In this book the author talks about an African American girl that wants blue eyes because she thinks that by having blue eyes, people will think that she’s beautiful. She grew up in a time when white skin and color eyes were consider beautiful while black skin and no-blue eyes weren’t. During the period of time, racism was common. There were the KKK and discrimination towards all minorities but mostly towards African Americans. Many people suffered during this time.
One of the suffering ways were the low self-steeem of people. As we see in "The Bluest eye" Pecola wants blue eyes so people around her would think she's pretty. She thinks that blue eyes are the only thing that people like and appreciate. This is due to the low self-steem on Pecola. During this period of time beauty was considered to be white only.
People often don't think that there's a solution to racism but it is hard to find it. During all this time people have acted worst than ANIMALS killing and making others suffer. According to http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug02/NewYorker/Race.html; "The 1930's were a turbulent time for race relations in America. Despite the decline of such organizations as the Ku Klux Klan (which had enjoyed renewed support during the 1910's and 1920's) racism was as strong as ever in the Southern states. Furthermore, as this picture alluedes to, the increased presence of Black Americans in Northern cities (where many had migrated during WWII and especially during the Depression) resulted in increased tension between the races there as well. This image of a drunken African-American passed out in the middle of the city reflects the apprehension which many rich white New Yorkers felt at the the presence of so many blacks in what they considered to be their city." Basically this tells how big was racism in that time, ofcourse this affected African Americans' lives in many ways.
First, they don't have trust on themselves. They basically believe what they hear from other people or hope to be trated equally but that doesn't happens. Second, they just felt down by the propaganda as shown in http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug02/NewYorker/Race.html. And very last as we see in the Bluest Eye, the perception of beauty goes beyond real life. White skin and blue eyes were the only thing that Pecola wanted and what others saw or perceive in people.
Overall this book is a good perception of how a girl lived during this time and the reflection of people against each other. When I read this book I was impress on how out-of-real were the lifes of this characters. Racism still a big deal in this world.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Literary Threasure and Response
Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz- You Men
Silly, you men-so very adept
at wrongly faulting womankind,
not seeing you're alone to blame
for faults you plant in woman's mind.
After you've won by urgent plea
the right to tarnish her good name,
you still expect her to behave—
you, that coaxed her into shame.
You batter her resistance down
and then, all righteousness, proclaim
that feminine frivolity,
not your persistence, is to blame.
When it comes to bravely posturing,
your witlessness must take the prize:
you're the child that makes a bogeyman,
and then recoils in fear and cries.
Presumptuous beyond belief,
you'd have the woman you pursue
be Thais when you're courting her,
Lucretia once she falls to you.
For plain default of common sense,
could any action be so queer
as oneself to cloud the mirror,
then complain that it's not clear?
Whether you're favored or disdained,
nothing can leave you satisfied.
You whimper if you're turned away,
you sneer if you've been gratified.
With you, no woman can hope to score;
whichever way, she's bound to lose;
spurning you, she's ungrateful—
succumbing, you call her lewd.
Your folly is always the same:
you apply a single rule
to the one you accuse of looseness
and the one you brand as cruel.
What happy mean could there be
for the woman who catches your eye,
if, unresponsive, she offends,
yet whose complaisance you decry?
Still, whether it's torment or anger—
and both ways you've yourselves to blame—
God bless the woman who won't have you,
no matter how loud you complain.
It's your persistent entreaties
that change her from timid to bold.
Having made her thereby naughty,
you would have her good as gold.
So where does the greater guilt lie
for a passion that should not be:
with the man who pleads out of baseness
or the woman debased by his plea?
Or which is more to be blamed—
though both will have cause for chagrin:
the woman who sins for money
or the man who pays money to sin?
So why are you men all so stunned
at the thought you're all guilty alike?
Either like them for what you've made them
or make of them what you can like.
If you'd give up pursuing them,
you'd discover, without a doubt,
you've a stronger case to make
against those who seek you out.
I well know what powerful arms
you wield in pressing for evil:
your arrogance is allied
with the world, the flesh, and the devil!
When I first read this poem I really got into it. It was in my AP Spanish class, I was reading along and suddenly I understood everything she was saying and she was absolutely right. I felt a strong connection with the author and understood the meaning of the poem. What got me more interested is that she wrote this poem when women had no rights. This is the poem that I'll always keep.
This poem is about men and how selfish and non-understandable they can be. The poem talks about the different ways a man can be and how they want what they don't deserve. like in this line, "not seeing you're alone to blame
for faults you plant in woman's mind." This line basically tells them what to expect in the rest of the poem. Saying they are the cause why women are the way they are and later want them to be someone else. This poem really tells what now we can't express.
The poem's stronger line, in my opinion, is "the woman who sins for money
or the man who pays money to sin?" because that's how life is. If a man is with many women then he's cool and others admire him but if a woman does the same thing then she's a whore or even worst. Virginity plays an important role in a woman's life but not on a man's life. That's how society looks at this situation. There are still many things and problems in where men amd women are unequal.
