IUPENGL121-BRAUNERIK

Invisible Man

2005-04-21T14:49:00.000-07:00

The book Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison gave me an insight on the thoughts of those that feel pressured to succeed. I didn't just read this book as a race issue, I kind of related it to our world today. I felt a connection with the character because sometimes we all feel like the IM. If this book was to be re-written today I think that it would be unchanged. Like we said in class, all of the issues the narrator faces, along with others in the book are still issues today. I thought the ending when the narrator sees Mr. Norton really made a point of why the narrator felt invisible. I couldn't believe Norton made such a big deal out of the narrators success and didn't even recognize him. I think that is just typical of some people. They put on a front just to try to impress you or make themselves seem kind-hearted or different, when in actuality they are just as selfish as the rest of them. I think that the IM raises a lot of important issues that everyone should read about. I think it would change their perspective on things.

The House of the Spirits

2005-04-13T15:40:00.000-07:00

I found this book interesting because there were so many issues going on. Most times I felt myself being mad at Mr. Trueba for the ridiculous decisions that he had made, but then I had to think of the time this story was taking place and the circumstances. This book was a little long for me. I am not much of a reader so It was hard for me to start reading the book. Overall it wasn't a bad book, but without the class discussions I would not have picked up on some of the important details when it cam to understanding the book. I thought it was good that even through the hard times the family could stick together. Ultimately they were able to look past their differences and help each other survive.

Duplessi Question

2005-04-13T15:37:00.000-07:00

I consider poetry to be an art, so as an artist myself I would have liked to know what inspires her to write. I know the things that inspire me when I draw or build things, so I would just like to hear what she has to say.

Antigone

2005-04-13T15:26:00.000-07:00

If I was to re-write Antigone I would base the story on religious beliefs verses human rights. I grew up going to a catholic church, catholic school, the whole nine yards. I don't believe in most of the things that are preached and the ideas that they try to force upon you. I feel that religion is still a growing issue and religious beliefs affect important decisions everyday. Look how it has affected the presidential campaign. I'm not sure exactly what kind of plot I would have, but It would be a real issue, one that many people are facing. I feel that as human beings we are responsible and educated enough to make our own decisions about life in every aspect, and others should respect our decisions and quit critiquing. If you don't like the choices I have made, then don't associate with me.

Gregorio Cortez

2005-03-02T15:26:00.000-08:00

I think the folk tale of Gregorio Cortez is very exaggerate. I understand that he is a hero to many, but how they tell the story is unrealistic, especially in some of the other versions that we read. The part where it talks about a dozen Americans surrounding him but no one could take him down is silly. But I guess if this is how they like to remember their hero it is okay. We tell stories of Cinderella and Snow White, and now even Shrek because we like animated versions of good people that we can look up to. I think that the Mexicans think of Cortez in the same way, he is someone they can strive to be like, and someone they can tell their kids about. Watching the different movie versions of Cortez in class was entertaining. I was curious to see how the Mexicans would portray Cortez and the sheriff. Overall not a bad story to read.

Blood Wedding

2005-03-02T15:17:00.000-08:00

The Blood Wedding was a play written by Lorca. I would much rather read a story than a play. I find plays harder to read because you have to keep track of all the characters and it just ends up confusing me. I also find myself concentrating on the scene setup rather then the story itself and I end up getting lost. I thought it was interesting that there were so many hidden meanings tied into the story, as Group 2 pointed out. I didn't catch any of those while I was reading, so I'm glad we were able to have that class discussion. The part of the story that struck me was the mothers character. She was so offended by knives that she didn't want her son to have one, yet she was very revengeful and so full of anger. I think that the real reason she didn't like knives is not only because her husband and other son were killed by them but because of what she might do if she possessed one. I didn't like the end of the story where she practically forced her son into seeking her revenge. She is the reason she lost her last son.

The Awakening

2005-02-24T16:45:00.000-08:00

This was not one of the most enjoyable books for me to read. I thought that it started of really slow, and left nothing to look forward to. The story finally got a little interesting towards the end when Edna was waiting for Robert to return home. This was about the only time I was waiting to see what would happen. The ending came as a shock to me. I did not expect Edna to "commit suicide." But after we had the discussion in class, I guess there were signs throughout the book. Although I didn't enjoy the book itself, I did enjoy the class discussions on the book. There were a lot of hidden messages and themes to this book that only those who read it closely picked up on. Trying to relate this book to the Toolbox, as far as Author/ity goes, I don't think it would make a difference on who the author is, unlike with Douglass.

The Yellow Wallpaper

2005-01-26T18:34:00.000-08:00

I can't decide if I liked this story or not. I like that fact that the author raises important issues dealing with women and children. I know that postpartum depression is a very common disease and not too many people know a lot about it. I also like that she proved the doctor wrong. I am not fond of doctors and I don't always trust their diagnosis. She knew what would make her feel better and thankfully listened to her gut feeling before she went crazy. What I didn't like about this story is that it was hard to follow and there were a lot of issues left undressed. I guess that could be a good thing too because it leaves the rest to your imagination. I was focused on the meaning behind tearing down the wallpaper. I felt that there was a hidden message behind it, and with her being crazy it seemed logical. I also wanted to know why her husband fainted at the end. Was it because he saw his wife in her weakest state and couldn't handle it? Or was it to show her overpowering the doctors decision. This would not have been a story that I would have to chose to read on my own. I would rather read more upbeat things.

Frederick Douglass

2005-01-26T08:40:00.000-08:00

The story of Douglass was inspirational yet disturbing. The cruelness of slavery is a subject that makes me sick and I would rather not know about it. I did not like to read about the unnecessary beatings and mis-treatment of human life, it was very un setteling. I supose this was the feelings intended for the reader through the detailed violence and killing. Though there was much negativity within this story there were positive notes to cheer you up.The will and determination by Douglass to finally overcome horrible ordeal gives the greatest feeling within the story. My favorite part of his determination was how he taught himself to read. I admire Douglass for this because when I was younger learning to read was a struggle for me and without alot of help from others I may have never learned. One other positive feature I liked was how not all of the slave holders were evil sidistic bruts. Mrs Auld was kind hearted and even attempted to teach Douglass to read but was stopped by her husband. Though I don't like stories of violence the fact that Douglass prevailles in the end makes this a good read.

Practice Blog

2005-01-26T08:17:00.000-08:00

Just making sure this blog gets posted