how people about it. Whether death is peaceful or painful process, one should let nature takes its course and give in to the inevitable.
William Shakespeare and Dylan Thomas lived in opposite times and had different artistic outlooks on writing. William Shakespeare was alive during the mid-1500’s through the early 1600’s. He wrote plays, sonnets, poems, and narratives. He was married young and was very involved in theater. Some of his sonnets suggested that he may have had more feelings for men than for women. He died with an unknown cause in 1616.
On the other hand, Dylan Thomas was alive during the early to mid- 1900s. He wrote poems, scripts for films and movies, and narratives. Dylan had three children and was an alcoholic. He was well known for his somewhat “lyrical” writing. Although both men grew up in two completely separate worlds, each of their individual problems in life influenced their writings. Both William Shakespeare’s “That time of year thou mayst in me behold” and Dylan Thomas’s “Do not go gentle into that good night” discussed the idea of mortality in a different light. Their contrasts into the way in which people should respond to death were polar opposites. The idea of mortality is a controversial issue that has affected the way that people approach the idea. The two poems toyed with the idea that death was inevitable. Since death is inevitable, one must understand that dealing with death is inevitable, too. Death is a natural part of life and should be treated as so. When it is a person’s time to pass on, the choice of how and when they die lies with them.
Beginning with the fundamentals, William Shakespeare’s “That time of year thou mayst in me behold” and Dylan Thomas’ “Do not go gentle into that good night” both exemplify the fact that death is a natural, reoccurring part of the life cycle. In Shakespeare’s sonnet, he uses the nature of seasons to help illustrate how death will eventually affect an individual. He describes the fall season as being delicate and beautiful but natural. Over the fall season, leaves slowly fall off of the branch one by one, until eventually one day they are all gone. At one point in time, the branches had been full of life, but the liveliness does not last forever. Shakespeare uses this seasonal metaphor to describe the effects of death. In the second part of his sonnet, he brings together the whole idea of how fall and death are interrelated. The sonnet uses words such as “expire” of “the glowing fire.” He describes the “the glowing of fire” burning away into “ashes.” What he really means is that slowly you die and you’re once liveliness fades away. In the last two lines of the sonnet, he wraps up the comparison by saying that life must eventually end.
Thomas, on the other hand, used nature as something to fight against. His villanelle format helped emphasize the main points he was trying to make. In each stanza, he describes different way in which men respond to the fact that they are dying. He repeatedly described different types of men: grave, wise, wild, and good. Each type of man handled death differently. The “grave men” go into the falling night of war. The “wise men” fought against their death even though they knew it was their time to go. The “wild men” knew their death was coming, but they did not think about it. Those men just went on their merry way. The “good men” say goodbye to all of the good they have done in their lives. Thomas wraps up the villanelle by comparing men to a father figure. He ends the villanelle in begging his dad to fight against the light and stay with him. He wants him to struggle and fight against, so that he can have more time.
The two different approaches to mortality cause confrontation to whether death should be perceived as a natural process or something to avoid. The fact of the matter is that different cultures and societies react to death differently. A very sensitive issue in people of today is idea of Euthanasia. Euthanasia is a term used to describe the process of physicians helping assist people who are dying painful deaths; the physician’s hope is to add comfort to their passing. The reason it is being discussed today is because it brings up the moral matter of whether death should be a natural process or that it should be chosen. Euthanasia’s biggest problem is the fact that not all of the people that are treated gave their consent.
The inadequacy to prove whether a Euthanasia death is morally acceptable is still around today. Unfortunately, people such as Terri Shiavo still have to deal with the consequences of this ongoing debate. Terri Shiavo was a woman from Florida who had been brain-damaged for years. She had been bed ridden for years but was still alive due to feeding tube that was inserted into her body. Her husband finally won his case in March of 2005 to take his wife off of her feeding tube. He believed that she had the right to die. However, her family believed that she would eventually recover from her vegetable state. The problem with the morality of this case is that Mrs. Shiavo had not agreed to being taken off of her life support. Shakespeare’s idea of death would have supported such an idea because he believed that death should occur naturally. Thomas would have agreed with Mrs. Shiavo’s family because he did not believe one should give into death. All we can do in such cases is hope that other individuals in certain predicaments do not have struggle with the same issues that Mrs. Shiavo had to. Death is here and is, and always will be, part of nature.