Overall, I really like this poem because I feel connected to it. It is a pretty strong poem and every woman can be connected and feel what she felt. I would definetly never forget this poem.
Silly, you men-so very adept
at wrongly faulting womankind,
not seeing you're alone to blame
for faults you plant in woman's mind.
After you've won by urgent plea
the right to tarnish her good name,
you still expect her to behave—
you, that coaxed her into shame.
You batter her resistance down
and then, all righteousness, proclaim
that feminine frivolity,
not your persistence, is to blame.
When it comes to bravely posturing,
your witlessness must take the prize:
you're the child that makes a bogeyman,
and then recoils in fear and cries.
Presumptuous beyond belief,
you'd have the woman you pursue
be Thais when you're courting her,
Lucretia once she falls to you.
For plain default of common sense,
could any action be so queer
as oneself to cloud the mirror,
then complain that it's not clear?
Whether you're favored or disdained,
nothing can leave you satisfied.
You whimper if you're turned away,
you sneer if you've been gratified.
With you, no woman can hope to score;
whichever way, she's bound to lose;
spurning you, she's ungrateful—
succumbing, you call her lewd.
Your folly is always the same:
you apply a single rule
to the one you accuse of looseness
and the one you brand as cruel.
What happy mean could there be
for the woman who catches your eye,
if, unresponsive, she offends,
yet whose complaisance you decry?
Still, whether it's torment or anger—
and both ways you've yourselves to blame—
God bless the woman who won't have you,
no matter how loud you complain.
It's your persistent entreaties
that change her from timid to bold.
Having made her thereby naughty,
you would have her good as gold.
So where does the greater guilt lie
for a passion that should not be:
with the man who pleads out of baseness
or the woman debased by his plea?
Or which is more to be blamed—
though both will have cause for chagrin:
the woman who sins for money
or the man who pays money to sin?
So why are you men all so stunned
at the thought you're all guilty alike?
Either like them for what you've made them
or make of them what you can like.
If you'd give up pursuing them,
you'd discover, without a doubt,
you've a stronger case to make
against those who seek you out.
I well know what powerful arms
you wield in pressing for evil:
your arrogance is allied
with the world, the flesh, and the devil!
When I first read this poem I really got into it. It was in my AP Spanish class, I was reading along and suddenly I understood everything she was saying and she was absolutely right. I felt a strong connection with the author and understood the meaning of the poem. What got me more interested is that she wrote this poem when women had no rights. This is the poem that I'll always keep.
This poem is about men and how selfish and non-understandable they can be. The poem talks about the different ways a man can be and how they want what they don't deserve. like in this line, "not seeing you're alone to blame
for faults you plant in woman's mind." This line basically tells them what to expect in the rest of the poem. Saying they are the cause why women are the way they are and later want them to be someone else. This poem really tells what now we can't express.
The poem's stronger line, in my opinion, is "the woman who sins for money
or the man who pays money to sin?" because that's how life is. If a man is with many women then he's cool and others admire him but if a woman does the same thing then she's a whore or even worst. Virginity plays an important role in a woman's life but not on a man's life. That's how society looks at this situation. There are still many things and problems in where men amd women are unequal.
Overall, I really like this poem because I feel connected to it. It is a pretty strong poem and every woman can be connected and feel what she felt. I would definetly never forget this poem.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Personal Narrative With Song lyrics.
During my life all I’ve done is hurt people even though is not on purpose.
I choose this song: Sorry, Blame it on Me by Akon.
When I was 13 years old, I ditch school for the first time. It was easy for me because my mom never checked my attendance records. I wasn’t a bad girl back then because I didn’t used drugs and my grades were A’s and like 3 or 4 B’s only. I was a good student, I was between the 5 smartest students in class and ditching didn’t affect me at all. I fail two classes but that was because I was lazy and stupid. What’s funny is that the classes I failed were the easiest ones: Physical Education (PE) and Spanish. However, I make up those classes and passed them with A’s.
There was a problem in me and I just kept ditching classes but I didn’t fail any other class again. But the ditching was still there and sooner or later my mom was going to find it out. That didn’t stop me and kept doing it. Then, the unexpected came and my mom finally paid attention to my absences. She was so mad about it that she didn’t talk to me for almost 2 weeks. When she finally decided to talk with me again the only thing that she told me that she was ashamed of my actions and that I just did the unexpected. I was sad but at the same time I wanted to tell her that I did it because she never let me go out with my friends. She had me living like a nun, all the time inside four walls. I wanted to go out and I did it . But I didn't had the courage to tell her all of that, so I just stood quiet.
After that time I kept doing what I wanted but this time I was more careful and till now she doesn't know the things that I've done. I know that if she finds that out, she'll never talk to me again but this time for a month (if I'm lucky). I know that I do bad things but I know how to control myself.
