The bagels were delicious!!

This was a fun class……………

Portfolio Week!

As promised, here is the portfolio assignment sheet posted up for everybody!

When you speak, what do you say?

Now that we are coming to the end of the semester, we must gather our work and reflect on our accomplishments. In order to grow as writers, it is necessary to constantly look back at where we have come from and look forward to where we are going. You will face many other challenges in writing (core seminar, to be immediate) and your work this semester would be less valuable if you did not consider it as part of the process of your growth as writers. In the final week of the class, we will be editing and revising our work in order to develop comprehensive portfolios to be handed in to the department. Based on close peer-editing and individual time with me, our writing should develop even more within this week of intensive composition assessment.

***

Your Final Portfolio must include:

2 formal essays with drafts
1 in-class essay
1 self-assessment

*Choose your best work to go in the portfolios! Your work will be reviewed by multiple English professors to assure that you have passed the course. Even if your grades and effort were superb all semester, a failing portfolio will not allow you to pass the course!!!

Self-Assessment

Use this 2-3 page paper as a chance to show how you’ve grown in the course. Consider your writing skills and critical thinking skills before the semester began and compare them to your writing level now. How has what you have read and written helped mold you into a critical thinker and writer? Have you questioned anything new that you had never thought about before? How has your vision of the world around you changed, or has your vision been reinforced more heavily? Do you feel like your voice can contribute to a community of people who voice their opinions, whether it is through writing essays, giving speeches, creating art or protesting for a belief? Everyone has a different voice; the question is how one uses it. Where do you see your voice fitting into society?

Hold not your manhood so cheap upon this St. Crispin's day.

I can remember when I first heard this speech.....my skin tingled. I would never hold myself cheap but would stand amongst those who are willing to stand and be counted. I was a soldier once... and young. Those that stand ready to fight protect those that enjoy the luxury of civil disobedience. To have the freedom to walk the wilds of America is a freedom happily enjoyed by even the most lowly of men. It is a freedom that was paid by those willing to fight by blood and bone. Those that fight by word and deed are as well to be admired but the less are those that have not shed blood.
Shakespeare's " Henry 5th" Act 4
That he which hath no stomach to this fight, Let him depart; his passport shall be made, And crowns for convoy put into his purse; We would not die in that man's company that fears his fellowship to die with us. This day is call'd the feast of Crispian. He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd, and rouse him at the name of Crispian. He that shall live this day, and see old age, will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, and say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian.' Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars, and say 'These wounds I had on Crispian's day.' Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot but he'll remember, with advantages, what feats he did that day. Then shall our names, familiar in his mouth as household words- Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester- Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red. This story shall the good man teach his son; and Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, but we in it shall be remembered- We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; for he to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition; and gentlemen in England now-a-bed shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day

Honesty

Edwin Rodriguez

English 16

Professor McCormick

Journal Entry

In this reading of Henry David Thoreau's, "Resistance to Civil Government" there was a sense of comradery and freedom. He has very expressive thoughts towards America especially our government. When reading this very unique essay I can see his individuality as clear as glass. One perfect example is when Thoreau writes in his opening paragraph about the government. He states:

I heartly - 'That government is best which governs least'; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically. Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which also I believe ,- 'That government is best which governs not at all"; and when men are prepared for it, that will be the kind of government which they will have. Government is at best but an expedient; but most goverments are usually, and all governments are sometimes, inexpedient. (Thoreau)

I honestly can say that I commend Thoreau for is indiviuality to display the universal truth. He is bold for saying most of what he says and how he feels. He reminds me of of an earlier author we've read about, Micheal Moore in his essay, "Idiot Nation." they both are very blunt and honest in their own way. Now they both have me wanting to read more of their works.

Kid Rock

This is just to point out that the sexism is not limited to any ethnic group but it is across the board with in all music
SEX SELLS and everybody is buying..........


SO HOT
by Kid Rock
You got a body like the devil and you smell like sex
I can tell you're trouble but I'm still obsessed

[Chorus:]
Because you know you're so hot, I want to get you alone
So hot, I wanna get you stoned
So hot, I don't want to be your friend
I want to fuck you like I'm never gonna see you again
....Yeah.....C'mon....Yeah

You're like the kiss of death, like the hand of fate
I can tell you're trouble but I still want a taste

[Chorus x2]

Because you're so hot I want to get you alone
I want to get you stoned
I don't want to be your friend
I want to fuck you like I'm never gonna see you again

See you again
See you again

"Crank Dat Dance"

[Chorus: x2]
Soulja Boy Off In This Hoe
Watch me Crank It
Watch me Roll
Watch me Crank Dat Soulja Boy
Then Super Man Dat Hoe
Now, Watch me You....
(Crank Dat Soulja Boy)
Now, Watch me You....
(Crank Dat Soulja Boy)
Now, Watch me You....
(Crank Dat Soulja Boy)
Now, Watch me You....
(Crank Dat Soulja Boy)

[Verse 1:]
Soulja Boy Off In This Hoe
Watch me Lean And Watch Me Rock?
Super Man Dat Hoe
Then Watch me Crank Dat Robocop?
Super Fresh, Now Watch Me Jock
Jocking On Them Haterz Man
When I Do Dat Soulja Boy
I Lean To The Left And Crank Dat Dance
(Now You)
I'm Jocking On Yo Bitch Ass
And If We Get The Fightin
Then I'm Cocking On Your Bitch
You Catch Me At Yo Local Party
Yes I Crank It Everyday
Haterz Get Mad Cuz
"I Got Me Some Bathin Apes"

[Chorus x2]

[Verse 2:]
I'm Bouncin On My Toe
Why Me Super Soak Dat Hoe
I'ma Pass It To Arab
Then He Gon Pass It To The Low (Low)
Haterz Wanna Be Me
Soulja Boy, I'm The Man
They Be Lookin At My Neck
Sayin Its The Rubberband Man (Man)
Why me Do It (Watch Me Do It)
Dance (Dance)
Let Get To It (Let Get To It)
Nope, You Can't Do It Like Me
Hoe, So Don't Do It Like Me
Folk, I See You Tryna Do It Like Me
Man That Shit Was Ugly

[Chorus x4]

i guess this is the lyrics that comes to mind

FLO-RIDA LYRICS"Low"(feat. T-Pain)
[Intro - T-Pain]MmmmmmmmLet me talk to 'emLet me talk to 'emMmmmmmmLet me talk to 'emC'mon!
[Chorus (T-Pain):]Shawty had them apple bottom jeans (jeans)Boots with the fur (with the fur)The whole club was looking at herShe hit the floor (she hit the floor)Next thing you knowShawty got low, low, low, low, low, low, low, lowThem baggy sweat pantsAnd the Reebok's with the straps (with the straps)She turned around and gave that big booty a smack (hey)She hit the floor (she hit the floor)Next thing you knowShawty got low, low, low, low, low, low, low, low

[Flo-Rida]I ain't never seen something that'll make me goThis crazy all night spending my doeHad the million dollar vibe and a body to goThem birthday cakes they stole the showSo sexualShe was flexible professionalDrinking X&OHold up, wait a minute, do I see what I think? WhoaDid her thing seen shawty get lowAin't the same when it's up that closeMake it rain I'm making it snowWork the pole I gotta bang broI'm gonna say that I prefer the no clothesI'm in to that I love women exposedShe threw it back at me I gave her moCash ain't a problem I know where it go

[Chorus (T-Pain)]

[Flo-Rida]Hey shawty what I gotta do to get you homeMy jeans filled with guap and they're ready for showingCadillacs laid back for the sexy grownPatron on the rocks that'll make you moanOne stack (come on), two stacks (come on), three stacks (come on)Now that's three grandWhat you think I'm playing baby girl I'm the manI'm dealing rubberbandsThat's when I threw her legs on my shouldersI knew it was overThat heny and Cola got me like a soldierShe ready for Rover, I couldn't control herSo lucky on me I was just like cloverShawty was hot like a toasterSorry but I had to fold herLike a pornography posterShe showed her

[Chorus (T-Pain)]

[Flo-Rida]Whoa shawty yeah she was worth the moneyLittle mama took my cashAnd I ain't want it backThe way she bent that backGot all them paper stacksTattoo above her crackI had to handle thatI was zoned in sexy womanLet me show it make me want itTwo in the morning I'm zoned inThem rosee bottles foamingShe wouldn't stopMade it dropShawty dipped that pop and lockHad to break her off that guapGal was fine just like my glock

[Chorus (T-Pain)]

Storys I heard...................

