Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Post Modernism Semester Final Part Two
Works Cited
The All American Rejects. "Move Along." Rec. 2004-2005. The All American Rejects. 2005. MP3.
Langley, John. "Introduction to Post Modernism." Lecture. Pleasant Plains High School, Pleasant Plains. May 14, 2010. Mr. Langley's Digital Classroom. Mr. Langley. Web. May 2011.
Quinn, Edward. "postmodernism." A Dictionary of Literary and Thematic Terms, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gfflithem0656&SingleRecord=True (accessed May 23, 2011).
Swift, Taylor. "Forever and Always." Fearless. Taylor Swift. 2008. MP3.
“Was the Song “Forever & Always” by Taylor Swift Written for Joe Jonas?” Yahoo! Answers. Yahoo! Inc., 2011. Web. 24 May 2011.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Modernism Project
Works Cited
Grimke, Angelina W. "Trees." Old Poetry. Old Poetry. Web. 20 Apr. 2011.
Langley, John. "Introduction to Modernism." Lecture. Pleasant Plains High School, Pleasant Plains. Apr. 2010. Mr. Langley's Digital Classroom. Mr. Langley. Web. Apr. 2010.
Malamud, Bernard. "The Magic Barrel." (1958). Bernard Malamud, The Magic Barrel. Web. 20 Apr. 2011.
Quinn, Edward. "modernism." A Dictionary of Literary and Thematic Terms, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gfflithem0508&SingleRecord=True (accessed April 29, 2011).
Taylor, Karen L. "modernism." Facts On File Companion to the French Novel. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2007. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CFN346&SingleRecord=True (accessed April 29, 2011).
Werlock, Abby H. P. "modernism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CASS589&SingleRecord=True (accessed April 29, 2011).
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Journal #42: Jazz Music and Imagery
The Harlem Renaissance was a new literary culture by African Americans. It started in the 1920's and became very popular during that time until the 1930's. It consisted not only of poems, short stories, and books, but also music. The most popular music that came out of this was jazz music. Music alone acts like a story, but especially jazz music. Jazz music can paint a picture for the listener and the player. One can simply listen to the song, and interpret what the composer is trying to get across.
In English class, we listened to a certain jazz song and tried to picture what the song was "painting." This is my painting. This is my interpretation of the jazz song.
The song was like many solos combined into the song, along with an introduction and conclusion played by all of the instruments. It started off slowly, and I pictured people sitting at a dimmed restaurant. There is a low murmur of voices in the background. When the saxophone starts, I picture a sad person telling a story to someone. Putting in many details about their own life. Then as more instrumentalists solo, such as the piano, trumpet, and trombone, I picture more people telling their stories. The faster the solo, the happier their story seems to be. But with each happy story comes a sad story. At the end of the song, all the instruments play slowly and sadly. This makes me think of people agreeing on sad times. Consolling each other about their lives. Then the song ends with the drummer, playing lightly on a cymbol, and playing very quietly. Again, the restaurant is filled with the low murmuring of voices, just like the beginning.
There are many ways to paint a picture from a song. One may think about people dancing. One may think about a certain landscape or environment. There are many different interpretations of the song, many different paintings. However, this is my interpretation, my painting of the song.
In English class, we listened to a certain jazz song and tried to picture what the song was "painting." This is my painting. This is my interpretation of the jazz song.
The song was like many solos combined into the song, along with an introduction and conclusion played by all of the instruments. It started off slowly, and I pictured people sitting at a dimmed restaurant. There is a low murmur of voices in the background. When the saxophone starts, I picture a sad person telling a story to someone. Putting in many details about their own life. Then as more instrumentalists solo, such as the piano, trumpet, and trombone, I picture more people telling their stories. The faster the solo, the happier their story seems to be. But with each happy story comes a sad story. At the end of the song, all the instruments play slowly and sadly. This makes me think of people agreeing on sad times. Consolling each other about their lives. Then the song ends with the drummer, playing lightly on a cymbol, and playing very quietly. Again, the restaurant is filled with the low murmuring of voices, just like the beginning.
There are many ways to paint a picture from a song. One may think about people dancing. One may think about a certain landscape or environment. There are many different interpretations of the song, many different paintings. However, this is my interpretation, my painting of the song.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Realism vs. Modernism
Modernism is a literary period that happened after the Realism literary period. Both of these literary period have similarities and differences with each other. Realism dealt like the name implies with reality. Stories, poems, and songs were developed around actual events and existing types of people. The hero was the average person, a real person, with flaws and inner beauty. The literary period was mainly developed around the society at the time. Modernism is the movement away from tradition, a new form of expression. "In other words, modernism inscribed a particular sense of radical rupture with the past and a perception of cultural crisis. Modernity, as Jurgen Habermas says, "revolts against the normalizing functions of tradition: modernity lives in the experience of rebelling against all that is normative." The normative changes associated with modernity include a sense of cultural crisis brought on by World War I and the sense that the new 20th century put the world closer to the apocalypse; Western notions of progress and superiority were breaking down" (Werlock). Realism and Modernism have similarities and differences.
The hero in realism and modernism are quite similar. In realism, the hero was the average person, and the average person was not perfect in any way. In modernism, the hero is not perfect either. In modernism, the hero had obvious flaws, but his character did not make him the hero. It was his ability to act calmly and gracefully in a difficult situation. That is what made him the hero. In realism, the hero was not always the "superman" or "batman" of the day. They were just a plain person in a situation. Like modernism, the actions and composure in a difficult situation or problem made the hero. This is how modernism and realism are similar.
However, modernism and realism differ in how they portrayed society. Modernism basically showed a society that was rebelling against tradition, while realism simply showed how society dealt with the normalities of life. Realism talked about the traditions of characters, how they lived, and what they dealt with. Modernism was rebelling against traditions of the realism generation. "Well-held precepts and norms for religion, sexuality, gender, and the family of the past Victorian world were also collapsing. Conflicts over racial, gender, class, religious, and colonial systems of oppression were moving to the fore. Large-scale migrations from rural areas into overcrowded urban centers and technological change also were causing cultural dislocation, and a preeminent modernist figure became the alienated and nihilistic self in a usually urban world" (Werlock).
The last thing that makes realism and modernism similar yet different is the themes. Realism showed life how it was with much detail, and sometimes, this depiction came off as sad, disappointing, and depressing. Modernism also has this theme, because of the effect World War I played on the literary period. People lost hope and heart, and this made the literature from this period depressing and hopeless. However, in modernism there was always a glimmer of hope at the end of the poem or story. Realism did not always have this. Modernism had hope, even if it was only a very small shred, at the end of the story differing it from realism.
Works Cited
Werlock, Abby H. P. "modernism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CASS589&SingleRecord=True (accessed April 25, 2011).
The hero in realism and modernism are quite similar. In realism, the hero was the average person, and the average person was not perfect in any way. In modernism, the hero is not perfect either. In modernism, the hero had obvious flaws, but his character did not make him the hero. It was his ability to act calmly and gracefully in a difficult situation. That is what made him the hero. In realism, the hero was not always the "superman" or "batman" of the day. They were just a plain person in a situation. Like modernism, the actions and composure in a difficult situation or problem made the hero. This is how modernism and realism are similar.
However, modernism and realism differ in how they portrayed society. Modernism basically showed a society that was rebelling against tradition, while realism simply showed how society dealt with the normalities of life. Realism talked about the traditions of characters, how they lived, and what they dealt with. Modernism was rebelling against traditions of the realism generation. "Well-held precepts and norms for religion, sexuality, gender, and the family of the past Victorian world were also collapsing. Conflicts over racial, gender, class, religious, and colonial systems of oppression were moving to the fore. Large-scale migrations from rural areas into overcrowded urban centers and technological change also were causing cultural dislocation, and a preeminent modernist figure became the alienated and nihilistic self in a usually urban world" (Werlock).
The last thing that makes realism and modernism similar yet different is the themes. Realism showed life how it was with much detail, and sometimes, this depiction came off as sad, disappointing, and depressing. Modernism also has this theme, because of the effect World War I played on the literary period. People lost hope and heart, and this made the literature from this period depressing and hopeless. However, in modernism there was always a glimmer of hope at the end of the poem or story. Realism did not always have this. Modernism had hope, even if it was only a very small shred, at the end of the story differing it from realism.
Works Cited
Werlock, Abby H. P. "modernism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CASS589&SingleRecord=True (accessed April 25, 2011).
Friday, April 1, 2011
Job Shadowing Experience
On March 31, 2011, Pleasant Plains High School juniors did job shadowing. I happened to job shadow an engineering firm: Crawford, Murphy, & Tilly Inc. This is a civil engineering firm, and their main areas of specialty are highways and bridges, aviation, water and waste water, and land development. Because of the job shadowing experience, I know more about what I do and do not want to do later on in life.
