As I finished The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, I realized that Arnold is the perfect example of the commonly used phrase and awesome song 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.' And that is also the moral of the story, I think, that no matter what life throws at you it's always worth it to keep going. I chose some examples of this moral and the phrase in the book and analyzed them below.
Arnold has a terrible home life. Everyone in his family loves him, but sometimes that isn't enough. Both of his parents are alcoholics so he doesn't always receive the sober attention he needs. And this sounds awful, and it is, but it also might have given Arnold an advantage. He learned to be independent to some degree and not have to rely on his parents all the time, like most kids his age.
He's hydrocephalic which means he was born with "water on the brain" and that he's constantly at risk of seizures. However this means Arnold will learn to always be prepared in case of emergency, and that will definitely help him to survive on his reservation when people die every day. Even if other people can't hand Arnold the tools, he will create makeshift ones because he's a survivor.
He has only one friend on the Spokane reservation on which everyone is poor and drunk and starving, named Rowdy. He learns next to nothing in school. So his life isn't peachy. But Arnold uses all the anger and passion at his wreck of a life to push him further and to strive in his new school outside of the reservation. He managed to not just survive but thrive because he had a drive. (Sorry, I couldn't help it.) nd he only started at his new school because his teacher realized he hadn't given up on his life. All the other kids felt only acceptance of the horrible life sure to be ahead of them.
Not Arnold, though. He's a survivor, he's not gonna give up, he's gonna work harder. (This post has a lot of opportunities...)
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
The Absolutely Opinionated Entry of a Part-Time Blogger
I chose The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie as my coming-of-age book. There are a lot of identity crises involved in the life of Native American main character Arnold. Now that I'm halfway through, and I've made inferences and observations about what makes Arnold tick, I'm ready to type them up and share them with you.
Arnold starts of unlike most characters in coming of age books. Most characters are too ignorant of the world, and need to know that bad things do happen in it. By the falling action, they've witnessed or learned about some horrific act of violence or moral void. Then they strive to go on living their lives, processing that information and dealing with it. In this, they start to mature and become adults. Arnold, however, starts in the opposite, and follows more the plot line of a Disney movie. Arnold's life starts out badly. He grows up on a Native American reservation where lots of adults are drunk, unemployed, and underfed. His dog is shot to put it out of its misery. Nothing seems to be going Arnold's way, so he just accepts that he will be treated like a second-class citizen all of his life. He will have no job, and probably become an alcoholic, like the example that has been set for him.
Suddenly, Arnold's life is flipped upside down (sound familiar?) and he starts attending an upper-class school with a white majority of students. He's not accepted. He's not even tolerated by anyone but the teachers. Some days he has to walk a few miles home by himself because his dad fails to pick him up. He's bullied and beat up. His life went from bad to worse. He thought his life was turning up when his academics were prep-school worthy. But it turns out he just has to go through one more of life's hoops, and that's just until he graduates. Will he ever get a break?
I don't know--I'm only halfway through. But I'll find out. And then I'll tell you about it!
Arnold starts of unlike most characters in coming of age books. Most characters are too ignorant of the world, and need to know that bad things do happen in it. By the falling action, they've witnessed or learned about some horrific act of violence or moral void. Then they strive to go on living their lives, processing that information and dealing with it. In this, they start to mature and become adults. Arnold, however, starts in the opposite, and follows more the plot line of a Disney movie. Arnold's life starts out badly. He grows up on a Native American reservation where lots of adults are drunk, unemployed, and underfed. His dog is shot to put it out of its misery. Nothing seems to be going Arnold's way, so he just accepts that he will be treated like a second-class citizen all of his life. He will have no job, and probably become an alcoholic, like the example that has been set for him.
Suddenly, Arnold's life is flipped upside down (sound familiar?) and he starts attending an upper-class school with a white majority of students. He's not accepted. He's not even tolerated by anyone but the teachers. Some days he has to walk a few miles home by himself because his dad fails to pick him up. He's bullied and beat up. His life went from bad to worse. He thought his life was turning up when his academics were prep-school worthy. But it turns out he just has to go through one more of life's hoops, and that's just until he graduates. Will he ever get a break?
I don't know--I'm only halfway through. But I'll find out. And then I'll tell you about it!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Extended Response: Hunger Games Director DRAMA
I read an article about how Gary Ross will not be directing Catching Fire, the sequel to the world-famous book and movie The Hunger Games. I think this decision will have a bigger impact than might have been predicted by Ross. This article is important because Ross' decision affects not only how the movie will be changed in terms of cinematography, but also the perception by fans of the books, how accurately the movie will portray the book Catching Fire, and the general popularity of Suzanne Collins' masterpieces.