My Great Aunt Hess, Hester Brooks my grandma's sister was a sweet woman of the kindest sort. Whenever family from up north came visiting she would cook, this led to a local family gathering. My Aunt Hess like many women from my Gran Ma's family was a good cook so everyone looked forward to company from up north.
I was a yungin when I first went down there,bout Ten years old but it was a time that I would most remember. I can still feel the heat coming off the plate of biscuits covered with butter and strap molasses. I was sitting in the kitchen by the stove. the women of my family were cooking and talking of times pasts......The time Annie May married that man from Chicago, " Lord knows, that child was a wild one" they spoke of the many things rumored that happen with Annie May.......her wild and wanton ways as a young hellion. As my Grand Ma would say " Goin to hell in a hand basket". "Good thing that Man married her", one of my older cousins said
My Cousin Aisha came into the room and the women came quiet....My aunt Hess said " Hey Annie May you do still eat me don't you", she replied " Yes of course Aunt Hess, I am a Muslim not Vegetarian"
I did not know my cousin Aisha was this Annie May they were talking about this wild woman. My cousin Aisha was a soft spoken and kind modest Muslim woman, she was married to Uncle Robert a follower of Elijah Muhammad, a Black Muslim, he was stern and strict. Uncle seldom smiled and never joked always talking about the struggle and stuff beyond the mind of a Ten year old boy....But my cousin Aisha was alway nice to me

Lyrics

EMINEM LYRICS"Superman"(feat. Dina Rea)[Girls voice is Dina Rea][Intro]OoooohYou high babyYeahYa'Talk to meYou want me to tell you somethingUh-huhI know what you want to hear...[Chorus A]Cause, I know you want me baby, I think I want you too"I think I love you baby", I think I love you tooI'm here to save you girl, come be in Shady's worldI want to grow together, let's let our love unfurlYou know you want me baby, you know I want you tooThey call me superman, i'm here to rescue youI want to save you girl, come be in Shady's world"Ooooh boy you drive me crazy", bitch you make me hurl...[Verse 1]They call me superman, leap tall hoes in a single boundI'm single now, got no ring on this finger nowI'd never let another chick bring me down, in a relationshipSave it bitch, babysit, you make me sickSuperman ain't savin' shit, girl you can jump on Shady's dickStraight from the hip, cut to the chase, I tell a muthafuckin' slut, to her facePlay no games, say no names, ever since I broke up with what's her faceI'm a different man, kiss my ass, kiss my lips, bitch why askKiss my dick, get my cash, i'd rather have you whip my assDon't put out, i'll put you out, won't get out, i'll push you outPuss blew out, poppin' shit, wouldn't piss on fire to put you outAm I too nice, buy you ice, bitch if you died, I wouldn't buy you lifeWhat you tryin' to be my new wife, what you Mariah, fly through twice...[Prechorus]But I do know one thing though, bitches, they come they goSaturday through Sunday, Monday, Monday through Sunday yo'Maybe i'll love you one day, maybe we'll someday growTill then just sit your drunk ass on that fuckin' runway ho'...[Chorus B]Cause I can't be your SupermanCan't be your SupermanCan't be your SupermanCan't be your SupermanI can't be your SupermanCan't be your SupermanCan't be your SupermanYour Superman, your Superman...[Verse 2]Don't get me wrong, I love these ho'sIt's no secret, everybody knowsYeah we fucked, bitch so what, that's about as far as your buddy goesWe'll be friends, i'll call you again, i'll chase you around every bar you attendNever know what kind of car i'll be in, we'll see how much you'll be partying thenYou don't want that, neither do I, I don't want to flip when I see you with guysToo much pride, between you and INot a jealous man, but females lieBut I guess that's just what sluts do, how could it ever be just us twoI'd never love you enough to trust you, we just met and I just fucked you...[Prechorus][Chorus A / Chorus B][Verse 3]First thing you say, "I'm not fazed, I hang around big stars all dayI don't see what the big deal is anywaysYou're just plain old Marshall to me"Ooh ya' girl run that game"Hailie Jade, I love that name, love that tatoo, what's that say""Rot in pieces, uh, that's great"First off you don't know Marshall, at all so don't grow partialThat's ammo for my arsenal, i'll slap you off that barstoolThere goes another lawsuit, leave handprints all across youGood Lordy whoadie, you must be gone off that water bottleYou want what you can't have, ooh girl that's too damn badDon't touch what you can't grab, end up with two backhandsPut anthrax on a tampax, and slap you till you can't standGirl you just blew your chance, don't mean to ruin your plans...



Even though this song is ver old, I think this is a great example of what Morgan was saying in her article, they are maybe just expressing themselves through their music. it seems in this song that he has been hurt and doesn't want to go through it again. It seems that in some of their songs they are just expressing an anger that they have, which can sometimes be a good thing, instead of them doing other things that would lead them to jail or dead!! I, like Morgan, think that is not that big of deal!

Massari - Inta Hayati lyrics
Artist: Massari lyrics
Album: Massari
Year: 2005
Title: Inta Hayati


[Verse 1]
I wanna tell you how i feel
And let you know it.
First time I seen you girl,
I swear that you was glowin.
I wanna let you know,
With me you’re not alone.
So let it go and let it go,
To where it’s going.


Chorus – Translated from Arabic - x2]
Inta Hayati,(You are my life)
Inta Habibi.(You are my love)
Min awil nazra(from the very second)
Wsourti Nasibi.(You became my destiny)





I like these two verses of this song because the singer used the correct word choice into expressing himself. He didn’t portray women in a negative way, nor did he use any degrading names. In addition, his message was fully understood.

Life Is Like A Watermelon


Life is like a watermelon
The outer layer is predictable and nicely seen
However, the inner layer can either be sweet or bitter
Life is like a watermelon
People follow the predictable paths of others
However, these paths don’t always end with the same sweet outcome
Life is like a watermelon
By: Nada Alkhatib

Girl Journal

Eduardo Sanchez


In this reading Kincaid writes about basically what her mother expected her to do and not to do, mainly in order for her not to become a "slut". I think that this reading mainly speaks to young adults like us growing up and becoming a reflection of what our parents taught us. I think that everyone remembers a time when our parents would nag and tell us what to do, this was mainly their way of telling us how to be good people and do what is expected of us. I remember when I was growing up as a kid, my parents would always tell me how to dress and how to behave around people, and what was right and wrong. I usually got annoyed with this, and I even stopped caring around my teen years. I didn't care what people thought of me and I would tell myself "they don't know me, so its none of their business what I do or how I act". Then when I matured more I realized that despite the fact that part of that was true, how you act always leaves an impression of you on people, and even though judging people you don't know is wrong, it happens. People can also judge my parents as well and think that they did a horrible job raising me, so its important to maintain a good impression of yourself when around people that you don't know, even if they aren't such good people themselves. Despite everything acting appropriately doesn't mean that you have to change who you are and what you believe in, it just means you want to be a good person and let people believe that you are. And Being a good person is one of the most important lessons your parents can teach you, because it is something that you remember for the rest of your life.

A girl point of view>>>>

The essay "Girl" is very interesting nad it speaks the truth. I think Kincaid is a very strong writer, she is stern and believes what she says. In the essay, the mother is the primary speaker, based on the volume of her comments, but it is clear that the daughter is the protagonist; the story is written in such a way that the reader responds along with daughter to the mother's comments, which take the form of a series of lessons; the point of the lessons, according to the mother, is to teach her daughter to behave properly and not to act, as she terms it, like a slut. Each series of orders concludes with a follow-up question or negative statement in which the mother shows her disapproval toward her daughter.
The mother continues to show her daughter how to do things. The part that caught my eye the most, was when she mentioned " like a slut". I thought was deep, and it also shows how she doesn't want her daughter to be. I don't think any mother wants their daughter to be a slut. I like the fact the writer said it like it is, their was no holding back to what was on her mind, and I respect her for that.

Mother's Love


"Mother," she said, looking down at the older woman who sat in the wheelchair. She ignored the other residents of the nursing home around them. "Mother, I know now. I understand."

The woman looked up and smiled at her. "Sonya, it's always so good to see you," she said.

"Why didn't you tell me what you were doing?" asked Sonya. She dropped into a chair beside the wheelchair, so that she and her mother could be on the same level. "All these years, and you never told me."

"I don't know what you're talking about," said the older woman. "How is your job going? Were you promoted, as you wanted to be?"

"I don't want to talk about my job. I want to talk to you about what you've done to make me successful."

"I didn't do anything. You've done it all. All the education, all the hard work--"

"No!" Sonya stood up again, unable to keep still. "You've been doing it all! When I was in high school and I said I needed help with the higher level math courses, because I couldn't figure any of it out, you said I shouldn't worry."

"You did fine," said her mother.

"Yes! Because you gave me your math ability! After that, you couldn't even balance your checkbook, remember?"

She shrugged. "When people get older, they start to slow down."

"You had a graduate degree in mathematics. You were a brilliant teacher. But after I started doing well in high school math, you lost all your abilities. Tell me it was a coincidence!"
"Darling, you're upset. Probably too much stress."

"No! No! I can't stand taking from you anymore! I never wanted to go to grad school for that MBA. I never had the ambition. But you did. You had more ambition than ten women! Until I needed it, and then--then suddenly I burned with the desire to prove myself and you--you gave up. That's when you started working at the supermarket."