Some of my family members are civil engineers, which means I knew the basics of what people do with that job. Civil engineers deal mainly with construction of roads, construction or buildings, constructions of sidewalks, bridges, and parking lots. They also design runways for airplanes and jets. Civil engineering is probably one of the more common forms of engineering, because it is used for everyday life. Even though it is one of the more common types of engineering, it is not exactly the most interesting forms of engineering, in my opinion. At CMT, we were able to talk to engineers who dealt with highways, bridges, water plants, and computer designing the structures. We also were given a summary of the civil engineering field. I already knew some of this information, so I was not "wowed" by all of this. Also, because I knew the basics of the field, I pretty much knew what to expect. In this way, the job shadowing did meet my expectations.
From this experience, I know for certain that civil engineering is not a possible career for me. I find this field somewhat boring and uninteresting; and I do not want to do something that I do not enjoy and find boring for the rest of my life. That would be a waste of time, quite frankly. This job experience did help me to eliminate one field of engineering that I do not want to major in.
I really did not gain much from this experience except for a confirmation. I confirmed that I do not want to be a civil engineer. That is about it.
To make this perfectly clear, Crawford, Murphy, & Tilly Inc. is a very good engineering firm. I think they do their jobs well. All I am saying is that civil engineering is not for me. Just to make things clear by my blog.
Some of my family members are civil engineers, which means I knew the basics of what people do with that job. Civil engineers deal mainly with construction of roads, construction or buildings, constructions of sidewalks, bridges, and parking lots. They also design runways for airplanes and jets. Civil engineering is probably one of the more common forms of engineering, because it is used for everyday life. Even though it is one of the more common types of engineering, it is not exactly the most interesting forms of engineering, in my opinion. At CMT, we were able to talk to engineers who dealt with highways, bridges, water plants, and computer designing the structures. We also were given a summary of the civil engineering field. I already knew some of this information, so I was not "wowed" by all of this. Also, because I knew the basics of the field, I pretty much knew what to expect. In this way, the job shadowing did meet my expectations.
From this experience, I know for certain that civil engineering is not a possible career for me. I find this field somewhat boring and uninteresting; and I do not want to do something that I do not enjoy and find boring for the rest of my life. That would be a waste of time, quite frankly. This job experience did help me to eliminate one field of engineering that I do not want to major in.
I really did not gain much from this experience except for a confirmation. I confirmed that I do not want to be a civil engineer. That is about it.
To make this perfectly clear, Crawford, Murphy, & Tilly Inc. is a very good engineering firm. I think they do their jobs well. All I am saying is that civil engineering is not for me. Just to make things clear by my blog.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Journal #42: Emily Dickinson vs. Walt Whitman
Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman wrote poetry during the time period between Realism and Modernism. Walt Whitman's poetry focused on Self, while Emily Dickinson's poetry focused on life and had a connection to her life in particular. If I had been a reader during their time period, I would rather read Emily Dickinson's poetry over Walt Whitman's poetry. There are some very simple reasons for this, which I will now explain in the following paragraphs.
First off, Emily Dickinson's poetry is much easier to understand. Her poems have a literal meaning that is comprehensible when one first reads the poem. Then, the metaphorical meaning is easily tied to the literal meaning, and it is obvious what Emily Dickinson is talking about and trying to accomplish through her poetry. Walt Whitman's poetry is much more complicated than it needs to be. His literal meaning comes out as narcissistic and egotistical rather than informative or entertaining. He talks about his life, but in a self-absorbed way, that is not enjoyable to read. His Everyman idea complicates his poems and though it seems to relate everyone, it only relates his own life to something of the material world. His poems do not include the cheery aspects of life as Emily Dickinson's poetry does. When she talks about heart break, she speaks of it gently and almost brightly, while Whitman mentions it in a dark way, which is more depressing than it is re-healing or relieving.
Also, I dislike the topics of Walt Whitman's poetry. He talks a lot about sexual relationships between him, men, and women. Some of his metaphors discussing this topic do not seem to actually connect to the topic at hand. This makes his poetry confusing and not entertaining in the least. Emily Dickinson talks of love, heart breaks, and men, but in a way that is not so dark and confusing. She talks of how she dealt with these things; how she felt through these situations, not that she constantly longs for these things and obsesses over them, as Walt Whitman does. Because of these things, I dislike Whitman, and would much rather read Emily Dickinson's poetry any day than I would Walt Whitman's poetry. That is all I have to say about that.
First off, Emily Dickinson's poetry is much easier to understand. Her poems have a literal meaning that is comprehensible when one first reads the poem. Then, the metaphorical meaning is easily tied to the literal meaning, and it is obvious what Emily Dickinson is talking about and trying to accomplish through her poetry. Walt Whitman's poetry is much more complicated than it needs to be. His literal meaning comes out as narcissistic and egotistical rather than informative or entertaining. He talks about his life, but in a self-absorbed way, that is not enjoyable to read. His Everyman idea complicates his poems and though it seems to relate everyone, it only relates his own life to something of the material world. His poems do not include the cheery aspects of life as Emily Dickinson's poetry does. When she talks about heart break, she speaks of it gently and almost brightly, while Whitman mentions it in a dark way, which is more depressing than it is re-healing or relieving.
Also, I dislike the topics of Walt Whitman's poetry. He talks a lot about sexual relationships between him, men, and women. Some of his metaphors discussing this topic do not seem to actually connect to the topic at hand. This makes his poetry confusing and not entertaining in the least. Emily Dickinson talks of love, heart breaks, and men, but in a way that is not so dark and confusing. She talks of how she dealt with these things; how she felt through these situations, not that she constantly longs for these things and obsesses over them, as Walt Whitman does. Because of these things, I dislike Whitman, and would much rather read Emily Dickinson's poetry any day than I would Walt Whitman's poetry. That is all I have to say about that.
Emily Dickinson
"POOR little heart! Did they forget thee?
Then dinna care! Then dinna care!
Proud little heart! Did they forsake thee? 5
Be debonair! Be debonair!
Frail little heart! I would not break thee:
Could’st credit me? Could’st credit me?
Gay little heart! 10 Like morning glory
Thou’ll wilted be; thou’ll wilted be" (Dickinson).
This poem by Emily Dickinson relates to her feelings and her life. Supposedly, Emily Dickinson's heart was broken by a someone who did not love her in the same way that she loved him. Because of her embarrassment and shame, she secluded herself in her house. I believe that this poem conveys her feelings on this tragic experience. In the first stanza, Dickinson states the problem. "POOR little heart! Did they forget thee?
Then dinna care! Then dinna care" (Dickinson)! This translates to "poor little heart, did they forget about you? Then do not care. Be care free!" This is Emily's way of telling herself to forget about the heart break. Do not worry over it. Do not stress herself about it. Do not care that it happened. In the next stanza, she says "Proud little heart! Did they forsake thee? 5
Be debonair! Be debonair" (Dickinson)! This translates to "Proud little heart, did they leave you? Then do not show your sadness. Be prideful. Act as if nothing happened. Be debonair!" Though her heart was broken, Dickinson is trying to forget about it. She is trying to hide it, to show people that she is perfectly fine. She is pretending not to care. The next stanza states, "Frail little heart! I would not break thee:
Could’st credit me? Could’st credit me" (Dickinson)? This translates to "Frail little heart, I would not break you or hurt you. Can you credit me to this?" Emily Dickinson is then saying that she would not hurt herself. She knows what she wants and needs, and she would not do anything to hurt herself. Basically, up to this point, Emily Dickinson has confronted her broken heart, convinced herself to let it go and be strong and prideful. And she has put confidence into herself to guard herself. The next stanza says, " Gay little heart! 10 Like morning glory
Thou’ll wilted be; thou’ll wilted be" (Dickinson). This translates to "Happy little heart, like temporary morning glory, you will be wilted." This last stanza brings the poem back around in a circle. She says here that it is still wilted from the event; as much as she tried to forget about it and not be affected by it, she cannot, and she is still hurt by the heart break. The words that really give this poem the meaning it has and tells a story are the adjectives describing her heart. She starts with poor, then goes to proud, then goes to frail, then goes to gay, meaning happy. Her poor heart is hurt by the heart break. She tries to hide it and show that she has a proud heart. This does not heal it, so it is a frail heart still in danger of being broken again. The last one, gay heart, seems to be good for her, but the ending lines show that it is only a charade. In the end, Emily Dickinson is still hurt and affected by her tragic heart break.
Works Cited
Dickinson, Emily. "Poor Little Heart" Bartleby.com. Bartleby.com, 2011. Web. 24 Mar. 2011.
Then dinna care! Then dinna care!
Proud little heart! Did they forsake thee? 5
Be debonair! Be debonair!
Frail little heart! I would not break thee:
Could’st credit me? Could’st credit me?
Gay little heart! 10 Like morning glory
Thou’ll wilted be; thou’ll wilted be" (Dickinson).
This poem by Emily Dickinson relates to her feelings and her life. Supposedly, Emily Dickinson's heart was broken by a someone who did not love her in the same way that she loved him. Because of her embarrassment and shame, she secluded herself in her house. I believe that this poem conveys her feelings on this tragic experience. In the first stanza, Dickinson states the problem. "POOR little heart! Did they forget thee?
