ENG LIT

[blakpearl1908-blog]

DJP 12

Toni Morrison’s “A Nobel Lecture” was so insightful when speaking on the lesson of the bird as a symbol for much more. "I don't know", she says. "I don't know whether the bird you are holding is dead or alive, but what I do know is that it is in your hands. It is in your hands." Her answer can be taken to mean: if it is dead, you have either found it that way or you have killed it. If it is alive, you can still kill it. Whether it is to stay alive, it is your decision. Whatever the case, it is your responsibility.

This lesson of responsibility across the board is seen throughout the speech. I find it quite interesting that just because the old woman is blind that she still finds a way to see the bird as two symbols. “I relied more on touch and sound to figure out what it was that I was holding or potentially watching,” said the woman. Her character in the story speaks heavily on the mistakes or flaws of society -- much like a satire.

[blakpearl1908-blog]

DJP 11

The reference to the minimalist style of writing being “less is more” is very true. I see this come to life most in the story “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love.” Not only does this short story have a perfect title for it’s plot but it also has a great theme of unconditional love. For example, Mel tries again and again to pinpoint the meaning of love, but his examples never build up to any coherent conclusion.

“It ought to make us feel ashamed when we talk like we know what we're talking about when we talk about love” (146). This is such a great quote! It can be compared to modern day thinking. Like Mel, most people digress onto a tangent about how strange it is that they have loved more than one person. One question I have is, what is love then? Is it possible to really love more than one person?

[blakpearl1908-blog]

DJP 10

It should come of no surprise that the education system in today’s society is created by the white man. I generalize the term white man to show how problematic it is that African American History is not taught equally alongside American History. Ironically, one would not realize just how white washed the school system is until going all the way though it. Likewise, in order to change it you must learn and understand how it currently works. In Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing: A Novel, Yaw states his frustration for not wanting to travel to school. “We will learn the way the white man wants us to learn … and will come back and build the country the way the white man wants us to” (Gyasi 222). Many young males of color can easily identify with this feeling. This particular section of the story offered a new perspective on history that I already knew of, but could compare to with a personal experience.

Two guys I met while in St. Croix when studying a course on African diaspora, attested to this feeling of identity loss in the education system. I had the opportunity to spend time with these two workers from our resort all week. Conversations about higher education and life on the island occurred daily. Of course, they were young adults like me, but they lived a more working class life. Much like our ancestors that walked on that very land of a Sugar Plantation Island. They agreed that escaping their low socio-economic status and uneducated ways of thinking was difficult.

[blakpearl1908-blog]

DJP 9

By definition, Homegoing: A Novel has shown its historical fiction genre throughout the novel. This story is driven by conditions and forces such as its transatlantic aspect and slavery, being the most significant. Homegoing: A Novel seems to tug at all five of our senses. The dungeons and living conditions within villages of the Cape Coast Castle resembled closely with Fort Frederik, a site I visited in St. Croix for a course in which I studied the African diaspora.

Effia’s character most closely relates to the literary term, paradigm, as she points to various references in her way of thinking and perceiving ideas. For example, she states “A word the soldiers used…made up of 3″ (Gaysi 19). This intellectual orientation of the trinity refers to the Father, the son and the Holy Ghost. Effia’s character is unique concerning her relationship with Baaba. When she was 15-years-old, Effia began her cycle for the first time. As soon as she saw blood coming from her, she went to tell Baaba. Baaba warned her not to tell anyone else. It seemed as though he was protecting her from moving too fast into marriage. As the story continuous, Gaysi fills readers in on Cobbe beginning to grow anxious about Effia puberty so that she could marry Abeeku.

[eng211dr-blog]

The real question for English 211… Team Pond or Team Terrapin ?

[blakpearl1908-blog]

DJP 8

“The Terrapin” is a short story that involves 11 year-old Victor receiving a turtle from his mother in which he thinks it’s a pet. Throughout the story, Victor was emotionally neglected by his abusive mother. She was not only physically and emotionally abusive but she also shelters Victor. The mother “wanted him to look ‘French,’ and made him wear short shorts and stockings,” (27). Victor’s appearance caused him many days of embarrassment and an overall lack of friends.