"I wanted a lower stress job."
"
I told you I was lonely but I thought I would never find anyone who would want to marry me, and then suddenly Bob turned into the most committed man I could ever imagine, and Dad suddenly lost interest in you and wandered off with that stupid woman across the street."

"Now surely you're not saying I'm responsible for your father's failings, are you?" asked her mother, smiling weakly.

"I'm saying you gave up your own desirability, to give it to me! At tremendous cost to you! But that wasn't all, either, was it?"

"Sonya, you really shouldn't get yourself worked up this way. It can't be good for you."

"And then," Sonya continued, ignoring the older woman, "when I needed that extra energy to do all the work I had to do in my first executive position, suddenly I had the energy I needed, and you could barely drag yourself out of bed in the morning!"

"I just wanted to see you succeed."

"Why?" Sonya dropped down on her knees in front of her mother's wheelchair, clutching her mother's frail hands. "Why did you do all this to yourself? Why? I'm not worth it, Mom! No success I've had in my life is worth what you've done to yourself, for me!"

"Oh," said her mother, stroking Sonya's hair, "you're wrong about that. Everything I did, everything I gave up, was worth it because of you, of what you've made of yourself."

"Mom, Mom, please, I'm begging you, take it back. I don't want my success on these terms! I don't want to see you grow more and more frail, more and more helpless, just so that I can grow stronger and richer and more famous!"

"What's holding you back now?" asked her mother. "Why didn't you get the promotion?"

"I'm not going to tell you! Aren't you listening to me? I don't want you to do more to yourself for me!"
Her mother looked down at her for a few seconds, and then nodded. "Ah, yes, I see. I understand, dear. You're almost there, aren't you? You just need a little more, just a tad more strength, but it's all right. You're going to get it, don't worry."

Sonya raised her head, horrified. "No, Mom! I told you, I don't want it! Don't - whatever you're going to do, don't do it!"

Her mother's head snapped backwards, and her eyes rolled in her head. Sonya, horrified, clutched at her mother's wrist. The pulse was barely discernible. Sonya screamed, and the personnel at the nursing home rushed toward them.

But before they arrived, her mother's eyes opened for a second, and for the last time, Sonya saw the intelligence she always remembered in her mother. "Have a daughter," her mother breathed. "Do it for her."

By Nora M. Mulligan

Extra Credit

We Wear the Mask

We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,--
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!
By: Paul Laurence Dunbar

Does anyone want to title our collaboration?

English 16 – Spring 2008
“Girl” Exercise
April 7, 2008

This is how you tie your shoes; this is how you walk; walk, don’t run; this is how you eat; this is what you can eat; this is what you can’t eat; this is what you can do; this is what you can’t do; you have to go to school; you have to study for school; you have to pass; respect your elders; don’t talk back; always pray; have respect for people; do not cause problems; don’t sit with your legs open; don’t talk back to an adult; don’t eat on the train; comb your hair before you leave the bathroom; brush your teeth before you go to bed; take a bath before you go to bed; wash your face after you wake up; please put your dirty cloths in the hamper; pray before you go to bed; I am trying to prepare you for life; write your homework down before you leave that school; put lotion on after you take a shower; don’t talk to strangers; don’t be so hard-headed; get good grades in school; these are the responsibilities of life; don’t go to bed without washing the dirt off your body first; don’t talk back to people of authority; make sure you put out your cloths before you go to bed; remember to always treat people with respect; you can’t have a boyfriend until 16; stop being so demanding; never give in to peer pressure; you must be in the house before the porch lights come on; never leave the house with tired eyes; a man only goes as far as you allow him to; don’t let your friends mislead you; always do your best in life, so you don’t have to depend on no one; always respect your elders, even if they are wrong; don’t fall in love…until you finish school; have respect for yourself; don’t slurp your drink when it’s about to finish; use one arm at the dinner table; elbows off the table; don’t talk back to adults; sit properly at the dinner table; don’t slouch, stand up straight; clean your plate, don’t play with your food; stay focused; be faithful to God; make sure the cleanest places in the house are the kitchen and bathroom; in the winter, always leave the window cracked, so air can escape and some fresh air can get in; never eat with your mouth full; always do well in school; always look both ways before crossing the street; don’t sleep in church; don’t play with knives, don’t play with food; don’t fight with others; don’t curse at your elders; don’t run in the streets; don’t put your elbows on the dinner table; don’t listen to that music; don’t forget to feed the dog and give her a bath; brush your teeth before you go to bed; always say good morning when you see someone in the morning; tie your shoes; study for your tests; you need to stop wearing the color purple it is not safe; don’t go to the Jungles for any reason; stay out of the Compton Swap Meet; wrap it up; don’t laugh loud; don’t be on the phone when it is dinner time; don’t wear tight cloths to go to church; don’t be late at school; always be nice to teachers; always wash your hands; achieve past the highest of your ability; don’t speak if you are not spoken to; respect your elders; don’t be a follower, always be the leader; if someone hits you, hit them back; never let a man empower a woman, always take a stand; wipe the table this way; don’t put too much make up on; gain weight; hurry up; sleep early; go study; “seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave…even unto China”; never bring dishonor to your house; remember who you are and act like it; always listen to others, you will learn more with your mouth closed and your ears open.

April 2, 2008

I just wanted to comment on today's class. I think that the trivia game for Into the Wild went really well and I think that everyone had a great contribution to making this happen! John really enjoyed sitting in and he thanks you all. As a traveller of the Alaskan interior, I think having John as a guest speaker might be a great class to add. I will see if he has any time to spare for us.



After class he began telling me some stories about his travels and adventures in the bush. Never before would I have thought polar bears and caribou were mean and aggressive animals, until he told me the story of his close encounters! I think you would all appreciate an in-person account of the Alaskan interior. We'll see if I can make this happen for us!

Bring in your final papers on Friday! I will have them graded and returned to you by next week!

Row the ocean, Walk the country...

Some great articles and websites about rowing across an entire ocean and walking across America. What are the motivations of these people? What can rowing or walking do to change the world? Do you feel that their approaches to a problem are effective or that their intentions are genuine? Which matters more, approach or intention?
Let's get some responses! Extra credit for blogged journals, as always!

Row, Row

Row your boat

Walk across America!

Eduardo Sanchez English 16
Into the wild journal #1 Professor McCormick

In the book into the wild the character of Christopher Johnson McCandles goes on an adventure and leaves to fulfill his own dreams of going around America backpacking and hitchhiking until he arrives to the his final destination, which is Alaska. He desires to leave behind all that he owns, including family old friends and most importantly any money he had. In the book there are many characters to who one could relate to, like Chris’s sister, his mother Bille and his father Walt. Each character has their own unique personality and I think there is at least one relationship one can relate to with their own lives or with some one else in their lives. If had to pick a character that I believe that I can associate someone with, it would have to be Chris’s Grandfather Loren Johnson and Chris’s father Walt. I would compare their relationship with Chris to My grandfather’s Relationship to my own father and his other siblings. I would have to say that the only ways that they are similar is that Loren did things he disliked, like hunting for example and was also a guide for amateur hunters when Billie and her siblings were young. Despite his love for animals he did it because he had no other form of providing food for and other things for his kids as well. I think for the most part all parents would be willing to do something they dislike to come through for their family. My grandfather according to my dad had many different jobs when he was in Guatemala and he did them all because, much like Walt, he had many children, most illegitimate or from previous relationships. He had to provide for about 15 kids, which even nowadays that is hard task to do, but despite this he did it without thinking twice. I think that is admirable considering that most people would have simply turned their backs on them. He was mainly a shoemaker and he liked playing the guitar as well, he liked those two things and he considered them an art or at least something he could always enjoy doing. He had many other jobs and did odd jobs as well, since work was hard to find, according to him. I think like Chris I admire that quality in my grandfather, a quality of making commitments and having priorities and trying your hardest to keep them, something I hope I will be able to do in the future. Like Chris I also want to fulfill my dream of traveling around the world, and seeing Europe, Asia and parts of central and South America, and some states in America as well. Despite this common dream, we differ in a major way, I would not leave everything behind, I would like get this all done before I die (not because I’m dying), by doing it throughout my lifetime and mainly not alone, with friends as well.

Into The Wild

I think everyone has a right to make any life changes that they want. Although, it may hurt people close to them, it's only right for them to do what's best for themeselves; even if it is a bizarre action. I could understand that Christopher McCandless was willing to try a different lifestyle but I think he was unprepared. He had a mental state of mind in deciding to re-live a different life but his physical state wasn't ready. He had inadequate sources of food, unproper living conditions, he became ill and died all alone in the nature of Alaska. When anyone decides to make any kind of life changes the mental and physical state must be alert and be able to cope with whatever conditions that the new lifestyle changes bring about. Christopher hadn't think about such circumstances before making his actions or else he would of known that "every action has a reaction"!

What is a Freegan?

