Metaphor

While reading Sylvia Plath’s poem, Metaphors, I became interested in her choice of words as well as the structure of the poem. Knowing that there are nine lines, each with nine syllables, I thought that despite these restrictions that better words could have better defined a woman’s pregnancy. What I mean by “better” is that the words she had chosen are not happy words. To compare a woman’s pregnant body to an elephant or a ponderous house, in my opinion, is not meant to be lighthearted, and it doesn’t describe someone who would be enjoying her pregnancy. The poem just struck me as being sorrowful, and each time I re-read it, I kept trying to understand how she felt during her pregnancy. I wanted to know more about Sylvia Plath.
In searching for information about her, I was not surprised to find that she suffered from depression and ended her own life. The saddness of this poem now is that the child she had carried for nine months within her no longer has a mother. Sylvia Plath left behind two young children at the time of her early death.

Submitted by Natalie McCann

Shakespeare

I very much liked the poem "Let me not to the marriage of true minds" by William Shakespeare. I like this very much because it talks about real true love. I am one of those people that believe in true love. Yes it is very very rare but it is possible. And when you find it that love will never die and your heart will never stop pounding. Even as time passes you by you will still have that strong passionate love you have for each other when you met forty years ago. And when things around you change and no matter where you are if you have lost each other you will never lose that love it will stay forever strong and find your way back into each others arms. I am a hopeless romantic so that poem makes me smile inside. :)

Submitted by Sherry Marshall

A Few Thoughts on "To Build a Fire"

“He was quick and alert in the things of life, but only in the things, and not in the significances.”
(London p.115)- The narrator asserts that this was the man's true problem, of which he was unaware. His ability for awareness and self reflection only grow and developed the closer he gets to his end, and the essential end of the story.

Yes, the descriptors of the Yukon were cold, and beautiful - well written and vivid. What I found to be really interesting though, was how stark and cold the inner monologue of the protagonist was; a suitable parallel to the story in many ways. This simple thought process though, is what brought about his downfall. He made many, many mistakes; he was making mistakes long before he ever went out that day.

One instance that really struck me was when his hands were frozen, and his first thought was to kill the dog by brute force after tricking it to come to him. -It simply never occured to him to do things an easier way. He had never been kind to the dog, and so the dog did not trust him. He wanted to gain warmth by putting his hands inside the carcass of it's body, but he might have been better served had he curled up with, and been willing to be close to the dog.

The thing about the Yukon that differs from the protagonist is that the Yukon is far more complex, and fierce than the man expected. The man was a simple, and yet often overly confident to his own detriment. Ultimately I suspect the way in which he succumbed to the winter was probably the most graceful moment in his life.


If this story were to be set in Greece, I think it would have most of the markings of a true Aristotelian tragedy. -For example, there was the reversal of fortune brought about by hamartia, and his growing awareness throughout the story. "To Build a Fire" is a story filled with hamartia and hubris, and contains a catharsis in the conclusion where the protagonist meets his end.



The ways in which I believe this does not necessarily fit the tragedy is that the protagonist was not in a stately position to begin with, and the story was simple in it's complexity. Ultimately I think that if Greece was cold, and the man were a king, we might be able to get "To Build a Fire" to fit the mold of the Greek tragedy.


I really enjoyed "To Build a Fire" by Jack London,and I've discovered this semester that I have a great love of tragedy as well as third person omniscient narration. I like to see the bits and pieces of a work, as well as seeing the bits and pieces of the inner-workings of the characters in a given story.

Here are links to interesting websites devoted to all things Jack London: http://london.sonoma.edu/ and http://www.jack-london.org/main_e.htm

Submitted by Katherine McGondel-Wininger

The Road Not Taken

Robert Frosts poem the road not taken was an interesting poem. Out of all the poems assigned i thought it had the most meaning. Robert Frost uses two paths in his poem to talk about decisions people make. The two paths are good symobols to use for the decisions. Robert Frosts other poems were also really good. He doesn't just throw words together and try and rhyme. He writes his poems with meaning and all the poems that I read by him are meaningful and symbolise something. I reccomend his poem The Road Not taken as well as his other poems. Robert Frost is a great poet and deserves a lot of credit for his work.

Submitted by Alex Klier

Survival 101

Besides poetry, I really enjoyed Jack London's "To Build a Fire". As a child, I read White Fang, which became a favorite of mine for many reasons. The way London devotes so much of his work to describing the setting is amazing, and he does it in a way that the reader does not become bored. He keeps you following him, allowing you to immerse yourself into the story, to see the images he sets up. I was not once bored of reading "To Build a Fire", which no offense, can happen often when having to read an assignment for a class. Don't get me wrong, I love reading, but reading what I WANT to read and reading what I HAVE to read are totally different subjects. I really enjoyed this story, though, and found myself speaking out loud, becoming frustrated at the man's ignorance to the cold. Although it is "just a story", I wanted to jump through the pages & ask him why he did not listen to the advice of others! In my case, hating the cold, I'd never be there anyways, but if I was, I would heed the advice of others, and maybe take a Survival 101 class :)