Then dinna care! Then dinna care" (Dickinson)! This translates to "poor little heart, did they forget about you? Then do not care. Be care free!" This is Emily's way of telling herself to forget about the heart break. Do not worry over it. Do not stress herself about it. Do not care that it happened. In the next stanza, she says "Proud little heart! Did they forsake thee? 5
Be debonair! Be debonair" (Dickinson)! This translates to "Proud little heart, did they leave you? Then do not show your sadness. Be prideful. Act as if nothing happened. Be debonair!" Though her heart was broken, Dickinson is trying to forget about it. She is trying to hide it, to show people that she is perfectly fine. She is pretending not to care. The next stanza states, "Frail little heart! I would not break thee:
Could’st credit me? Could’st credit me" (Dickinson)? This translates to "Frail little heart, I would not break you or hurt you. Can you credit me to this?" Emily Dickinson is then saying that she would not hurt herself. She knows what she wants and needs, and she would not do anything to hurt herself. Basically, up to this point, Emily Dickinson has confronted her broken heart, convinced herself to let it go and be strong and prideful. And she has put confidence into herself to guard herself. The next stanza says, " Gay little heart! 10 Like morning glory
Thou’ll wilted be; thou’ll wilted be" (Dickinson). This translates to "Happy little heart, like temporary morning glory, you will be wilted." This last stanza brings the poem back around in a circle. She says here that it is still wilted from the event; as much as she tried to forget about it and not be affected by it, she cannot, and she is still hurt by the heart break. The words that really give this poem the meaning it has and tells a story are the adjectives describing her heart. She starts with poor, then goes to proud, then goes to frail, then goes to gay, meaning happy. Her poor heart is hurt by the heart break. She tries to hide it and show that she has a proud heart. This does not heal it, so it is a frail heart still in danger of being broken again. The last one, gay heart, seems to be good for her, but the ending lines show that it is only a charade. In the end, Emily Dickinson is still hurt and affected by her tragic heart break.
Works Cited
Dickinson, Emily. "Poor Little Heart" Bartleby.com. Bartleby.com, 2011. Web. 24 Mar. 2011.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Journal #41: Emily Dikinson
Emily Dickinson was another poet, similar to Walt Whitman, who falls into the time period between Romanticism and Modernism. During her lifetime, she went into exile in her own house. Some people believe this is because of a traumatic love experience. She became heart broken and because of her embarrassment and brokenness, she locked herself in her house and wrote poetry the rest of her life, but she never came out. One of her poems in her book of poetry, Part One: Life, explains this feeling of being exiled, of being trapped in her house, by herself. This poem, "I never hear the word 'escape,'" also known as poem number thirty six discusses in a metaphor that feeling of being trapped that I am sure Emily Dickinson felt. Let us analyze this poem.
"I NEVER hear the word “escape”
Without a quicker blood,
A sudden expectation,
A flying attitude.
I never hear of prisons broad
By soldiers battered down,
But I tug childish at my bars,—
Only to fail again" (Dickinson)!
This poem is in reference to Emily Dickinson's feelings of her life, in my opinion. She was kept in isolation in her house, and this describes how she felt about this. The first stanza translates to "I never hear the word 'escape' without being excited, without suddenly wanting to break free." In my interpretation of this, Emily is in prison, but not in a regular criminal prison. She is in her own prison, herself, her isolation. She wishes to escape this prison, as said in the first stanza. When one is in prison, naturally escape sounds good, exciting, and a great idea, because no one enjoys or should enjoy being locked away in prison. However, in the second stanza she describes how she childishly tugs at her bars but still fails. A child is very small and weak, and would not be able to break from prison by pulling at the bars. They would still be stuck. Using this analogy, Dickinson says that she tries to escape, but she continues to fail time and time again. Overall, Emily Dickinson says that though she wishes to escape she is unable to escape her isolation.
Works Cited
Dickinson, Emily. "I Never Hear the Word 'escape'" Bartleby.com. Bartleby.com, 2011. Web. 22 Mar. 2011.
"I NEVER hear the word “escape”
Without a quicker blood,
A sudden expectation,
A flying attitude.
I never hear of prisons broad
By soldiers battered down,
But I tug childish at my bars,—
Only to fail again" (Dickinson)!
This poem is in reference to Emily Dickinson's feelings of her life, in my opinion. She was kept in isolation in her house, and this describes how she felt about this. The first stanza translates to "I never hear the word 'escape' without being excited, without suddenly wanting to break free." In my interpretation of this, Emily is in prison, but not in a regular criminal prison. She is in her own prison, herself, her isolation. She wishes to escape this prison, as said in the first stanza. When one is in prison, naturally escape sounds good, exciting, and a great idea, because no one enjoys or should enjoy being locked away in prison. However, in the second stanza she describes how she childishly tugs at her bars but still fails. A child is very small and weak, and would not be able to break from prison by pulling at the bars. They would still be stuck. Using this analogy, Dickinson says that she tries to escape, but she continues to fail time and time again. Overall, Emily Dickinson says that though she wishes to escape she is unable to escape her isolation.
Works Cited
Dickinson, Emily. "I Never Hear the Word 'escape'" Bartleby.com. Bartleby.com, 2011. Web. 22 Mar. 2011.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Whitman and "Children of Adam"
Walt Whitman was an American poet who became very famous through his work. His work fits between the Realism and Modernism literary periods; however, his work does not necessarily fit into those periods characteristically. One example of the uniqueness in his work, is Whitman's writing of sex, love, and the physical relationship between man and woman. He wrote about things that most people of his time would have thought vulgar and innapropriate. "Even before these poems were published, Whitman had had difficulty with censorship. He had been forced to move publication of the second edition of Leaves of Grass (1860) to Brooklyn because Boston authorities wanted to cut some lines or whole poems from the book." (Oliver) The section of "Leaves of Grass" that directly deals with this is "Children of Adam." All of these poems in this sub-section relate to love, physical relationships, and even to Adam and Eve of the Bible (Oliver). All of these poems also deal with Self, in talking about the Everyman idea and the spiritual self as well.
One of the poems of this small collection is "I Am He That Aches With Love." This poem is very short consisting of only a few lines, but the message behind it is not as simple as the poem length.
"I AM he that aches with amorous love;
Does the earth gravitate? does not all matter, aching, attract all
matter?
So the body of me to all I meet or know" (Whitman).
At the surface of the poem, Walt Whitman is saying that he aches for love, just like everyone aches for love. This demonstrates the Everyman idea--that everyone is connected to each other and that everyone has a small piece of divinity in them, because everyone is connected to God. In saying "...does not all matter, aching, attract all matter? So the body of me to all I meet or know" (Whitman), Whitman connects everyone by saying that everything--all matter, and we are made of matter--feels, wants, and needs love. This demonstrates the Everyman idea of Self.
However, this poem also deals with Adam and Eve, the first people in the world. In the Bible, Adam and Eve were husband and wife, and from their creation by God, they helped in producing children--a new generation. If the reader then replaces Whitman with the voice of Adam, it is as if Adam is saying that he needs love. "I AM he that aches with amorous love" (Whitman). This goes hand in hand with the stories of the Bible. Adam was first created, but since he was feeling lonely--in need of a physical relationship, in need of a partner--God created Eve, so they would be husband and wife. This poem then represents Adam's need of love from Eve, from a woman, that physical relationship. Although this may have been uncommon to talk about back then, Walt Whitman makes this the topic of his poem, "I Am He That Aches With Love," defining the Everyman idea of Self and also the spiritual self.
Works Cited
Oliver, Charles M. "'Children of Adam'." Critical Companion to Walt Whitman: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CCWW088&SingleRecord=True (accessed March 3, 2011).
Whitman, Walt. "I Am He That Aches With Love." Leaves of Grass (1891-1892). The Whitman Archive. Ed Folsom & Kenneth M. Price, 1995. Web. 3 Mar. 2011.
One of the poems of this small collection is "I Am He That Aches With Love." This poem is very short consisting of only a few lines, but the message behind it is not as simple as the poem length.
"I AM he that aches with amorous love;
Does the earth gravitate? does not all matter, aching, attract all
matter?
So the body of me to all I meet or know" (Whitman).
At the surface of the poem, Walt Whitman is saying that he aches for love, just like everyone aches for love. This demonstrates the Everyman idea--that everyone is connected to each other and that everyone has a small piece of divinity in them, because everyone is connected to God. In saying "...does not all matter, aching, attract all matter? So the body of me to all I meet or know" (Whitman), Whitman connects everyone by saying that everything--all matter, and we are made of matter--feels, wants, and needs love. This demonstrates the Everyman idea of Self.
