Monday, February 28, 2011
Journal # 1
I am going to tab the categories in the second level of the pink sheet. I am going to write the technique from the bottom of the pink sheet that was used to make that effect on the sticky so I can easily go back through. I am also going to tab, in a different color, anything that stands out or catches my attention or may contribute to a theme. Just random things that seem important.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Journal # 10
People who are oppressed or taken advantage of are as much to blame for their condition as those who oppress them, because they shirk responsibility, and do not stand up to abuse from the oppressors. I am not sure if it is too vague or if it is focused enough, or if "taken advantage of" is a metaphor.
On page 234 the passage beginning with "The folks in the quarters and the people in the big houses" and ending with "The bossman might have the thing stopped before morning anyway." illustrates this because the oppressed people don't make their own decisions, they just follow the rich peoples' examples. Personification is used in this passage to show power. The atmosphere is worried. I saw it as them pawning responsibility off on those in charge.
On page 210, Mrs. Turner says, "De black ones is holdin' us back." She means it as the very dark people are ruining the reputation of the lighter black people, but I took it as that the blacks are holding progress back. Hurston used situational irony, because Mrs. Turner herself is one of the hinderences to progress. The ambiguity of the statement makes stand out.
On page 58, Hicks says, "Ah did think about it one day, but then Ah forgot it and ain't thought about it since then." He is talking about a mayor of Eatonville. The oppressed men all dream of power, but few of them act on this want.
On page 75, the passage, "They had murmured hotly about slavery being over, but every man filled his assignment." shows exactly the thesis. They think it is oppression, but they refuse to stand up to it. Hurston uses auditory imagery to show the mens' feelings.
On pages 85-86, The passage that begins with "Janie noted that while he didn't talk the mule himself," and ends with, "That was the rock she was battered against" shows Janie's internal struggle against Joe's oppression, but she does not try to change her condition, just grumps about it. Hurston uses a lot of frustrated and mad diction.
On pages 69-70 the passage that begins, "Thank yuh for yo' compliments, but mah wife don't know nothin' 'bout no speech makin'." and ends with, "He strode along invested with his new dignity, thought and planned out loud, unconscious of her thoughts." shows Janie's silent fuming. This quote, however, also tells why she is mad. She wants to make her own decisions, but does not even let Joe know that. "Janie made her face laugh" is diction that first alerts the reader of her rage. The motif of the tree in bloom is continued, but this time it is in a negative light because the bloom was missing.
On page 234 the passage beginning with "The folks in the quarters and the people in the big houses" and ending with "The bossman might have the thing stopped before morning anyway." illustrates this because the oppressed people don't make their own decisions, they just follow the rich peoples' examples. Personification is used in this passage to show power. The atmosphere is worried. I saw it as them pawning responsibility off on those in charge.
On page 210, Mrs. Turner says, "De black ones is holdin' us back." She means it as the very dark people are ruining the reputation of the lighter black people, but I took it as that the blacks are holding progress back. Hurston used situational irony, because Mrs. Turner herself is one of the hinderences to progress. The ambiguity of the statement makes stand out.
On page 58, Hicks says, "Ah did think about it one day, but then Ah forgot it and ain't thought about it since then." He is talking about a mayor of Eatonville. The oppressed men all dream of power, but few of them act on this want.
On page 75, the passage, "They had murmured hotly about slavery being over, but every man filled his assignment." shows exactly the thesis. They think it is oppression, but they refuse to stand up to it. Hurston uses auditory imagery to show the mens' feelings.
On pages 85-86, The passage that begins with "Janie noted that while he didn't talk the mule himself," and ends with, "That was the rock she was battered against" shows Janie's internal struggle against Joe's oppression, but she does not try to change her condition, just grumps about it. Hurston uses a lot of frustrated and mad diction.
On pages 69-70 the passage that begins, "Thank yuh for yo' compliments, but mah wife don't know nothin' 'bout no speech makin'." and ends with, "He strode along invested with his new dignity, thought and planned out loud, unconscious of her thoughts." shows Janie's silent fuming. This quote, however, also tells why she is mad. She wants to make her own decisions, but does not even let Joe know that. "Janie made her face laugh" is diction that first alerts the reader of her rage. The motif of the tree in bloom is continued, but this time it is in a negative light because the bloom was missing.