Submitted by Nicole Mason

Sonny's Blues

James Baldwin's "Sonny's Blues," is a very insightful story about the personal effects from drug use and recovery. This story gives a very interesting perspective of a brother trying to figure out his brother's psychological state after he goes to prison on drug charges. Over the course of the story we see how music keeps Sonny stable and allows him to express his pain and fear more safely and easily. To see this kind of personal development presented so well is rare to find. The level with which Baldwin delves into the person, rather than the entire "situation," as you see in a lot of anti-drug literature draws parallels to one of my favorite television shows, "The Wire." Just as "Sonny's Blues," explored the pain and suffering of a recovering user, "The Wire," looked at how drugs and crime in Baltimore affected specific individuals from all walks of life. I find this kind of personal perspective on such a taboo topic to be fascinating and I wish there was more literature like "Sonny's Blues."

Submitted by Anthony Cirurso

Processing "Sonny's Blues"

I very much like Baldwin's short story "Sonny's Blues. In part that is likely because I had never read anything by Baldwin before taking this class.I had previously read the other assignments for one reason or another over the years but this was new to me and so it was interesting even before opening the book. I did already know about Baldwin and for some reason had written him off as angry guy with a chip on his shoulder. There is plenty of work by angry people around so I hadn't felt the urge to make the time to read more propagandistic rants by yet another person who felt them selves to have been put upon.
But Sonny's Blues isn't like that. It is a superb description of what actually making art is really like. I didn't think that could be done. Ask any musician, visual artist, or writer you know what they think of the last page or two of this story and I bet they will tell you that it's right.

Submitted by Martha Oldham

A&P

By far, my favorite piece that I've read for this class has been "A&P" by John Updike. I really liked how each character was so real and believable. If I had to make that story into a movie, I can think of someone in my life to play each character. I like the fact that Sammy didn't "get the girl" in the end. This story was very realistic.

Submitted by Suzanne Scalf

Sonny's Blues

This story touched me deeply. It's a story of racism, suffering, and art. It shows the different ways people can go in life, and how no matter what happens, family is the most important thing we have. Having had many friends that have struggled with heroin addiction, I relate to the narrator. It is extremely difficult to understand addicts and why they make the choices they do. The hardest thing to do is watch someone you love make choices that you both know are unwise, and yet there is nothing you can do to stop them. I have had some friends survive and get clean, and others who have succumbed to their addiction (too many), and there is a lot of truth in "Sonny's Blues." Most of the time all we can do for loved ones going through this is to be there for them. Support helps them get well. I feel everyone should read this story, especially anyone that has been through a similar situation. It truly is timeless.

A version of the song Sonny performed in the jazz club at the end of the story. This is a jazz guitar take on the song by Grant Green, an amazing Blue Note Records artist. Enjoy.
Submitted by Sean Rotelli

Buffalo Bill vs Mister Death

E.E. Cummings' "Buffalo Bill's" is a poem where I admired the structure more than the content itself. It isn't a "must-read" poem and you're not really missing out on much. Note how Buffalo Bill and Mister Death are on their own lines, separate from each other. It reminds me of a western duel. If you read the poem, you'll find that the winner of the Duel is Mister Death. You could be a hero, cheat death, but you'll never beat death.

Submitted by Phesethpong Sean

Oedipus

Oedipus the King by Sophocles was a true example of a tragedy, one whose theme of fate and free will are very strong through out the play. To the Ancient Greeks, fate was a part of life, a part that was already written and sealed. One cannot escape from fate; it is a power beyond human control. But it was fate and free will that both decided the outcome of this tragedy.The outcome that befalls Oedipus is presented in a way that allows the reader to comprehend the true pain and torture that this truth has brought on. His anguish over having to put his daughters through losing their mother as well as to having to deal with their fathers public disgrace, his despair over the suicide of his wife and his loss of respect from the people he once ruled lead him to maim himself in such away that he would suffer for the rest of his life.I would recommend Oedipus the King as an interesting read, but probably would not read other works by this author unless I was required to.

Submitted by Claire Doherty

To Build A Fire

I really enjoyed this short story by Jack London. There really wasn’t a whole lot going on here, but it didn’t matter. The way he described the scenery of the Yukon, it made me feel as if I was there with this man and his dog. Towards the end of the story you could really feel the sense of urgency coming over the man as he tried frantically to build the fire that could potentially save his life. In the end he fails. I felt bad for him because he had received some good advice from an old timer that was experienced with the brutal trail. He was told not to travel alone when the temperature was to reach fifty below zero. He did anyways and it cost him his life. The dog was smart enough to keep his distance from the man as he became frantic. He realized the danger that he posed. The dog was smart enough to “cut his loses” and ditch the guy and to head for camp where food and warmth could be found. I do plan on reading more from London and I would recommend him to anyone wanting a good read.