Collins' books caused a craze throughout the United States and overseas. The topic of post-apocalyptic child-killings stirs up the emotions of many people. The fact that the Hunger Games is told by a girl subjected to horror like that who completely detests the entire system is what makes the subject not only digestible but popular, because the writing is actually superb, and the plot is fascinating and completely original. This is why I think the impact of a new director on the next movie might affect the popularity itself. Says Ross, "I simply don't have the time I need to write and prep the movie I would have wanted to make..." (Rolling Stone, 'Gary Ross Will Not Direct "Hunger Games" Sequel'). Since the first movie was a big issue of staying true to the plot for may fans of the books, the fact that the directing for the sequel will be completely different might be pushing the limits for some. When fans won't see the movie, the books' ratings could drop.
No director can ever guarantee that they'll provide good ratings. It's difficult to stay true to the plot of a book when you're only allotted a specific amount of time. Fans of the Hunger Games books all have varying opinions of and levels of devotion to the new movie. How will they react to the new one, with a new director? What will happen if it's less accurate than the last? There is definitely lots of pressure on the new director, once they come forward, to present a film worthy of Collins' books.
Needless to say, the world is waiting with baited breath for Catching Fire. The movie is bound to be remarkable, and I can't wait. What awaits? We don't know, but whatever happens, whatever we see, the books remain very much intact, a living legend, and a symbol for peace and justice.
Collins' books caused a craze throughout the United States and overseas. The topic of post-apocalyptic child-killings stirs up the emotions of many people. The fact that the Hunger Games is told by a girl subjected to horror like that who completely detests the entire system is what makes the subject not only digestible but popular, because the writing is actually superb, and the plot is fascinating and completely original. This is why I think the impact of a new director on the next movie might affect the popularity itself. Says Ross, "I simply don't have the time I need to write and prep the movie I would have wanted to make..." (Rolling Stone, 'Gary Ross Will Not Direct "Hunger Games" Sequel'). Since the first movie was a big issue of staying true to the plot for may fans of the books, the fact that the directing for the sequel will be completely different might be pushing the limits for some. When fans won't see the movie, the books' ratings could drop.
No director can ever guarantee that they'll provide good ratings. It's difficult to stay true to the plot of a book when you're only allotted a specific amount of time. Fans of the Hunger Games books all have varying opinions of and levels of devotion to the new movie. How will they react to the new one, with a new director? What will happen if it's less accurate than the last? There is definitely lots of pressure on the new director, once they come forward, to present a film worthy of Collins' books.
Needless to say, the world is waiting with baited breath for Catching Fire. The movie is bound to be remarkable, and I can't wait. What awaits? We don't know, but whatever happens, whatever we see, the books remain very much intact, a living legend, and a symbol for peace and justice.
DIY Writing: Why Plagiarism is Wrong
What did the student do wrong? What could he/she have done to include the source correctly?
The student who plagiarized the passage from A Brief Understanding of the Starry Night Paintings violated the rights of the author (unknown) of the article. The article was written to be read and appreciated as an analysis of the painting, not as free to be stolen. Plagiarism is a form of theft, because it's taking something somebody deserves credit for because it's their work, and taking credit for the time and effort they themselves put into it, not you. It's stealing time, hard work, and honesty. The student, in order to correctly include the source, could have copy & pasted the passage but put it in quotation marks and cite the source. They also could have paraphrased and said the same idea using different words.
Write a sentence using the original source correctly; use a quotation or paraphrase. Also, make sure to cite correctly.
Original sentence: "This sky keeps the viewer's eyes moving about the painting, following the curves and creating a visual dot to dot with the stars." (http://www.vangoghgallery.com/painting/starryindex.html)
Paraphrased: The night sky in the painting lets the person looking at it follow the stars like a pattern, and keeps their eyes moving along the swirls.
What are at least 3 ways to avoid plagiarizing?
The three ways to avoid plagiarizing are really very easy. The first is quotation, which is including a passage from the original text but putting it in quotation marks ("") and citing the source correctly. The second is paraphrasing, my personal favorite, which is keeping the idea from the source but stating it using different words (see above.) The third way is summarizing, which is taking information from a source, putting it in different words, and minimizing it, trimming it down to main ideas.