Mustapha brought in a couple of great articles I think everyone should read. He brought up the group right here in New York City that call themselves Freegans. I think this website has a lot of valuable information on substantial living, a direction away from our capitalistic society. Please check it out, if you're interested. As always, a journal response will count as extra credit if some valuable thought is posted here on the blog!

A few articles on this phenomenon known as "dumpster diving":
Extreme Recycling: Food, Furniture, Diapers
Turning Trash into Gold

Is this a realistic or suitable way of living? The Freegans are talking about an entire make-over in our consciousness by fixing our lifestyles first. Let's here some thought on these matters!

Supertramp's Literary Heroes

From the passages that McCandless highlights and responds to in his library of “nine or ten paperbound books”, Krakauer puts together an account of what McCandless is reading and writing about while he is in the wild (162). His library makes up the heaviest weight in his backpack, from literature by authors such as “Thoreau and Tolstoy and Gogol” to “mass-market books by Michael Crichton, Robert Pirsig, and Louis L’Amour” (162). In recounting McCandless’s life, Krakauer focuses on his aesthetic dedication to certain writers; in particular, the literary heroes typically read in University English courses. Using the passages below, analyze how such authors influenced McCandless. Consider the positive and negative powers his self-education had on his own concoction of the American Dream.

No man ever followed his genius till it misled him. Though the result were bodily weakness, yet perhaps no one can say that the consequences were to be regretted, for these were a life in conformity to higher principles. If the day and the night are such that you greet them with joy, and life emits a fragarance like flowers and sweet-scented herbs, it is more elastic, more starry, more immortal,—that is your success. All nature is your congratulation, and you have cause momentarily to bless yourself. The greatest gains and values are farthest from being appreciated. We easily come to doubt if they exist. We soon forget them. They are the highest reality. …The true harvest of my daily life is somewhat as intangible and indescribably as the tints of morning or evening. It is a little star-dust caught, a segment of the rainbow which I have clutched.
Henry Davis Thoreau
Walden, or Life in the Woods
PASSAGE HIGHLIGHTED IN ONE OF THE BOOKS FOUND
WITH CHRIS MCCANDLESS’S REMIAINS
Krakauer 47

from Leo Tolstoy's "Family Happiness"
He was right in saying that certain happiness in life is to live for others…
I have lived through much, and now I think I have found what is needed for happiness. A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one’s neighbor—such is my idea of happiness. And then, on top of all that, you for a mate, and children, perhaps—what more can the heart of a man desire?

Krakauer 169

A written response on the blog will count as extra credit

RELATING TO A CHARACTER

Edwin Rodriguez
English 16
Professor McCormick
Journal Entry

Relating

One person that I feel I can most relate to is Chris's McCandless sister Carine McCandless. Carine's situations at her stand point remind me of myself, and certain issues that I and my family faced in my life. I see that she was in the same predicament as me. Chris reminds me of my sister in that they both have their rebellious ways. I was always the one watching or overlooking what was going on just like Carine did.
Krakauer talks how Carine and Chris are similar in some ways but there are very different also, just like the relationship between my sister Crystal and I.Carine seems to relate to her brother to a certain degree, like clashing with her parents. Krakauer writes, "Like Chris, Carine is energetic and self-assured, a high achiever, quick to state an opinion. Also like Chris, she clashed fiercely with Walt and Billie as an adolescent. But the differences between the siblings were greater than their similarities."
My sister Crystal was always the one that had the most drama with my parents. Even though I had my drama it wasn’t like to my sister’s extreme. She was always the rebellion for any little thing. One incident, out of many, that I remember was when my sister left the house just like Chris did. They both did it out of rebellious actions. One morning my mom and my sister were arguing. They were hollering at each other in the stairway like no other. I was listening, of course, downstairs in the living room. That's when a pivotal change happened in our lives. Shortly after, there argument my sister had left the house, for good. She eventually came back to get her stuff and move out but she wanted to be gone for good. My mother didn’t want anything but greatness to come out of her, but Crystal couldn’t see that.
Another way there are similarities between myself and Carine and Chris and Crystal is when Krakauer writes about the photographs. Chris is more relluctant to take a pic while Carin is smiling away. Krakauer writes in his essay:
She's right: In both photos Chris stares at the lens with the same pensive, recalcitrant squint, as if he'd been interrupted in the middle of an improtant thought and was annoyed to be wasting his time in front of the camera. His expression is most striking in the Easter photo because it contrasts so strongly with the exuberant grin Carine wears in the same frame. 128
We have an almost exact picture that mathces the description of Carine's and Chris's. My family was in Virgina Beach, Virgina for summer vacation. While we were down there we had taken a lot of pictures together. The one that reminds me most of their Easter photo was when we were leaving on our last day. My aunt had taken a picture of us; you see me smiling like it was for a Colgate commercial. But as you scan your eyes to the right you can see my sister giving a squint and uncomfortable look as if she was bother by my aunt.
Reading this story help me to justify the connections between myself and Carine who is the passive aggessive type. Then to find my sister like Chris, the rebelious child was really errie. I didn't think the similarities would be as close as they were.

The Character I can relate to the most is...

I can relate to Alex's sister because she's very caring but also very understanding. Even though she doesn't know what's going on with Alex right now you can tell she's there for him regardless where he is. She tries to hide certain things from their parents because they have a different way of thinking than their parents. While their parents are materialistic they look at things from a different perspective which makes her and Alex or Chris very close. I personally feel as if I
honestly know his sister because she is such an open person but at the same time she's very secretive and basically keeps her business between her and Chris. I feel that she is very admirable to actually be so close to her brother and to not know one single thing about where he is or what he is doing with his life. Regardless of where he is she has always stood her ground but after a while she cracked under the pressure of her parents concern and worry about Chris. Out of mostly everybody she is the only person that actually understands him whenever he comes to her with his problems. One thing that i don't agree with when it comes to her is the fact that she feels as if when chris left he wasn't thinking about her and he was being so called "selfish". Personally I feel as if she was being selfish because he does love her, he made that clear to her but she still insisted that he was only thinking of himself when he decided to leave. It was his choice,he wanted to get away from the egotistical world that we all live in. I understand she feels as if he should of told her because of the fact that they are very close but sometimes you have to do things on your own. They might of dealt with the same problems but chris did come into this world by himself and he will leave this world by himself.

"Into The Wild"

I thought into the wild was a unique story. I've never read a story like this and I can't believe its actually true. There's nothing in the world that would ever make me trade my present life for the life that Christopher lived. Although I have a great likeness for peace and nature I would never try to attempt such actions. This story reminds me of a movie called the wild child. Its too bad Christopher died such a horrible death. I wish he was alive to give him a bravery award. Only a brave soul could do what Christopher did.

Into the Wild- Journal 1- Outside Perspectives

Homework and Journal Entry for Wednesday, March 26th.

Read chapters 13-15 and choose one person from the book so far that you can relate to most. Write about what connections you can find with this person and how their perspective compares to another's in the book. You can use any character, big or small, from Alex to the man who drove him to the end of the Stampede Trail. Must be 2 pages.

Choose some quotations Krakauer has written out fully from interviews with these people. Think about how each person has come across McCandeless and sees him in a different light. The people around America that have known him for hours to weeks or months all know a different person that has similar characteristics. Think about how their reaction to "Alex" relates to your own reaction. What kind of opinion would you have on McCandeless if you were a driver that had picked him up versus a family member that has been abandoned. Think about perspective.





We will talk about our journals in class and share them in small groups. Be prepared to talk about your character in depth and expand on your thoughts on their perspective.

Extra Credit

My American Dream


In this world, there are billions of American dreams. Different people have different American dreams; it depends on their personalities, goals and values. As for myself, one part of my American dream is to the increase the number of pharmacist s in the world starting with my self. I personally feel pharmacists play a significant role in the society. Pharmacists help patients by regulating and giving them the correct drug. Hopefully in six years, I will become a pharmacist, and most importantly, I will have the power in helping patients in receiving the correct medications and anything that involves their remedies. When I will become a pharmacist, a partial of my American dream would be achieved. The other part of my American dream is to have a loving family, a good looking husband and kids.

Soto Journal Response

Edwin Rodriguez
English 16
Professor McCormick
Journal Entry
Realization
When reading, "Looking for Work," by Gary Soto you get a sense of being a child again. You want to remember the stupid things you did for work. For example when Gary goes looking for work, "I decided to become wealthy, and right away! After downing a bowl of cereal, I took a rake from the garage and started up the block to look for work. (27)" When I was younger I would do the same thing when it would snow back home in Connecticut. I would go around with all my friends looking to who would get the most money. I would win sometimes, coming in with $100 in just in one day. My friends would get made but I knew we would all go out with the money we made or just go sledding in the snow at the park.
This story was very interesting and inspiring in a subliminal way. It showed me that I do want to make money doing what I love to do and I will be very happy. Just like Gary went around looking for money in his neighborhood to complete his satisfaction of trying to be the perfect white family or having everyone is fully cloth while eating at the dinner table. "Mom, do you think we could get dressed up for dinner one of these days? David King does. (29)"
Overall, this story was very interesting and refreshing to read. No one will ever live a perfect life like Leave It to Beaver, but we can all strive for that certain satisfaction. It also brought back memories and in addition made me realize what I really want to do with my life. Make a living doing what I love to do.