Submitted by Dan Barrila

To Build A Fire

When I first read the title of this story, all I could think of was how boring this story would be. As I began reading, the story started getting my attention. I started to get into it and wondering what had happened to the man. The man was by himself in an extreme cold weather. He had nothing but clothes, matches, and very little food. I sort of figured he would die, but even so I still wanted to know he handled each situation he went through. I thought he was brave, but at the same time dumb because for one thing he shouldn't have made a fire under a tree full of snow. And when the part he tried to kill the dog to get warmth, I didn't know what to think of that. In the end he was frost bitten so badly, he ended up dying. I don't think I could ever see myself going through what he did. If I were him, I wouldn't even have gone out to see my friends in that kind of weather.

Submitted by Emily Tong

Oedipus the King

This play was very long but it kept me interested to see what would happen to Oedipus and the city of Thebes. I usually do not like plays like this as they are not in basic English, but I really wanted to know how Oedipus found out he killed his father. The play was very drawn out at points but the meaning and the end of the story was enjoyable. The idea where he was his brother’s father and was married to his mother was a little crazy but it made a good story. I would recommend this to a family or friend.

Submitted by Katelyn Regan

Did Not Like Menagerie

One piece that I did not enjoy in the least was The Glass Menagerie. To me the piece was dry and unappealing, dragging on for far too long and really achieving nothing. While yes, Laura does meet the man she loves, she is too late and he is marrying another woman. While yes, her brother cares about them, he will not stay, just as his father didn't stay. Their mother is self centered and does not change, and their family fights and falls apart. To me there is little to be gained, and little to enjoy, so presumably this is not something I would recommend to a friend.

Submitted by Meredith Ghilardi

Robert Frost’s Poetic Techniques Used in The Road Not Taken

I also loved The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost, I loved the techniques that Frost uses to reveal the theme in his poem, which is stressing the importance the decision making of one is, regardless of whether or not it is agreement with the resolution of their peers, and how it can affect their future. The techniques exercised in this piece of work are symbolism, imagery, and tone. Symbolism is the most powerfully used technique due to the fact a good number of lines located in this poem is used to signify a certain object or idea related to our life or today’s world. Imagery is significant in drawing out the theme for the reason that it allows the reader to construct a depiction in their mind, permitting them to relate more to the poem and interpret the theme their own way. In this poem, imagery permits the reader to imagine the scene that this poem takes place in resulting in an enhanced understanding of the theme. The tone this work presents is an insecure attitude which allows the theme to be brought out due to the fact the theme relates to a dilemma in one’s life. As seen by the reader, these techniques strongly aid in the revealing of this specific theme. The first technique Frost utilizes to uncover the theme is the strongest method, symbolism.

Submitted by Marian Haroun

Annabel Lee

I never really read much poetry but I definitely enjoyed the poetry section of this course. I truly enjoyed Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe. I read in his biography that he lost many family members. In 1836 he married his 13 year cousin Virginia Clemm, she busted a blood vessel in 1842 and died five years later of tuberculosis. After his wife death he struggled with drinking and drugs. He did eventually remarry but I believe his love was still with Virginia. He wrote the poem Annabel Lee in 1849 and dedicated to Virginia. When the cemetery where she was buried was destroyed, William Fearing Gill, one of Poe's earliest biographers, rescued her remains and stored them in New York in a box under his bed. Edgar Allan Poe died in 1849 and William Fearing made arrangements to have her remains buried with Poe. Her remains were finally reburied in 1885 next to her husband.

Submitted by Sally LaFond

Pablo Neruda-Great Poetry

I must say that Pablo Neruda is one of my favorite poets. I just wish I could speak Spanish to be able to read them the way they were originally written. I had read many of his poems before (translated of course!) because my husband has a translated book of some of his love poems. It was great that I got to read one of his works for this class. On his poem "We Are Many" he talks about how the definition of ourselves consists of multiple characters. I think we can all agree on this, because we have so much that defines us. We are daughters or sons, mothers or fathers, friends, lovers, workers, etc. A different side of ourselves is shown according to what situation we're in. For example, we're "professional" at work, laid back at home, "moms" to our children, "dauthers" to our parents, and so on. And sometimes the wrong side comes out, and confuses everything. For instance, when we need to be strict with our kids, the "child" whithin us comes out and prevents us from punishing them. I think this is what Neruda talks about in his poem, how he never knows how many different people are within him; and how the wrong side always turns up.

My favorite part of the poem was:

"When everything seems to be set
to show me off as intelligent,
the fool I always keep hidden
takes over all that I say."
(lines 5-8)

For those who wish to read more of him, I would recomend reading another great poem by him. I could never find an official translation for it enywhere, but you can google it and you'll find a couple of different translation. It's called "Muere Lentamente".

Submitted by Luisa DeSousa

To Build A Fire

The story, "To Build A Fire," by Jack London, he gives us the ultimate support that humans are fragile creature with physical limits. I really enjoyed how he started the story, about the man and his dog stuck in the Yukon Winter, under a false pretense that the temperature is far warmer than what it actually is.

