Maxwell

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Invisible Man Reading The Work #3

As the narrator makes his journey to New York, he begins to truly understand the social divide that exists between North and South. This becomes clear even on the bus ride there where the narrator encounters the veteran who insulted Mr. Norton back at the bar who is being similarly “banished” from the South. Although he is being shipped off to another asylum and by societal standards he should not be listened to, he is the only person who isn’t just trying to project their own ideals onto him. In what seems like the best advice the narrator receives comes when the veteran says, “Come out of the fog young man. And remember you don’t have to be a complete fool in order to succeed. Play the game, but don’t believe in it-- that much you owe yourself. Even if that lands you in a straight jacket or a padded cell”(153). This reminded me heavily of MLK who was one of those people willing to take risks including being thrown in jail and eventually being shot. He was a prime example of someone who didn’t sit back and it provided major change for black people. Although it is harsh, there is a clear message that Ellison is laying out which is that there is no winning for black people. At least with this message the narrator can try and become someone who makes a change and not just sit back content with what he has.  

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Invisible Man Reading The Work #2

As the book progresses and chronicles the college years of the narrator, the inner conflict continues as many older figures are trying to have an influence on him. After finding himself become a driver for one of the white founders of the university, Mr. Norton, he drives him away towards the countryside as Mr. Norton was intrigued by the former slave quarters. The events that followed included a horrifying exposure to a “second class” of African Americans which includes a sharecropper who impregnated his daughter and a shady bar that doubled as a prostitution establishment. The narrator finds himself in trouble for agreeing to show Mr. Norton these places and has a discussion with the president of the college. Dr. Bledsoe is a black man who shows disappointment in the narrator for not lying to Mr. Norton as black people have always had to do in the south to survive. The narrator has a moral dilemma knowing he doesn’t want to lie to a higher authority, yet he must do his “duty” as a black man to avoid trouble so that race isn’t badly reflected. I felt for the narrator as what the president saw as tearing down the race, he was simply bringing issues to light that white people are being blinded from. It is frustrating as a reader to see him being berated with insults knowing he is a smart kid who is unable to make a decision without judgement. He seems like less than a person than he is a device that other people can project their ideas into.

[heatherkroesche-blog]

The Children’s Crusade (reading 1)

So far, the book has been slightly challenging to keep up with, since it chronology is scattered.  Vonnegut switches time period, characters, situations, and perspectives quite often which make the story more exciting, I feel like there are constant cliffhangers from one event to the next. The story opens with the narrator, a World War Two veteran visiting his friend Bernard V. O’hare who was in the war him. The motivation for their meeting was the narrator’s book that he was writing. When he arrives the O’hare’s house, Bernard’s wife, Mary is hesitant to allow their narrator in and openly talk about such a sore subject like the war.  After a little bit of prying the narrator realizes why Mary is so cynical about the war. She proclaims, “You were just babies then!” talking about the boys drafted to fight. With this simple line it opens a conversation of the ethics of drafting such young people into the war. She also touches on the glorification of war stories, how in the movies soldiers are played by real men, not 17 year old boys who are hardly out of adolescents. In this moment the narrator tells Mary that the book will be called, “The Children’s Crusade” which is a powerful moment, encapsulating the trauma of war, and pointing out how young the soldiers were, and how little training they had heading to the front.

SLAUGHTERHOUSE-5

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Hello mon,

I️ can relate to the struggle of adjusting to the structure of a new author as you don’t fully understand why certain moves are being made. That being said, making the story jump around chronologically is a very effective move that isolated certain events and press their importance. Though I’m not reading the book I️ feel like being a war veteran, it makes sense that the plot would be scattered as you have to factor in PTSD which alters your ability to transfer short term memories into long term, hence why the past can constantly have a major effect on the present. I️ feel like it is important to realize how consequential it is to have 17 year olds fighting in warfare. Considering the legal age is 21 to drink partially because your brain is still developing into your mid 20’s, I️ find it hard to believe that our country thought it was okay to make these kids go shoot at other people and expect everything to be good when they return home. It is certainly an interesting avenue to explore considering the age to enlist hasn’t changed much to this day.

[maxmulka314]

Invisible Man Reading The Work #1

Initially getting into the book, I found it pretty interesting how the narrator’s perspective of racism differs from a typical black man as there is a clear sense of ambiguity with his families history of race. This specifically pertains to his grandfathers last words where he regretfully thinks of himself as a traitor and a spy for simply being content with segregated life after the Civil War. It haunts the narrator in his future and overall sets a tone for the ensuing events of the novel. What furthers this internal dilemma is his early success that draws the attention of white people in the community where he delivers a speech that he feels his grandfather would be ashamed of as it was submissive and what the white audience wanted to hear. It made me realize that sometimes it was simply easier for black people to accept “separate but equal” to avoid major suffering. In someways I can see how that would be a good thing considering the narrator does receive a college scholarship from the mayor of the town. This idea can’t work however because the prejudice always seems to overpower any effort to achieve equality passively. The idea of education and lack there of with the black race is introduced and there is the persisting allusion to Booker T. Washington and his idea of reaching equality through the education. It certainly seems to elevate their status within their race, but based on the way the narrator is still looked down on, it is clear that the author has a few points of disagreement with the idea.  