However, this poem also deals with Adam and Eve, the first people in the world. In the Bible, Adam and Eve were husband and wife, and from their creation by God, they helped in producing children--a new generation. If the reader then replaces Whitman with the voice of Adam, it is as if Adam is saying that he needs love. "I AM he that aches with amorous love" (Whitman). This goes hand in hand with the stories of the Bible. Adam was first created, but since he was feeling lonely--in need of a physical relationship, in need of a partner--God created Eve, so they would be husband and wife. This poem then represents Adam's need of love from Eve, from a woman, that physical relationship. Although this may have been uncommon to talk about back then, Walt Whitman makes this the topic of his poem, "I Am He That Aches With Love," defining the Everyman idea of Self and also the spiritual self.
Works Cited
Oliver, Charles M. "'Children of Adam'." Critical Companion to Walt Whitman: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CCWW088&SingleRecord=True (accessed March 3, 2011).
Whitman, Walt. "I Am He That Aches With Love." Leaves of Grass (1891-1892). The Whitman Archive. Ed Folsom & Kenneth M. Price, 1995. Web. 3 Mar. 2011.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Journal #39: Bardic Symbols and Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman was a prominent poet of the early twentieth century in America. He wrote many books of poetry one of his most famous being "Leaves of Grass." In this book, there are many separate poems that discuss one of Walt Whitman's common topics, Self. One of these poems is "Bardic Symbols." This poem is somewhat confusing to understand as William Dean Howells says. "No one, even after the fourth or fifth reading, can pretend to say what the "Bardic Symbols" symbolize" (Howells).
"You oceans both! You tangible land! Nature!
Be not too stern with me,—I submit,—I close with you,—
These little shreds shall, indeed, stand for all.
X.
You friable shore, with trails of debris!
You fish-shaped island! I take what is underfoot:
What is yours is mine, my father!
XI.
I, too, Paumanok,
I, too, have bubbled up, floated the measureless float, and been washed on your
shores.
XII.
I, too, am but a trail of drift and debris,—
I, too, leave little wrecks upon you, you fished-shaped island!
XIII.
I throw myself upon your breast, my father!
I cling to you so that you cannot unloose me,—
I hold you so firm, till you answer me something." (Whitman)
This is a little section from "Bardic Symbols." My interpretation of this poem, whether right or wrong, is that the land is a father, the ocean is a mother, and the debris is a child or children. The debris goes back and forth, from ocean to land, ocean to land. The debris never settles itself with one or the other, it is always lost between the two. Just so, the child is always lost between the father and mother; he or she does not settle between the two. This fits in with the everyman principle of Self, because many families deal with that, where the child loves the mom one minute but then loves the dad more the next. However, this is still uncertain, because the poem is hard to discern whether the poem deals with childhood and families, with Christianity, or with another part of Self. This is due to the fact that Walt Whitman uses symbolism that is hard to tell the real meaning of it. It is in fact up to the reader to discern what the poem means, or what Walt Whitman meant.
Works Cited
[Howells, William Dean]. ""Bardic Symbols"." The Daily Ohio State Journal (28 March 1860): 2.
Whitman, Walt. "Bardic Symbols." Leaves of Grass (1891-1892). The Whitman Archive. Ed Folsom & Kenneth M. Price, 1995. Web. 2 Mar. 2011.
"You oceans both! You tangible land! Nature!
Be not too stern with me,—I submit,—I close with you,—
These little shreds shall, indeed, stand for all.
X.
You friable shore, with trails of debris!
You fish-shaped island! I take what is underfoot:
What is yours is mine, my father!
XI.
I, too, Paumanok,
I, too, have bubbled up, floated the measureless float, and been washed on your
shores.
XII.
I, too, am but a trail of drift and debris,—
I, too, leave little wrecks upon you, you fished-shaped island!
XIII.
I throw myself upon your breast, my father!
I cling to you so that you cannot unloose me,—
I hold you so firm, till you answer me something." (Whitman)
This is a little section from "Bardic Symbols." My interpretation of this poem, whether right or wrong, is that the land is a father, the ocean is a mother, and the debris is a child or children. The debris goes back and forth, from ocean to land, ocean to land. The debris never settles itself with one or the other, it is always lost between the two. Just so, the child is always lost between the father and mother; he or she does not settle between the two. This fits in with the everyman principle of Self, because many families deal with that, where the child loves the mom one minute but then loves the dad more the next. However, this is still uncertain, because the poem is hard to discern whether the poem deals with childhood and families, with Christianity, or with another part of Self. This is due to the fact that Walt Whitman uses symbolism that is hard to tell the real meaning of it. It is in fact up to the reader to discern what the poem means, or what Walt Whitman meant.
Works Cited
[Howells, William Dean]. ""Bardic Symbols"." The Daily Ohio State Journal (28 March 1860): 2.
Whitman, Walt. "Bardic Symbols." Leaves of Grass (1891-1892). The Whitman Archive. Ed Folsom & Kenneth M. Price, 1995. Web. 2 Mar. 2011.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Walt Whitman and Leaves of Grass
Walt Whitman, considered one of the greatest American poets of all time, wrote many forms and books of poetry. One of these books is called "Leaves of Grass," and it is consisted of many long and short poems that deal with one main topic. This topic is the Self. The Self consists of three separate parts that form the real Self of a person. These three parts are the spirital soul, the personal self (how one sees oneself), and the Everyman self (how everyone is connected and how other people see oneself). Walt Whitman explores the meaning of Self through all these poems.
The Everyman self is the idea that everyone in the world is connected, to friends, family, to everyone, even God. Whitman believed that there was a small piece of divinity in everyone (Bloom). Because of this, everyone was connected to each other, and were able to share in each other's lives and understand each other's lives. This idea of the Everyman is present in one of Walt Whitman's poems, "To A Certain Cantatrice," part of the book, "Leaves of Grass." This poem is listed below.
"HERE, take this gift,
I was reserving it for some hero, speaker, or general,
One who should serve the good old cause, the great idea, the prog-
ress and freedom of the race,
Some brave confronter of despots, some daring rebel;
But I see that what I was reserving belongs to you just as much as
to any" (Whitman).
When looking into one of Walt Whitman's poems, one has to go line by line, word by word, to get a deeper meaning than what merely surfaces. First, we look at the title, "To A Certain Cantatrice." A cantatrice is a professional female singer (Random). The title could merely imply that he is talking about the common person in entertainment, showing a form of the Everyman self, however, Whitman goes deeper into this throughout the poem. In the first lines, Whitman says that he is giving someone, perhaps the cantatrice, a gift that he was originally saving for a person of authority. The gift is not the main topic or theme; it does not necessarily represent something of value or something specific. It is just an object mentioned in his poem. The last lines are the lines that lend themselves to the definition of Everyman and Self.
"...One who should serve the good old cause, the great idea, the prog-
ress and freedom of the race,
Some brave confronter of despots, some daring rebel;
But I see that what I was reserving belongs to you just as much as
to any" (Whitman).
In these lines, Walt Whitman says that he was going to give his gift to someone great--maybe a rebel, a military personel, someone who relates to the American people and their want of freedom "...the progress and freedom of the race..." (Whitman). This reference to America shows that he is using the Everyman idea to relate all of America and the people in it to each other. "...But I see that what I was reserving belongs to you just as much as to any" (Whitman). This demonstrates Whitman's Everyman idea because, even though he was saving his gift for someone special, he gave it away; but it was not lost to just anyone. He was still giving it to that special person, because that special person is apart of everyone, including the receiver of his gift. While giving it away to a common person, perhaps the cantatrice, he gives it away to the general, the rebel, the hero, or the speaker. Everyone is connected and has similar qualities that connect them, so giving a gift to one is similar to giving a gift to another. That is why this poem shows Walt Whitman's idea of Self, including the idea of the Everyman belief.
Works Cited
Bloom, Harold, ed. "Bloom on Walt Whitman." Walt Whitman, Bloom's Major Poets. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 1999. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= BMPWW01&SingleRecord=True (accessed March 1, 2011).
Random House Dictionary, comp. "Cantatrice." Def. 1. Random House, Inc. 2011. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, LLC., 2011. Web. 1 Mar. 2011.
Whitman, Walt. "To A Certain Cantatrice." Leaves of Grass (1891-1892). The Whitman Archive. Ed Folsom & Kenneth M. Price, 1995. Web. 1 Mar. 2011.
The Everyman self is the idea that everyone in the world is connected, to friends, family, to everyone, even God. Whitman believed that there was a small piece of divinity in everyone (Bloom). Because of this, everyone was connected to each other, and were able to share in each other's lives and understand each other's lives. This idea of the Everyman is present in one of Walt Whitman's poems, "To A Certain Cantatrice," part of the book, "Leaves of Grass." This poem is listed below.
"HERE, take this gift,
I was reserving it for some hero, speaker, or general,
One who should serve the good old cause, the great idea, the prog-
ress and freedom of the race,
Some brave confronter of despots, some daring rebel;
But I see that what I was reserving belongs to you just as much as
to any" (Whitman).