The student who plagiarized the passage from A Brief Understanding of the Starry Night Paintings violated the rights of the author (unknown) of the article. The article was written to be read and appreciated as an analysis of the painting, not as free to be stolen. Plagiarism is a form of theft, because it's taking something somebody deserves credit for because it's their work, and taking credit for the time and effort they themselves put into it, not you. It's stealing time, hard work, and honesty. The student, in order to correctly include the source, could have copy & pasted the passage but put it in quotation marks and cite the source. They also could have paraphrased and said the same idea using different words.
Write a sentence using the original source correctly; use a quotation or paraphrase. Also, make sure to cite correctly.
Original sentence: "This sky keeps the viewer's eyes moving about the painting, following the curves and creating a visual dot to dot with the stars." (http://www.vangoghgallery.com/painting/starryindex.html)
Paraphrased: The night sky in the painting lets the person looking at it follow the stars like a pattern, and keeps their eyes moving along the swirls.
What are at least 3 ways to avoid plagiarizing?
The three ways to avoid plagiarizing are really very easy. The first is quotation, which is including a passage from the original text but putting it in quotation marks ("") and citing the source correctly. The second is paraphrasing, my personal favorite, which is keeping the idea from the source but stating it using different words (see above.) The third way is summarizing, which is taking information from a source, putting it in different words, and minimizing it, trimming it down to main ideas.
Two Favorite Student Blogs
I read two amazing blogs from my class, Izzy's and Alli's. Izzy's blog about the relationship between Romeo and Juliet was very engaging. I loved how she really emphasized her opinion about the "love" they shared, using exclamation points and underlining stressed words. It really gave me a window into Izzy's thoughts on the matter. Izzy thinks that the love between Romeo and Juliet is based on beauty and the teenage need to rebel. To reinforce this claim, she provided plenty of text evidence. She included passage and page numbers that showed me the process by which she formed her statement. All the proof made me realize her side of the argument.
Alli's review of Much Ado About Nothing was indeed worthy of a journalist. The way she described the play made me realize details of the show I didn't even notice when I was watching it. And she didn't just talk about the actors and how they portrayed their characters, although she did a good job with that too. But she described the set, the lighting, and the transitions from scene to scene. This made for a complete and advanced response that got me thinking again about my experience watching it. Alli let me see the play through her eyes and think through her brain, to see her thought process. This is always the mark of a good writer.
Izzy and Alli inspired me to be better in my own blog posts. From Izzy I learned about forming opinions of the text, and not being afraid to confront the intentions of the author. Also, reading Izzy's blog helped me realize that text evidence is a must-have when trying to prove a point--and there's no limit either. The more proof of your claim, the better, which is something Izzy did flawlessly. Alli's blog post reminded me to be mindful of small details, and to let the reader know how you perceived something, even something that at first may have seemed arbitrary.
Alli's review of Much Ado About Nothing was indeed worthy of a journalist. The way she described the play made me realize details of the show I didn't even notice when I was watching it. And she didn't just talk about the actors and how they portrayed their characters, although she did a good job with that too. But she described the set, the lighting, and the transitions from scene to scene. This made for a complete and advanced response that got me thinking again about my experience watching it. Alli let me see the play through her eyes and think through her brain, to see her thought process. This is always the mark of a good writer.
Izzy and Alli inspired me to be better in my own blog posts. From Izzy I learned about forming opinions of the text, and not being afraid to confront the intentions of the author. Also, reading Izzy's blog helped me realize that text evidence is a must-have when trying to prove a point--and there's no limit either. The more proof of your claim, the better, which is something Izzy did flawlessly. Alli's blog post reminded me to be mindful of small details, and to let the reader know how you perceived something, even something that at first may have seemed arbitrary.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Heeeeeere's Johnny
I've started reading The Shining by Stephen King. And let me just tell you, it's amazing. I thought Stephen King might just be so venerated because his plot lines are so original and freakish. So I wasn't expecting the writing to be anything spectacular. But King's a unique and spirited author. His details are really descriptive and his characters are deep and thoughtful. So I thought I would just talk about the writing techniques that make him different from other novelists, because there are plenty.
One thing that makes King special is that in The Shining, there is no main character. For those who have only seen the movie, you might think it's Jack, but in the book, perspective rotates between Jack, his wife Wendy, and their son Danny, and sometimes it switches within the chapters. I think this really keeps the reader hooked. Sometimes the reader can become attached to one character only, even though the others also have interesting back stories. They all have different perspectives about the same events, so the reader doesn't form a biased opinion because they're instantly drawn to a character.