On several occasions Jack london uses the man's dog to show just how dangerous it really was for human survival. At one point, the dog seems as if he does not want to continue on the journey and another the man becomes jealous of the dog's heat keeping fur.

I also enjoyed how ironic the story was. At one point the man was told not to travel alone and that it was dangerous. Later on, however, he believes that this was untrue until snow falls on him leaving him drenched in the cold. Finally when the man dies, the dog goes on because of his natural instinct to find warmth. The dog knew where the village the man was looking for was and it was the utmost irony in the fact that, had he stayed with dog and relied more on his instinct he could have survived.

Submitted by John Baratta

Edgar Allan Poe Insane, Genius, or both?

Edgar Allan Poe is without a doubt one of the greatest poets of all time. Poe is known for his very dark style of poetry. After reading through many of his poems I soon realized that a large amount of them have to deal with death, more specifically, the death of beautiful women. Poe had a very difficult childhood which could have some part of the subject matter of his poems. He lost his mother at his early age, and then lost his wife at a young age. This leads me to believe that his obsession of death stemmed from losing many people that he loved throughout life. I guess people can form their own opinions about Poe, Personally I think the guy was completely nuts, but he was also my favorite poet and I don't think anyone can compare. So, I will leave you with this, one of my favorite actors reading my favorite poem. Creepy stuff.

Submitted by Gregory Yeo

We Are Many

In the poem "We Are Many" by Pablo Neruda, it nailed me right on the button. This poem is about someone who wants to do more and wants to be more. He says how he is confused as to who he is because there is this person inside of him saying I want to be this great person and accomplish all these great things. I want to go here and go there, I want to read this and I want to read that, I want to experience life and do good to myself and others. But when it comes down to it he just sits there. "But when I call for a hero, out comes my lazy old self" he saying that he is hoping for the better person to come out but all that comes out is someone who stays in the same spot. I procrastinate and I quit things that I start all the time. You read these books and poems and you watch these movies wishing you could be more like that but all you do is sit on your but continuing to be your lazy self. In my head I tell myself I want to be more I want to say I've read that or I've been there or I've experienced that or learned this but when it comes down to it I sit on the couch and I put the television on. I hope that someday my life turns out the way he says at the end of the poem "I'm going to study hard that when I explain myself, I'll be talking geography."

Submitted by Sherry Marshall

Poetry Moves Us All

I think my favorite section in this class what our poetry unit. I have a very busy schedule, as I know most people do, and do not get the time to sit back and read much. I really enjoy poetry. It makes me think and analyze, as well as laugh and smile. Ogden Nash's poems are witty, funny, short & to the point. I think they are creative in a simplistic way. Other's work I admire, such as Sylvia Plath's "Metaphor". Although I did not understand it at first, once I knew the meaning it all came together. The pregnancy metaphors in the poem as well as the whole structure of the poem being a metaphor in itself. I also really enjoyed "The Road Not Taken" by Frost and Dickinson's "It Dropped So Low". I feel the reader can relate to them.

Submitted by Nicole Mason

The Glass Menagerie

The Tennessee Williams play, The Glass Menagerie, tells of the tragic life of a family as they try to cope on their own after the man of the house leaves them without warning. They each have their own issues and ways in which they cope with this reality. We may wonder why people act the way they do, and usually there is more to it than meets the eye. At first glance, Amanda Wingfield may seem rather selfish in her wants and desires at the cost of her son Tom’s own life ambitions, but is she? Her wants and desires are for her daughter and not just for herself. Any mother wants the best for their children, and Amanda is no exception, especially when it comes to her shy, disabled daughter, Laura. She also wants better for her son, Tom, than what he has, but it does seem that her priorities lie with Laura. Her judgement might be clouded by the fact that Laura is older and disabled, and in time Tom will be able to move on after Laura is well taken care of.
At this time though, Tom is thrust into a role that he is unhappy with. He has taken on a job that he doesn’t like in order to help support his family. Sometimes in life we have to deal with the consequences that are not of our own making, and if and how we survive depends on our own inner strength and the support we receive from others. Each of the Wingfields have their own difficulties in dealing with the situation, and although they do the best they can, they all cope by escaping reality. Laura tends to her delicate glass animal collection, Tom ventures out to the movies and drinks against his mother’s wishes, and Amanda relives her past by reminiscing and remebering happier days. She wants happier days for her family and is just doing the best she can under the circumstances. That is all anyone can expect from themselves or from each other. We can only do the best we can in life.

Submitted by Natalie McCann

Panther Anther Fail

The poem Panther by Ogden Nash is the worst poem I read out of all the poems assigned. There is no meaning behind the poem and the author just threw in words that didn't even go together just to make it rhyme. The poem Panther could have been written by a ten year old. The worst part of the poem is that Ogden Nash actually makes up a word anther because he didn't have anything else to rhyme with Panther. As for the other poems that Ogden Nash has written they are just as bad if not worse. I don't recommend this poem Panther or any of Ogden Nash's other poems to anyone unless you are four years old and learning to read. It is kind of sad that he gets paid for writing and he puts poetry to shame.