It wasn't GoodTimes for me

Growing up I looked on TV and I seldom saw anyone I wanted to be like. I saw white families that made me wonder if my family was crazy. Sometimes I would wish that I would get adopted by a nice white family. I never was adopted, although my family sometimes wondered if I was adopted after some of the crazy things I would do. My family didn't look like the Brady bunch we looked more like the faces in Good Times. But on that show it made black people seem like buffoons , it wasn't something that I could identify with. As much as I wanted to live in a world of white picket fences and family dinners every night. It never happened, I lived in a world of a dysfunctional family and poverty. I would enjoy watching TV and seeing a world were life problems were solved in 30 minutes. Then an half hour later I would watch a show where black people were struggling in poverty and prancing like a minstrel show. Most time I saw black people on TV they were drug dealers or prostitutes . I never like the way TV portrayed black life,it made me uncomfortable.

Journal on Gary Soto..****

Well I just finish reading the "Loooking for work" by Gary Soto, and it was great. Soto is a good writer and expresses how he feels a family should be. He wants his family to be like the families he sees on t.v, he compares it to sitcom' like "Leave it to Beaver". Soto says in his essay "This was the summer when I spent the morning in front of the televesion that showed th comfortable lives of white kids". After reading that line, I thought to myself does he really want his family to be like tv families, or is he just wishing that his family was perfect ?
I think he is happy with his normal Mexican- American family but sometimes feels they should be different. Even I sometimes wish my family came out of the tv, but thats not going to happen, so I'm happy. Many families may have their ups and downs but you still love them no matter what. I think television had an influence on Gary Soto and that's cool because it makes life a little more interesting.

Dalton Journal

Edwin Rodriguez
English 16
Professor McCormick
Journal Entry

Judgement

As I read "Horatio Alger," by Harlon L. Dalton I felt the realization of what he was saying. One thing that I would like to discuss is how Dalton mentions judgement of cultures. For example he writes, "I honestly am surprised every time I see a White man who can play basketball above the rim, just as Puerto Ricans and Cubans tend to be surprised to discover "Americans" who salsa truly well. All of which is to say that the notion that every individual is judged solely on personal merit, without regard for sociological wrapping, is mythical at best." Dalton is very true when making this statement. People tend to base a person off of there culture instead of there surroundings or society. This in turn leads to racial segregation and prejudice running through each American. We always identify a person off of their particular race.
One incident I remember was when I was inviting people at my high school to attend one of my birthday parties. There were so many judemental comments made about particular groups of people I was inviting. I gave an invitation to some of my Caucasian friends. My friends that were Hispanic and African American were making fun of the way they would dance. One girl said, "These white girls ain't got no rhythym they won't be able to dance like us." They eat their were because the Hispanics and African Americans were surprised to see how good these "white girls" were dancing at the party.
Overall, We can't just judge someone who is "white" or "black" because you may end up getting the wrong impression of that particular person. The only one who is going to feel bad in the end will be yourself. I can agree with Dalton that most people judge to quickly on personal merit oppose to a persons' sociological surroundings.

Updates

Just so everyone is on the same page... Your final revisions for your first formal essay are due on Monday, March 3rd.


For this Friday:
-Late Dalton response journals will be accepted (still marked late)
-Read The Black Avenger by Ken Hamblin
-Hand in Revisions early!

Dylan Journal Response

Edwin Rodriguez
English 16
Professor McCormick
Journal Entry
Face The Mirror

"Who do you want to be and what is keeping you from being that person?" A question asked in, “The Bird Who Broke Through the Window,” from an unknown writer by the name of Dylan. Dylan is a firm believer in, “every single person can make a difference.” He has trouble accepting the fact that he is in control of his own power and how he can control it. He writes, “I cried in my room that night at my own defeat. I saw how trapped I felt and how afraid I was of my own power.” He consciously knew he was in control of his own power but he felt trapped like a bird in a house and didn’t know what to do with himself. He needed to break free. Dylan wrote in his essay how it felt to him to be like that; “I felt like a bird stuck in a house. I could see the outside through the window, but each time I tried to fly out, I flew smack into the glass. I then realized that I, myself, had constructed the glass. I had created my own fear, and if I was willing to be brave, I could break through it.”
This may be a fear that most people go through, no matter how discreet or extreme it may be. Whether someone is trying to be something as little as captain of a dance team or as big as a political leader; these people go through adversities with themselves all the time, and every decision the make, big or small. They have to question themselves, “Who do I want to be and what is keeping me from being that person?” I even have to ask myself that all the time. People tell me time and time again if I really want to become a professional dancer. So many people doubt that career path and make me question myself. “Do I really want to do this?” No one is going to determine when, where, and how I make it in this industry it is all brought upon how I determine it. Reading this essay opened my eyes up to realize the only real obstacle I have to face is myself. This alone will continue my determination and drive to be successful and prosperous in any future endeavor that comes my way.

STUFF

Class discussion was A+ quality today! We are going to carry over the discussion into class tomorrow before going over the Works Cited format. One of the interesting topics we began talking about is our country's overload of unnecessary and over-priced things: Handbags, ipods, cars, hairstylists... we're talking about a cultural phenomenon that has developed over time.

I will show a short video tomorrow after we discuss Bambara's "The Lesson". If you'd like to watch it before we class, you can write a journal response on it. (For those of you who are behind in journals, I highly suggest you start taking up these opportunities for extra credit.) Click on the link below and watch the intro video.

The Story of Stuff is a little tale that gives us the background stories of the products-- the stuff-- that American's consume on a daily basis. Think about what Annie Leonard is telling us. Do you view your radios, your shoes, your computers or any of your belongings in the same way? What could be the glitch in her views or her delivery?

Last few reminders:

1.) The final draft of our first formal essay is due Friday. Late papers will be marked down a letter grade that cannot be revised.
2.) Overall, the in-class essays today were very impressive! We will be using these in class on Friday.

Credo: A System of Principles or Beliefs

Today, after learning how easy it is to cite and how hard it is to plagiarize, we discussed our assignment for Tuesday's class. (Happy President's Day, everyone! Enjoy your long weekend!) For Tuesday, we will discuss Toni Cade Bambara's "The Lesson" (on page 270 in Rereading America) alongside our own Credo essays. The Credo essay is inspired by the project I mentioned in class called This I Believe.

I handed out an essay written by a guy named Dylan. Dylan is some average bloke from San Anselmo, CA who decided to contribute to the project by writing his own Credo essay. By reading an essay written by a random guy in California who is unpublished in the academic world, we can start to think about how our essays can actually mean something to someone.

After reading Dylan's essay, The Bird Who Broke Through The Window, consider your own approach to sharing a particular belief of yours with the class. Our Credos will be written in class on Tuesday and may be used in your portfolio at the end of the semester. You might even attempt to write a journal in response to Dylan's question at the end of his essay:
"Who do you want to be and what is keeping you from being that person?"

If any one in the class takes up this challenge, two things have happened:
a.) You have engaged in a conversation with the reading by writing a response
b.) Dylan has achieved his goal: he has made a difference. This achievement of his means that you too can achieve the same thing. Contribute your essays to the project and you could be the next voice to inspire, change or provoke another's mind.

What I found most inspirational in Dylan's piece was when he mentioned that "There are no limitations except the ones we place on ourselves. However, if we replace those limitations with possibilities, imagine what’s capable of the world and humanity".

Imagine. That is what I want you to do. And share your beliefs with the class.
Enjoy Bambara!

Melville Journal

In the reading by Herman Melville believe that there were many elements in his story that confused many of the people in the class as well as me in a way. The story is basically about how a lawyer who has an office on Wall Street and employs a scriver named Bartleby, who is the main focus of the story. He hires Bartleby to do copying work for him since his other two employee scrivers, Turkey and Nippers, seem to not be enough help anymore. At first Bartleby seems to be doing a good job, but then when he is asked to review his own work to make sure it was correct he starts answering with “ I would prefer not to” every time. The lawyer who has no time to put up with the nonsense that he puts him thro simply decides that he will have someone else revise Bartleby’s work for him. He soon asks him to run a simple errand, like go to the post office, and he refuses to do that as well with the same answer. He then one day casually walks into his office on a Sunday and discovers that Bartleby is there and resides there, everyday most likely. The lawyer then claims he has mixed feeling about the situation and then decides that he will simply ask Bartleby about himself and if he does not answer him or “prefer” to answer him then he will simply have to fire him. Since Barlteby did not give him the answer that he wanted he was fired, but soon he decides that he does not want to quit so he stays and does nothing at all. The after the lawyer moves away he is notified that the owner of the building is having problem with Bartleby. HE is them basically sent to prison Afterwards and is then allowed to wander in prison of his own free will. He decides that whilst at his stay in prison he will not eat, so he eventually dies. I think that the character of Bartleby was very strange and a little manic. He also was a little annoying in my opinion and also really abrasive with his responses and what not. If that were me in the Boss’s shoes I think I would have fired him on the spot, but in a way I think that the reason for Bartleby’s distant and cold personality were due to the fact that in his old job he worked in a gloomy and depressing and bleak place, and that obviously took a toll on him. In a way I think that at that point he obviously saw very little hope or reason to try hard in life, that is why most of his personality seemed to be a bit standoffish and somber to the other employees. In all I think that the story was a it long and the point was a little hard to understand in the aspect of the point or interpretation of the reading. But on a good note I can say that it isn’t the worst or most boring thing I have read.



p.s. I'm sorry I'm posting it toda, some idiot yesterday crashed into the telephone pole on my block, and if thats out that means no cable/phone/internet until it gets fixed. >=/
foutunatly I did it on a word spreadsheet and I'm posting it now during my break. Oh and I have to e mail you something as well while i'm here. so check your e-mail


Eduardo Sanchez

Reflection of "Melville" Writings...!!!