When looking into one of Walt Whitman's poems, one has to go line by line, word by word, to get a deeper meaning than what merely surfaces. First, we look at the title, "To A Certain Cantatrice." A cantatrice is a professional female singer (Random). The title could merely imply that he is talking about the common person in entertainment, showing a form of the Everyman self, however, Whitman goes deeper into this throughout the poem. In the first lines, Whitman says that he is giving someone, perhaps the cantatrice, a gift that he was originally saving for a person of authority. The gift is not the main topic or theme; it does not necessarily represent something of value or something specific. It is just an object mentioned in his poem. The last lines are the lines that lend themselves to the definition of Everyman and Self.
"...One who should serve the good old cause, the great idea, the prog-
ress and freedom of the race,
Some brave confronter of despots, some daring rebel;
But I see that what I was reserving belongs to you just as much as
to any" (Whitman).
In these lines, Walt Whitman says that he was going to give his gift to someone great--maybe a rebel, a military personel, someone who relates to the American people and their want of freedom "...the progress and freedom of the race..." (Whitman). This reference to America shows that he is using the Everyman idea to relate all of America and the people in it to each other. "...But I see that what I was reserving belongs to you just as much as to any" (Whitman). This demonstrates Whitman's Everyman idea because, even though he was saving his gift for someone special, he gave it away; but it was not lost to just anyone. He was still giving it to that special person, because that special person is apart of everyone, including the receiver of his gift. While giving it away to a common person, perhaps the cantatrice, he gives it away to the general, the rebel, the hero, or the speaker. Everyone is connected and has similar qualities that connect them, so giving a gift to one is similar to giving a gift to another. That is why this poem shows Walt Whitman's idea of Self, including the idea of the Everyman belief.
Works Cited
Bloom, Harold, ed. "Bloom on Walt Whitman." Walt Whitman, Bloom's Major Poets. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 1999. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= BMPWW01&SingleRecord=True (accessed March 1, 2011).
Random House Dictionary, comp. "Cantatrice." Def. 1. Random House, Inc. 2011. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, LLC., 2011. Web. 1 Mar. 2011.
Whitman, Walt. "To A Certain Cantatrice." Leaves of Grass (1891-1892). The Whitman Archive. Ed Folsom & Kenneth M. Price, 1995. Web. 1 Mar. 2011.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Journal #38: The Ploughman and Christianity
"AS I watch’d the ploughman ploughing,
Or the sower sowing in the fields—or the harvester harvesting,
I saw there too, O life and death, your analogies:
(Life, life is the tillage, and Death is the harvest according.)" (Whitman)
This is Walt Whitman's poem, "As I Watch'd the Ploughman Ploughing." This is one of Whitman's poems that discusses Self, which is the true self of a person. It includes the spiritual self, the personal identifying self, and how others see oneself. This poem specifically deals with the spiritual self, and in particular Christianity.
Christianity believes that Jesus Christ came and died for everyone's sins, and three days after he died from crucifixion, he was resurrected and returned to heaven. By His life, everyone in the world is saved and can go to heaven if they truly believe in Him. Walt Whitman's poem, "As I Watch'd the Ploughman Ploughing," shows this belief in Christianity.
The life, is the life of every person. When you plant seeds, they need to be planted under the soil at the appropriate depth, with the right amount of water, and sunlight. How people lives their lives is how they plant their seeds. Their life is the growing of the plants. If they live their life according to how God wants us to live, the plants will grow big and tall and healthily. But if they do not live accordingly, their plants will not grow healthily. The harvest is death and the afterlife. A promising harvest means heaven and a wonderful afterlife. I saw there too, O life and death, your analogies:
(Life, life is the tillage, and Death is the harvest according.)" (Whitman)
Walt Whitman was a very prominent and popular poet in America, and he was very into the idea of Christianity. Because of this, Christianity played a major part in his definition of Self and in his poems. "As I Watch'd the Ploughman Ploughing," one of Walt Whitman's poems, displays this definition of Self and the idea of Christianity very well in its analogies of life, death, and farming.
Works Cited
Whitman, Walt. As I Watch'd the Ploughman Ploughing (1900). Web. 28 Feb. 2011.
Or the sower sowing in the fields—or the harvester harvesting,
I saw there too, O life and death, your analogies:
(Life, life is the tillage, and Death is the harvest according.)" (Whitman)
This is Walt Whitman's poem, "As I Watch'd the Ploughman Ploughing." This is one of Whitman's poems that discusses Self, which is the true self of a person. It includes the spiritual self, the personal identifying self, and how others see oneself. This poem specifically deals with the spiritual self, and in particular Christianity.
Christianity believes that Jesus Christ came and died for everyone's sins, and three days after he died from crucifixion, he was resurrected and returned to heaven. By His life, everyone in the world is saved and can go to heaven if they truly believe in Him. Walt Whitman's poem, "As I Watch'd the Ploughman Ploughing," shows this belief in Christianity.
The life, is the life of every person. When you plant seeds, they need to be planted under the soil at the appropriate depth, with the right amount of water, and sunlight. How people lives their lives is how they plant their seeds. Their life is the growing of the plants. If they live their life according to how God wants us to live, the plants will grow big and tall and healthily. But if they do not live accordingly, their plants will not grow healthily. The harvest is death and the afterlife. A promising harvest means heaven and a wonderful afterlife. I saw there too, O life and death, your analogies:
(Life, life is the tillage, and Death is the harvest according.)" (Whitman)
Walt Whitman was a very prominent and popular poet in America, and he was very into the idea of Christianity. Because of this, Christianity played a major part in his definition of Self and in his poems. "As I Watch'd the Ploughman Ploughing," one of Walt Whitman's poems, displays this definition of Self and the idea of Christianity very well in its analogies of life, death, and farming.
Works Cited
Whitman, Walt. As I Watch'd the Ploughman Ploughing (1900). Web. 28 Feb. 2011.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Reflection of Whitman and Self
Walt Whitman, considered the American Bard, was a very great American poet who wrote many songs and poems during the 1800’s. His works are classified as in between the realism literary period and the modernism literary period. Some of his most famous poems are “Myself and Mine,” “One Song, America, Before I Go,” “O Captain! My Captain!,” “Excelsior,” “The Singer in the Prison,” “When Lilacs Last in the Door-yard Bloom’d,” and “As I Watch’d the Ploughman Ploughing.” In each of these poems, Walt Whitman’s meaning of Self is explained, especially through song.
Walt Whitman defines the Self in his poems, and one finds this Self in song. Whitman describes Self as the soul of oneself, and there are specific characteristics to this. He believes that Self is freedom of the soul, freedom to express oneself, and freedom to live how they want, and how they think is the right way to live.
“I charge you, too, forever, reject those who would expound me—for I cannot expound
myself;
I charge that there be no theory or school founded out of me;
I charge you to leave all free, as I have left all free.
After me, vista!
O, I see life is not short, but immeasurably long;
I henceforth tread the world, chaste, temperate, an early riser, a steady grower,
Every hour the semen of centuries—and still of centuries.
I will follow up these continual lessons of the air, water, earth;
I perceive I have no time to lose.” (Whitman)
One way that Whitman expresses the Self is through song. The main characters of the poems use singing to free themselves from pain, from sadness, and to embrace their full self. In “The Singer in the Prison,” the main character, a convict in prison, sings and impresses everyone with her song (Whitman). This is her way of escaping her present state of misery and to free her of this misery and express her true self. This shows how Walt Whitman thinks that song can find one’s soul and to find one’s self.
In Walt Whitman’s poems of the realism and modernism literary periods, Whitman defines Self, especially through song. The characters of his poems free themselves of bad situations by singing and finding their souls and being free. This can also be applied to society at the time. Whitman is saying that Self if not defined by the government or a nation. It is defined by the individual; and what frees their soul defines their Self.
Works Cited
Whitman, Walt. Myself and Mine (1900). Web. 23 Feb. 2011..
Whitman, Walt. The Singer in the Prison (1900). Web. 23 Feb. 2011..
Walt Whitman defines the Self in his poems, and one finds this Self in song. Whitman describes Self as the soul of oneself, and there are specific characteristics to this. He believes that Self is freedom of the soul, freedom to express oneself, and freedom to live how they want, and how they think is the right way to live.
“I charge you, too, forever, reject those who would expound me—for I cannot expound
myself;
I charge that there be no theory or school founded out of me;
I charge you to leave all free, as I have left all free.
After me, vista!
O, I see life is not short, but immeasurably long;
I henceforth tread the world, chaste, temperate, an early riser, a steady grower,
Every hour the semen of centuries—and still of centuries.
I will follow up these continual lessons of the air, water, earth;
I perceive I have no time to lose.” (Whitman)
One way that Whitman expresses the Self is through song. The main characters of the poems use singing to free themselves from pain, from sadness, and to embrace their full self. In “The Singer in the Prison,” the main character, a convict in prison, sings and impresses everyone with her song (Whitman). This is her way of escaping her present state of misery and to free her of this misery and express her true self. This shows how Walt Whitman thinks that song can find one’s soul and to find one’s self.
