&& That's a Wrap!

I truly enjoyed this class. If I could take it again I would definitely. I had been trying to read other text before coming into this class but didn't really know "how" to just "pick up a book" (smile). This class forced me read something besides African American Literature and I was very pleased.

Of all the text we read, I would have to say that, although Chopin's text Desiree's Baby was shocking, Gilman's text "The Yellow Wall-paper" was my favorite, including the ending. I enjoyed this text the most, simply because I could see so many "horror movie rules" that could have been gathered from this text, and, as you know, I love movies.

This was probably not intended by Gilman herself, but if I were a horror movie writer, I would look to this text for inspiration. And I truly do hope that the movie depiction of this story did the original text justice. Outside of the movie aspect of the text, I enjoyed reading this from a first person perspective. Even thought considered "insane", the narrator of Gilman's story is intriguing. She rights to engage the reader, even though she is only reading to herself. My favorite line of the text is, that in which she is describing the wall-paper:

"One of these sprawling flamboyant patterns committing every artistic sin. It is dull enough to confuse the eye in following, pronounced enough to constantly irritate and provoke study, and when you follow the lame uncertain curves for a little distance they suddenly commit suicide--plunge off at outrageous angles, destroy themselves in unheard of contradictions."

If you believe that the narrator kills herself at the end this can be a bit of foreshadowing. This story gets a complete "2 Thumbs Up" from me. All the way around.

Gillman/Wharton ::WHAT WOMEN LIKE::

I deeply enjoyed both text because they were both comical to me; Gillman more so than Whaton's. I especially love the women wrote both of these stories because I feel that if a man had wrote them, it would not present the same feeling.

Both text examine the ideals of women as they interact in society. In Gillman's text, the thing that stood out the most was how the narrator simply listened. She was a "nervous patient" simply because John told her. And because he told her, she began to fill that "these nervous troubles are dreadfully depressing". This story reminds me of women in horror films. Often times, the women know first and they try to their loved ones, but he never listens. Usually, by the end of the movie, the man has gotten what he deserved (smile), as I feel the same as happened here. And because she final stood up spoke up for herself, the lady freed herself, saying "I've got out at last, in spite of you and Jane!"

Wharton's text, however, examines women in a different light. Here, we have two upper class women whose lives are no longer full-filling due to the passing of their husbands. For Mrs. Slade, "being the Slade widow was a dullish business after that", referring to the passing of her husband. And even though, both of these ladies still had daughters, their lives weren't as interesting as the life of a son would be. This is an idea that is still practiced and believed today. The idea that, the husband is her life and beyond him, there is nothing more because she has nothing of her own. This is what Wharton leads her readers to believe.

Freeman ::A True Heroine::

It was nice to read these stories together because one is shown form the prospective of a woman and the other from a man. Each story has their differences, but share a commonality of "marriage".

I preferred Freeman's text over Chesnutt's because I could read Freeman's text with more objectivity and Freeman's text was more "relateable" to me. Louisa Ellis, in my opinion, is like how women should be today and I love how Freeman characterizes her with such simplicity. She is not a "sexual vixen". Just a pretty woman who did things in a "delicate...way".

It is my opinion, that women will sacrifice everything to be with a man, even their own personal happiness. Not in the story. Once Louisa overheard Jon Dagget and Lily Dyer's conversation, her mind was made up that they were not to be married; not out of pity. She was happy with her life just the way it was and she realized that it was not worth the sacrifice if he didn't even truly love her. Today, a woman will "accidental" get pregnant just to keep a guy around.

Louisa is inspirational. She is a reminder that women do not have to worry so much about a man because, no matter how long you procrastinate it off, there is always something to be done. And if you occupy yourself with these, it doesn't matter who is or isn't loving you, as long as you are making you happy, loving yourself in return.