Journal # 9
"It all started one Monday in June," said Abby, "I realized something that changed my life forever." Emily leaned in, eager to hear why Abby had all the sudden quit school and become a dog boarder.
"Well," started Abby, "I was in my econ class and Watson, you remember her, the really old woman with the nose like a beak and fingers like claws, always mad and hated students? She was going on and on about the Great Depression and I was taking notes like mad." Mrs. Watson was impressed by Abby's attitude toward school. She took notice of Abby's constant lack of being stoned, asleep, or absent, the only one with a passing grade in the class. She paid attention, and showed interest and talent in economics. She might become more than a worker at a local fast food joint. As for the rest of these, there was no hope for any of them to get anywhere in life. After class on that Monday in June, Watson called Abby to her desk.
"Abigail, I noticed your interest and enthusiasm in economics and I want to encourage you to do more with your life. Are you planning on attending college?" Abby shrugged her shoulders, looking at the floor instead of Mrs. Watson. Of course she was going to college. She just didn't want Mrs. Watson poking her pointy nose in Abby's business.
"Well," Declared Mrs. Watson, "That is unacceptable! As my only student worth my spit, you will go to college, and you will become a business woman! I refuse to see any intelligence or talent thrown away. While you are a little lacking in both cases, you have more than anybody else at this God forsaken school!"
Abby stood silently.
"You may go now" Mrs. Watson dissmissed her with a flip of her hand.
Abby, stunned, walked quickly out of the class and never looked back. She kept on walking right out of the school, and right past her house, right out of town. When it got dark she stopped to think. She couldn't go to college now. Mrs. Watson's ghost would follow her for the rest of her life, judging her actions and choosing her life for her. What was she supposed to do now? A man walked past her with his German Shepard, and it bounded up to her and licked her on the arm. Then it stood there wagging its tail until the owner dragged it away, still wagging.
"All of the sudden, it hit me! I was going to work with dogs. I slept in a hotel that night and went around the next day and applied for jobs in pet stores, dog training camps, dog daycare centers, and dog grooming shops. The daycare center was low on staff and hired me the next day, and I've worked there ever since. As the years went on I moved up. Assistant, manager, then one day the owner decided to move to Honolulu, and she gave the place to me."
Emily was baffled. "You didn't go to college because Watson told you to? You quit high school because of that?"
"It wasn't my decision anymore. It was already my parents and my counselor and everybody else's decision. They were the ones that wanted me to go to college. I just never realized that I didn't want to go until Mrs. Watson enlightened me. So, I decided to do what I wanted instead of what the world wanted for me," explained Abby.
Emily nodded. It made sense now.
I used a confidant to tell the whole story to, just as Pheoby is used for Janie to tell her story to. I used a bird as the symbol of oppression, like Hurston uses bird imagery for all bad things. I used third person omniscient to show everyone's feelings. My theme was that it is human nature that what someone does is less important than them choosing it for themselves.
"Well," started Abby, "I was in my econ class and Watson, you remember her, the really old woman with the nose like a beak and fingers like claws, always mad and hated students? She was going on and on about the Great Depression and I was taking notes like mad." Mrs. Watson was impressed by Abby's attitude toward school. She took notice of Abby's constant lack of being stoned, asleep, or absent, the only one with a passing grade in the class. She paid attention, and showed interest and talent in economics. She might become more than a worker at a local fast food joint. As for the rest of these, there was no hope for any of them to get anywhere in life. After class on that Monday in June, Watson called Abby to her desk.
"Abigail, I noticed your interest and enthusiasm in economics and I want to encourage you to do more with your life. Are you planning on attending college?" Abby shrugged her shoulders, looking at the floor instead of Mrs. Watson. Of course she was going to college. She just didn't want Mrs. Watson poking her pointy nose in Abby's business.