In Walt Whitman’s poems of the realism and modernism literary periods, Whitman defines Self, especially through song. The characters of his poems free themselves of bad situations by singing and finding their souls and being free. This can also be applied to society at the time. Whitman is saying that Self if not defined by the government or a nation. It is defined by the individual; and what frees their soul defines their Self.
Works Cited
Whitman, Walt. Myself and Mine (1900). Web. 23 Feb. 2011.
Whitman, Walt. The Singer in the Prison (1900). Web. 23 Feb. 2011.
Journal #37: Criticism of Whitman
Walt Whitman was a very esteemed poet of the realism/modernism literary period. He wrote many poems about many things, but most of them have one thing in common. They have a form of Self in them, as described by Walt Whitman. The Self included a spiritual self, a personal identifying self, and how others viewed one's self. All of these are tired together to create the true and real Self that makes up a person. All of these aspects are seen in his poems. A criticism of Walt Whitman's Self, by Mark Bauerlein, discusses the views of Whitman's poems. "To express a self. To display a 'Personality' 'uncompromisingly' with a limpid style, a transparent form that ardently renders an identity in all its plenitude and immediacy. This is the 'special desire and conviction' that incite Whitman to write 'Song of Myself,' a personal epic in which, with sustained narcissism, Whitman freely explores his ego in an original style, in a structureless narrative, in free verse form, in brazen play and naked confession." (Bauerlein)
This criticism discusses Walt Whitman's narcissism from different view points and how that played into his poems. The views are interesting, but Bauerlein presents an interesting point. "Whitman's target is his own ego-centered poetry, that which was to manifest his ego. But, it was also the only means of freeing his ego, leaving Whitman in a tragic double-bind" (Bauerlein). The ego that he talks about is the first sense that one feels when reading Whitman's poems. His definition of Self is intertwined with the poems, and because of that, they come off egotistical. However, Walt Whitman needed to do this in order to be less egotistical, which does present a double problem, because in vouching his ego, he simply regained it. This interesting point is completely valid with Walt Whitman's poem and definitions of Self. It provides a reason for the writing of Whitman in the first place, and it provides a reason of why and how Whitman wrote the way he did. The view of others is described in the egotistical aspect of Self, and the view that this was a way to end his narcissism is valid with the personal and identifying aspect of Self. All in all, Mark Bauerlein's points tie into Walt Whitman's defintion of Self and his own writing career.
Works Cited
Bauerlein, Mark. "Whitman's Language of the Self." American Imago 44, no. 2 (Summer 1987). Quoted as "Whitman's Language of the Self" in Bloom, Harold, ed. Song of Myself, Bloom's Modern Critical Interpretations. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 2002. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts on File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=1&iPin=MCISOM004&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 27, 2011).
This criticism discusses Walt Whitman's narcissism from different view points and how that played into his poems. The views are interesting, but Bauerlein presents an interesting point. "Whitman's target is his own ego-centered poetry, that which was to manifest his ego. But, it was also the only means of freeing his ego, leaving Whitman in a tragic double-bind" (Bauerlein). The ego that he talks about is the first sense that one feels when reading Whitman's poems. His definition of Self is intertwined with the poems, and because of that, they come off egotistical. However, Walt Whitman needed to do this in order to be less egotistical, which does present a double problem, because in vouching his ego, he simply regained it. This interesting point is completely valid with Walt Whitman's poem and definitions of Self. It provides a reason for the writing of Whitman in the first place, and it provides a reason of why and how Whitman wrote the way he did. The view of others is described in the egotistical aspect of Self, and the view that this was a way to end his narcissism is valid with the personal and identifying aspect of Self. All in all, Mark Bauerlein's points tie into Walt Whitman's defintion of Self and his own writing career.
Works Cited
Bauerlein, Mark. "Whitman's Language of the Self." American Imago 44, no. 2 (Summer 1987). Quoted as "Whitman's Language of the Self" in Bloom, Harold, ed. Song of Myself, Bloom's Modern Critical Interpretations. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 2002. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts on File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=1&iPin=MCISOM004&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 27, 2011).
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Journal #36: FAVORITE FOOD
You cannot survive without food. It is an essential part of life. There are multitude of foods. There are hamburgers, Mexican food, French food, Asian food, and noodles. There are many many other foods and many other types of food. Even though there is many foods that people like, there is usually only one of those types of food that is their favorite food.
My favorite food is steak. Steak comes from cows, and there are many different types of steak. There are T-bones, ribeyes, filet mignon, a New York strip, and many others. Not only do you have the type of steak, but you also have the choice of how they cook your steak. You can have a steak that is rare, medium rare, medium, medium well, and well. A rare steak means that it is red in the middle, and they do not cook it as much. A medium steak is one that is slightly pink and is cooked more than a rare or medium rare. A well steak is one with no pink, and is cooked more than the medium well and medium steak; it is usually very tough.
I usually get the nine or ten ounce steak--sometimes the New York strip--that is cooked to medium. I do not like my steak runny or hard as a rock, but just right in the middle. On top of my steak I like to put sauteed mushrooms and top it all off with a little bit of steak sauce. This gives the steak just that little zip of added flavor, and overall, it makes a perfectly delicious steak.
Along with my steak, I like to get a baked potato with lots of butter, and a little bit of salt and pepper. Then a buttered role, buttered brocolli with some thyme, and a lemonade completes the ensemble. The medium steak is my favorite food, and the combination of the steak, baked potato, brocolli, buttered role, and a lemonade is my favorite dinner. Very Delicious! Yum!
My favorite food is steak. Steak comes from cows, and there are many different types of steak. There are T-bones, ribeyes, filet mignon, a New York strip, and many others. Not only do you have the type of steak, but you also have the choice of how they cook your steak. You can have a steak that is rare, medium rare, medium, medium well, and well. A rare steak means that it is red in the middle, and they do not cook it as much. A medium steak is one that is slightly pink and is cooked more than a rare or medium rare. A well steak is one with no pink, and is cooked more than the medium well and medium steak; it is usually very tough.
I usually get the nine or ten ounce steak--sometimes the New York strip--that is cooked to medium. I do not like my steak runny or hard as a rock, but just right in the middle. On top of my steak I like to put sauteed mushrooms and top it all off with a little bit of steak sauce. This gives the steak just that little zip of added flavor, and overall, it makes a perfectly delicious steak.
Along with my steak, I like to get a baked potato with lots of butter, and a little bit of salt and pepper. Then a buttered role, buttered brocolli with some thyme, and a lemonade completes the ensemble. The medium steak is my favorite food, and the combination of the steak, baked potato, brocolli, buttered role, and a lemonade is my favorite dinner. Very Delicious! Yum!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Jounal #35: Reporter During a War
Many wars have occurred in the history of the world. Some of the major ones, especially to the United States of America, are the Civil War, World War I, World War II, Vietnam, and even the War in the Middle East. How did we learn of these wars, see pictures of these wars, see how they affected people? We learned about them through reporters; reporters took pictures of the battles; they wrote about the experiences of fighting, of being in trenches, of being in bombers and other aerial war craft. They took footage of the battles, of the soldiers, of the civilians who were present at the time. In a sense, the reporters were just as much part of the war as the soldier was. Reporters had to be at the front lines, had to be in the airplanes, had to be in the trenches, in the camps. They were in the battles, in the war.
I think that it would have been very hard and trying and terrifying to be a reporter in the trenches with the soldiers. They have the same chance that the soldiers do to be killed. They go through the same thing. They had to go through the mud and water, face the chance of hypothermia, put up with disease, bad food, dirty water, and the terrors of war. The reporters had to witness everything. They had to write about what was happening. They would witness death, witness sickness, witness gun wounds, grenade wounds, and witness the horror of war. They were not only watching soldiers fight and die; they were recording it for others to see, for others to hear about. Though they might not have regularly fought--even though some of them probably did to save their lives--they were still part of the war. They were the eyes and ears of the people back home. This responsibility must have been very trying, frustrating, a drain on their spirit and energy.