Chopin ::True Irony::

Wow. That was really all that I could say at the end of the text. I must talk about Desiree's Baby. I am truly speechless. I wish that I could watch this short story in a film because I would want to see the expression of Armand's face after he reads the letter.

I have read Chopin's work before. The Awakening was the only text we read where a woman made use of her "womanly power". Chopin has a way of making the female sex look and seem so powerful doing simple, every day things. As for the text I am speaking on, Desiree's Baby, I have to make this biblical.

In God's eyes, a woman's duty is to be silent which is the sin of getting Adam to eat the fruit was so punishable. Here, in Chopin's text, once Desiree realized what was disturbing her and her house, she simply did not force conversation upon Armand. She asked "what does it mean", wrote to her mother, and left. There was no arguing. No conversation. Desiree acted as a woman should. And in doing this, God took care of everything else.

Chopin plays a lot towards sexuality. Through her work, I feel that she was a woman who was not afraid to say "I am woman". Women didn't cheat, women were these "holy" creatures. But Chopin changes that image, and gives women power; their own womanly right.

Twain && Harte ::A Small World Afterall::

I enjoyed both the works by Twain and Harte. I especially liked how both text simply just told a story. Though we did not read this text, I believe it was ironic that on the first page of Huckleberry Finn, Twain places a disclaimer about the picking apart of his text.

I have to admit, I did not catch what the writers were trying to express about the larger nation. I believe this is due to the fact that I simply read the stories and I did not give things a deeper meaning. However, I do believe that it is more than interesting to note that in Harte's text, there were no women in Roaring Camp. One would think that a group of men living and functioning together in a town would not work. But here, Harte shows us a group of men who are able to function just fine. Harte even says in the beginning that "it could not have been a fight for, in 1850 that was not novel enough to have called together the entire settlement" suggesting that these men were very well behaved. Everything in the town was a majority vote and people just dealt with the disagreement, but often times, all agreed.

In a town where women resided, the focus would be on finding out who the father was, but here, amongst the group of men, that didn't matter. Finding good care and making sure the boy was well nourished was the most important thing. I believe that says a lot on how Harte may view the rest of the world.

Twain's piece is a lot harder to analyze. I truly feel like it was just a story. There may be something in the fact that while Smiley was in his own town, no one ever tried to "get over" on him, but once he left, the first man he meets, cheats him. But I could not say for sure. I also believe that Smiley was the reverend that our narrator was looking for because having someone cheat you out of a fair gamble, may lead you to want to teach those around you.

Davis ::An Ugly Thing::

I have to first say that Davis' use of language in her writing was most enjoyable. Her adjectives and use of personification, along with directly addressing the reader, made the story a very interesting and delightful read.

In her text, Davis gives her readers insight on the lives of below lower working class people; people who work just to barely make it. This is a class of people that are still around today. Often times, in movies and in other readings, the characters are decent looking. There is usually a muscular man, easy on the eyes, supported by a beautiful woman who attends the house and may wash clothes for the wealthy as a little extra cash. Davis does not portray her characters in this way.

The text says that Wolfe "had already lost the strength and instinct vigor of a man, his muscles were thin, his nerves weak, his face (a meek woman's face) haggard, yellow with consumption". It even goes on to say that "he was known as one of the girl-men: "Molly Wolfe" was his sobriquet". Not like the typical "hero" figure in these types of stories at all. But Davis tells her readers constantly that "I dare make my meaning no clearer, but will only tell my story". It is her intentions to make this ugly thing seem no more beautiful than what it is.

"The woman Deborah was like him; only her face was even more ghastly, her lips bluer, her eyes more watery. When she walked, one could see that she was deformed, almost a hunchback." The description of Deborah is "horrific". Women are to be delicate, beautiful, gentle. Not in this text. Again, Davis wants her readers to see the true ugliness of the situation and lives of these two below lower working class immigrants.

