Chad's Blog, yo

The Invisible Man

2005-04-17T10:12:00.000-07:00

The ideas of identity, group membershps and ethnic ties are still quite current in America. However, one could argue that it's more distince today. Just look around campus to get an idea of this. You have all the sororities and fraternities, groups for Democrats, groups for Republicans, groups for homosexual/bisexual/transgender people, and groups for specific races. This is just a handful of the many organizations that distinguish certain people. Ellison's book is based on a similar ideology. Blacks and whites are seperated by their skin color/class status. The differences between the two groups is shown via the eyes of the main character, a struggling, un-named black man. While the two mentioned, similar ideas are from vastly different decades, the ideology of identity are rampant in both. Obviously, the status of blacks in America has greatly increased. Segregation laws are primarily responsible for this change. However, blacks still face struggles today; just as any minority group does.

This whole debacle over the rights of homesexual couples illustrates the points I've made above quite well. Some people will say that the past presidential election was decided by the candidates stance on that issue. To connect this with the abovementioned ideologies, you must understand the struggles that a homosexual goes through. For example, gay couples are not allowed to be married in most states. Also, the military has a "don't ask, don't tell" policy about the said topic. Thus, many homosexuals have to keep their sexual preference hidden for fear of negative repurcussions. Also, hate crimes are constantly being comitted against homosexuals; quite similar to crimes comitted against blacks. Clearly, there are distinct similarities between the struggles of two very different minorities.

If a modern day version of this story were to be released, I would assume that the author would choose a minority group that faces hardships similar to the ones showcases in The Invisible Man. For example, the author could have the lead role be a homosexual male that must keep his sexuality hidden to avoid negative consequences. Obviously, the author would have to show the hardships that the man would face if his true identity was discovered by the majority group. Examples could include being kicked out of an organization and a loss of dignity. Overall, the author simply has to choose a minority group and show how people judge them because of their identity.

Ideology and the House of Spirits

2005-03-29T17:52:00.000-08:00

In The House of Spirits, many ideologies are brought forth. Some go unnoticed while others and so prominent that you begin to ponder how it applies to your life. This is a common theme for most books. However, as every book differs, The House of Spirits utilizes various, new ideologies that aren't seen often.

A prime example of this is genealogy. Genealogy plays a very large role in this novel. Almost all of the characters in the story belong to either the del Valle-Trueba family, or else to the Garcia family. The family names determine each and every characters place and class position. While logic would make you think that your biological parents determine your genealogy, it is actually your last name that determines it. For example, the two families genes cross repeatedly but the last name still casts everyone. Also, whenever someone makes a drastic change in the opposite direction that their parents approve of, their last name changes.

With so much obsession over one's last name and the genealogy it entails, I began to wonder about such habits in my family. Simply, my family is logical/sane enough to avoid such habits. You are born into the family and your actions determine how you are treated. We do not judge a child on the basis of their parents and grandparents. It's not ethically correct to do otherwise. Also, if someone in my family wants to go against their parents (as Jaime did with Esteban) it is considered a private affair. The parents of the rebellious child may become angry with them but the family does not outcast them. They keep the same name and typically even fix the problems they have with their parents. Thus, I do not feel that the book uses genealogy in a manner that I can apply to my own life.

Duplessis

2005-03-13T20:37:00.000-08:00

Do you find it beneficial for the reader to "eliminate" the author from their mind as it may inspire new meanings?

Subjectivity of Cortez

2005-02-20T13:20:00.000-08:00

After reading the various versions of el Corrido de Gregorio Cortez, one cannot go much further without taking note of one's subjectivity. Throughout the one-hundred years since this tale's creation, it has endured many storytellers and readers. Each teller and each reader analyzes the book/song in their own way. Thus, many different versions have been created of the same tale. The same idea can be seen in the childish game "Telephone".

