The Final Stretch...

https://iwonderwhatshethinks.blogspot.com/2019/02/calixa-calixa-calixa.html

This the blog post about "The Storm" and what we felt about the ending as well as how do we interpret the meaning of 'love' .

https://iwonderwhatshethinks.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-trickster-in-action.html

This blog posts deals with the Ante Bellum and have tricking can be hidden in plain sight.

https://iwonderwhatshethinks.blogspot.com/2019/03/speak-up-and-speak-out.html

This was the debate between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B DuBois and their views on how African Americans should be viewed.


                                

With the three blog post that I've chosen, I feel these are my strongest because I was truly interested in these stories. Because these stories kept my interest, my ideas and were flowing a lot better than the other stories. I also enjoyed talking about the many ways each story could be viewed. Within these stories, there was a new idea every time and it was very intriguing to write about. This class has helped me dissect and analyze stories a lot better than what I used to. In past times, I would read the story once and accept it for what it was, but now I see the importance of going back to collect information because I may have misinterpreted. My overall performance was average if I'm honest with myself. For example, with the small group discussions during class, I would answer the questions, but I wouldn't further the conversation to keep the different ideas flowing. I think that would be my weakness, not having the ability to expand ideas. It's mainly one sided, but in the future hopefully that will change. For an overall grade on my performance, I believe it should be a B because I still attended class and share some small ideas that were accurate. And my classwork was good for the most part.

Small group discussion

When preparing for the group discussion for the story "A Good Man Is Hard to Find," I took down notes and tried to dissect what was really happening the story. To help doing so, I read some of the questions that would have to be answered during the discussion to see what I was looking for. This was very helpful as well as rereading the story multiple times because it was a lot of details that was missed in the first round of reading. As I was coming into the group discussion, I felt ready and was ready to answer if not all, majority of the questions. But when the discussion began, it didn't go as planned in my head. I began to feel nervous for some strange reason, so I kind of set back for a few, then a realized I need to say something. Looking back, I wish I would've said more because I had a lot of different perspectives on the story than the other people in my small discussion. Also because of what I was gathering from what was said in the discussion, made my perspective in my head more vivid. If I was to get another opportunity to have a small discussion in another class, I would most defiantly answer more questions and add commentary on other peoples thoughts.

Importance of Looking Within..

Identity is something that many struggle with on a day to day basis. Having to constantly put on a facade to be accepted by family, friends, or the outside world can possibly result in losing who you really are. Which is why I have chosen to do the topic that tackles the discussion about identity and its role. The way I want to tackle this essay is explaining why people feel as though they have to have a second life and can your second persona get you accepted the way you want it to. I feel W.E.B Dubois first chapter of the Souls of Black Folk would be a great kick start to my essay because it talks about having a double conscience. As stated before, some people feel as though they have to become a different person to be accepted in different groups, and DuBois explains that perfectly in 'Of Our Spiritual Strivings." I also want to use the story "The School Days of an Indian Girl," because in the story, the girl has trouble fitting in at her school as well as her own home. Also I want to flip the script and add the story "How It Feels to be Colored," because I feel that is an important story of knowing who you are regardless of who you are around. In the story, the main character was well aware that she was being looked at differently when she left Florida, but she did not feel the need to change who she was. 


Issues within all three stories are still present in today's society, so I want to take examples from each text and begin to talk about how they are still relevant. With DuBois story, I want to hit pinpoints on how some may feel they have to compete with another race to be accepted or at least considered acceptation . With The Schools Days of an Indian Girl, I would take her situation and tie it in with how people who are looked at as "different" in today's society and how they might feel as being an outcast. And lastly, with the story "How It Feels to be Colored," I would like to talk about how you shouldn't have to change your identity to try to feel accepted.  

Group Response

I am responding to my classmate Chad (https://intro2americanliterature2.blogspot.com/2019/03/understanding-mowing-by-robert-frost.html) and his interpretation on the poem "Mowing" by Robert Frost. Frost's poems really causes you to think and I feel Chad dissected the poem nicely. I liked how he pin pointed good images from the story like the glaring sun giving off heat. Also how he realized that the poems imagery is like metaphor.

After Apple Picking..