King includes just enough detail in his setting descriptions so that the reader is intigued but not bored. "Mr. Ullman was a step below them, buttoned into an expensive-looking brown mohair overcoat. The sun was entirely behind the mountains now, edging them with gold fire, making the shadows around things look long and purple." (page 145). King provides enough description to paint an image in the reader's mind, but doesn't go full on J.R.R. Tolkien. Also, I like the way he subtly hints at aspects of his characters, like Ullman, who's rich, and so is wearing a thick fur coat.
One thing that makes King special is that in The Shining, there is no main character. For those who have only seen the movie, you might think it's Jack, but in the book, perspective rotates between Jack, his wife Wendy, and their son Danny, and sometimes it switches within the chapters. I think this really keeps the reader hooked. Sometimes the reader can become attached to one character only, even though the others also have interesting back stories. They all have different perspectives about the same events, so the reader doesn't form a biased opinion because they're instantly drawn to a character.
King includes just enough detail in his setting descriptions so that the reader is intigued but not bored. "Mr. Ullman was a step below them, buttoned into an expensive-looking brown mohair overcoat. The sun was entirely behind the mountains now, edging them with gold fire, making the shadows around things look long and purple." (page 145). King provides enough description to paint an image in the reader's mind, but doesn't go full on J.R.R. Tolkien. Also, I like the way he subtly hints at aspects of his characters, like Ullman, who's rich, and so is wearing a thick fur coat.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Review of Much Ado About Nothing
Yesterday, my class went to see Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing at the CSC theater in Manhattan. It blew me away. The way each actor was so enthusiastic about their character made the play really enjoyable. The stage itself was really interesting also--it was round and small, with strange spherical mounds of some material I couldn't identify suspended above it. I highly recommend it to any Shakespeare fans or fans of humor in general. There was a lot of both slapstick and dialogued humor, and the combination worked itself out really well.
The director made a decision that I think was really smart, which was to set the play in the 1920s. I thought this was a wise choice because the play is a comedy, and in general very jolly. In the 1920s, at least before the stock market crash, everybody was partying and celebrating a new era to come. Throughout the play, there was drinking, partying, dancing, etc. Also, what made this a good idea was that it let the female characters express themselves more, to be as silly as they were feeling. They wore flapper dresses and flirted all the time. In Shakespeare's time period, women wouldn't be allowed to sing in public or wear anything but ankle-length dresses all day. It was a much more gender-based society when Shakespeare was alive, and to have the play be a comedy, I think it was easier for the director and actors to be funny in a fun time period.
The one thing about the play I didn't like was the fact that it never explained to the audience why Don Jon is so evil. They never talked about why he never wanted people to get married and caused so much mischief. I think that the audience should always have some understanding of why the villain is villainous. Other than that, I loved the play. It was funny, romantic, and not too challenging to keep up with. I encourage my readers to look into the play and theater because I totally enjoyed myself.
The director made a decision that I think was really smart, which was to set the play in the 1920s. I thought this was a wise choice because the play is a comedy, and in general very jolly. In the 1920s, at least before the stock market crash, everybody was partying and celebrating a new era to come. Throughout the play, there was drinking, partying, dancing, etc. Also, what made this a good idea was that it let the female characters express themselves more, to be as silly as they were feeling. They wore flapper dresses and flirted all the time. In Shakespeare's time period, women wouldn't be allowed to sing in public or wear anything but ankle-length dresses all day. It was a much more gender-based society when Shakespeare was alive, and to have the play be a comedy, I think it was easier for the director and actors to be funny in a fun time period.
The one thing about the play I didn't like was the fact that it never explained to the audience why Don Jon is so evil. They never talked about why he never wanted people to get married and caused so much mischief. I think that the audience should always have some understanding of why the villain is villainous. Other than that, I loved the play. It was funny, romantic, and not too challenging to keep up with. I encourage my readers to look into the play and theater because I totally enjoyed myself.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Dear Romeo
Dear Romeo,
My good friend, I write to you with advice. You cannot get hung up on such silly things as love. There is so much more to life! Love is a dream, and you cannot catch it until you stop searching for it. Love works in strange ways. But friendship is simple, easy, carefree, not like love or dreams. Dreams are for fools...they are false fantasies that the mind creates to tantalize you, tempt you, until you leap for them and find yourself falling into an abyss of disappointment. Dreams are not the key. Love is not the key. You are young. Those minor details of life will add themselves to your picture later, without you even realizing it.