"Well," Declared Mrs. Watson, "That is unacceptable! As my only student worth my spit, you will go to college, and you will become a business woman! I refuse to see any intelligence or talent thrown away. While you are a little lacking in both cases, you have more than anybody else at this God forsaken school!"
Abby stood silently.
"You may go now" Mrs. Watson dissmissed her with a flip of her hand.
Abby, stunned, walked quickly out of the class and never looked back. She kept on walking right out of the school, and right past her house, right out of town. When it got dark she stopped to think. She couldn't go to college now. Mrs. Watson's ghost would follow her for the rest of her life, judging her actions and choosing her life for her. What was she supposed to do now? A man walked past her with his German Shepard, and it bounded up to her and licked her on the arm. Then it stood there wagging its tail until the owner dragged it away, still wagging.
"All of the sudden, it hit me! I was going to work with dogs. I slept in a hotel that night and went around the next day and applied for jobs in pet stores, dog training camps, dog daycare centers, and dog grooming shops. The daycare center was low on staff and hired me the next day, and I've worked there ever since. As the years went on I moved up. Assistant, manager, then one day the owner decided to move to Honolulu, and she gave the place to me."
Emily was baffled. "You didn't go to college because Watson told you to? You quit high school because of that?"
"It wasn't my decision anymore. It was already my parents and my counselor and everybody else's decision. They were the ones that wanted me to go to college. I just never realized that I didn't want to go until Mrs. Watson enlightened me. So, I decided to do what I wanted instead of what the world wanted for me," explained Abby.
Emily nodded. It made sense now.
I used a confidant to tell the whole story to, just as Pheoby is used for Janie to tell her story to. I used a bird as the symbol of oppression, like Hurston uses bird imagery for all bad things. I used third person omniscient to show everyone's feelings. My theme was that it is human nature that what someone does is less important than them choosing it for themselves.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Journal # 8
The passage on the first page on chapter 12 is when the townspeople first start to realize Janie and Tea Cake are together. The atmosphere is annoyed and outraged. The townspeople kind of whine about all the stuff Tea Cake and Janie are doing. It affects the text because it shows the hypocrisy of judgment. The people think he is shameless for wooing her, but they all would have done the same thing. This passage really shows their jealousy through the atmosphere.
Later in chapter 12, Phoeby's husband tells her to go see if Janie is serious about Tea Cake. Phoebe tries to make it look like a coincidence that she is there. The narrator says that Janie acts glad to see Phoeby. This is specific diction that Hurston used. Janie was not really glad, she was just pretending. It shows how infatuated she is. When people get really close with their significant others, they tend to lose emotion for friends. Also it shows how both women were putting on an act. Janie saw right through Phoeby's apparently random appearance at her house, and she appears happy.
In chapter 11 Tea Cake thought Janie was mad at him and might kick him out. Using third person omniscient the reader can see that Tea Cake actually felt scared that she would ahte him. That is really important, because up until that point, the reader is unsure of if they should trust Tea Cake. With one sentence, The entire tone the author uses for Tea Cake is shifted and the reader accepts him. This is important because the reader had to not trust him to see from the townspeople's' view, but also had to trust him to see from Janie's, so the sudden switch accommodates both needs.
Later in chapter 12, Phoeby's husband tells her to go see if Janie is serious about Tea Cake. Phoebe tries to make it look like a coincidence that she is there. The narrator says that Janie acts glad to see Phoeby. This is specific diction that Hurston used. Janie was not really glad, she was just pretending. It shows how infatuated she is. When people get really close with their significant others, they tend to lose emotion for friends. Also it shows how both women were putting on an act. Janie saw right through Phoeby's apparently random appearance at her house, and she appears happy.