After reading the poem "After Apple Picking," written by Robert Frost, I have realized many hidden messages. Beginning with the title of the poem, you can ensure that the farmer is seeking to find out what is the next step after everything is done. What's the next move in life? Shall it be death or shall it be retirement? If the poem was to be named "Toward Heaven Still," we could have a clear possibility that he's planning to die and hopefully make it to heaven. Or if the title was to be named "Barrel that I didn't fill," we could suggest that he was missing an important aspect in his life. But no, the title is After Apple Picking, so we are question what's next.

                                     
From the poem, you can ensure that the secret message is a man that is reflecting his life and what did he really accomplish. The "apple picking" metaphor is referring to the work he did over his lifetime, but he doesn't feel like he conquered anything as it says "there's a barrel that I didn't fill." Maybe this barrel is representing something he wanted to do his whole life but never got the chance to or something was refraining him to do so. Marriage? Having a family? Learning to swim? Who knows, but the mission was not completed but he's wrapping up his life, so there's doubt that he will get to it.



When reading, a couple of things I visualized was the "long two pointed ladder's sticking through a tree/Towards heaven still." I just picture a ladder going straight into the sky and a man climbing up to get to the promise land. Another image is line after that that proceeds to say "And there's a barrel that I didn't fill." To connect with the first image, he is still climbing the ladder to get to heaven, and as he's looking down, he reflecting his life, realizing that one thing wasn't  fulfilled. But it doesn't matter anymore because he has thrown in the towel. Another image is line 8 where is says "The scent of apples: I am drowsing off." I picture a man being poising by the smell of apples that it's killing him. Since he's worked so hard, he pretty much exhausted and can't bare anymore of the work.

                                                      

Group Response.

I am responding to my group partner Aarti (https://twofortytwo.home.blog/) and her views of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B Dubois. Me and Aarti are on the same page as to how each leader went about voicing their opinions with African Americans and their freedom. I do believe that Booker T. Washington had a good idea, but he didn't have enough resources to back up what he was saying. He needed the fire that Dubois was portraying in order to get his point across in a more thorough manner.

Speak Up and Speak Out

Between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B Debois, they both showed they wanted freedom and equality for African Americans. Yes, there is many different ways to go about having your voice being heard, but the most important objective is getting the outsiders to listen and obtain the information given. So it all boil down to who had the conservative and militant approach to get African Americans the positive recognition they deserve?

             

When reading Booker T. Washington's views on going about having equality, you can tell he was on the conservative side about the situation. He wanted African Americans to show their talents through work, and he believed that didn't require to have a full education. In the "Atlantic Exposition Address" he repeatedly states:

"Cast down your buckets where you are"

I believe with this quote, he is trying to say that African Americans should not have to move north to get economic freedom. Economic freedom should be included everywhere, like the south. As well as not finding the need to protest. Booker T. Washington believed that everything will fall into place in due time, if we, the African Americans, proceed to work efficiently and effectively. 

               

Now with W.E.B Dubois, he was not trying to "wait and see." Dubois beleived in speaking out and having a full education as well as the same job opportunities white people had. Although Dubois saw that some of the things Washington was aiming to get, was good for the African Americans, he believed he need to push harder for equality. The separate but equal ordeal was not acceptable in the eyes of Dubois. Dubois birthed this feeling of African Americans having to have a "double conscience," which to him meant that African Americans never had a unified identity. African Americans constantly had to put on a facade in front on the the outsiders to get by day to day. W.E.B was tired of these things, and felt like it shouldn't have to be like this forever. Taking the bare minimum would basically be a slap in the face to the African Americans. They deserved more than what was given to them. 

             

The way Booker T. Washington and W.E.B Dubois grew up were completely didn't. I believe that because Washington was born enslaved, and he has this little bit of freedom, he's just taking what is being offered to him because he knows what it feels like to have nothing. Whereas Dubois was born free. I believe that since Dubois knows how far African Americans can stretch their talents, he doesn't want to settle for less. Dubois knows that working is not the only way out in making a living for yourself.
 

Group Response

I am responding to my group partner Aarti (https://twofortytwo.home.blog/) for she had good quotes from both stories the "Ante Bellum sermon" and "The Passing of Grandison." We used the same quotes and had similar ideas as to what Dunbar was trying to say. Although I believed the Moses was Harriet Tubman and Aarti Moses was the union army, we were both on the same path to say that someone on their team is coming to save the enslaved. 