I thought myself in love once. I thought she was the most beautiful thing I'd ever laid eyes on. But she turned out to be just another dream. I used to be like you, before I cast off my heavy shell of ignorance. And I am a better man for it, for now I walk with confidence and self-respect. You, sagging under your cloak of insubstantial dreams, cannot yet see how abandoning a fantasy could ever improve life. But you will one day see, I hope, that true life is so wonderful you need no other fantasy. So come, join me in manhood, in throwing away pointless dreams and building our future which promises to be very, very real indeed.
Take my advice, friend, and you will find yourself thanking that part of you that realized I was right. Rosaline is but one maiden of millions. You will find yours--and one less close-minded. You say you love her; how many conversations have you two ever shared? It is illogical to focus on one woman, when there are so many other wonderful ones out there. You must experience the world, taste all that is sweet and bitter too! Kiss the mountain tops and graze sea floors. Adventures will open your mind. You shall see. Good luck, Romeo.
Mercutio
I decided to write a letter to Romeo from the perspective of Mercutio because I think Mercutio actually has a lot to say about the subject of love and dreams, but he's not a very big character and doesn't get to express all of it. Mercutio is a cynnical character--he believes that dreams and imagination are for the distracted minds of useless people. I decided that I wanted to give Mercutio a background story, so I invented that he had once loved a girl who broke his heart, and that this is when he changed.
I think that Mercutio is almost a brother figure to Romeo, who actually has none. He is his friend, but also who he goes to for advice, and his protector. He's like an older brother who's always there at the right time and has his own opinions. I hope this letter accurately portrayed Mercutio...he's definitely difficult to figure out.
My good friend, I write to you with advice. You cannot get hung up on such silly things as love. There is so much more to life! Love is a dream, and you cannot catch it until you stop searching for it. Love works in strange ways. But friendship is simple, easy, carefree, not like love or dreams. Dreams are for fools...they are false fantasies that the mind creates to tantalize you, tempt you, until you leap for them and find yourself falling into an abyss of disappointment. Dreams are not the key. Love is not the key. You are young. Those minor details of life will add themselves to your picture later, without you even realizing it.
I thought myself in love once. I thought she was the most beautiful thing I'd ever laid eyes on. But she turned out to be just another dream. I used to be like you, before I cast off my heavy shell of ignorance. And I am a better man for it, for now I walk with confidence and self-respect. You, sagging under your cloak of insubstantial dreams, cannot yet see how abandoning a fantasy could ever improve life. But you will one day see, I hope, that true life is so wonderful you need no other fantasy. So come, join me in manhood, in throwing away pointless dreams and building our future which promises to be very, very real indeed.
Take my advice, friend, and you will find yourself thanking that part of you that realized I was right. Rosaline is but one maiden of millions. You will find yours--and one less close-minded. You say you love her; how many conversations have you two ever shared? It is illogical to focus on one woman, when there are so many other wonderful ones out there. You must experience the world, taste all that is sweet and bitter too! Kiss the mountain tops and graze sea floors. Adventures will open your mind. You shall see. Good luck, Romeo.
Mercutio
I decided to write a letter to Romeo from the perspective of Mercutio because I think Mercutio actually has a lot to say about the subject of love and dreams, but he's not a very big character and doesn't get to express all of it. Mercutio is a cynnical character--he believes that dreams and imagination are for the distracted minds of useless people. I decided that I wanted to give Mercutio a background story, so I invented that he had once loved a girl who broke his heart, and that this is when he changed.
I think that Mercutio is almost a brother figure to Romeo, who actually has none. He is his friend, but also who he goes to for advice, and his protector. He's like an older brother who's always there at the right time and has his own opinions. I hope this letter accurately portrayed Mercutio...he's definitely difficult to figure out.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Interpreting Romeo and Juliet
Dear Friend,
From what I know about Romeo and Juliet, which is not so much, I admit, I am kind of disturbed by the characters. For one, the Montagues and Capulets will jump at the bait, any bait, to fight with each other. Some of the servants (namely Gregory and Sampson) are complete and total pigs. They treat women like their own personal sex slaves. Even for that time period, it's too intense. Also, even though the prince doesn't tolerate violence in the streets (which is understandable) he threatens death, which makes him a hippocrit, and pretty much he just thinks he's the king of the world.
It takes awhile to understand Shakespearean language, but you have to keep trying because otherwise it's a whole big jumble of nonsense. I suggest you take it line by line, because their are recognizable words so if you string the whole sentence together you can probably figure it out. Also, putting words in context can help you figure out what they mean. What are the characters feeling? What tone are they using? It helps me.