In chapter 11 Tea Cake thought Janie was mad at him and might kick him out. Using third person omniscient the reader can see that Tea Cake actually felt scared that she would ahte him. That is really important, because up until that point, the reader is unsure of if they should trust Tea Cake. With one sentence, The entire tone the author uses for Tea Cake is shifted and the reader accepts him. This is important because the reader had to not trust him to see from the townspeople's' view, but also had to trust him to see from Janie's, so the sudden switch accommodates both needs.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Journal # 7
Then Charlie began to understand despair. Despair, the murky black figure who drowned so many. The insidious parasite that seeps into the hearts of people, warps and contorts them, and never leaves. Why would she leave her gracious host , and how would one purge them self of her? She lurks in her dank grotto that used to radiate health and joy. Lurks and silently reaches out to corrupt the world with her slimy fingers, spreading her filth to the people. Had started out a trickle and grew to flood the whole human race. He expected to find a putrid puddle signaling her arrival any time. He was worried and helpless as well. Oh Aurora! She did not deserve this grisly future. He tried to vanquish Despair, but she had already consumed Aurora's heart. The doctors tried to save her, but hers was not a physical illness. She would get better when she dislodged Despair's tentacles. Bliss would once again light up her face. That was what he told her. But he knew the reality was different. And even if he had believed his lies, the coming days would paint the gruesome picture for him, with her emaciation and the anguish in her eyes. Dark feelings the once blessed girl had never felt before welled up and rotted away any sense of hope that had remained flitting feebly in the back of her mind. Easily corroded the survivors. Gossip, the stinking bog, had claimed another victim.
I decided to use a lot of water and sewage language, because for me, despair is watery (that sinking feeling) and gross in an unhealthy way. I made the girl's name Aurora because that seems firey and she is getting beaten by water.
I decided to use a lot of water and sewage language, because for me, despair is watery (that sinking feeling) and gross in an unhealthy way. I made the girl's name Aurora because that seems firey and she is getting beaten by water.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Journal # 6
-Death is personified making it more intimate and personal.
-Birds symbolize bad things showing the author's tone toward birds.
-Trees are repeated foreshadowing a brighter future.
-Wingless bird is an oxymoron to show that rumor is powerful and is deeper than just talk.
-The atmosphere is thoughtful and brooding to make the reader identify with Janie.
-The character Death is shown as all powerful to show that no one can escape it.
-The character of the two headed man shows how desperate people are, even if they don't admit it. Joe is desperate to live, and the two headed man is desperate for money.
-The people squatting in the yard waiting are parallel to death waiting for his messengers to bid him come.
-The dialect is included even though the narrator is narrating to show that this particular idea is Joe's. ("These medical doctors waz all right with the Godly sick... He wasn't going to die at all.")
-Death's house is similar to a bird's nest and he has feathers. Birds are a symbol for death.
-The atmosphere is thoughtful and brooding to make the reader identify with Janie.
-The character Death is shown as all powerful to show that no one can escape it.
-The character of the two headed man shows how desperate people are, even if they don't admit it. Joe is desperate to live, and the two headed man is desperate for money.
-The people squatting in the yard waiting are parallel to death waiting for his messengers to bid him come.
-The dialect is included even though the narrator is narrating to show that this particular idea is Joe's. ("These medical doctors waz all right with the Godly sick... He wasn't going to die at all.")
-Death's house is similar to a bird's nest and he has feathers. Birds are a symbol for death.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Journal # 5
Okaly Dokaly Neighborinos, here we go. Hurston set the plot up in the form of Janie telling a story in order to let the reader completely know Janie while still seeing form other characters' points of view as well. The reader can see what points of her life she considers significant. Hurston does this to emphasize the importance of judgment in the novel, and because it is necessary to have a complete understanding of Janie and all of her thoughts.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Journal # 4
Pattern numero uno: Men want more power, but don't actively try to get it. An example is on page 58 in my book. The men are talking about how they don't have a mayor, but they didn't even think of becoming the mayor themselves.
Pattern numero dos: Ambiguity. On page 70 Joe says, "Dis town needs some light right now." He is talking about a street lamp, but I think it implies that the town needs help and progress in general.
Pattern numero tres: Men have direct power over women, but women have indirect power over men. For example, Mrs. Bogle made her husbands change proffessions so they could woo her.
Pattern numero dos: Ambiguity. On page 70 Joe says, "Dis town needs some light right now." He is talking about a street lamp, but I think it implies that the town needs help and progress in general.