Davis is fighting for the immigrants. She wants a change in immigration laws; how they are treated and paid while working. Davis wants for people to take note of the dehumanizing that is portrayed towards this calls of people. She wants for them to at least have an equal fight. I do not think that one topic os more or less powerful. All of the text that we have read are fighting for some just cause. Fighting to prove something and all succeed (no matter whose work got more attention). I could only imagine that if I came from money during this time, and I read this piece by Davis, I would do my party so that someone else may have better.

Melville ::Is It Really Happening::

I enjoyed reading this piece. Though, it was very confusing at first, and I will not deny that after reading it, I looked to Spark Notes for a little clarification; but I still enjoyed it all the same.

In Herman Melville's Benito Cereno, we meet Captain Amasa Delano of Duxbury in the year of 1799. We are told where is traveling from, where is headed, and where he has stopped. In the first scene of the story, there is a figure that is scene Delano, referred to as "her" out in the water. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe this is in reference to the ship that is found. The ship that is under the command of a strange man by the name of Don Benito (Benito Cereno).

Once Delano entered the ship, the 2002 movie, "Ghost Ship", came into my mind. From the outside, everything seemed normal. But once the other sailors entered the foreign ship, the ship became a haunted thing. Or as Melville says, "but in the case of the ship there is this addition; that the living spectacle it contains, upon its sudden and complete disclosure, has, in contrast with the blank ocean which zones it, something of the effect of enchantment. The ship seems unreal..."

Melville uses his language to tell the reader exactly what he wants the to know and see. Leaving the reader with the exact emotion. Of course, as with any piece of literature, I had questions. But I felt that, even though there is no way of knowing for sure what thought or emotion Melville was going for, at the conclusion of this literature I truly began to think more on the idea that "everything is not as it seems" and there some things that one just cannot explain.

Jacobs ::Based on a True Story::

I appreciated Jacobs work, even though all was not true (as stated in class). Even if parts of her work was loosely based on her life, through her story, it can be assumed that somewhere in the south, another slave girl was living this actual story.

It is my personal opinion that by her speaking in "first person", the readers are better connected to Jacobs' thoughts, views, and feelings towards slavery. Whereas, in Stowe's piece, the reader just gets an "idea" of what slavery looked like. Having to watch something and having to actual feel what you are watching sparks two completely different emotions.

Stowe believed that slavery was OK, as long as you treated your slaves nicely. I believe that the mistresses' of Jacobs and her family shared these ideas and may have even been a fan of Stowe's. But through Jacobs' character, Dr. Flint, we see how misconstrued this idea is. After hitting Linda for wanting to get married to the man he loves, Dr. Flint express that "I have wanted to make you happy, and I have been repaid with the basest ingratitude; but though you have proved yourself incapable of appreciating my kindness, I will be lenient towards you, Linda". And I can truly believe that in his heart, Dr. Flint believed that he was being kind to her and trying to make her happy.

Jacob's point of view is not objective. She tells you how she feels and she is straight forward. Stowe attempts to write based on what she sees, but not knowing how these people really feel. She believed that slaves were "happy" if they were treated fair because this is what she saw. Jacobs proves that a slave can seem happy on the outside but have internal thoughts that are the exact opposite.

Stowe ::Slavery dipped in "Mild Sauce"::

I enjoyed reading this work. It was a story filled with characters that were moved and motivated either by a certain or a certain emotion. I must admit that I honestly became "wrapped" up in the story and the characters that I did not look for any figurative language. However, after reading the prompt, I can now think about the political connotation of the story.

In the first chapter read, it is suggested that Eliza and her child are of black decent. Stowe states that her apperance made "an unlikely supposition that she could be a fugitive. As she was also so white as not to be known as of colored lineage...it was so much easier for her to pass on unsuspected".

Though this story does have it's political connotations about the issue of slavery and the stand against it due to religious beliefs, Stowe does not use an "in your face approach"about how people treated slaves. In her story, the slave owners and the slaves do not even necessarily have "bad relationships". It is my personal opinion that this might have taken away from the impact of slavery. History says that this book was read during the time that Abraham Lincoln was president and fighting the Civil War and again during the civil rights movements. This story was very moving to its readers.