Even though both of the poems discussed the idea of mortality, they both presented issues that will never be resolved because of the fact that many people’s individual beliefs, religious beliefs, or personal ties to death will influence how they feel about the issue. Shakespeare’s sonnet describes the process of dying as something pleasant and peaceful. Thomas’ villanelle describes death as something to “rage against.” Death will continue to occur no matter how people about it. Whether death is peaceful or painful process, one should let nature takes its course and give in to the inevitable.
Monday, April 20, 2009
mortality
William Shakespeare’s “That time of year thou mayst in me behold” and Dylan Thomas’s “Do not go gentle into that good night” both discuss the issue of death and mortality. While both poems discuss this theme, they both approach the subject in a different manner. “That time of year thou mayst in me behold” portrays death as a natural, peaceful process of the life cycle. In contrast to this approach, “Do not go gentle into that good night” discusses the idea that death is a struggle, and you should fight against it.
“That time of year thou mayst in me behold” is a sonnet that was written in the 1500’s by the very famous Mr. William Shakespeare. In lines 1-6 of the sonnet, Shakespeare compares death to nature. He describes the fall season as being delicate and beautiful but natural. Over the fall season, leaves slowly fall off of the branch one by one, until eventually one day they are all gone. At one point in time, the branches had been full of life, but the liveliness . Shakespeare uses this seasonal metaphor to describe the effects of death.
In the second part of his sonnet, he brings together the whole idea of how fall and death are interrelated. The sonnet uses words such as “expire” of “the glowing fire.” He describes the “the glowing of fire” burning away into “ashes.” What he really means is that slowly you die and your once liveliness fades away. In the last two lines of the sonnet, he wraps up the comparison by saying that life must eventually end.
Dylan Thomas’ villanelle “Do not go gentle into that good night” takes an opposite approach to death. The format of his poem helped emphasize the main points that he was trying to make. He repeatedly described different types of men: grave, wise, wild, and good. Each type of man handled death differently. The “grave men” go into the falling night of war. The “wise men” fought against their death even though they knew it was their time to go. The “wild men” knew their death was coming, but they did not think about it. Those men just went on their very way. The “good men” say goodbye to all of the good they have done in their lives. Thomas wraps up the villanelle by comparing men to a father figure. He ends the villanelle in begging his dad to fight against the light and stay with him. He wants him to struggle, so that he can have more time.
Even though both of the poems discuss the same idea, they are written differently and talk about different ways of approaching the idea of death and mortality. You can look at death as either a natural part of life cycle. In contrast, you can think of morality as something you never want to come. You can think of life as something you want to hold on to and never let go. Death could take this away from you.
to be continued....
“That time of year thou mayst in me behold” is a sonnet that was written in the 1500’s by the very famous Mr. William Shakespeare. In lines 1-6 of the sonnet, Shakespeare compares death to nature. He describes the fall season as being delicate and beautiful but natural. Over the fall season, leaves slowly fall off of the branch one by one, until eventually one day they are all gone. At one point in time, the branches had been full of life, but the liveliness . Shakespeare uses this seasonal metaphor to describe the effects of death.
In the second part of his sonnet, he brings together the whole idea of how fall and death are interrelated. The sonnet uses words such as “expire” of “the glowing fire.” He describes the “the glowing of fire” burning away into “ashes.” What he really means is that slowly you die and your once liveliness fades away. In the last two lines of the sonnet, he wraps up the comparison by saying that life must eventually end.
Dylan Thomas’ villanelle “Do not go gentle into that good night” takes an opposite approach to death. The format of his poem helped emphasize the main points that he was trying to make. He repeatedly described different types of men: grave, wise, wild, and good. Each type of man handled death differently. The “grave men” go into the falling night of war. The “wise men” fought against their death even though they knew it was their time to go. The “wild men” knew their death was coming, but they did not think about it. Those men just went on their very way. The “good men” say goodbye to all of the good they have done in their lives. Thomas wraps up the villanelle by comparing men to a father figure. He ends the villanelle in begging his dad to fight against the light and stay with him. He wants him to struggle, so that he can have more time.
