Blog #6 assignment

So far I like this class because it is better than I expected since I do not like to write that much. At first I disliked the idea of having to write blogs, but since it reduces the amount of essays required in the class I think it is a good replacement. I actually like the format of the blogs and how we are able to free-write instead of having to write structured essays. I try to keep in mind that other class mates will be reading my blog, so I try to keep my points clear. Reading other students blogs also helps me see how others think about certain things, as well as open me up to new ways of thinking. I don't really know what exactly I was expecting of the class at first, probably just a lot of writing like most English classes. However, since most of the writing in this class is just jotting down my thoughts, it is much more tolerable. My expectations of this class have definitely changed for the better.

Blog #5 Assignment OPTION 2

"If there is something to desire" by Vera Pavlova (Translated by Steven Seymour)

If there is something to desire,
there will be something to regret.
If there is something to regret,
there will be something to recall.
If there is something to recall,
there was nothing to regret.
If there was nothing to regret,
there was nothing to desire.

I remember reading this poem on the train various times during my commute to high school. It made me think about my desires and what I wanted to do with my life. But being a young person, those desires change often. I read this poem as saying that if you have those regrets and memories that may come with aspirations, it was no longer a desire but something real. That it is better to try and fulfill those desires and either obtain them or not, than to not have something to strive for.

Here is a link to the MTA page that has this poem along with others that have been in the subway's Poetry in Motion exhibits(?).
http://www.mta.info/mta/pim/poems.htm

Blog #4 assignment

I feel that the story “The Chrysanthemums,” by John Steinbeck is a good example of gender criticism. Gender criticism is defined as “the examination of the ways in which sexual identity influences the creation, interpretation, and evaluation of literary works” (Kennedy, X.J. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing). In the end of “The Chrysanthemums,” John Steinbeck has Elisa associate her crying to that of a weakly old woman. Even though Steinbeck has Elisa wanting to break through the gender barriers of her day all throughout the story, she settles by sticking to the gender roles of her society. The approach of gender criticism would help the reader to interpret this story more efficiently because it will make the expectations of women during those times clearer, and makes it easier to understand the hardships that Elisa was going through as well. For example, she had added stress to her already stressful life, just because women were looked down upon for no good reason. Probably like many women during her time, Elisa wanted to be treated as an equal to men and have some say in her life. However, Steinbeck showed how women dealt with these aspirations; they kept them to themselves. The use of gender criticism would help the reader fully understand why Steinbeck's story followed a woman as opposed to a man, as well as explain the events that unfolded around her.

Blog #3 Assignment OPTION A

Ted Lavender was one of the characters that I found interesting in "The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien. The author seems to consistently describe Ted Lavender as being scared of dying. The things that Lavender carried also spoke about his fear. For example, Lavender carried tranquilizers and “six to seven ounces of premium dope (393),” which to him was a necessity. He also carried almost 10 extra rounds (10ounces per round) because of his fear, and on night missions he carried a starlight scope. This illustrates how he surrounded himself with things that would ease his fear of death; the drugs that helped to calm his mind, the extra ammunition that gave him confidence in being able to deal with the enemy if need be, and the starlight scope which allowed him to see the enemy before they were able to see him. These objects helped Lavender feel more protected, and allowed him to better cope with his fear. I feel that Ted Lavender was a flat/static character. The only thing that is learned about him is that he is afraid of dying, and that is his constant characteristic throughout the entire story. I chose to write about Ted Lavender because I found it to be ironic that the man who feared and prepared for death the most was the only one to die out of the other 17 men in the platoon.