I just feel that due to the mildness of content in Stowe's story, it gave people the feeling of "pity" and not that of taking responsibilty. Even today, people like to believe that slavery never happened or it wasn't as bad as history makes it out to be. But it was that bad. Very few and far between were slave owners nice to their slaves. Eliza, if it being true that she is of black decent, would not have made it as far as she did. So I have to ask, did milding the content really give the issues expressed in the story due justice?

Edgar Alan Poe ::The Horror::

Upon finishing "The Fall of the House of Usher", I realized that I am not an Edgar Alan Poe fan. His works, in my opinion, are incomplete. The three stories read left too much to the imagination. The stories are neither horrific nor terrifying. And I am left with the feeling I have after watching M. Night Shyamalan's movies; simply disturbed and extremely confused.

In "The Fall of the House Usher", the main character goes to visit an old friend who recently sent him a letter that left him feeling as if something seriously ailed sir Usher. The story is full of descriptions of the house and how Roderick Usher looks. It is not until the end that anything truly happens. It seems as if, from out of nowhere, lady Madelin of Usher "raises from the dead" and consumes Roderick Usher to his tomb. Why? Maybe I have read this story wrong but it just does not make sense. She is bloody because she was murdered? Was she intentionally buried alive? And why was the book modeling what was happening in real life? Was Madame Usher eaten by a dragon? I just do not know. And I feel that he does not say. She just comes back. Takes Roderick. And that's that.

The "Tell-Tale Heart" is not much better. The character continues to talk about this "pale blue eye" and how much he hated it. How much pain it brought him. But on the night of his death, it becomes all about the old man's heart. Why? As a reader, I was expecting the eye to have some kind of mystical power. Or for the eye to have some form of importance. But it did not. It was just something that bothered the character. I feel that it cannot only be assumed that it was this "vulture eye" that led our character to kill the old man, but it can be stated as true.

In the final story, "The Black Cat", I was honestly just about done with Poe. But I will say that this story, compared to the other stories, made more sense. The thing (the cat) that ailed him, ultimately brought about his demise. It could even be said that the "new cat" was the same cat, just "born again" with the white on its stomach to differentiate from the two. My only question would be, why did he have to kill his wife? But then, if he didn't kill his wife, the cat would have never gotten its revenge.

I just don't know. Did these stories frighten people because it was not the norm in society for people to be murderous? As I said, the stories were just very incomplete, in my opinion. As a reader, I felt that I needed to know more; about the characters, about what controlled them, what drove them, etc.

The horror behind Poe was simply having to read his work...

Hawthorne ::Without Sin::

It is true that no writer ever writes just to tell a story. There is always a purpose. A deeper meaning. A deeper message. It is my personal opinion that in Hawthorne's pieces, he is trying to express to his readers the idea that "no man is without sin". The first story, "Young Goodman Brown", however, is my favorite of the three so I will further explore it.

In the short story "Young Goodman Brown", we meet a newly married gentlemen who is distraught because he has to leave his newly wed wife late in the evening to partake in an unforsaken and unwanted journey. I think that it is more than irony that his wife's name is "Faith". Her name alone is more than just a name. It is faith. Faith in believing that upon the completion of his journey he will return to his faith, both spiritual faith and physical Faith.

Once Goodman begins his journey, he meets an old man who is instantly believed to be the devil because of "his staff, which bore likeness of a great black snake"(Hawthorne 607), which is symbolic for the devil serpent that was cast out of Heaven in Genesis. It is my opinion that Hawthorne's story is a likeness to the bible story of Jesus being tempted by the devil. In both stories, we have this believer in God's rule and the devil trying to turn them away from that.