" I realize everything I do is affecting the people around me
So I want to take this time out and apologize for things I have done
And things that have not occurred yet"
Sometimes I get the feeling of telling her all the truth about myself but I know that if I do that I'll break her heart and I don't want to do it. She has been a great mom, she supports me in school and we have a good relationship. She has mistakes too, all people do. There are things that are like clouds in a sunny day saying that is going to rain, but still she's great. I had never told her that I love her, I don't know why but I feel weird when I'm about to say it and at the end I don't say it.
" Sorry for the things that I did not say
Like how you are the best thing in my world"
There were times when I just insulted my mom in my mind. It's like if hate and madness were controling me by bloking all the other things in my mind. I know that what I did was wrong, but in that moment you don't think, you just act.
"I'm sorry for the times I disrespect
I'm sorry for the wrong things that I've done"
I doesn't matter what I say to excuse myself at the end she's always right, somehow she always is. I'm trying to change but its hard once you get used to it. So one day I puted this song and I remember what I have done and change it. Eventhough I can't change the past, I can change the future.
"I understand that there are some problems
And I am not too blind to know
All the pain you kept inside you
Even though you might not show
If I can apologize for being wrong
Then it's just a shame on me
I'll be the reason for your pain and you can put the blame on me"
All I know is that I'm the cause of all the effects in my life.
I choose this song: Sorry, Blame it on Me by Akon.
When I was 13 years old, I ditch school for the first time. It was easy for me because my mom never checked my attendance records. I wasn’t a bad girl back then because I didn’t used drugs and my grades were A’s and like 3 or 4 B’s only. I was a good student, I was between the 5 smartest students in class and ditching didn’t affect me at all. I fail two classes but that was because I was lazy and stupid. What’s funny is that the classes I failed were the easiest ones: Physical Education (PE) and Spanish. However, I make up those classes and passed them with A’s.
There was a problem in me and I just kept ditching classes but I didn’t fail any other class again. But the ditching was still there and sooner or later my mom was going to find it out. That didn’t stop me and kept doing it. Then, the unexpected came and my mom finally paid attention to my absences. She was so mad about it that she didn’t talk to me for almost 2 weeks. When she finally decided to talk with me again the only thing that she told me that she was ashamed of my actions and that I just did the unexpected. I was sad but at the same time I wanted to tell her that I did it because she never let me go out with my friends. She had me living like a nun, all the time inside four walls. I wanted to go out and I did it . But I didn't had the courage to tell her all of that, so I just stood quiet.
After that time I kept doing what I wanted but this time I was more careful and till now she doesn't know the things that I've done. I know that if she finds that out, she'll never talk to me again but this time for a month (if I'm lucky). I know that I do bad things but I know how to control myself.
" I realize everything I do is affecting the people around me
So I want to take this time out and apologize for things I have done
And things that have not occurred yet"
Sometimes I get the feeling of telling her all the truth about myself but I know that if I do that I'll break her heart and I don't want to do it. She has been a great mom, she supports me in school and we have a good relationship. She has mistakes too, all people do. There are things that are like clouds in a sunny day saying that is going to rain, but still she's great. I had never told her that I love her, I don't know why but I feel weird when I'm about to say it and at the end I don't say it.
" Sorry for the things that I did not say
Like how you are the best thing in my world"
There were times when I just insulted my mom in my mind. It's like if hate and madness were controling me by bloking all the other things in my mind. I know that what I did was wrong, but in that moment you don't think, you just act.
"I'm sorry for the times I disrespect
I'm sorry for the wrong things that I've done"
I doesn't matter what I say to excuse myself at the end she's always right, somehow she always is. I'm trying to change but its hard once you get used to it. So one day I puted this song and I remember what I have done and change it. Eventhough I can't change the past, I can change the future.
"I understand that there are some problems
And I am not too blind to know
All the pain you kept inside you
Even though you might not show
If I can apologize for being wrong
Then it's just a shame on me
I'll be the reason for your pain and you can put the blame on me"
All I know is that I'm the cause of all the effects in my life.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
My own Version -Where I'm from(George elle lyon)
I'm from corn and earth
strong and still,
from water and air
changing through time.
I'm from the Spanish language
from rape and tears,
from the color brown
between black and white.
I'm from Aztecs and Mayas
from flesh and earth,
from nature I'm from
living and dying.
From the sun and ocean
I am strong
I'm from the corn and earth.
Imagery: Languague that appeals to one or more of the five senses.
strong and still,
from water and air
changing through time.
I'm from the Spanish language
from rape and tears,
from the color brown
between black and white.
I'm from Aztecs and Mayas
from flesh and earth,
from nature I'm from
living and dying.
From the sun and ocean
I am strong
I'm from the corn and earth.
Imagery: Languague that appeals to one or more of the five senses.
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