El Corrido de Gregorio Cortez has little significance today. The idea of a rebellious marauder is nearly gone. However, the story is still being read and changed by new authors. I feel this is primarily due to the heroic tendencies seen in Cortez. People--Mexicans, especially--see attributes of Cortez that are notable. They see him as a fighter of the good fight. Many people who have no shared characteristics between themselves and Cortez even state that Cortez is very much like them. It is the notion of a likable hero which is seen in everday television and film. However, el Corrido de Gregorio Cortez has made it the distance. It has more traits that people want to hear again that it has become an epic tale that everyone must hear and cherish.

Thus, this may not be everyone's favorite tale, but nearly everyone can take something away from it. The idea of a common hero enspires everyone in a way that a typical character cannot. They rise above the normalcy of life and make something incredible occur.

Antigone

2005-02-19T22:35:00.000-08:00

In Antigone it states, “I hate you. How shamelessly you show me the tattered apron of your sentimentality. Right now on the naked stones the flesh of your flesh is laid out under the wide sky for the vultures. But you think that was yesterday" (pg. 90).

I feel this quote summarizes the entire text. Antigone is a compassionate sister who is willing to sacrifice her own blood for a proper funeral for her own brother. In the above quotation, she is speaking to her sister Ismene. Ismene disagrees with Antigone and how she is about to act. She knows that if Antigone is to give her brother, who went against the country, a proper funeral, she will be sentenced to execution by King Kreon. Antigone, of course, does it anyway. In the end, she is, in fact, put to death. Her death causes incredible emotion with Hamon, the kings son and Antigone’s fiancé.

Antigone is enjoyable because it represents the incredibly strong bonds of a family. In fact, it almost makes the reader ask the question of who is really good and who is bad. However, other elements of the story leave a lot to be desired. Little information about Antigone is give. For example, we never learn her age or why she hung herself? Why didn’t she just wait to be executed? We never really understand Kreon's depression, either. Thus, there are several issues that I feel were left unresolved. However, I assume was the point the author was trying to make. I can understand this as it is sometimes necessary to keep the reader guessing so that they can use their imagination and develop their own meaning.

Blood Wedding and Fate/Choice

2005-02-09T09:08:00.000-08:00

In regards to the ending of Blood Wedding, one cannot avoid the battle between choice and fate. As the conclusion shows, it was fate that Leonardo and the Bride were to be together. Clearly, it was fate that both Leonardo and the Bridegroom shall die in a battle over the woman the both love. However, very little choice is evident throughout the story. Instead, the characters choose their actions through the societal views they have known all their lives--primarily the norm of loyalty.

Leonardo and the Bride were once engaged to be wed. However, it did not work out. Thus, they split paths. However, as their true feelings become clear, they do not act on them immediately--Leonardo hides outside the Bride's house and the Bride becomes withdrawn; particularly from her own wedding. It is their "loyalty" that keeps them from joining. Whenever the Bride and Leonardo eventually break the code, the society they live in demands punishment. The Bridegroom's mother leads the protest and demands Leonardo be killed. Fate is thrown out the window. No one pauses to assume that the two refugees are actually fated to be together. Instead, society outweighs fate and the Bridegroom sets off on his horse, wielding a knife.

The knife the Bridegroom uses to kill Leonardo with adds and ironic twist to the fate of the characters. The mother constantly denounced knives. She disallowed her own son to carry one, in fact. She even lost her other son and her husband because of knives. Coincidentally, the Bridegroom--the mother's only remaining son--is killed by Leonardo's knife. Also, fate comes seconds to societal norms when the mother commands the Bridegroom to go kill Leonardo. She detest knives yet detests how Leonardo and the Bride broke the loyalty bond.

Thus, fate comes second to choices based on societal views.

Awakening, The

2005-02-01T16:04:00.000-08:00

The Awakening is such a deep, thought-provoking story that it is hard to logically summarize your thoughts about it. With little thought or analysis, The Awakening seems to be a feminists outcry against a society ran by males. This can be seen easily at the end of chapter one where the text states, "He (Mr. Pontellier) did not know; perhaps he would return for the early dinner and perhaps he would not. It all depended upon the company which he found at Klein's and the size of 'the game.' He did not say this, but she understood it, and laughed, nodding good-by to him" (p. 3). While this may seem arbitrary, it really is not. Mr. Pontellier controls Edna and she does not realize (or if she does, she allows it). After reading a little further, you realize that it is Edna's will to escape such torture. Thus, without too much thinking, the reader believes that this book is the textbook for Feminism 101, although it clearly is not.