            





As for the story The Passing of Grandison, her quote portrayed what I referenced as well Grandison was appearing to be a happy slave in front of the Colonel, but it was all a facade.

A Trickster at Best..

There are many tricksters out in this world, but one that we can never forget is Satan himself. From the first chapter of the bible, Genesis, there came Adam and Eve story. We all know that God set Adam and Eve to the Garden of Eden where God gave them simple instructions saying that they could eat from any tree in the garden EXCEPT for the tree of good and evil. Satan disguised himself as a snake to confront Eve and try to persuade her into doing the opposite of what God sent her out to do.

                                           
During this confrontation Satan was pursuing Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. Eve told the serpent that she would die if she was to eat any fruit from the tree of good and evil, but she didn't even listen to her own intuition. Although Eve was hesitant and knew the repercussions that would come if she ate the fruit, she started to question God and his demands. The serpent set up the scenario to make it seem like God didn't want anybody to be better than him so he used that phrase saying "For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." The slick words were able to break her trust with God and she presumed to eat the forbidden fruit, later sharing some with Adam.

                 
               

The Trickster in Action..

When reading the short story "The passing of Grandison," and the poem "The Ante-Bellum Sermon" we ought to give a hand clap on how clever each character was. In that day and age, moving in silence was an important aspect because one wrong word or move could turn your whole mission into shambles. Let's dissect how each character was able to complete the task without cracking under pressure
                         
Beginning with the short story "The passing of Grandison" we all know now that Grandison was planning to dip out on Dick and the Colonel this whole time. But what were the secret messages that could of possibly went over our heads while reading the story on our first passage? Well for starters, lets talk about how fake happy he was to be a slave Before the journey for them to go up north, there was a started conversation with Grandison and the Colonel with a smart word choice that went something like this:

                            "'Deed, suh, I would n' low none er dem cussed, low-down abolitioners ter come nigh me, suh, I 'd - I 'd - would I be 'lowed ter hit 'em, suh?"

Well played Grandison. Pretending to hate one of the few people in this time that are willing to give you a new and better life is the perfect way to trick your master. Especially because the Colonel believed that this is the only civil way an African American should live because what silly goose would want them to be truly happy?

Another part of the story, which I believe is the funniest part is when Grandison and Dick are up north and Grandison portrays to be unmovable. Dick tries to throw anything possible that would possibly want to make Grandison leave, but he is like a statue.

                  "When he came back a couple of days later and found the faithful Grandison at his post, and the hundred dollars intact, Dick felt seriously annoyed."

See, Dick knew for sure that his long road trips and under the table money would run Grandison clean off. But Grandison saw the broader scheme of things. At this moment of the story, Grandison wasn't too sure if him and Dick were on the same page with his escape, so he didn't want to make any noticeable moves. Because of this intuition Grandison had, he didn't take any of the money Dick offered because maybe Grandison felt as if Dick saw the money was gone, he would know Grandison was on to something. So Grandison was trying to cover his tracks with the whole plan.
               
 
Now moving on to the poem "The Ante-Bellum Sermon." The pastor portrayed to be talking about the great fight between Moses and a Pharaoh in the bible, but it greatly tied with the accruing issue between African Americans and conservatives.

                                           Dey kin fo'ge yo'chains an' shackles
                                           F'om de mountains to de sea;
                                           But de Lawd will sen' some Moses
                                           Fu' to set his chilun free.

In this half stanza, Dunbar is saying somebody is coming to let the children go not only in the bible, but in real life. Now considering the fact that this was taken place during the civil war time, could he possibly referring to this Moses as Harriet Tubman? Since she was the hero to save all enslaved African Americans to the promise land.

   

One of the main things that the pastor would repeat throughout the sermon was " I will pause right hyeah to say, Dat I'm still a-preachin' ancient, I ain't talkin' bout to-day." This was repeatedly said because the pastor simply didn't want word to get out that slaves were plotting a great escape. To keep it biblical, and to keep the message going, the best way was to tell the crowd not to be offended by what is being said, it's simply just coming from the bible. 

On the last disguised quote that was kind of a smirking moment for the African Americans was

                                           "But I want to wa'n you people,
                                            Don't you git too brigity;
                                            An' don't you git to braggin'
                                           Bout dese things, you wait an' see.