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Analysis of the Maryland rapper’s music video and how it relates to American Creed @kreinbring6

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Originality

When given this prompt I️ knew that it would be difficult to have an answer that could not be argued at all. I️ can’t help but to look at something that I️ am quite passionate about which is film. I’ve come to the conclusion that no film being released in 2018 is completely original, but there is one genre that stands out in trying to be as close to that as possible: Horror. For many years I️ found myself seeing patterns in this genre that were so cliche, that I️ hated watching them. Whether it is jump scares or terrible acting, they are just bring down the cinematic experience as you feel like it’s the same movie.

The movie “A Quiet Place” is that movie that could pave a path for horror movies that not only become popular because of their scariness, but because they are actually good. The biggest talk of the movie is obviously the sound and the unique concept of being silent. It did something from a viewing standpoint that I️ have never experienced before. The theater I️ was in was silent throughout the entire film. The director John Krasinski is fully aware of this effect that this movie has on the audience and uses that as an opportunity to create details that will be noticed and appreciated, something that horror films have failed to do for years. Often seen as a genre that relies on fear more than craft, “A Quiet Place” offers something that can do both and and elevate your moviegoing experience by having such a distinct emotional impact on the viewer. This link below is a video of the director breaking down one of the scenes. His attention to detail is specific down to the pieces used in the kids’ board game, something that would never be noticed had there been dialogue. Does it take inspiration from other horror films? Certainly. But this movie flipped the genre of horror upside-down and likely will influence other movies in future making it very original.

https://youtu.be/azFsk42kb5E

[maxmulka314]

Secondary Source #6 I️ like this picture as it demonstrates the major change to the city of Chicago as a result of the Great Migration. When African Americans entered new territory in the North, many of the inhabitants of Chicago reacted with de facto segregation and eventually the race riots in July 1919. The caption itself represents that even though they escaped the racism of the south, it never really goes away and that line will always follow them. The literal line in the image is referencing where the rioting started on the beach of Lake Michigan. When a group of black boys crossed into a white beach, the violence broke out and it gave false justification for the next week for both side to attack each other. These lines aren’t law, but could get you killed if you were in the wrong place. When these new lines are created in the city of Chicago, it created a whole new political problem that arguably still exists today

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Reading the Primary #5

After reading about several terrible events that happened so close together none of them seemed to have any real connection. This it is until he began to go into detail about the racial riots that began to take place. With the streets being so dangerous, transportation was necessary for people to get around the streets without being mobbed. The problem with this is the unions for the street cars were threatening to strike and when they finally do it leaves the entire city in danger. The corruption of the government is demonstrated once again as Mayor Thompson refuses to bring in the Illinois Militia to help the police with the rioting because of a previous problems with the governor over the militia a few years before. The riots continued to worsen and the police could do nothing proving Thompson made the wrong decision. The fact that someone in power would be able to make decisions resulting in death just for his personal reputation is quite shocking and I️ don’t know how exactly he had no one stopping him. If we continue to see corrupt politicians, shouldn’t the people have more say in the decisions that involve their lives?

[maxmulka314]

The first of my secondary sources that we have already read in class, the Declaration of Independence seemed like the perfect document to use as it laid out initially where the US wanted to go as a country. I️ think if I️ can apply that to the government and culture that Krist outlines in the primary and today as well. As I️ begin to learn about the situations of different time frames, I️ will be able to get a better idea of the political and social change that our country has undergone.

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I️ liked this article because it clarified some misconceptions about the race riot that took place in Chicago in 1919. I️ thought that Krist does a good job of describing their situation in the primary work, but doesn’t acknowledge the positives that came out of the year for African-Americans and how it was really their awakening into the major cities of America and they begin to see the shift and a dismantling of the injustices. It is surely the beginning of a long struggle however as highlighted by the event described in this article and the primary work.

[maxmulka314]

Reading the Primary Work #4

As I️ get deeper into the book, the events that happen are a bit hard to believe. One specific event would be the kidnapping of 6-year old Janet Wilkinson. When I️ initially saw this in the description of the book online I️ was curious to see why it was so important to an entire city considering it was just one girl. Upon reading about in the story however it’s a little more messed up. The man who kidnapped and Killed her was a pretty messed up guy. Thomas Fitzgerald who was already in question after many young children claimed he made them uncomfortable, decided to take things up a notch. It turns out that there were many other sexual predators (referred to as “morons”)in the city. This reminded me of the Me Too movement going on right now when one woman spoke out, the rest finally revealed they had been harassed to. It is still upsetting knowing that there are people like Fitzgerald out there today and the fact that in almost 100 years since the events of this book, it has become even more dangerous for children to grow up. I️ continue to read this book wondering whether we have improved as a society, and I️ would like to say yes, but knowing that many of these terrible things are still happening makes it hard to do so.