Submitted by Alex Klier

"Panther" by Ogden Nash

I thoroughly enjoyed this poem. At first I didn't fully understand it, and found it to be rather juvenile. However, after I was told that the word anther is actually a part of a flower, and not just a way of making the word answer rhyme with panther, I was able to pick up on the sexual undertones of the piece. A poem that had seemed like it was taken from a children's book suddenly felt mature. Now when I read it I can't help but giggle.

Submitted by Sean Rotelli

Shakespeare

I really wasn't a fan of the entire poetry unit, but I really liked "Let me not to the marriage of true minds" by William Shakespeare. I think love is universal in any language and at any time in history. I like how Shakespeare says that love cannot be destroyed or taken away, if it really is true love. I am not that familiar with Shakespeare, but this sonnet has peaked my interest. I plan on reading more of his work.

Submitted by Suzanne Scalf

Sonny's Blues

Sonny's Blues

I found Sonny's Blues by James Balddwin and easy read that kept my interest through out the entire story. Set in the mid 20-th century, one of the many story line it brings to light is the relationship between two brothers who grew up in Harlem and how differently their lives turn out. The story is one that many can relate to, through either personal experience or knowing someone close who has. It makes you wonder how two brothers that grew up in the same environment would travel such different paths and turnout so differently. Amazingly, Baldwin manages to tell an interesting story and get his point across without the use of cursing or vulgarity and his reference to violence is minimal.I liked that the story left me with a feeling of hopefor the future of the two brothers and stressed the importance of family support. It was nice to read something that although it started out badly, ends on a positive note with the brothers coming together and seemingly committed to working on understanding each other better: a work in progress.

Submitted by Claire Doherty

I probably would read other works by this author as

well as recommend this particular story to another as

I find it has many messages to take from it.

I've Been Duper

Robert Frost's Road Not Taken is a poem that I would recommend anyone, who's anyone, to read. It's a great poem. I've read it millions of times throughout my school-years whilst sitting in the classroom. I didn't read it millions of times because it was assigned but because many of my teachers displayed the poem on their walls. Sometimes you get bored, I mean, you need inspiration. It was a very inspirational poem, or so I thought. You see, I think we've all been duped. I think Robert Frost forgot to add the last line, “Just joking.”

There is no “Road less traveled”. There is no proud moment where he looks back and goes, “I took the one less traveled by; And that has made all the difference.” In the tenth line, the narrator says that the roads were traveled or “worn them really about the same.” I don't think this symbolizes the famous “separate but equal” phrase. There is no “Road less traveled” because you can't have a road less traveled when both roads were traveled the same. It's not a proud moment at the end because the narrator says, “I shall be telling this with a sigh.” If I won a lottery, I wouldn't sigh and talk about how I regret picking the winning number over the losing one. I would rejoice. If he was so proud, he wouldn't have to tell the story with a sigh. When all is said and done, I give this poem four thumbs up.

Submitted by Phesethpong Sean

Oedipus the King

I didn't really enjoy reading Oedipus the King. I thought it was boring, it was probably because I read it in high school and I knew what was going to happen in the play. No matter how strong and popular Oedipus may have been in the play, he couldn't have escaped his fate no matter how he wanted to think of it. Although he was raised by a different set of parents, he still ended up killing his own father and marrying his own mother. I also thought Oedipus was foolish for accusing Creon of being a traitor, because if Creon wanted to be a traitor he could have done so a long time ago instead of sticking by with Oedipus In the end, Oedipus ends up punishing himself for his doings and banishes himself from the city of Thebes. I sort of thought he didn't need to do all those punishments to himself, but I guess as a King he must keep his words. Overall, I thought this play was a bit boring. For those who read it a first time, it might have been interesting, but for me reading a third time was a bit of a pain.

Submitted by Emily Tong

The Works of Ogden Nash

Ogden Nash's short poems, such as "Panther," receive much criticism for being "childish," or "too simple." I find these criticisms to be both unfair and unnecessary. The great thing about, not just poetry, but literature in general, is that it can appeal to so many different people for so many different reasons in so many different ways. To say that Nash "tries to hard," to make a rhyme or be witty is not giving the man enough credit. Each poet sets out to create their own work, with their own message or style. Nash's style of writing short witty poems for a comedic purpose is no better or worse than Shakespeare's complex rhyming schemes and vocabulary, or Dickinson's deep involvement of symbols. It is to each his or her own and I think Nash should be acknowledged for doing something different.