Something that I think is really the actual tragedy in this play is that Romeo and Juliet are the only decent characters so far in the book. And guess who the people are who die. You got it. Talk about injustice. Anyway, that's how I feel about Romeo and Juliet so far.
Bye! Happy reading!
From what I know about Romeo and Juliet, which is not so much, I admit, I am kind of disturbed by the characters. For one, the Montagues and Capulets will jump at the bait, any bait, to fight with each other. Some of the servants (namely Gregory and Sampson) are complete and total pigs. They treat women like their own personal sex slaves. Even for that time period, it's too intense. Also, even though the prince doesn't tolerate violence in the streets (which is understandable) he threatens death, which makes him a hippocrit, and pretty much he just thinks he's the king of the world.
It takes awhile to understand Shakespearean language, but you have to keep trying because otherwise it's a whole big jumble of nonsense. I suggest you take it line by line, because their are recognizable words so if you string the whole sentence together you can probably figure it out. Also, putting words in context can help you figure out what they mean. What are the characters feeling? What tone are they using? It helps me.
Something that I think is really the actual tragedy in this play is that Romeo and Juliet are the only decent characters so far in the book. And guess who the people are who die. You got it. Talk about injustice. Anyway, that's how I feel about Romeo and Juliet so far.
Bye! Happy reading!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
If I Should Have a Daughter
"If I should have a daughter, instead of "Mom," she's gonna call me "Point B," because that way she knows that no matter what happens, at least she can always find her way to me. And I'm going to paint solar systems on the backs of her hands so she has to learn the entire universe before she can say, "Oh, I know that like the back of my hand." And she's going to learn that this life will hit you hard in the face, wait for you to get back up just so it can kick you in the stomach. But getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air. There is hurt, here, that cannot be fixed by Band-Aids or poetry. So the first time she realizes that Wonder Woman isn't coming, I'll make sure she knows she doesn't have to wear the cape all by herself because no matter how wide you stretch your fingers, your hands will always be too small to catch all the pain you want to heal. Believe me, I've tried. "And, baby," I'll tell her, don't keep your nose up in the air like that. I know that trick; I've done it a million times. You're just smelling for smoke so you can follow the trail back to a burning house, so you can find the boy who lost everything in the fire to see if you can save him. Or else find the boy who lit the fire in the first place, to see if you can change him." But I know she will anyway, so instead I'll always keep an extra supply of chocolate and rain boots nearby, because there is no heartbreak that chocolate can't fix. Okay, there's a few heartbreaks that chocolate can't fix. But that's what the rain boots are for, because rain will wash away everything, if you let it. I want her to look at the world through the underside of a glass-bottom boat, to look through a microscope at the galaxies that exist on the pinpoint of a human mind, because that's the way my mom taught me. That there'll be days like this. ♫ There'll be days like this, my momma said. ♫ When you open your hands to catch and wind up with only blisters and bruises; when you step out of the phone booth and try to fly and the very people you want to save are the ones standing on your cape; when your boots will fill with rain, and you'll be up to your knees in disappointment. And those are the very days you have all the more reason to say thank you. Because there's nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it's sent away. You will put the wind in winsome, lose some. You will put the star in starting over, and over. And no matter how many land mines erupt in a minute, be sure your mind lands on the beauty of this funny place called life. And yes, on a scale from one to over-trusting, I am pretty damn naive. But I want her to know that this world is made out of sugar. It can crumble so easily, but don't be afraid to stick your tongue out and taste it. "Baby," I'll tell her, "remember, your momma is a worrier, and your poppa is a warrior, and you are the girl with small hands and big eyes who never stops asking for more." Remember that good things come in threes and so do bad things. And always apologize when you've done something wrong, but don't you ever apologize for the way your eyes refuse to stop shining. Your voice is small, but don't ever stop singing. And when they finally hand you heartache, when they slip war and hatred under your door and offer you handouts on street-corners of cynicism and defeat, you tell them that they really ought to meet your mother. "
--Sarah Kay
I love this poem for a lot of reasons. The first is that it's not structured like a classic poem. It has no stanzas or line breaks. I think that makes it really unique and also serves the message of the poem in a more appropriate way than if it were several stanzas. This poem is about the ups and downs of life, about what everybody goes through. The way the poem is organized, just one continuous paragraph, almost like a story, is like life itself. It keeps going, always, no matter what is thrown at you. When you stumble, you just have to get up and keep walking. That's the main message--that there are so many things to remember, so much advice to take in, that you have to keep moving and living before it swallows you up. It's like the poem itself is running, and only when it turns a whole cycle and comes back to the mother does it skid to a halt and make you think about it.