What is being portrayed is a waiting game. Everybody believes that African Americans will be enslaved forever and won't have a chance to living a regular life like their masters. But the pastor is secretly saying that is not the case. In due time, we will be on the same level as others so don't cheer to being on  the top of the world as of yet.  

Two Minds Think Alike...

             






I am here responding to my group partner Aarti (https://twofortytwo.home.blog/) and her opinion of the story "The Storm." We both believe that Calixa was happy because her affair has been swept under the rug, and now she is proceeding back to her everyday life with her husband and son. Although it was a very close edge scene, she seemed to pull off the stunt. Also our opinions to Bobinot are on the same boat. His ears finally got a rest from agonizing assumptions. I must add, I like how she added quotes. In all honesty, I completely forgot to do that, but I sure will in the next blog assignment!

Calixa Calixa Calixa

Well we all can agree that the story has a never ending plot twist that doesn't seem to come to a solidified answer. The best way to describe this story is a maze. We think we're going the right way to figuring out the solution, but then there's an abrupt halt. And to top it off, the ending quote is "So the storm passed and everyone was happy." Well, what's the tea?

                                   


Now the never ending debate is everyone really happy? Let's dissect the situation and the irony behind it. So from what we know, we know that Calixa had a previous relationship with a fellow that she had an affair with. Could this be a situation where she's happy that the affair is over? Or did the affair lead up to her happiness? After the storm is when the flowers bloom right? So that darkening and intensifying storm that seemed so terrible, revived a spark that was blown away in the wind. Could possibly have rejuvenated Calixa's feelings and her mood for the rest of the day. The excitement Calixa exulted when Bobbinot came in the door could of been a whole facade because his eyes wasn't scared from the acts that happened just a few minutes because he walked through the door.

"So the storm passed and everyone was happy."

                                         





As for Bobbinot, could he be so naive? From the few statements that were given in the text, we know that Bobbinot tries to do things to keep Calixa quiet because she can be a bit of a nagger. Like the shrimp situation. He knew the rain would prevent him and his son from being home on time, so he tries to give a peace offering. Leads to the thought of how many peace offerings has he really offered to keep her quiet? How many peace offering really amended peace? Or better yet, are these just hush gifts because he doesn't want to hear the slander? So used to the status quo, that it becomes a natural but yet toxic habit. I don't believe that Bobbinot was truly a happy camper in the marriage. It just so happens that this one time Bobbinot comes in the house, and instead of getting a stern talking to, it's a  beatific greeting. But because the nagging wasn't present, he was then satisfied.

"So the storm passed and everyone was happy."

Analyzing Bobbinot's and Calixa's marriage, I believe it is broken. Although Calixa did shed a few tears in the absence of Bobbinot and her son, no true communication nor love is present. The reason I feel that way is because how could one love and still cheat? Just because someone is married doesn't mean they're happy and genuine. Some couples stay for the sake of their kids and the public. Don't want to appear as a broken home in front of peers because image is everything in the eye of some. Also instead of apologizing and trying to explain to Calixa why they were out for so long, Bobbinot wants to buy her favorite food in the hopes of getting on her good side. Doesn't sound like a healthy relationship to me.

                 

So why was this adultery act done in the first place? Maybe Calixa haven't felt love in this aspect for a while, and missed the feeling. And even though it was wrong, and she could possibly still care for Bobbinot, she fell into temptation, listening to her body and not her mind. Vulnerability could of been present, but if you were so worried about your family, how could you get easily side tracked? I believe that Calixa doesn't care about the fact that she had an affair because once the act was over, she was at ease. Of course she said she was "worried" about them during the rain, but was she really? 

What Do I Expect From the Course?

 

I 

I used this gif because during the course, I want to be surprised by somethings I never knew about American literature. I hope to get a better understanding on how everything became the structure it is today. Also I want to develop a better writing technique than the one I currently have. 

Is Fredrick Douglass Free?

"You are loosed from your moorings, and are free; I am fast in my chains, and am a slave! You move merrily before the gentle gale, and I sadly before the bloody whip! You are freedom's swift winged angels, that fly round the world; I am confined in bands of iron! O that I were free!"

These are the are the mourning words from Fredrick Douglass. His passion to seek freedom is pronounced effusively. Through his words, we are understanding the agony and journey Fredrick Douglass has been through, and where he deeply desired to be.