Submmitted by Anthony Cirurso

The Glass Menagerie

I enjoyed this play because it was easy to read and had a solid plot. I feel the narrator told a good amount of information on each character so we could get to know them and their point of view. Also the storyline was interesting and I wanted to keep reading to see what happened between Laura and Jim. Even though they didn't end up together I feel the author created a good ending with Laura realizing she doesn't have to be different. I would recommend this play to my friends.

Submitted by Katelyn Regan

Like this Play

I am not a big fan of plays but I truly enjoyed Oedipus The King. A plague has stricken Thebes. The citizens gather outside the palace asking their King, Oedipus to take action. Oedipus replies that he already sent his brother-in-law, Creon, to the oracle at Delphi to learn how to help the city. Creon returns with a message from the oracle: the plague will end when the murderer of Laius, former king of Thebes, is caught and expelled; the murderer is within the city. Oedipus promises to solve this mystery murder. As he is on his search to find the murder he finds out that he is the one who killed the former King Laius. At first he did not want to believe it and even wanted to exile the prophet and Creon for accusing him of murder but when he heard details of the murder it all but sounded familiar to him. When Oedipus was a prince in Corinth he heard rumors that he was not really the son of the king and queen. He then went to the oracle to seek answer, the oracle did not answer his question but did tell him that he would murder his father, sleep with his mother and bare children with her. Oedipus then fled his home and on his journey to Thebes he was confronted and harassed a group of travelers who he killed in self-defense. Well come to find out within those travelers was the former King Lauis who he killed. The truth is now all out, he finds that he was an orphan and that his real father Laius sent him away to be killed when he was an infant, his wife is actually his mother, and his children are his brother and sisters. He was very ashamed to learn of this and he stabs his eyes out and begs to be exiled to the city were he was once sent to be killed.

Submitted by Sally LaFond

The use of setting in A & P

I really enjoyed every piece of literature I did at this course, one of my favorites is A & p by John Updike.
In the short story "A & P" the author, John Updike, uses the motif of play as one of the main means by which he develops the character of Sammy, the nineteen-year-old narrator and protagonist of the story. In his many and varied references to play, Sammy reveals, along with his obvious immaturity, his rich imagination and potential for possible growth.

John Updike's A&P provides numerous perspectives for critical interpretation. His descriptive metaphors and underlying sexual tones are just the tip of the iceberg. A gender analysis could be drawn from the initial outline of the story and Sammy's chauvinism towards the female. Further reading opens up a formalist and biographical perspective to the critic. After several readings I began seeing the Marxist perspective on the surreal environment of A&P. The economic and social differences are evident through Sammy's storytelling techniques and even further open up a biographical look at Updike's own view's and opinions.

I definitely recommend for any one to read this short story. I also enjoyed reading another great novel by John Updike Rabbit, Run.
John Updike's novel, Rabbit, Run, is about a man named Harry “Rabbit” Angstrom. Rabbit is a brainless guy whose career as a high school basketball star peaked at age 18. In his wife's view, he was, before their early, hasty marriage, already drifting downhill.
It was really fun analyzing A & P AND expressing my admiration about it.

Submitted by Marian Haroun

Oedipus my Favorite

Of the pieces we have read so far, Oedipus the King (also known as Oedipus Rex, for obvious translation reasons), has probably been my favorite. This is not because I am a particularly gruesome individual, but I simply enjoy ancient culture and mythology. This is the second time I have read this play, the first time being a freshman in highschool, and I have enjoyed it none the less. As for whether or not I would recommend this, that would depend on the person. Most people would be both horrified and well, grossed-out by the story's twists.

Submitted by Meredith Ghilardi

http://mrmunoz.info/AP/odrex/oedipus.jpg

A&P is a Masterpiece

I think that A&P is one of the greatest short stories ever written. I feel that Updike paints a perfect picture of how it would go down if it actually happened. The way he described the dull day to day activities of Sammy without making the story dull as well was great. When I first read the story I honestly just thought it was another short story that I didn't really care about, but after thinking about it for awhile, I realized the message he was trying to send was much bigger than the story itself. Everyone has something that makes them go from a child to an adult, and I believe he did a superb job of putting that into words.

Submitted by Gregory Yeo

A&P

In John Updike's story A & P, he presents us with a variety of different themes and ideas as to how the main character, Sammy, feels. He begins the story by describing the place of employment that he works at. Sammy works at the A&P store which is located near a beach. The story centralizes around disappointment.

It is Summer and instead of being at the beach with his friends Sammy is stuck working. In addition to his requirement of holding a summer job, more disappointment is about to appear in his life. Three beautiful girls walk into his store seemingly having just been at the beach. Sammy even dubs one of the girls, "Queenie," because of how beautiful he thinks she is. Unfortunately for him and he knows it, he has to work.

After a confrontation between the manager and the girls in regards to their attire, Sammy decides to quit his job against the managers and his parents will. It seems that he does this as a way to impress the girls but unfortunately as he leaves the store they are already gone.

John Updike begins and ends this story around Sammy's disappointment. He is saddened by the fact that he is working over the summer, in addition he was disappointed once again when he thought he was actually going to make a right decision and impress the girls, only to discover that once agains he only disappointed himself by leaving him unemployed.