Pattern numero tres: Men have direct power over women, but women have indirect power over men. For example, Mrs. Bogle made her husbands change proffessions so they could woo her.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Journal # 3
Ella Fitzgerald was a jazz and scat singer during the Harlem Renaissance. She had a rough childhood, and was even homeless for a while. These hardships helped shape her into the singer and person that she was. She drew on these hard memories to put emotion into her songs. She won 13 grammies over her 59 year career. She had a very wide vocal range, and sang various styles of music. On stage she was confident and loud, but off stage she was quite shy.
My dialect is Vampire/Transylvanian. Grammar: No contractions, use lots of commas, long sentances. Vocabulary: Use a large intellectual vocabulary, very dark imagery, speak formally, distant, and old fashioned. Pronunciation: W is pronounced as V, consonants are short and vowels are long, enunciate very clearly, i as in wish becomes ee (weesh).
"Shoo boop be do bop bop bop ba da-," Ella scatted to herself in her sleep.
"Mees Ella. My name ees Vlad, and I vant you to know that I am quite an afeecionado of your vork," said Vlad calmly, sweeping into the room.
"Well, um, Hello again Mr. Dragos. I must still be dreaming. Um, thank you sir," Sputtered Ella confusedly, waking up, "I always, um, appreciate a fan-"
"Yes, you are dreaming. I have a proposal for you. Eef you agree to geeve to me all of the music that I desire, I veell give you something vonderful in return, something sought after, keelled for, eenvaluable. I veell give you, ETERNAL LIFE!," Vlad proclaimed.
Ella inched away and nervously replied, "Well, when you, when you told me you were a talent scout earlier today, that's not exactly the offer I was expecting." She giggled lamely.
"Do not vaste my time. Answer me, or I veell lose my patience. I do not appreciate people who vaste my time, and people I do not appreciate do not end up vell," snarled Vlad.
"I, I want, you should, please leave," Ella muttered quickly getting scared, "I'll call the cops!"
"You are not scared. You veell take my offer," Vlad said, his voice smooth and soft.
"Ok, yeah. I'll take your offer," Ella said sleepily.
"Good. Now I vill bestow upon you the most vonderful geeft anyvone can geeve," said Vlad, preparing to bite.
Ella's eyes snapped open. "What?," she asked, "No, what am I saying? Who are you? Get out!"
Vlad's voice was like honey again as he said, "Go back to sleep. Eet ees just a dream, afterall."
She quietly mumbled about calling the police as she fell back asleep, "And you'll go to jail, and..."
"Finally. After all these years! A companion to join me een death," exclaimed Vlad.
My dialect is Vampire/Transylvanian. Grammar: No contractions, use lots of commas, long sentances. Vocabulary: Use a large intellectual vocabulary, very dark imagery, speak formally, distant, and old fashioned. Pronunciation: W is pronounced as V, consonants are short and vowels are long, enunciate very clearly, i as in wish becomes ee (weesh).
"Shoo boop be do bop bop bop ba da-," Ella scatted to herself in her sleep.
"Mees Ella. My name ees Vlad, and I vant you to know that I am quite an afeecionado of your vork," said Vlad calmly, sweeping into the room.
"Well, um, Hello again Mr. Dragos. I must still be dreaming. Um, thank you sir," Sputtered Ella confusedly, waking up, "I always, um, appreciate a fan-"
"Yes, you are dreaming. I have a proposal for you. Eef you agree to geeve to me all of the music that I desire, I veell give you something vonderful in return, something sought after, keelled for, eenvaluable. I veell give you, ETERNAL LIFE!," Vlad proclaimed.
Ella inched away and nervously replied, "Well, when you, when you told me you were a talent scout earlier today, that's not exactly the offer I was expecting." She giggled lamely.
"Do not vaste my time. Answer me, or I veell lose my patience. I do not appreciate people who vaste my time, and people I do not appreciate do not end up vell," snarled Vlad.
"I, I want, you should, please leave," Ella muttered quickly getting scared, "I'll call the cops!"
"You are not scared. You veell take my offer," Vlad said, his voice smooth and soft.