Wow, Bartleby really is weird. After reading the story, all I could think of saying is"I would prefer not to" comment, (just kidding). Well in the reading, is a man named Bartleby, who is a law-copyist and has a boss who assigns him a task just like any other job. He starts out as an excellent copyist, but when he is asked to examine his work for errors, he replies that he "would prefer not to." Bartleby soon answers anything he is asked to do with "I would prefer not to," and he slowly drives the Lawyer and his fellow scriveners crazy. I think that would drive me crazy also, it sounds "politically cold" and kind of rude. Its like as if he has nothing better to say or he is ashamed at his work, or for some reason has very "cold like" personality.
There are other characters in the story, whom are named Turkey, Nippers, and Ginger Nut. Personally I think all of those are very peculiar names for lawyers. Anyhow, Turkey is the eldest of the lawyers, Nippers is young man , but is also a law-copyist, and last but not least, Ginger Nut, who's name is given to him for buying ginger nut cakes all the time. He is the errand boy, a boy that does errands for the lawyers. All these are nicknames, but I think its strange to choose halirious nicknames to put in story entitled "A story of Wall -street", how ironic.
The character that is most suspicious to me in the story, is the unnamed lawyer, who is also the narrator of the story. He is a sixty year old lawyer who has good mind for business, is industrious, and level -headed, but all of that changes when he meets Bartleby. The lawyer doesn't fire Bartleby, for his non responsive attitude, but I guess its because Bartleby does a good job. The questionable unnamed lawyer, made me wonder who he really is, is he really the boss ? " Does he have a purpose for being the way he is?
I think these questions are left to be responded by the author Herman Melville. Meville charater is probably similar to Bartleby' passive resistant attitude.The way the story is written, its not using the right forms of grammer, its just weird, and sort "inhuman" like its impossible to understand. Just like the author, I think Melville wanted for people probably decode the way he speaks, and the characters he makes in the story are the same way ( being impossible).
Overall I think the story was okay, a bit long, but after reading it twice I undrestood it a little better. I realized that people may say or do things, that are strange, but in time you adapt to it, and just makes you understand life just a little better.

Long-winded Melville

Although Melville's writing may seem harsher than the slicing winds of Brooklyn these past few days, we need to learn how to critically analyze and discuss literature as well as essays, speeches, poems and personal narratives.

You do not have to like Bartleby; in fact, you can hate him, his boss, and all of Wall Street if you'd like. The point in reading Melville is to read challenging material and find a way to think and write about it comprehensively. I am asking you to find a specific focus so that you can extract as much as possible analytically.

We will be getting into groups on Wednesday to share our writing and ideas with each other. Every person in each group will have to contribute by presenting to the class what they focused on in their journal. Therefore, you must be prepared with your journals written on Wednesday!

Embrace Bartleby!

Melville Essay

Edwin Rodriguez
English 16
Professor McCormick
Journal Essay

Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street

"My chambers were up stairs at No. - Wall Street. At one end they looked upon the white wall of the interior of a spacious sky- light shaft, penetrating the building from top to bottom. This view might have been considered rather tame than otherwise, deficient in what landscape painters call "life." But if so, the view from the other end of my chambers offered, at least, a contrast, if nothing more. In that direction my windows commanded an unobstructed view of a lofty brick wall, black by age and everlasting shade; which wall required no spy- glass to bring out its lurking beauties, but for the benefit of all near- sighted spectators, was pushed up to within ten feet of my window panes. Owing to the great height of the surrounding of the surrounding buildings, and my chambers being on the second floor, the interval between this wall and mine not a little resembled a huge square cistern." Melville


As I read a particular paragraph from "Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street," by Herman Melville I got the impression of his artistic and creative side. In the beginning of this paragraph Melville talks about his offices on Wall Street in a rather descriptive way. The way he describes it without exactly naming what he's talking about shows what an amazing writer this man is. He starts off the new paragraph talking about his offices. Instead of calling it his actual offices he calls it his chamber. Melville writes, "My chambers were up stairs at No. - Wall- Street."

Melville pokes fun at the view people have from the windows. He writes, "This view might have been considered rather tame than otherwise, deficient in what landscape painters call "life." When he talks about the landscape painters call life, it came to me as he was talking about the view of New York City from the building. We can all call that "life" seeing the everyday activity going on that we always ignore. In opposite to the view he describes the other side of the building as a view of a brick wall.

I fully don't understand the whole descriptions and metaphors Melville uses when he writes. But when I try to decode his writing such as this paragraph, it became clear to me. Melville is very descriptive when he writes. I commend him on his intellect and creativity with words especially on this paragraph of his descriptions.

"I would prefer not to.............."

In the first utterance of these words, " I would prefer not to" Bartleby , has established his defiance towards stepping out of his chosen role. In speaking those words in a quiet manner of defiance, Bartleby decided on how he is willing to engage the world. It made me wonder one what caused him to hold off the world in that manner, to prefer not to engage the world. In hiding behind the parchment and written word as a scribe, Bartleby passively has turned his back on daily affairs.
When Bartelby is first hired it was his " pallidly neat, pitiably respectable, incurably forlorn " manner that was considered an asset. After his defiance his neat quietness and forlorn manner been looked at with an unease. What possessed this man to decided not to perform his job as required by his employer. What possessed him to say " I would prefer not to"...................

Scrivener: The Ancient Copy Machine

Again, here is the link to the reading we will discuss on Monday: Herman Melville's "Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall-Street".

http://www.bartleby.com/129/

For your journals, I want you to choose a specific character, theme, idea or passage to closely analyze. I don't want any plot summary in the journals for this week. We will discuss the story thoroughly in class.

I will hand back the drafts and peer-reviews on Monday. For those of you who have not turned in the draft yet, email it to me this weekend so I can give you feedback! Have a great weekend!

A good question...

Nancy raised a few good questions so I thought I'd address them in a post.

As far as Herman Melville is concerned, I know we haven't gone over the reading yet in class but I did email the link out January 30th in a mass email. A hard copy of "Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall-Street" will be handed out tomorrow for us to discuss on Monday. It will work as a segue into Cycle II: Success, Fame & Money. Here is the link again:

http://www.bartleby.com/129/

In terms of our first formal essay, Melville doesn't have to be included in your papers unless you want to use him.

If you look at the assignment closely, I want you to focus on one or two of the readings we've done in class. You don't have to include them all.
As an outside source, you could use articles, journals or books from the library. LRC (Literature Resource Center) is a good search engine. I think it can only be accessed online if you are on campus. JSTOR is available online anywhere, as well as many other of the library's resources:

http://www.brooklyn.liu.edu/library/eresources/databases.htm

We will have the time to discuss any further questions you have in class while we go over the drafts, so have questions ready! See you all tomorrow for our first class focused on revision!

jm

Hi proffesor, I have a question, In the essay assignment worksheet it says that we should use the reading of Herman Melville, did we do that reading? And also can u give me examples of what other valuable outside source would you like us to use? Thank you!

Education & Power: First Formal Essay

Using the readings by Michael Moore, Mike Rose, Malcolm X, Frederick Douglass, Inés Hernández-Ávila and Herman Melville as well as one valuable outside source (not Wikipedia or someone’s personal website) determine the value of a formal education. Think of the cultural aspects of American education. What is the purpose of a higher education? How do social issues (race, gender, class) affect the type of education one receives? After college, what is expected from a graduate? You do not have to answer all of these questions, these are just ideas to get you thinking about how education and college enter your own life. Instead of passively accepting the school system as a perfectly paved road towards knowledge, success and a comfortable career, question it!