Even though both of the poems discuss the same idea, they are written differently and talk about different ways of approaching the idea of death and mortality. You can look at death as either a natural part of life cycle. In contrast, you can think of morality as something you never want to come. You can think of life as something you want to hold on to and never let go. Death could take this away from you.
to be continued....
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Bruce Wayne
I personally loved the poem that we read: “The Other Universe of Bruce Wayne” by Bucky Sinister. It took me a minute to try and remember who Bruce Wayne was, but then I realized that it was a poem about Batman. Well, the poem was not really about Batman. It was more about the reality of the superficial superhero’s life. The fictional character of Batman was a hero that many people looked up to. He saved people’s lives, had luck in love, and in a way, appeared to have a pretty good life. In reality, “Bruce Wayne” is not Batman. Batman is just an example of a fantasy life of a hero.
It was interesting how Sinister used a character such as Batman to illustrate a comparison of a pop culture fictional hero versus a real life hero. In the poem, Sinister describes Bruce Wayne as “an alcoholic who smoked and had a rough love life.” He was a hero that really, deep down did not have such a great, happy life. The whole pop culture fictionalizes the whole reality of hero’s lives. They make being a hero seem, in a way, easy and enjoying. They don’t take the time to truly dig down into the truth behind their heroism. In my eyes, veterans are an example of true heroes.
Soldiers show their heroism through bravery, risk, suffering, and hardship. Their lives are changed and affected by war forever. When they are away on military missions, their families are affected, as well as their marriages and/or relationships. They see a lot of hard things and have deal with them, all while still pushing on. After their tour in the military ends, they are stuck dealing with the consequences of their bravery. They deal with depression, anxiety, stress, and nightmares. It’s a hard path to follow, but they still stick to it; this is in fact, what makes them so heroic.
Sinister points this out in his poem. He depicts this hero “Bruce Wayne” as a man who has many hardships. In an ideal world, he would not have to deal with all of the realities of being a hero. Unfortunately, “Bruce” has to deal with his problems like everyone else. He has to deal with his stress someway, and he does it through smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol.
Sinister’s use of “Bruce Wayne” greatly increased the effect of this poem. It gave you a recognizable comparison of a well-known hero to an everyday hero. The poem talks about the differences of the two different worlds, fantasy versus reality. The recognizable character made the poem easier to understand. Poems like this engage me more than other poems that just talk about people in general because it is easier to relate to. The more I relate to a poem, the more I enjoy it and the better I understand it. For example, “Diving into the Wreck” by Adrienne Rich took on such a broad discussion of women in general, whereas “The Other Universe of Bruce Wayne” seemed to be more focused on a select group of people. The upside to this focus, is that people, such as I, will get more out of the poem, and it will effect us more.
The literary meaning behind this poem is not affected by the pop culture aspect. A poem is supposed to generate a point or idea for the reader’s to try and figure it out, and “The Other Universe of Bruce Wayne” follows this guideline. The poem’s structural content makes it more appealing for a wider variety of audiences. More people are likely to read this poem and enjoy it, rather than some confusing Shakespeare sonnet, (No offense. Shakespeare is and always will be a legend). I believe the more people you can get interested in reading poetry, the better. Way to go Sinister!
It was interesting how Sinister used a character such as Batman to illustrate a comparison of a pop culture fictional hero versus a real life hero. In the poem, Sinister describes Bruce Wayne as “an alcoholic who smoked and had a rough love life.” He was a hero that really, deep down did not have such a great, happy life. The whole pop culture fictionalizes the whole reality of hero’s lives. They make being a hero seem, in a way, easy and enjoying. They don’t take the time to truly dig down into the truth behind their heroism. In my eyes, veterans are an example of true heroes.