A recurring theme in Sarah Kay's poem is superheros. When you're a child, you think that there are superheros flying around the world every minute of every day, and that when you close your eyes and wish really hard for one, they will come to rescue you. But what Sarah Kay is saying is that sometimes you have to be your own superhero. Sometimes there is no one to rescue you, and that's reality, but it doesn't matter because once you realize it, you just might gain the strength to pull yourself out of the train tracks. And that you can't always help other people, but help them to help themselves. You are always going to have to deal with others in life, and sometimes when you think they might be on your side, they'll turn around and change their minds. But in the end, that's what makes you stronger.
I think that Sarah kay put everything she learned from her life experience into her poem for her daughter, should she have one. She wants her daughter to know that everything bad can happen to you, and you can still be happy. Even when life presents to you evil and betrayal and heartbreak on a rusty plate, you have to keep searching for all the good on the silver platter. And when you find it, it will just be that much sweeter. Sarah Kay will tell her daughter that no matter how small her voice is, no matter how small she may seem to the world, she can be strong, and she has got to keep singing and showing the world how sweet her own voice can ring.
This whole poem, although directed at one person, is something anybody can relate to. It's self-empowering. The whole message is to get up when you fall. To sing when the world tries to silence you. To turn your head when evil hits you. These are the things that get us through life. There are countless analogies for life, rhymes and riddles. Everybody goes through the same elements of life, but with their own style. And that's what makes it interesting.
--Sarah Kay
I love this poem for a lot of reasons. The first is that it's not structured like a classic poem. It has no stanzas or line breaks. I think that makes it really unique and also serves the message of the poem in a more appropriate way than if it were several stanzas. This poem is about the ups and downs of life, about what everybody goes through. The way the poem is organized, just one continuous paragraph, almost like a story, is like life itself. It keeps going, always, no matter what is thrown at you. When you stumble, you just have to get up and keep walking. That's the main message--that there are so many things to remember, so much advice to take in, that you have to keep moving and living before it swallows you up. It's like the poem itself is running, and only when it turns a whole cycle and comes back to the mother does it skid to a halt and make you think about it.
A recurring theme in Sarah Kay's poem is superheros. When you're a child, you think that there are superheros flying around the world every minute of every day, and that when you close your eyes and wish really hard for one, they will come to rescue you. But what Sarah Kay is saying is that sometimes you have to be your own superhero. Sometimes there is no one to rescue you, and that's reality, but it doesn't matter because once you realize it, you just might gain the strength to pull yourself out of the train tracks. And that you can't always help other people, but help them to help themselves. You are always going to have to deal with others in life, and sometimes when you think they might be on your side, they'll turn around and change their minds. But in the end, that's what makes you stronger.
I think that Sarah kay put everything she learned from her life experience into her poem for her daughter, should she have one. She wants her daughter to know that everything bad can happen to you, and you can still be happy. Even when life presents to you evil and betrayal and heartbreak on a rusty plate, you have to keep searching for all the good on the silver platter. And when you find it, it will just be that much sweeter. Sarah Kay will tell her daughter that no matter how small her voice is, no matter how small she may seem to the world, she can be strong, and she has got to keep singing and showing the world how sweet her own voice can ring.
This whole poem, although directed at one person, is something anybody can relate to. It's self-empowering. The whole message is to get up when you fall. To sing when the world tries to silence you. To turn your head when evil hits you. These are the things that get us through life. There are countless analogies for life, rhymes and riddles. Everybody goes through the same elements of life, but with their own style. And that's what makes it interesting.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Poetry Unit
Wait for the Day to Dawn
As the sky blanket billows down
On top, blends gray and brown
Spread your potluck on the ground
And wait for the sky to sob.
As the river ripples clear
Filled with sorrow, built with tears
Welcome friends to share a cheer
And wait for the news to ring.
As the wind hums its tune
Silent cry of weathering dune
Stay awhile, don't leave so soon
Just wait for the mill to whistle
What Happens to the Lost?
Some believe in souls
Others that they're up for sale
And that he'll buy you out eventually,
Inevitably.
I think,
No one knows how now.
So really,
Why bother worrying.
What is Poetry?
Poetry is everything you aspire to be
Things better than the best thing,
and worse than the worst.
Poetry is everything you are
Things you wear around your neck,
And things you hide in your shoe
When you want no one to see.
As the sky blanket billows down
On top, blends gray and brown
Spread your potluck on the ground
And wait for the sky to sob.