Submitted by John Baratta

The Glass Menagerie

I enjoyed reading this play by Tennessee WIlliams. I thought that it portrayed the characters very well and you could easily picture the events occurring. My least favorite character was Amanda because she seemed to think the whole world should revolve around herself and making her happy. Besides her, I thought this play was great. I would recommend it to friends and I enjoyed listening to the play after reading it as well.

Submitted by John Waszak

DIFFERENT STAGES OF LIFE IN A CLEAN WELL LIGHTED PLACE

The main focus of "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place" is on the pain of old age suffered by a man that we meet in a cafe late one night. The beauty of the story is that Hemingway contrasts light and dark to show the difference between an old man and the young people around him, and uses his deafness as an image if his separation from the rest of the world. The most obvious image used by Hemingway in this story is that of the contrast between light and dark. The cafe is a "Clean, Well-Lighted Place". It is a refuge from the darkness of the night outside. Darkness is a symbol of fear and loneliness. The light symbolizes comfort and the company of others. There is hopelessness in the dark, while the light calms the nerves This story is filled with images of despair. The contrasts between light and dark, youth and age are harsh and well defined. The reader leaves the story with a feeling that there is no escape from the doldrums of the winter years of life. Perhaps it is Hemingway's own terror of old age and infirmity that he is trying to communicate to the reader. I loved the way of writing and the symbolism of light and dark. The writer shows his skills in using the language and the story gives a thought to the reader that one should start thinking about his up coming life because the future is always uncertain. The writer’s way of writing and easy use of language inspired me a lot I will defiantly suggest and read more work of Hemingway.

Submitted by Kiran Sami

Metaphor by Sylvia Plath

I enjoyed the poem Metaphor by Sylvia Plath. We as a class discussed if she was upset about the pregnancy or just tired of being pregnant. While searching for a picture to add to this blog, I found out that Sylvia Plath was a very depressed mom. Sylvia had two children Frieda and Nicholas-born a year apart. When Nicholas was one year old, Sylvia had killed herself.

Knowing this information, I believe I now look at the poem in a whole different way. I understand now that she was depressed and wished she could have gotten off that train.

Submitted by Amy Farmer

To Build A Fire

This story in my opinion was boring, long, and drawn out. However I found myself entranced by it. I couldn't stop reading it and just skip to the end to find out what happens. Instead I found myself looking for a deeper meaning behind it and feel like I found one. One thing this class has taught me is to not take things at face value and look into things deeper.

The man spends his time alone battling the whether which is 75 degrees below zero. He must watch out for snow patches which are actually covering deadly water, he must be perfect with all of his movements because any mistake could kill him. He was foolish for going by himself and trying to make such a terrifying journey without anyone to help or support him if something went wrong.

How many people foolishly make this same mistake? They arrogantly and blindly rush head first by themselves to tackle something that would easily be better accomplished with a group. Men especially have an extremely difficult time asking for help and would rather attempt something by themselves and fail than feel emasculated by asking for help. What kind of a false philosophy is this, and when will people mature past the point of arrogance?

Submitted by Andrew Berard

Oedipus the King

I really enjoyed reading Oedipus the King. It had an interesting plot with a twist to it. It was like Oedipus couldn’t escape his destiny no matter how hard he may have tried. I think I would definitely enjoy reading more from Sophocles. This was a good drama play with a great storyline. I would recommend this story to other people because I liked the storyline.

Submitted by Richard Beaulieu

Fun With Poetry

Poetry is something that everyone can enjoy. It does not matter what age, gender, or culture, there is a poem for everyone out there. I extremely enjoyed Sylvia Plath's poem "Metaphors", and I am sure many pregnant or previously pregnant women could identify with Sylvia. Many women must feel like "a melon strolling on two tendrils". I would recommend this poem to anyone that is pregnant, has been pregnant, or pretty much anyone at all! I shared this poem with everyone I work with, on Lowell General's Labor and Delivery Unit, and everyone delighted in realizing the writer was speaking of pregnancy.

This video is of a slam poetry night I went to when I used to live in San Diego. Anyone can relate to this situation: getting cut off by a driver in a huge car that thinks he owns the road. These two guys take a different look on when they meet with that driver again, at the gas station.

Submitted by Danielle Wentworth

A&P

I felt as though the short story A & P was very nonchalant and boring. As i read the piece, i felt that something good was about to happen and it never did. He quit his job which was a big deal and suppose to be the big bang in the story but I felt it was anticlimactic. I would not recommend reading this short story because i did not enjoy it

Submitted by John Waszak

To Build A Fire

I thought that this story was alright, not something that I loved but I didn't think it was horrible because it did keep me interested. I liked all the descriptions that the author used in the story describing the environment of the Yukon. I Think other stories by this author might be good because of the descriptions that he uses in his story. Would i recommend this story to someone else, probably not because I really wasn't that crazy about it. I think that the different things he explains in the story is helpful to someone in this type of situation like restoring circulation to your feet if wet and some of the other things he explains.