Soldiers show their heroism through bravery, risk, suffering, and hardship. Their lives are changed and affected by war forever. When they are away on military missions, their families are affected, as well as their marriages and/or relationships. They see a lot of hard things and have deal with them, all while still pushing on. After their tour in the military ends, they are stuck dealing with the consequences of their bravery. They deal with depression, anxiety, stress, and nightmares. It’s a hard path to follow, but they still stick to it; this is in fact, what makes them so heroic.
Sinister points this out in his poem. He depicts this hero “Bruce Wayne” as a man who has many hardships. In an ideal world, he would not have to deal with all of the realities of being a hero. Unfortunately, “Bruce” has to deal with his problems like everyone else. He has to deal with his stress someway, and he does it through smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol.
Sinister’s use of “Bruce Wayne” greatly increased the effect of this poem. It gave you a recognizable comparison of a well-known hero to an everyday hero. The poem talks about the differences of the two different worlds, fantasy versus reality. The recognizable character made the poem easier to understand. Poems like this engage me more than other poems that just talk about people in general because it is easier to relate to. The more I relate to a poem, the more I enjoy it and the better I understand it. For example, “Diving into the Wreck” by Adrienne Rich took on such a broad discussion of women in general, whereas “The Other Universe of Bruce Wayne” seemed to be more focused on a select group of people. The upside to this focus, is that people, such as I, will get more out of the poem, and it will effect us more.
The literary meaning behind this poem is not affected by the pop culture aspect. A poem is supposed to generate a point or idea for the reader’s to try and figure it out, and “The Other Universe of Bruce Wayne” follows this guideline. The poem’s structural content makes it more appealing for a wider variety of audiences. More people are likely to read this poem and enjoy it, rather than some confusing Shakespeare sonnet, (No offense. Shakespeare is and always will be a legend). I believe the more people you can get interested in reading poetry, the better. Way to go Sinister!
Selfish Tink
Selfish Tink
Hypnotizing people with her magic spell,
Was a tiny, little fairy that was not always fair;
For she was Peter Pan’s one and only Tinkerbell.
Was a tiny, little fairy that was not always fair;
For she was Peter Pan’s one and only Tinkerbell.
She looked like a little belle,
Always flying through the air;
Hypnotizing people with her magic spell.
Always flying through the air;
Hypnotizing people with her magic spell.
Peter Pan thought she was swell,
But poor little Wendy got Tink’s evil glare;
For she was Peter Pan’s one and only Tinkerbell.
But poor little Wendy got Tink’s evil glare;
For she was Peter Pan’s one and only Tinkerbell.
At first, Wendy couldn’t tell,
That tricky Tink wanted to give her a scare;
Hypnotizing people with her magic spell.
That tricky Tink wanted to give her a scare;
Hypnotizing people with her magic spell.
When Wendy went to fly, she fell,
Sneaky ol’ Tink did not care;
Sneaky ol’ Tink did not care;
For she was Peter Pan’s one and only Tinkerbell.
Eventually, little Tink’s actions did not work so well,
Peter Pan liked Wendy, and they became a pair;
Hypnotizing people with her magic spell,
For she was Peter Pan’s one and only Tinkerbell.
Peter Pan liked Wendy, and they became a pair;
Hypnotizing people with her magic spell,
For she was Peter Pan’s one and only Tinkerbell.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Happiness
Emily Dickson’s “I dwell in possibility” is filled with of symbolism. In order to understand this poem, I had to use a dictionary to help me break down each word. By doing this, the poem started to make sense to me. The poem discusses the idea of the many ways you can achieve happiness in life. You have to break each stanza down and then see how they all related.
In the first line of the poem, the idea is pretty clear: “I dwell in Possibility.” It means that “you sit and wonder of how things could be .” Then, there is a pause. The second line says, “A fairer House that Prose.” From my understanding of the word prose, it means “ordinary or dull,” (http://www.m-w.com/). What I believe Dickinson was trying to say, is that there is a better or more “promising” direction in which you can take in your “ordinary” life , (http://www.m-w.com/). The dashes following this line indicate a link to the next line. The next line translates to mean: “Down each path you can take, you can see the predict the ending result.” The last line of this stanza is linked to the previous line. The word “superior” is describing the fact that the ending result of each path that you take can be overlooked by the appealing aspect of each path.