Reflect on your own educational experiences thus far in respect to some of the issues we are facing in these readings. Whether you’ve been brought up in the American school system or a foreign school system, use your own experience as another secondary source. What are your own reasons and goals for being in college? How do these compare to cultural norms and expectations? Is there any way you can contribute to your own education in order to help yourself achieve more than what is offered to you from your professors? Are you being challenged in the ways you want to be challenged?
Again, not all of these questions are to be answered in the paper. They are just igniters, or catalysts, to stir further critical thinking on the topics we are reading and discussing in class. The paper must be 4-6 pages in length, double-spaced in MLA format.

Draft is due 2/8/08 and Final is due 2/22/08

We will be peer editing in class tomorrow with the drafts!

Inés Hernández-Ávila

Since a journal wasn't required for today's class, I thought I'd share a blog written about the poem "Para Teresa" that I found online. Enjoy this student's perspective and respond accordingly! Try to incorporate what we spoke about in class!

http://h-avila.blogspot.com/

REMEMEBER:

DRAFTS ARE DUE FRIDAY!!! We will be doing peer-editing in order to develop and shape our work into a beautiful final product to be a part of our Final Portfolios!

Malcolm X Journal

Malcolm X is a great writer. I've read "Learning to read" twice, and each time I read it I learn something new. In this essay Malcolm talked about primarily about how he educated himself. Being that Malcolm X was one most articulate and powerful person for the black community, he had to struggle to eduacate himself.
I enjoyed reading about many accounts of Malcolm X. I liked when he talked about learning to read from a dictionary, how he never realized so many words that existed. I thought to myself while reading that, wow he must have found the dictionary fascinating, even I still the dictionary fascinating , I should read it more often.
The part of this essay that touched me the most was when he said" I never will forget how shocked I was when I began reading about slavery's total horror.It made such an impact upon me that it later became one of my favorite subjects when I became a minister of Mr. Muhammad's. The world's most monstrous crime, the sin and the bloodon the white man's hands, are almost impossible to believe." When he said those words, I thought he is deeply hurt by slavery, and he holds this anger inside of him and it leads him to become powerful and achieve so much in his life.
Malcolm X gained knowledge by learning to read and he educated himself to the best of his abilities. Now a days because of people like him, its not much of a struggle to learn how to read. Their are thousands of people out there willing and able to help and teach someone who to read and learn. Malcolm X speaks very strongly, he may offend many people, but I has reason to. Not that I agree with everything Malcolm has to say, but I agree with his willingness to learn and educate himself.

The power of words

I read the story of Fredrick Douglass as a teenager, learning of the struggles of slaves to be free. I heard my Grandparents tell me of their flight from Terry Towne, South Carolina, running ahead of a lynch mob. When my Grandfather found out I was joining the Army, he sat me down and told me of how the military was during the Korea War. He told me of how the doctors would not treat his friend who had been hit by a mortar round. My grandfathers’ friend died of blood lost in a foreign land serving his country because he was a black man. My Grandfather was a very large black man; he did not take the death of his friend lightly and made his anger know by hospitalizing a platoon of Military Police. My Grand Father told me this story and made me promise not to fight or do anything that would that would get me into trouble while in the military.
It was hard to do, like Fredrick Douglass; I understood that knowledge makes you free. I was a black man with knowledge of myself and that made it harder for the military to re-make me in an image of their choosing. I was rebellious of authority but amiable in manner, I was willing to follow orders but willful in my actions. I learned to operate within the boundaries of a soldier. I came to understand that knowledge is the key to freedom in all manners of existence. The slave cannot stay a slave if he begins to find himself with more knowledge then the Master. As Malcolm was in slaved by his own ignorance so are many others. I can remember my platoon sergeant telling me that in order to beat the man you have to know the rules of the game. In most occasions knowledge marks the difference between freedom and servitude. I followed the example of those in authority and learned the rules of military life, although they told me that it was something I didn’t need to learn. The books that held the rules and regulations of military law were obscure and hard to find. Knowledge is something that you have to want and to aspire to earn. For me it was that same way in my trying to get into college, it was an effort to find the right person or to find the right paperwork. Freedom is something that is found in the strokes of the pen; it sparks the tinder of knowledge and fires the flames of freedom. In the bible it is written that in the beginning there was the word. Words are the tools of creation, words live in books. When Fredrick Douglass learned how to read words, he found the power of the written word. When Hajj Malik Shabazz began to understand the power of words he worked to learn them and their meanings. There is power in the written word, for Fredrick Douglass it helped him free him from the chains of slavery. For Malcolm little it transformed him and freed him from the chains of his ignorance

Mike Rose Journal

Overall, Mike Rose is a good writer. He speaks his feeeling and views upon many topics that interest him, especially on education. I never heard or read of Mike Rose before, after reading his essay I was happy that I read his words.
In "I just wanna be average " Rose talked about his teachers and his experience in school. He describes his educational life how he was bored in some classes, such as history and shakespeare. He is even being honest that he fooled around in class and went to school with half a mind, meaning that he didn't put his full attention in school. He had teachers that were unprepared and incompetent, being that he went to a vocational high school. In a vocational school, means you must learn something outside of school that were better your chances in life. Since I went to a vocational high school, I graduated with not only a high school diploma ,but with a medical assistant certificate. I assumed that's the kind of educational experience ,one should recieve when they enter a vocational high school.
Rose says he took college prep courses, he claims " it was mixed blessing. I believe Rose was able to observe, learn and teach, from vocational and college prep courses. I think this one of the reasons why he became a successful writer, journalist and teacher. One of Rose inspiration could have been his teacher Mr. MacFarland who asked him where his going to college.Rose didn't know at the moment but his teacher helped with the process.
In a person's life ,their is always one teacher that a student admired. Rose had one who lead him to success, and I had one that belived in me and now I'm pursuing my goal into becoming nurse. I think Rose writes to inspire and speak of school reform. Also to show how going to school and listening to teachers was boring, yet he learned and went on to becoming a teacher himself. So this goes to show, you may never know what you may become in life, all we have to do is stay in school and learn as much as we can.

Mike Rose

I believe that Mike doesn't really lay his goal out there. When I was reading the document, I had to be really paying attention so I can see what his interpretation meant. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the reading, but If I were to compare it to Michael Moore's I would prefer Michael Moores. I feel that Michael Lays more things out there, than Mike. He says it like it is. Overall Mike's document was inspiring, because it made me realize that there is going to be alot of people in your life, who will influence you to do ggod, and one day you will have to appreciate that.

Excerpts from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave

For Monday, read the following chapters from Frederick Douglass' autobiography along with Malcolm X's "Learning to Read" on page 210 in Rereading America. I think everyone will enjoy both of these readings very much. I have read Douglass three times when I was an undergrad and each reading gave me a whole new appreciation of his life and writing. Write a journal response on either one or both. I hope to see people posting their responses on the blog! Contribute! We will discuss both of them together in class on Monday.

Chapter IV
My new mistress proved to be all she appeared when I first met her at the door,--a woman of the kindest heart and finest feelings. She had never had a slave under her control previously to myself, and prior to her marriage she had been dependent upon her own industry for a living. She was by trade a weaver; and by constant application to her business, she had been in a good degree preserved from the blighting and dehumanizing effects of slavery. I was utterly astonished at her goodness. I scarcely knew how to behave towards her. She was entirely unlike any other white woman I had ever seen. I could not approach her as I was accustomed to approach other white ladies. My early instruction was all out of place. The crouching servility, usually so acceptable a quality in a slave, did not answer when manifested toward her. Her favor was not gained by it; she seemed to be disturbed by it. She did not deem it impudent or unmannerly for a slave to look her in the face. The meanest slave was put fully at ease in her presence, and none left without feeling better for having seen her. Her face was made of heavenly smiles, and her voice of tranquil music.

But, alas! this kind heart had but a short time to remain such. The fatal poison of irresponsible power was already in her hands, and soon commenced its infernal work. That cheerful eye, under the influence of slavery, soon became red with rage; that voice, made all of sweet accord, changed to one of harsh and horrid discord; and that angelic face gave place to that of a demon.