As with Jesus, the devil showed Goodman three things to turn his faith. Astonished to see goody Cloyse, "this Christian woman...that pious teacher of the catechism..." walk and talk with devil, he turned away from his journey, not wanting to travel anymore. The devil called his bluff and showed him that his beloved deacon and goodman Brown did also walk with the likes of the devil. Even still, Goodman stayed strong in his faith and it was not until he saw his Faith turned with devil that he gave in. He followed her, his Faith, in essence, completing his journey. But the pain was too much to bare. To know the truth that those in which he believed to be the holiest of holy, the pure of pure walked with those who were considered "ungodly". He no longer believed in his faith; nor did he love his Faith.

It really makes you wonder, what was Hawthorne truly trying to say? Was he taking a stand against those who consider themselves to be holy but had secrets and sins just as the average man. Or was he taking a direct stand against faith? It could be argued that Faith represents the Christian faith and being that she too walked with the devil, what does this say about what Hawthorne thought of Christianity?

It goes without saying that Hawthorne was a true believer that every man, woman and child alike is without sin no matter how holy they are perceived to be and one day we will all have to take responsibility of our own personal sins in Heaven though we lived to hide them on earth.

Appes and Emerson:: && That's What I Believe

It's always nice to get other people's perspectives, thoughts and ideas on certain topics or issues. The assigned readings were just that. They were not stories with characters or plots. They were "personal narratives" on a particular topic. In both works of literature, the authors took a stand on a topic and elaborated, either through examples from other works, quotations, or real life scenarios.

I truly enjoyed reading Appes' piece, "An Indian's Looking-Glass for the White Man". Being that I am a woman of color, I could relate to many of the thoughts that he proposed in his piece; but "relateability" is not where my enjoyment came from. I enjoyed reading this piece because, unlike other author's who have attempted to argue why racism is wrong, Appes did not just say, "all men should be created equal". He took something important, the bible, and used its teachings to back his statements. It is clear the Appes is talking to people with Christian values so challenging them with the idea that, "if black or red skins or any other skin is disgraceful to God, it appears that he has disgraced Himself a great deal - for He has made fifteen colored people to one white and placed them here upon this earth" is far beyond thought provoking. By stating this, Appes does not blame the people for their ideas on racial discrimination, but instead, he brings it to their attention that by being racist, they are calling God, whom they worship and love, disgraceful. This piece, to me, was profound and thought provoking on so many levels. I can only imagine the reaction it received when it was written.

Emerson's piece, in my opinion, not as interesting, but it is also, not a story. Emerson discusses the ideas and thoughts on what it means to be an "American Scholar". I did not read the background on Emerson, but I am sure that I am right to assume that his biographical background explains a lot on why he believes in what he has written. Emerson does not give any hard evidence. He makes claims and suggestions. But there is nothing backing it up. I will admit, because his opinions are logical and well thought out, one could agree with his thoughts. On the other hand, who is to say that an American Scholar isn't that "average guy"? Emerson states that "man is not a farmer, or a professor, or an engineer, but he is all". Given the time period in which this piece was written, I believe that it is very safe to say that he was not referring to "every man".

Both pieces expressed good ideas backed with logic. They cannot be compared in "content" but in style. Appes has examples, hard evidence, especially if those who he is trying to persuade are Christians; so his work, in my opinion has a much stronger argument. Emerson uses persuasive language. He tries to make the reader believe that he is the one creating the ideas and thoughts for himself. But for those who do not agree with him, he has failed because one could quickly argue, "where is your evidence?"

Either way it's their own personal opinions and that's what they believe.

Just Another Statistic.

Given my background, society would call me "just another statistic". Born in Chicago, Illinois, I was raised in a single parent home; just me and my mom. My dad tried to stick around for a while, but he couldn't stay clean long enough. My mom and I moved to Houston when I was about six years old. Until I was 10, Fort Bend Texas was where I called home. My mom married in 1999 and through her marriage, I came to love Dallas, Texas.
Just an average girl living a far from average life. My mom was and still is determined for me to have better than she ever could imagine. She made me sure to expose me to all that she could so that I wouldn't be "just another statistic". Being able to attend TCU is not by "happen stance"; it is my "divined destiny".