In the second stanza, the last part of fourth line is linked to this line. “the doors” is described by the “of chambers as the cedars.” It describes the fact that “the doors” represent the constriction of each path you can take. Line five states that “some things may seem unconquerable,” (http://www.m-w.com/). Between lines two and three, there is a pause. The last two lines of the stanza role right along with each other. A “gambrel roof” is one that is very “steep and dangerous,” (http://www.m-w.com/). The second half of the stanza states that “there are many instances in which things can come at you really fast.” Then, there is a pause until the last stanza.
Line nine of the third stanza contains the word “fairest,” which relates to the word “fairer” in line two of the first stanza. This time “fairest” is describing the many people you will meet along your journey to happiness. In the last part of this stanza, it says, “For Occupation —This—The spreading wide my narrow Hands to Gather Paradise--.” This quote describes the idea that “every decision you make will affect your ability to achieve happiness.’
Throughout this poem, as I am sure you have noticed, there are many dashes. These dashes help break up the poem in such a way that makes the poem easy to understand. Dickinson uses each dash to either “relate ideas” or to emphasize each thought. The layout of her poem supports the breakdown of the moral behind her poem. All together both the dashes and layout of her poem add to its meaning.
In the first line of the poem, the idea is pretty clear: “I dwell in Possibility.” It means that “you sit and wonder of how things could be .” Then, there is a pause. The second line says, “A fairer House that Prose.” From my understanding of the word prose, it means “ordinary or dull,” (http://www.m-w.com/). What I believe Dickinson was trying to say, is that there is a better or more “promising” direction in which you can take in your “ordinary” life , (http://www.m-w.com/). The dashes following this line indicate a link to the next line. The next line translates to mean: “Down each path you can take, you can see the predict the ending result.” The last line of this stanza is linked to the previous line. The word “superior” is describing the fact that the ending result of each path that you take can be overlooked by the appealing aspect of each path.
In the second stanza, the last part of fourth line is linked to this line. “the doors” is described by the “of chambers as the cedars.” It describes the fact that “the doors” represent the constriction of each path you can take. Line five states that “some things may seem unconquerable,” (http://www.m-w.com/). Between lines two and three, there is a pause. The last two lines of the stanza role right along with each other. A “gambrel roof” is one that is very “steep and dangerous,” (http://www.m-w.com/). The second half of the stanza states that “there are many instances in which things can come at you really fast.” Then, there is a pause until the last stanza.
Line nine of the third stanza contains the word “fairest,” which relates to the word “fairer” in line two of the first stanza. This time “fairest” is describing the many people you will meet along your journey to happiness. In the last part of this stanza, it says, “For Occupation —This—The spreading wide my narrow Hands to Gather Paradise--.” This quote describes the idea that “every decision you make will affect your ability to achieve happiness.’
Throughout this poem, as I am sure you have noticed, there are many dashes. These dashes help break up the poem in such a way that makes the poem easy to understand. Dickinson uses each dash to either “relate ideas” or to emphasize each thought. The layout of her poem supports the breakdown of the moral behind her poem. All together both the dashes and layout of her poem add to its meaning.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Brave Young Boy
The poem that stuck out to me most was “Casabianca” by Felicia Hemans. It was about a boy who had died on board a ship during a “Battle of the Nile.” Though he was young, he fought until the very end. In the poem, it says, “The flame that lit the battle’s wreck shone round him o’er the deck.” You could just picture this innocent boy just standing on the deck in the middle of this huge fire. Then, it goes on to say that he began “calling out to his father to ask if he should go or stay.” This boy must have gone through so much agony trying to decide what he should do. Should he die as a loyal soldier or try and save his own life? He decided then to stay. The poem described his death as “being under a flag” and that what “perished there was a young faithful heart.” The imagery stayed constant throughout the poem. Time just progressed, as did the fire. The most prominent image to me was the one of the boy dying under the flag. I could just picture him dying a painful death but being at peace with it.