After reading the opening chapters, analyzing them by myself, and discussing them in class, I noticed the metaphor between Edna/Reisz and birds. For example, the text begins with, "A green and yellow parrot, which hung in a cage outside the door, kept repeating 'Allez vous-en! Allez vous-en! Sparisti! That's all right!'. The footnoe explains this menas "Go away! Go away! For heaven's sake!". Clearly, this can be viewed as a metaphor for Edna and her escape. The bird is caged as is Mrs. Pontellier and both would much rather be free. The mocking-bird in the same cage could possibly symbolize Reisz as this particular bird is known for it's beautiful music, rather than its personality and color. Other metaphors using birds also appear in the book and should be noted. Later in Chapter 1, Mrs. Pontellier's figure and looks is describes in such a way to entice lust for her. I, personally, interpreted this as a connection to the parrot in the cage. Parrots are known for their bright colors and eye-pleasing patterns. Thus, Edna and the caged bird are once again similar.

While many metaphors are evident in The Awakening, I feel the bird similes are most important and prominent. The two caged birds exemplify Edna's wants and needs. She wants to get out of her "cage" and she wants to be on her own. She does not want to be held back by her selfish husband and time-consuming children. Thus, the birds depict her condition quite well, I feel. While the book was not my cup of tea, I did enjoy the subtle and well-chosen metaphors that are hidden beneath the covers.

The Yellow Wallpaper

2005-01-25T16:32:00.000-08:00

This reading was intriguing to say the least. Perhaps confusing or frustrating would be a more appropriate word. The Yellow Wallpaper is written in such a way that the reader can pick out the primary story quite easily. However, many underlying stories and motives seem to exist also, much like the woman's perception of the wallpaper. The reader gets lost in the story trying to understand what the author truely means. However, the idea exists that, possibly, the author is simpy describing herself in this short story. Thus, the underlying stories you believe exist are actually just the jumbled words of an asylum patient.

The story is also confusing as even the main character--an ill woman who is basically locked in the attic of a rented house--does not seem to fully comprehend what is happening to her. She's hooked on the wallpaper and remains that way throughout the story. The reader may interpret it as she is a prisoner of her husband but she does not seem to agree with that notion. Thus, the reader is thrust about in the same confusion that the ill woman is.

Now that I know the author, in fact, is writing the story of her own illness, I begin to create my own, solid ideas about the story. Before knowing this, I thought of the story as jargon which was meant to make little sense. However, now, I feel that the author was truely incapable of creating underlying themes to the story. She was mentally ill and simply described the sickness through rants about wallpaper. There is very little left to interpret. Thus, the reader understands the story better.

Frederick Douglass, yo.

2005-01-18T16:27:00.000-08:00

This story is an intriguing one in my eyes as this is a true story based on the horrid events witnessed by the author, Frederick Douglass. Perhaps, I would be bored with this text had it been written by a 21st cetury white man. Douglass, as far as I know, went through these hardships and escaped to tell his tale. Even simpler, he has credibility. If the author was, as abovementioned, not a slave, the reader would only value the authorship and the little creativity one needs to teach a history lesson. The reader would not feel compassionate towards the author like they do for Douglass.

Perhaps the most intriguing/bewildering part of the story is the fact that Douglass taught himself to read and write. There are few people in existence that could even learn the alphabet themselves; let alone write a book about their life. While, he may be forging this information, the aforementioned credibility allows the reader to further sympathize for Douglass.

Overall, I enjoyed this text as much as I would enjoy reading any other material against my will. I read it because I had too but it wasn't necessarily bad. Douglass went through a lot and I respect that.