I think that it would have been very hard and trying and terrifying to be a reporter in the trenches with the soldiers. They have the same chance that the soldiers do to be killed. They go through the same thing. They had to go through the mud and water, face the chance of hypothermia, put up with disease, bad food, dirty water, and the terrors of war. The reporters had to witness everything. They had to write about what was happening. They would witness death, witness sickness, witness gun wounds, grenade wounds, and witness the horror of war. They were not only watching soldiers fight and die; they were recording it for others to see, for others to hear about. Though they might not have regularly fought--even though some of them probably did to save their lives--they were still part of the war. They were the eyes and ears of the people back home. This responsibility must have been very trying, frustrating, a drain on their spirit and energy.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Realism Project: Jack London
"Born in 1876 in San Francisco to an unstable mother and a father who refused to claim him, London was raised mainly by a family friend and a stepsister. From the age of eleven, he worked to earn money to help put food on his family's table" (Wilhelm, 601). Perhaps this is what inspired Jack London to write his short story, "To Build a Fire." Or maybe it was the middle of his life that inspired him--rather than the beginning--that inspired him to write this short story. Whether it was his childhood or his present condition, Jack London wrote a short story that dealt with man and nature, and in doing so, was put in the sub genre of realism, naturalism. Jack London had to work hard to make a living, all through out his life. He had a rough childhood, and his adulthood was only filled with more pressure, more debt, more hard work, and more emotional trauma. "In 1913, shortly before he was to move into the newly completed house, it burned down. The fire devastated London both emotionally and financially... Three years later, plagued by sever health problems and financial difficulties, london died." (Wilhelm, 601)
"To Build A Fire," is about the journey of a man through the rough conditions of nature. He is the average man, a common character to naturalism, and being so, he does not know much about nature. His task is simple in word, hard in action. That task is to survive. He goes through coldness, starvation, and many other obstacles thrown out by nature. "He held on through the level stretch of woods for several miles and dropped down a bank to the frozen bed of a small stream. This was Henderson Creek, and he knew he was ten miles form the forks... The furrow of the old sled trail was plainly visible, but a dozen inches of snow covered the marks of the last runners. In a month no man had come up or down that silent creek. The man held steadily on." (London, 605-606) This shows how the man kept going, even though it was freezing outside. The man was brave enough to challenge the weather and nature. This shows his strength and courage, something that is also common to naturalism. However, sometimes his bravery escaped him, showing how nature sometimes got the better of the main character. "Sometimes they were alternate layers of water and ice skin, so that when one broke through he kept on breaking through for a while, sometimes wetting himself to the waist. That was why he had shied in such panic. He had felt the give under his feet and heard the crackle of a snow-hidden ice skin. And to get his feet wet in such a temperature meant trouble and danger." (London, 606)
The main character in this short story does not really respect nature, which is why, according to naturalism, that he is constantly faced with the hardships of the weather and nature. Even though he keeps on going and struggles to survive, every day he is closer to freezing or running out of food or even drowning. Nature continues to backlash at him, which is a characteristic of naturalism. He continues to persevere showing that he is one of the "fittest" and is determined to survive, another characteristic of naturalism. It is a constant clashing, and the victor--nature or the main character--will prove to be the strongest, which again is another characteristic of naturalism. These are all reasons of why "To Build a Fire," by Jack London is categorized as naturalism, a sub genre of realism.
Works Cited
London, Jack. "To Build a Fire." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 603-614.
Wilhelm, Jeffery. "Meet Jack London."Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 601-602.
"To Build A Fire," is about the journey of a man through the rough conditions of nature. He is the average man, a common character to naturalism, and being so, he does not know much about nature. His task is simple in word, hard in action. That task is to survive. He goes through coldness, starvation, and many other obstacles thrown out by nature. "He held on through the level stretch of woods for several miles and dropped down a bank to the frozen bed of a small stream. This was Henderson Creek, and he knew he was ten miles form the forks... The furrow of the old sled trail was plainly visible, but a dozen inches of snow covered the marks of the last runners. In a month no man had come up or down that silent creek. The man held steadily on." (London, 605-606) This shows how the man kept going, even though it was freezing outside. The man was brave enough to challenge the weather and nature. This shows his strength and courage, something that is also common to naturalism. However, sometimes his bravery escaped him, showing how nature sometimes got the better of the main character. "Sometimes they were alternate layers of water and ice skin, so that when one broke through he kept on breaking through for a while, sometimes wetting himself to the waist. That was why he had shied in such panic. He had felt the give under his feet and heard the crackle of a snow-hidden ice skin. And to get his feet wet in such a temperature meant trouble and danger." (London, 606)
The main character in this short story does not really respect nature, which is why, according to naturalism, that he is constantly faced with the hardships of the weather and nature. Even though he keeps on going and struggles to survive, every day he is closer to freezing or running out of food or even drowning. Nature continues to backlash at him, which is a characteristic of naturalism. He continues to persevere showing that he is one of the "fittest" and is determined to survive, another characteristic of naturalism. It is a constant clashing, and the victor--nature or the main character--will prove to be the strongest, which again is another characteristic of naturalism. These are all reasons of why "To Build a Fire," by Jack London is categorized as naturalism, a sub genre of realism.
Works Cited
London, Jack. "To Build a Fire." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 603-614.
Wilhelm, Jeffery. "Meet Jack London."Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 601-602.
Realism Project: Edwin Arlington Robinson
Edwin Arlington Robinson was a poet who was definitely considered a naturalist. He did not have a grand childhood growing up, and this affected his writing style and the topics he wrote on. Many of his poems were ironic, and two of these poems are "Richard Cory" and "Miniver Cheevy." Both of these poems are about people who seem to have their lives together, whether mentally or financially, but in the end, it is shown that they do not. One of the men, a very rich man, kills himself one day, and the other man, who seems to be an intelligent, romantic man, turns out to be a hard drunk, who is unable to quit his habit. In "Richard Cory," his first poem, Edwin Arlington Robinson writes
"Whenever Richard Cory went down town,
We people on the pavement looked at him:
He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean favored, and imperially slim.
And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
'Good-morning,' and he glittered when he walked.
And he was rich--yes, richer than a king--
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.
So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one clam summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head." (Robinson, 575)
Naturalists believed that when someone was not in sync, so to speak, or not at peace or in tune with nature, they would fail, because nature would get the best of them. In this particular poem, this is true. The main character seems to have his life together, and everyone envies him, because he is proud, sophisticated, and rich. But in the end, he dies by his own hand, and one can see how the environment, if one is not in tune with it, can and will win over the main character any day. This poem also shows the society at the time. There was a mixture of poor people and rich people, and it describes life for both the poor and the rich in this poem. The poor lacked money to buy even proper nutrition, and the rich had so much money, they could live comfortably and luxuriously for the rest of their lives. Yet, this poem also shows that being rich is not true happiness. The rich man, Richard Cory, takes his own life, and he was very rich and well set for the rest of his life. However, the poor people continued to work and did not pity themselves and ruin their own lives because they were poor. They persevered, and now they are ahead of the rich old man. This is a perfect example of naturalism, as is "Miniver Cheevy," by Edwin Arlington Robinson. These two poems portray naturalism through topic, nature, human psychology, and society. This is why they are categorized as part of the naturalism literary period.
Works Cited
Robinson, Edwin Arlington. "Richard Cory." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 575.
Robinson, Edwin Arlington. "Miniver Cheevy." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 576.
"Whenever Richard Cory went down town,
We people on the pavement looked at him:
He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean favored, and imperially slim.
And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
'Good-morning,' and he glittered when he walked.
And he was rich--yes, richer than a king--
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.
So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one clam summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head." (Robinson, 575)
Naturalists believed that when someone was not in sync, so to speak, or not at peace or in tune with nature, they would fail, because nature would get the best of them. In this particular poem, this is true. The main character seems to have his life together, and everyone envies him, because he is proud, sophisticated, and rich. But in the end, he dies by his own hand, and one can see how the environment, if one is not in tune with it, can and will win over the main character any day. This poem also shows the society at the time. There was a mixture of poor people and rich people, and it describes life for both the poor and the rich in this poem. The poor lacked money to buy even proper nutrition, and the rich had so much money, they could live comfortably and luxuriously for the rest of their lives. Yet, this poem also shows that being rich is not true happiness. The rich man, Richard Cory, takes his own life, and he was very rich and well set for the rest of his life. However, the poor people continued to work and did not pity themselves and ruin their own lives because they were poor. They persevered, and now they are ahead of the rich old man. This is a perfect example of naturalism, as is "Miniver Cheevy," by Edwin Arlington Robinson. These two poems portray naturalism through topic, nature, human psychology, and society. This is why they are categorized as part of the naturalism literary period.
Works Cited
Robinson, Edwin Arlington. "Richard Cory." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 575.
Robinson, Edwin Arlington. "Miniver Cheevy." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 576.
Realism Project: Paul Laurence Dunbar
Paul Laurence Dunbar was one of the first African Americans to be nationally recognized for his writing. He excelled at what he did, especially as a writer. (Wilhelm, 568) Two of his more famous poems are "Douglass" and "We Wear The Mask." Both of these are examples of naturalism, a sub genre of the realism literary. Naturalism believed that the strongest would succeed over the weak, but they also thought that while the strong prevailed, there was sometimes where the strong could not control certain things. His two poems are both pieces of literature that deal with this concept.
"Ah, Douglass, we have fall'n on evil days, Such days as thou, not even thou didst know, When thee, the eyes of that harsh long ago Saw, salient, at the cross of devious ways, And all the country heard thee with amaze. Not ended then, the passionate ebb and flow, The awful tide that battled to and from; We ride amid a tempest of dispraise" (Dunbar, 570). This goes hand in hand with the definition of naturalism, because Frederick Douglass, whom the poem is about, is not able to for see or control the events that were coming.