The turn in this story occurs after Victor tries to take the turtle to impress his friend Frank. It was quite important to Victor that he impressed Frank because we was his only friend. As he begins to tell his mom of his show-in-tell like plans, she purposely drops the terrapin into the boiling hot water and “kills” him (38). Due to the shock that Victor experiences from this traumatic event, he kills his mother “with the same knife she used to chop up the terrapin,” (39, 40).

Although there is no specific reason given for the turn in this story (mother dying), it shows the hurt that Victor experienced from his mother for the last time.

[blakpearl1908-blog]

DJP 7

Dreams - this is what the story of "Eyes of a Blue Dog" by Marquez is based upon. The short story uses a variety of literary works: themes such as isolation and loneliness; symbolism such as the cigarettes, the cold and the color blue; metaphors such as “Don’t open that door,” she said. “The hallway is full of difficult dreams.” And I asked her: “How do you know?” And she told me: “Because I was there a moment ago and I had to come back when I discovered I was sleeping on my heart.”

Marquez uses his metaphor to question the way we think. Are dreams worth hanging on to  when we know we can never realize them as they are in our head? I believe they are, but his themes of loneliness and isolation make me wonder. The precious relationship between these two characters (narrator and the woman he dreams of) try to find balance between ideal reality and the one perceive around us. In the dream, the woman keeps reminding the narrator of the phrase "eyes of a blue dog" so that he will use it to find her in the real world, even though she knows he can never remember it. The failure of memory, logic, and reality to fulfill our deepest longings and dreams is both wonderful and terrible at the same moment.

[blakpearl1908-blog]

DJP 6

Percival Everett’s “The Appropriation of Cultures”, has satire all throughout this short story. As discussed in class on Monday, the text on page 98-101 between Daniel, Sarah and Travis show vital statements that pertain to today’s politics. This work in particular critics the flags that are found on the back of Daniel’s truck. He mentions that the flag is that of a confederate one in which it runs through his “Southern blood” (98). Daniel later goes onto tell Travis that the flag is a black-power symbol flag (100). The satire is the choice of flags the author uses in this scene of the story.

In today’s politics, the protects and controversy lies between that of confederate flag holders (KKK) and black-power fist flag holders (black lives matter) and most recently the DACA justice movement. Much like the story’s title, there are various groups that take something and just try to appropriate it not understanding its consequences.  

[eng211b]

Standardized Testing

this is a classic.

[blakpearl1908-blog]

DJP 3

While reading through “The Masque of the Red Death”, the character figure built around a single idea was the Red Death. From being described at the beginning of the story with horrific imagery to the rising action, its motives never change. Poe sets the tone of this character by stating “blood was its avator and its seal” (Poe 1). From this moment, readers knew the Red Death’s only feeling is shown towards death and terror - hints its name! It succeeds in the goal to kill Prince Prospero as the rising action picks up. We know this because of the help of the clock sounding “twelve strokes ... then, finally, of terror, of horror, and of disgust” (Poe 3).

Because Prince Prospero is the only human character in the story, he is automatically seen as the dominant character to readers. Described as being round in the story, Prospero exposes more of the feelings rather than actions. For example, Poe states at the beginning of the story “but Prince Prospero was happy and dauntless and sagacious” (Poe 1). As the story continues on, he changes and becomes more fearful. During the chase of the Red Death, Prince Prospero “...rushed hurriedly through the six chambers, while none followed him on account of a deadly terror...” (Poe 4).

These two characters are seeming different because of their change/no change over the story. Because they are seen as the antagonist and protagonist, their characteristic roles go well to be described also as the flat and round characters.

[blakpearl1908-blog]

DJP 2

Hey guys! My name is Maya Freeman and I’m from Little Rock, AR. Presently, I am a Senior at Christian Brothers University pursuing a career in English for Corporate Communications with a minor in Psychology. I am passionate about expanding my network, enhancing my professional skills and using my organization and speaking skills to help others effectively. My goal is to develop communication skills and psychological techniques in relevant corporate situations and contexts, all while finding a career that values my passion for youth and adolescent sports.

In my free time, I enjoy hanging with my friends on and off campus and doing other little random things. I am quite active on campus as I’m in the Black Student Association, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and a Resident Assistant in Pender Hall on campus. I like to play basketball and golf when I have time and my favorite sport is competitive cheerleading in which I was apart of for 10 years before graduating High School.

If you have time, you should go check out my own personal blog: mayaf5.wordpress.com.