It is actually a very interesting story, me coming to TCU. It was "College Night" at my high school and I felt like a child lost in Disney World. Everyone around me just seemed to know exactly where there future lied. As for me, I stayed extra close to my mom. There were so many schools. So many opportunities. Culinary school sounded fun. Joining the millitary...not too much. An HBCU maybe? But I knew I wouldn't survive the first day. Then I saw it. The flyers. The posters. The look on the faces of the people photoshopped in the pictures. At an instant, I knew that I was ready to trade in my "green and gold" for some royalty.
I didn't waist anytime completing my application and sending it off. In the meantime, I had recieved letters from two other colleges: Spellman University in Atlanta Georgia and Oklahoma State in Oklahoma. I was excited about both, but my heart was still holding out for TCU. Well, to make a long story short. I was wait listed. So I began preparation to attend OSU. By my mom's suggestion, I still attended the "TCU Monday's" event that the campus host, on Mondays, for incoming freshman or students interested in the school. I was not excited about attending at all but I concealed my disappointed. When I arrived at the campus, I could not stop smiling. The excitement. The atmoshpere. All the beautiful people! At that moment, I knew I had to do whatever it took to change my standing.
I was in purple from head-to-toe, including purple stars in my ears and a purple ribbon in my hair to match. I had also brought with me a copy of a book that my work had been published in through a Dallas writing competition (I won 3rd place by the way). I talked to the Dean. I smiled at everyone. And I made a lasting impression. I guess it worked because when I returned home that weekend from attending OSU's "This Is the Life" weekend, freshman "meet and greet" (I hated it because no one talked to me the entire time), I checked my mail and there it was. "CONGRATULATIONS!" signed by the Dean himself.

*Four Funny "Facts"* (say that 3x's fast)
1. If I were made Chancellor of TCU, I would make a way so that there was no school on Fridays because everybody knows that "club nights" for college students is on Thursday nights!
2. I am a very "emotional" person so a good teacher to me is somebody who is caring and also understanding because I just do not have "good luck" and I'm allergic to all types of weather which causes to miss more days than expected!
3. I believe that good students are those who are engaged and prepared for class everyday but are also excited about being there, making the class interesting and exciting.
4. I would absolutely LOVE to have dinner with the prophet Daniel so we can discuss what heaven is like. Mary J. Blige because I look up to her and how much she has still succedded in life after overcoming so much. And my mom because there is no one else on this earth that I love with all my heart.

*3 Truths to Tell*
1. My real dad and Bernie Mac use to be BFF's
2. I'm a very "spiritual" person
3. I do believe that the world is full of wonderful and amazing things

I love to read novels. I truly believe that a good book is the cure to a broken heart. I usually read African American literature, just because it's what I know I am interested in. But I would like to read other genres, which is mainly why I chose to take this course. I know that if I am "forced" to read it, then it will open the doors to other authors and genres that may interest me.
I have been reading since the age of five and writing since the day I learned how to spell my name. If I had to choose, writing is my "spiritual gift". It comes naturally to me and I enjoy it. I write everything; poems, short stories, plays, biographies, it truly doesn't matter. As long as it is for me. Rarely do I care about the opinions of others when I write. I write to release stress and to give that "little voice" in the back of my head some time off.

This is my BLOG. It represents me. Who I am as a person and how I relate to this class. The colors are more than just colors. So much thought into something so simple. Red for His Blood. White for the "purity". Black becuase it's every color as I am everything that I desire to be.

No matter my background, I am far more than "just another statistic"...I am ME...

I HAVE READ, UNDERSTAND AND AGREE TO THE TERMS OF THE COURSE SYLLABUS