In this poem, the hero is Frederick Douglass, and again, this is a perfect example of naturalism. Frederick Douglass was a very amazing and inspirational abolitionist. He was a strong man and made very many speeches to encourage people to abolish slavery. He could be considered one of the "fittest," for he was very strong and intelligent. Even though he was a very strong man, he could not control everything. For example, he could not control when the people chose to abolish slavery, even though he spoke strongly of ending right then. This point ties into the poem and into the meaning of naturalism.
In the second poem, "We Wear the Mask," by Laurence Dunbar, the same characteristics as the first poem "Douglass" are present. "We Wear the Mask is still considered to be part of the naturalism sub genre of realism. The following stanzas explain why it displays naturalism. "Why should the world be overwise, In counting all our tears and sights? 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!" (Dunbar, 571)
People from the realism literary period had religion, but it was not a major part or influencer of their lives, like the Puritans. This poem shows that. Basically, this poem says that the slaves pray for being rescued from the oppression, but that is not what directly saves them. Rather, they continue on showing their strength and surviving, pretending like nothing is wrong, and all of this for the world. This agrees with naturalism, because they are still being strong and persevering, yet they cannot control the outcome. They do as much as they can, but whatever happens, happens. This is how the two poems relate to realism and naturalism.
Works Cited
Dunbar, Paul Laurence. "Douglass." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 570.
Dunbar, Paul Laurence. "We Wear the Mask." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 571.
Wilhelm, Jeffery. "Meet Paul Laurence Dunbar." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 568.
"Ah, Douglass, we have fall'n on evil days, Such days as thou, not even thou didst know, When thee, the eyes of that harsh long ago Saw, salient, at the cross of devious ways, And all the country heard thee with amaze. Not ended then, the passionate ebb and flow, The awful tide that battled to and from; We ride amid a tempest of dispraise" (Dunbar, 570). This goes hand in hand with the definition of naturalism, because Frederick Douglass, whom the poem is about, is not able to for see or control the events that were coming.
In this poem, the hero is Frederick Douglass, and again, this is a perfect example of naturalism. Frederick Douglass was a very amazing and inspirational abolitionist. He was a strong man and made very many speeches to encourage people to abolish slavery. He could be considered one of the "fittest," for he was very strong and intelligent. Even though he was a very strong man, he could not control everything. For example, he could not control when the people chose to abolish slavery, even though he spoke strongly of ending right then. This point ties into the poem and into the meaning of naturalism.
In the second poem, "We Wear the Mask," by Laurence Dunbar, the same characteristics as the first poem "Douglass" are present. "We Wear the Mask is still considered to be part of the naturalism sub genre of realism. The following stanzas explain why it displays naturalism. "Why should the world be overwise, In counting all our tears and sights? 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!" (Dunbar, 571)
People from the realism literary period had religion, but it was not a major part or influencer of their lives, like the Puritans. This poem shows that. Basically, this poem says that the slaves pray for being rescued from the oppression, but that is not what directly saves them. Rather, they continue on showing their strength and surviving, pretending like nothing is wrong, and all of this for the world. This agrees with naturalism, because they are still being strong and persevering, yet they cannot control the outcome. They do as much as they can, but whatever happens, happens. This is how the two poems relate to realism and naturalism.
Works Cited
Dunbar, Paul Laurence. "Douglass." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 570.
Dunbar, Paul Laurence. "We Wear the Mask." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 571.
Wilhelm, Jeffery. "Meet Paul Laurence Dunbar." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 568.
Realism Project: Chief Joseph
Chief Joseph was a Native American chief of the Nez Perce tribe in Northwestern Oregon who tried to flee with his tribe to Canada to avoid living on a reservation. Because of this flight, his tribe was attacked, and many were killed or beaten. Finally, after his tribe could take no more he gave a surrender speech on October 5, 1877. In this speech he gave the present state of his tribe, and said that he could not continue to fight. The speech is listed below.
"I am tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed. Looking Glass is dead. Toohulhulsote is dead. The old men are all dead. It is the young men who say yes or no. He who led the young men is dead.
It is cold and we have no blankets. The little children are freezing to death. My people, some of them, have run away to the hills and have no blankets, no food. No one knows where they are--perhaps freezing to death. I want to have time to look for my children and see how many I can find. Maybe I shall find them among the dead.
Hear me, my chiefs. I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever." (Joseph)
This is a prime example of regionalism, and does not show very many aspects or realism or naturalism. Regionalism is defined as "a literary subgenre that emphasizes the setting, history, speech, dialect, and customs of a particular geographical locale or area, not only for local color, but also for development of universal themes through the use of the local and particular" (Werlock). In this particular speech, as with nearly every regionalistic piece of literature, the dialect and writing style is what puts this in the regionalistic category. This is being said in a Native Indian dialect. The statements are simple, short, and to the point. The phrasing is also singular to their dialect. "The old men are all dead. It is the young men who say yes or no. He who led the young men is dead" (Joseph). This is what gives it the uniqueness and singularity, the dialect, and this is also what puts it in the category of regionalism.
The surrender speech Does not resemble the characteristics of realism that much. It is a sort and sad speech that does not talk of a hero, the American dream, government, or religion. The only connection that this has to realism is through the human nature and human psychology. Even though the sentences are simple and short, and the surrender speech is short, one can still get a clear idea of how the chief of the Nez Perce was feeling and what was going through his mind. "My heart is sick and sad" (Joseph). In just six words, Chief Joseph was able to create the whole tone of the speech, even if the topic itself could not signal the tone. This simple phrase has a much deeper meaning and background behind it. The Nez Perce had traveled one thousand and one hundred miles, so that they could have freedom (Joseph). They were tire, tired of walking, of fighting, and probably homesick. Their hope was most likely shattered from the fights and deaths along the way, and when they were trapped forty miles away from Canada (Joseph), their spirits were not necessarily lifted and their morales encouraged. They were probably feeling the weight of oppression, grief, and defeat. Being one of the chiefs, Chief Joseph felt double the burden his people felt, and he probably felt somewhat responsible for what was happening to his tribe. Human nature shows us that sooner or later everyone becomes tired, physically and mentally. No one can go on forever; that is a simple fact of life. Chief Joseph was physically and mentally tired. "From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever" (Joseph). This is the tone of the speech and the connection to human nature psychology. This is why it is part of the regionalism literary period.
Works cited
Joseph, Chief. "I Will Fight No More Forever." Surrender Speech Of Chief Joseph. Mary Lou McCloskey. Web. 16 Feb. 2011.
"I am tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed. Looking Glass is dead. Toohulhulsote is dead. The old men are all dead. It is the young men who say yes or no. He who led the young men is dead.
It is cold and we have no blankets. The little children are freezing to death. My people, some of them, have run away to the hills and have no blankets, no food. No one knows where they are--perhaps freezing to death. I want to have time to look for my children and see how many I can find. Maybe I shall find them among the dead.
Hear me, my chiefs. I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever." (Joseph)
This is a prime example of regionalism, and does not show very many aspects or realism or naturalism. Regionalism is defined as "a literary subgenre that emphasizes the setting, history, speech, dialect, and customs of a particular geographical locale or area, not only for local color, but also for development of universal themes through the use of the local and particular" (Werlock). In this particular speech, as with nearly every regionalistic piece of literature, the dialect and writing style is what puts this in the regionalistic category. This is being said in a Native Indian dialect. The statements are simple, short, and to the point. The phrasing is also singular to their dialect. "The old men are all dead. It is the young men who say yes or no. He who led the young men is dead" (Joseph). This is what gives it the uniqueness and singularity, the dialect, and this is also what puts it in the category of regionalism.
The surrender speech Does not resemble the characteristics of realism that much. It is a sort and sad speech that does not talk of a hero, the American dream, government, or religion. The only connection that this has to realism is through the human nature and human psychology. Even though the sentences are simple and short, and the surrender speech is short, one can still get a clear idea of how the chief of the Nez Perce was feeling and what was going through his mind. "My heart is sick and sad" (Joseph). In just six words, Chief Joseph was able to create the whole tone of the speech, even if the topic itself could not signal the tone. This simple phrase has a much deeper meaning and background behind it. The Nez Perce had traveled one thousand and one hundred miles, so that they could have freedom (Joseph). They were tire, tired of walking, of fighting, and probably homesick. Their hope was most likely shattered from the fights and deaths along the way, and when they were trapped forty miles away from Canada (Joseph), their spirits were not necessarily lifted and their morales encouraged. They were probably feeling the weight of oppression, grief, and defeat. Being one of the chiefs, Chief Joseph felt double the burden his people felt, and he probably felt somewhat responsible for what was happening to his tribe. Human nature shows us that sooner or later everyone becomes tired, physically and mentally. No one can go on forever; that is a simple fact of life. Chief Joseph was physically and mentally tired. "From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever" (Joseph). This is the tone of the speech and the connection to human nature psychology. This is why it is part of the regionalism literary period.
Works cited
Joseph, Chief. "I Will Fight No More Forever." Surrender Speech Of Chief Joseph. Mary Lou McCloskey. Web. 16 Feb. 2011.
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