There is a part in this poem that really stands out. It says, “Upon his brow he felt their breath, and in his waving hair, and looked from that lone post of death, in still yet brave despair.” This quote is describing how the boy stood during this certain point in time. The deck of the ship was on fire. He was trying to figure out what his father would do but still trying to stay strong. As the fire was gradually getting worse, he started to realize that he was facing his death. He was trying to put on a brave front because he knew what he was doing was right, but with such a stressful situation, he feels hopeless. The only way to go out of this battle right was to die.
Two stanzas after this quote it says, “They wrapt the ship in splendour wild, they caught the flag on high, and streamed above the galland child, like banners in the sky.” This description of the fire was somewhat gloomy but yet not completely terrible. Yes, the fire was closing in on this poor boy, but like the flag, the boy stood strong. It made me think of the many soldiers that died for the American flag. I could just picture this boy, like those soldiers, dying with pride and for his country. He was there and fought for what he believed in and never once backed down. This flag represented the pride, glory, and bravery of this young boy. I find it astounding that such a young boy could die such an inspiring death.
There is a part in this poem that really stands out. It says, “Upon his brow he felt their breath, and in his waving hair, and looked from that lone post of death, in still yet brave despair.” This quote is describing how the boy stood during this certain point in time. The deck of the ship was on fire. He was trying to figure out what his father would do but still trying to stay strong. As the fire was gradually getting worse, he started to realize that he was facing his death. He was trying to put on a brave front because he knew what he was doing was right, but with such a stressful situation, he feels hopeless. The only way to go out of this battle right was to die.
Two stanzas after this quote it says, “They wrapt the ship in splendour wild, they caught the flag on high, and streamed above the galland child, like banners in the sky.” This description of the fire was somewhat gloomy but yet not completely terrible. Yes, the fire was closing in on this poor boy, but like the flag, the boy stood strong. It made me think of the many soldiers that died for the American flag. I could just picture this boy, like those soldiers, dying with pride and for his country. He was there and fought for what he believed in and never once backed down. This flag represented the pride, glory, and bravery of this young boy. I find it astounding that such a young boy could die such an inspiring death.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Laughter makes people better.
I had a very difficult time coming up with a name for my blog because I couldn’t find a name that I thought was appropriate. In search of my title, I decided that a quote would probably be my best bet. I read through hundreds of quotes from various places, but none of the quotes seemed to connect with me. As I was searching through famous quotes from movies, I came across this old saying: “Laughter is the best medicine.” I found this quote while reviewing quotes from the movie Patch Adams. Patch Adams is one of my favorite movies of all time because it was very inspirational. When I was younger, around 4th grade or so, I decided that I wanted to help others in my career. I thought about all of my options, but the idea that kept coming back to me was becoming a doctor. At that time in my life, I had an excellent pediatric cardiologist named Dr. Avasarala. Through the many hardships that I encountered with my heart condition, he always made me smile. He walked me through the whole process of realizing what condition I had, how to treat it, and showed me a way to cure it. I ended up getting a heart surgery called an ablation, which made my heart condition go away. From day one, he made me feel comfortable. He treated me as if I was normal 9 year old. I will never forget him because of that. This is the doctor that influenced me into wanting to become a special type of doctor: a pediatrician. Being a pediatrician has been my dream since meeting him. I didn’t see the movie Patch Adams until I was in the 6th grade. This movie not only encouraged me to want to become a doctor, but it also encouraged me to become a great doctor. I wanted to make the kids laugh like Patch did. I wanted to take an interest in my patients and really get to know them. The movie taught me not all doctors are practicing medicine for the right reason. Some doctors are just in medicine for the money. I think that this is terrible, and I believe that every doctor should have a little bit of Patch in them. As I am quite sure you know, the movie Patch Adams was based upon the story of a doctor named Hunter Patch Adams. This man lived to make people happy. He took a vested interest in his patients and helped each and every one of them with all that he could. He believed that laughter is a form of medicine. If you can make somebody smile, you can help improve their quality of life. Improving quality of life is what a doctor should do. Whether through drugs, surgery, or laughter, a doctor should always aim to achieve this goal. I chose this quote because I believe that laughter is a key essential to making people happy and healthy. Medicine is not just drugs; it is the practice of helping make people better. The more you make them laugh, the happier you’ll both be.
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