As the river ripples clear
Filled with sorrow, built with tears
Welcome friends to share a cheer
And wait for the news to ring.
As the wind hums its tune
Silent cry of weathering dune
Stay awhile, don't leave so soon
Just wait for the mill to whistle
What Happens to the Lost?
Some believe in souls
Others that they're up for sale
And that he'll buy you out eventually,
Inevitably.
I think,
No one knows how now.
So really,
Why bother worrying.
What is Poetry?
Poetry is everything you aspire to be
Things better than the best thing,
and worse than the worst.
Poetry is everything you are
Things you wear around your neck,
And things you hide in your shoe
When you want no one to see.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Writing About Painting: The Mill
The famous artist Rembrandt was born in Amsterdam, Holland, in 1606. He spent the rest of his life there, painting the people and scenery surrounding him. He often depicted his family members, and he was best known for his realistic portraits of people. He completed more self-portraits over the course of his life than any other artist in history. Some of his works feature windmills, which were abundant in Holland in his time period. Most of Rembrandt's models wore dark, grim clothing. So, sometimes for fun, Rembrandt would dress flamboyantly in bright colors and jewels, and then paint himself. When his first wife Saskia died, Rembrandt hired a woman named Hendrickje to take care of his only son, Titus. She and Rembrandt soon fell in love and later they had a daughter, Cornelia. Rembrandt often incorporated religion into his pieces. He painted many Bible scenes. Rembrandt did not save the fortune he accumulated from his paintings. Instead he bought antiques and random items and used them in his works. Rembrandt died in 1669, at age 63.
I think this painting is amazing because it takes a simple, ugly day and spins it into a beautiful landscape. I love the way the windmill glows like the sun is setting across the river, even when the sun isn't shown in the painting. Rembrandt painted very realistic details, like the reflection of the trees in the water. Something that I noticed about this painting is that the people at the bottom are really not the focus of the image. It's almost as if they're hiding. They're an afterthought in the shadow of the mill.
Wait for the Day to Dawn
As the sky blanket billows down
On top, blends gray and brown
Spread your potluck on the ground
And wait for the sky to sob.
As the river ripples clear
Filled with sorrow, built with tears
Welcome friends to share a cheer
And wait for the news to ring.
As the wind hums its tune
Silent cry of weathering dune
Stay awhile, don't leave so soon
Just wait for the mill to whistle.
This is the poem I wrote about Rembrandt's piece The Mill. In each stanza I tried to express the natural beauty in the poem, but also to observe the people and their interactions. The way I look at the painting, there's a family living in Amsterdam. The father is taking a turn on his boat while his son watches on the banks. The mother and baby girl lie down on a blanket at the edge of the water, and the grandfather stands back to admire the land from a little farther away. I think that this painting can be related to those special family days where you just enjoy being together. It might be different all over the world, but you can always find peace somewhere. I think that The Mill is the depiction of that place for Rembrandt. His escape. What's yours?
Venezia, Mike. 'Rembrandt.' Pages 3,4,6,9,17,18,22,26,27,28,29,30.
I think this painting is amazing because it takes a simple, ugly day and spins it into a beautiful landscape. I love the way the windmill glows like the sun is setting across the river, even when the sun isn't shown in the painting. Rembrandt painted very realistic details, like the reflection of the trees in the water. Something that I noticed about this painting is that the people at the bottom are really not the focus of the image. It's almost as if they're hiding. They're an afterthought in the shadow of the mill.
Wait for the Day to Dawn
As the sky blanket billows down
On top, blends gray and brown
Spread your potluck on the ground
And wait for the sky to sob.
As the river ripples clear
Filled with sorrow, built with tears
Welcome friends to share a cheer
And wait for the news to ring.
As the wind hums its tune
Silent cry of weathering dune
Stay awhile, don't leave so soon
Just wait for the mill to whistle.
This is the poem I wrote about Rembrandt's piece The Mill. In each stanza I tried to express the natural beauty in the poem, but also to observe the people and their interactions. The way I look at the painting, there's a family living in Amsterdam. The father is taking a turn on his boat while his son watches on the banks. The mother and baby girl lie down on a blanket at the edge of the water, and the grandfather stands back to admire the land from a little farther away. I think that this painting can be related to those special family days where you just enjoy being together. It might be different all over the world, but you can always find peace somewhere. I think that The Mill is the depiction of that place for Rembrandt. His escape. What's yours?
Venezia, Mike. 'Rembrandt.' Pages 3,4,6,9,17,18,22,26,27,28,29,30.
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