Very soon after I went to live with Mr. and Mrs. Auld, she very kindly commenced to teach me the A, B, C. After I had learned this, she assisted me in learning to spell words of three or four letters. Just at this point of my progress, Mr. Auld found out what was going on, and at once forbade Mrs. Auld to instruct me further, telling her, among other things, that it was unlawful, as well as unsafe, to teach a slave to read. To use his own words, further, he said, "If you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell. A nigger should know nothing but to obey his master--to do as he is told to do. Learning would ~spoil~ the best nigger in the world. Now," said he, "if you teach that nigger (speaking of myself) how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once become unmanageable, and of no value to his master. As to himself, it could do him no good, but a great deal of harm. It would make him discontented and unhappy." These words sank deep into my heart, stirred up sentiments within that lay slumbering, and called into existence an entirely new train of thought. It was a new and special revelation, explaining dark and mysterious things, with which my youthful understanding had struggled, but struggled in vain. I now understood what had been to me a most perplexing difficulty--to wit, the white man's power to enslave the black man. It was a grand achievement, and I prized it highly. From that moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom. It was just what I wanted, and I got it at a time when I the least expected it. Whilst I was saddened by the thought of losing the aid of my kind mistress, I was gladdened by the invaluable instruction which, by the merest accident, I had gained from my master. Though conscious of the difficulty of learning without a teacher, I set out with high hope, and a fixed purpose, at whatever cost of trouble, to learn how to read. The very decided manner with which he spoke, and strove to impress his wife with the evil consequences of giving me instruction, served to convince me that he was deeply sensible of the truths he was uttering. It gave me the best assurance that I might rely with the utmost confidence on the results which, he said, would flow from teaching me to read. What he most dreaded, that I most desired. What he most loved, that I most hated. That which to him was a great evil, to be carefully shunned, was to me a great good, to be diligently sought; and the argument which he so warmly urged, against my learning to read, only served to inspire me with a desire and determination to learn. In learning to read, I owe almost as much to the bitter opposition of my master, as to the kindly aid of my mistress. I acknowledge the benefit of both.

from Chapter VII
From this time I was most narrowly watched. If I was in a separate room any considerable length of time, I was sure to be suspected of having a book, and was at once called to give an account of myself. All this, however, was too late. The first step had been taken. Mistress, in teaching me the alphabet, had given me the ~inch,~ and no precaution could prevent me from taking the ~ell.~

The plan which I adopted, and the one by which I was most successful, was that of making friends of all the little white boys whom I met in the street. As many of these as I could, I converted into teachers. With their kindly aid, obtained at different times and in different places, I finally succeeded in learning to read. When I was sent of errands, I always took my book with me, and by going one part of my errand quickly, I found time to get a lesson before my return. I used also to carry bread with me, enough of which was always in the house, and to which I was always welcome; for I was much better off in this regard than many of the poor white children in our neighborhood. This bread I used to bestow upon the hungry little urchins, who, in return, would give me that more valuable bread of knowledge. I am strongly tempted to give the names of two or three of those little boys, as a testimonial of the gratitude and affection I bear them; but prudence forbids;--not that it would injure me, but it might embarrass them; for it is almost an unpardonable offence to teach slaves to read in this Christian country. It is enough to say of the dear little fellows, that they lived on Philpot Street, very near Durgin and Bailey's ship-yard. I used to talk this matter of slavery over with them. I would sometimes say to them, I wished I could be as free as they would be when they got to be men. "You will be free as soon as you are twenty-one, ~but I am a slave for life!~ Have not I as good a right to be free as you have?" These words used to trouble them; they would express for me the liveliest sympathy, and console me with the hope that something would occur by which I might be free.

I was now about twelve years old, and the thought of being ~a slave for life~ began to bear heavily upon my heart. Just about this time, I got hold of a book entitled "The Columbian Orator." Every opportunity I got, I used to read this book. Among much of other interesting matter, I found in it a dialogue between a master and his slave. The slave was represented as having run away from his master three times. The dialogue represented the conversation which took place between them, when the slave was retaken the third time. In this dialogue, the whole argument in behalf of slavery was brought forward by the master, all of which was disposed of by the slave. The slave was made to say some very smart as well as impressive things in reply to his master-- things which had the desired though unexpected effect; for the conversation resulted in the voluntary emancipation of the slave on the part of the master.

In the same book, I met with one of Sheridan's mighty speeches on and in behalf of Catholic emancipation. These were choice documents to me. I read them over and over again with unabated interest. They gave tongue to interesting thoughts of my own soul, which had frequently flashed through my mind, and died away for want of utterance. The moral which I gained from the dialogue was the power of truth over the conscience of even a slaveholder. What I got from Sheridan was a bold denunciation of slavery, and a powerful vindication of human rights. The reading of these documents enabled me to utter my thoughts, and to meet the arguments brought forward to sustain slavery; but while they relieved me of one difficulty, they brought on another even more painful than the one of which I was relieved. The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers. I could regard them in no other light than a band of successful robbers, who had left their homes, and gone to Africa, and stolen us from our homes, and in a strange land reduced us to slavery. I loathed them as being the meanest as well as the most wicked of men. As I read and contemplated the subject, behold! that very discontentment which Master Hugh had predicted would follow my learning to read had already come, to torment and sting my soul to unutterable anguish. As I writhed under it, I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing. It had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the remedy. It opened my eyes to the horrible pit, but to no ladder upon which to get out. In moments of agony, I envied my fellow-slaves for their stupidity. I have often wished myself a beast. I preferred the condition of the meanest reptile to my own. Any thing, no matter what, to get rid of thinking! It was this everlasting thinking of my condition that tormented me. There was no getting rid of it. It was pressed upon me by every object within sight or hearing, animate or inanimate. The silver trump of freedom had roused my soul to eternal wakefulness. Freedom now appeared, to disappear no more forever. It was heard in every sound, and seen in every thing. It was ever present to torment me with a sense of my wretched condition. I saw nothing without seeing it, I heard nothing without hearing it, and felt nothing without feeling it. It looked from every star, it smiled in every calm, breathed in every wind, and moved in every storm.

I often found myself regretting my own existence, and wishing myself dead; and but for the hope of being free, I have no doubt but that I should have killed myself, or done something for which I should have been killed. While in this state of mind, I was eager to hear any one speak of slavery. I was a ready listener. Every little while, I could hear something about the abolitionists. It was some time before I found what the word meant. It was always used in such connections as to make it an interesting word to me. If a slave ran away and succeeded in getting clear, or if a slave killed his master, set fire to a barn, or did any thing very wrong in the mind of a slaveholder, it was spoken of as the fruit of ~abolition.~ Hearing the word in this connection very often, I set about learning what it meant. The dictionary afforded me little or no help. I found it was "the act of abolishing;" but then I did not know what was to be abolished. Here I was perplexed. I did not dare to ask any one about its meaning, for I was satisfied that it was something they wanted me to know very little about. After a patient waiting, I got one of our city papers, containing an account of the number of petitions from the north, praying for the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia, and of the slave trade between the States. From this time I understood the words ~abolition~ and ~abolitionist,~ and always drew near when that word was spoken, expecting to hear something of importance to myself and fellow-slaves. The light broke in upon me by degrees. I went one day down on the wharf of Mr. Waters; and seeing two Irishmen unloading a scow of stone, I went, unasked, and helped them. When we had finished, one of them came to me and asked me if I were a slave. I told him I was. He asked, "Are ye a slave for life?" I told him that I was. The good Irishman seemed to be deeply affected by the statement. He said to the other that it was a pity so fine a little fellow as myself should be a slave for life. He said it was a shame to hold me. They both advised me to run away to the north; that I should find friends there, and that I should be free. I pretended not to be interested in what they said, and treated them as if I did not understand them; for I feared they might be treacherous. White men have been known to encourage slaves to escape, and then, to get the reward, catch them and return them to their masters. I was afraid that these seemingly good men might use me so; but I nevertheless remembered their advice, and from that time I resolved to run away. I looked forward to a time at which it would be safe for me to escape. I was too young to think of doing so immediately; besides, I wished to learn how to write, as I might have occasion to write my own pass. I consoled myself with the hope that I should one day find a good chance. Meanwhile, I would learn to write.

The idea as to how I might learn to write was suggested to me by being in Durgin and Bailey's ship-yard, and frequently seeing the ship carpenters, after hewing, and getting a piece of timber ready for use, write on the timber the name of that part of the ship for which it was intended. When a piece of timber was intended for the larboard side, it would be marked thus--"L." When a piece was for the starboard side, it would be marked thus--"S." A piece for the larboard side forward, would be marked thus--"L. F." When a piece was for starboard side forward, it would be marked thus--"S. F." For larboard aft, it would be marked thus--"L. A." For starboard aft, it would be marked thus--"S. A." I soon learned the names of these letters, and for what they were intended when placed upon a piece of timber in the ship-yard. I immediately commenced copying them, and in a short time was able to make the four letters named. After that, when I met with any boy who I knew could write, I would tell him I could write as well as he. The next word would be, "I don't believe you. Let me see you try it." I would then make the letters which I had been so fortunate as to learn, and ask him to beat that. In this way I got a good many lessons in writing, which it is quite possible I should never have gotten in any other way. During this time, my copy-book was the board fence, brick wall, and pavement; my pen and ink was a lump of chalk. With these, I learned mainly how to write. I then commenced and continued copying the Italics in Webster's Spelling Book, until I could make them all without looking on the book. By this time, my little Master Thomas had gone to school, and learned how to write, and had written over a number of copy-books. These had been brought home, and shown to some of our near neighbors, and then laid aside. My mistress used to go to class meeting at the Wilk Street meetinghouse every Monday afternoon, and leave me to take care of the house. When left thus, I used to spend the time in writing in the spaces left in Master Thomas's copy-book, copying what he had written. I continued to do this until I could write a hand very similar to that of Master Thomas. Thus, after a long, tedious effort for years, I finally succeeded in learning how to write.


Source:
http://sunsite3.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/