"Ok, yeah. I'll take your offer," Ella said sleepily.
"Good. Now I vill bestow upon you the most vonderful geeft anyvone can geeve," said Vlad, preparing to bite.
Ella's eyes snapped open. "What?," she asked, "No, what am I saying? Who are you? Get out!"
Vlad's voice was like honey again as he said, "Go back to sleep. Eet ees just a dream, afterall."
She quietly mumbled about calling the police as she fell back asleep, "And you'll go to jail, and..."
"Finally. After all these years! A companion to join me een death," exclaimed Vlad.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Journal # 2
In the last stages of Nanny's sleep, she dreamed of voices. Voices far-off but persistent, and gradually coming nearer. Janie's voice. Janie talking in low whispery snatches with a male voice she couldn't quite place. That brought her wide awake. She bolted upright and peered out of the window and saw Johnny Taylor lacerating her Janie with a kiss.
"Janie!"
The old woman's voice was so lacking in command and reproof, so full of crumbling dissilution,-that Janie half believed that Nanny had not seen her. So she extended herself outside of her dream and went inside of the house. That was the end of her childhood.
Nanny's head and face looked like the standing roots of some old tree that had been torn away by storm. Foundation of ancient power that no longer mattered. The cooling palma christi leaves that Janie had bound about her grandma's head with a white rag had wilted down and become part and parcel of the woman. Her eyes didn't bore and pierce. They diffused and melted Janie, the room and the world into one comprehension.
"Janie, youse uh 'oman, now, so-"(Hurston, 25-26)
1) Choice of the word lacerate
2) The qualities given to Nanny's eyes
3) The verbage goes from fast and powerful to weak and pathetic
4) Both womens' thoughts are shown
5) The short sentences stand out
6) Foreshadowing the storm
7) "Voice" is reoccurring
8) Simile of the tree
9) Motif of things ending (dream, sleep, childhood)
10) Dissolving is reoccurring
11) Dead tree symbolizes loss of power
12) Nanny's dream is real, and what Janie thinks is a dream is real
"Janie!"
The old woman's voice was so lacking in command and reproof, so full of crumbling dissilution,-that Janie half believed that Nanny had not seen her. So she extended herself outside of her dream and went inside of the house. That was the end of her childhood.
Nanny's head and face looked like the standing roots of some old tree that had been torn away by storm. Foundation of ancient power that no longer mattered. The cooling palma christi leaves that Janie had bound about her grandma's head with a white rag had wilted down and become part and parcel of the woman. Her eyes didn't bore and pierce. They diffused and melted Janie, the room and the world into one comprehension.
"Janie, youse uh 'oman, now, so-"(Hurston, 25-26)
1) Choice of the word lacerate
2) The qualities given to Nanny's eyes
3) The verbage goes from fast and powerful to weak and pathetic
4) Both womens' thoughts are shown
5) The short sentences stand out
6) Foreshadowing the storm
7) "Voice" is reoccurring
8) Simile of the tree
9) Motif of things ending (dream, sleep, childhood)
10) Dissolving is reoccurring
11) Dead tree symbolizes loss of power
12) Nanny's dream is real, and what Janie thinks is a dream is real
Journal # 1
1)Who would I tell my life story to? I would tell a stranger. If I told someone I know, I feel that I would leave out parts of it that I am ashamed about because I wouldn't want them to see me differently or change our relationship. A stranger would be easier to open up to because their opinion of you doesn't matter that much. Also if you know a person's secrets, it is impossible to dislike them because you know that they are human and even if they do bad things, they are motivated by the same feelings, so I might even make a new, very good friend.
2) My exact starting point would depend on the mood of the story. If I was going to focus on the good of my life, I would start at a different place than if I was focusing on the "tragedy". Overall, though, I think I would start most recent and work my way back. That just strikes me as a good way to lay out my life.
2) My exact starting point would depend on the mood of the story. If I was going to focus on the good of my life, I would start at a different place than if I was focusing on the "tragedy". Overall, though, I think I would start most recent and work my way back. That just strikes me as a good way to lay out my life.
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