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I️ chose this article about Prohibition’s effect on Chicagoans during the time. My primary does go into it, but not in detail and thus I️ need to patch up some hole because Prohibition is more important than the law itself. The way people reacted and worked around said a lot about the kind of people that lived in Chicago at the time. The amount of criminal activity that came from it allowed people to make careers out of bootlegging alcohol. The whole situation of political tensions for numerous reasons all could likely have a connection to Prohibition and it’s effect on everyone.

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I️ have decided to look to the abstract of change again and pick another viewpoint. The Soul of Black Folk by W.E.B Du Bois perfectly does that as my primary source does press the social issues for blacks in the 1920’s, but only for that time and there are many holes that they do not fill in. By covering several anecdotes during the period of reconstruction, I️ think there will be a lot there in evidence for a research paper. I️ was was also interested in the idea of “double consciousness” and “the veil” as each man has 2 people to be, one who is literally a black man, and the other a former slave. All of these views are hidden behind the veil and I️ am interested to see how Du Bois can give white people a look in to gain understanding for the change they were undergoing.

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Reading the Primary Work #3

As I️ continue this book and pass the halfway mark, I️ am understanding the title City of Scoundrels more and more. The city of Chicago is literally filled with bad people. The overall recklessness of the population is reflected especially in Prohibition coming into fruition. One quote from page 108 specifically highlights how they got around it when the author mentions, “Alcohol, in short, would soon be readily available to any citizen willing to flout the laws of the land. In Chicago that would prove to be just about everyone.” This led me to wonder if the problems in the city originate from corrupt politicians such as Mayor Thompson or if it is the people who create poor trends.

A key event and another very important moment in the change in technology was the the first aviation disaster in American history as the “Wingfoot” Express fell from the sky into the Illinois Trust & Savings Bank. It was certainly controversial due to the fact that the blimp was flying for no real reason and the recklessness and want for publicity led to the crash. As technology improves, it becomes a scary thing when people experience some kind of power for the first time and selfishness kicks in. The consequences of that are shown in the image below. A crash that caused 13 deaths

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Emerson--Man the Reformer I was having trouble picking my secondary sources as I️ didn’t know exactly where to go with my abstracts. My primary source presses so many issues that I️ had a lot of options. One of the topics that stood out the most was change. Whether it be social, political, or literally structural change, there is so much complexity to this abstract. I️ decided to go with this Emerson piece because it was someone I️ was familiar with and I️ felt as though he would do a good job explaining the change which is similarly all the aspects of my primary, but a different timeline which could add an alternative view as well as possibly be a good connection to some of my other sources.

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Reading the Primary Work #2

As the mayor election of 1919 nears in Chicago, a racial issue begins to surface within the city. With a doubling of the African-American population over the previous 3 years due to the Great Migration, you see an importance in the Black vote more than ever. African Americans had the same political views, especially at this time given the fact that they wanted more freedom, power, etc. That is why Big Bill Thompson made it clear that he fully supported their needs and made it a major part of his political campaign. He did do good things for them in his first term, but the general consensus is that he didn’t do enough. This very thing that Thompson did in his campaigns would be just an early instance of a political issue that still exists today. It is quite easy to make promises during a campaign, but most politicians don’t actually do many of those things. This made me think about why we have gotten to this point and why people are still believing the lies that are told. Ultimately there doesn’t seem to be an answer and this problem will not go away anytime soon.

Before reading this book, I️ was only aware of the racism around this time existing in the south. The bombing of an entirely African-American apartment complex that killed a young girl was a major event that I️ wouldn’t have expected to have happened. It brings up a fascinating point that although there were no segregation laws in Northern cities, rascism wasn’t exactly non-existent.

[maxmulka314]

Reading the Primary Work #1

Finally able to sink into my book, City of Scoundrels, I️ was surprised by the politics that went on in the early 20th century of Chicago. The author Gary Krist starts us off with a clean slate for the city as the Great War has just ended and major plans have just been passed to expand the cities boundaries. There is also debate about the mayor election of 1919. The incumbent, Big Bill Thompson is very peculiar as what he did was unprecedented. I️ can’t help but draw comparisons between him and Donald Trump. Both were non politicians for most of their life and ultimately weren’t/aren’t too knowledgeable in their job. The biggest similarity has to be their big campaigns. Big Bill Thompson shaped the way politicians campaigned with lots of money and time spent with ridiculous promises, and that’s how he got into office. Thompson is also not exactly the most honest guy and I️ would connect his speeches to Orwell’s quote about corrupting thought as his likability hid his weaknesses from his voters