Submitted by Jake Todisco

I Love Plays

I like to read the plays like this. It makes me feel comfortable and easy to understand what the play want to talk about. It likes conversation between people and people. For example, in Oedipus play, I can see Oedipus, an arrogant king, still has the some weakness inside him. He wanted to escape from his fate which was set by the oracle of Gods. I also understand more about how the myth influenced people at that time. Moreover, each character expresses his or her feeling. However, I’m not quite sure understand about the role of chorus. In my opinion, I think that they help the play move on from scene to scene smoothly. Anyway, I didn’t like to see the play when I was a kid. Whenever I went to see it, I felt bored. After I learned this chapter, I like to read or see the play from now on.

Submitted by Baophong Nguyen

Recommend Williams and London

I enjoyed reading The Glass Menagerie and To Build a Fire. Again, i like reading short stories because they are rich in detail and easy to read. The fact that an author can shroud a theme or message in a 20 page story is amazing. It's not like directly saying in a sentence what you want to say, but creating a background, characters, a compelling story, and making it all believable is what draws me in. That requires a good amount of talent, and i would love to see a great writer's creative process. In the Glass Menagerie i liked the story's believable nature of familial problems, yet the focus was on Tom and we can sort of understand what he is going through and live in his shoes for a moment. In To Build a Fire, the barren, remote nature of the setting creates an amazing feeling for the readers. If you put yourselves in the shoes of the main character, you can see a man and his dog fighting the cold, frigid temperatures of the weather. It's a great story, if not a brief escape from wherever you are at that moment to somewhere distant, helpless, and beautiful at the same time. I would recommend both authors Jack London and Tennessee Williams, and both these stories.

Submitted by Adam Bumpus

Oedipus the King

I actually enjoyed this story, I thought the whole story was something that kept me interested and kept me reading more. I thought the story was kind of crazy though, an oracle saying Oedipus would sleep with his mother and kill his father but overall I enjoyed it because it was different. I probably wouldn't read other plays by this author just because these types of Greek plays really isn't my thing, but yea I would recommend this to someone else who appreciates these types of plays.

Submitted by Jake Todisco

Winter Camping 101

I first read To Build a Fire by Jack London years ago. It actually made more sense this time around as I now have a better understanding of the setting of the story. London uses the Klondike gold rush in Alaska as the setting for "To Build a Fire" as well as the books, "White Fang" and "Call of the Wild". These are the three works he is known for today.
A lot of dogs die in these books. A lot of people die too but as a child I was more concerned about the dogs. I think London was actually more concerned about the dogs too as many of them fare better than the people do. Many of the characters in London's writing are totally out of their element, can't adjust and die because of it. People freeze to death. People get eaten by wolves. People drown. People get frostbite. People get beaten up and shot and starve. Just about all of that also happens to the dogs except the frostbite part.
London wrote about Alaska around 1900, so there were no snowmobiles, helicopters or down parkas. There were a lot of greedy desperate totally unprepared people looking for gold in a wilderness with out technology to help them out if they got in trouble. They invariably got in to trouble in the cold. It was cold, very, very, very, cold. London wrote about cold extraordinarily well.

Submitted by Martha Oldham

TO Build A Fire

I was really interested in “To build a fire” story. It shows how humans fight for their faith. It used weather and snow as the obstacles of life. The man traveled though a place that he has never been there before. The place that the weather always fought against him in his journey. But the man has never lacked of his hope. Every single match which he used represented for his faiths and his efforts to fight against his fate. He did everything to fight against the weather. Jack London wrote a good story for readers. It is boring in the beginning of the story, but it made me curious about the fate of the man when I read further. I can see that “To build A Fire” bases on our real life. Jack London somehow implied that we need to have a strong will in our life. Although the man didn’t make to the camp at the end of the story, he was satisfied with what he did. This is a good story we should read.

Submitted by Baophong Nguyen

If You Liked "Oedipus the King" You'll Just Love "Antigone"!

Soon after the last time I read "Oedipus the King" by Sophocles, I changed my Facebook status to read:

"And the blood spattered his beard, bursting from his ruined sockets like red hail." - Dear Sophocles, was that really necessary? Really?

To which one of my Facebook friends replied:

doesn't understand why ancient Greeks were such snuff fetishists and suggests you avoid reading the Iliad if you've not already; it's much more ...um... descriptive. So many detailed battle wounds and people killing eachother in various ways...

In all fairness, Sophocles writes beautifully. I'm re-reading "Antigone" now. I never could get into Homer though...

The more I thought on my previous statements, the more I started touching upon the surface of understanding just how different many of these ancient author's wrting styles were. I just could NOT get into Homer, and I haven't really delved into Aeschylus, although I probably will very soon. Personally, I think very highly of Sophocles. He writes these really vivid similes and metaphors. It wasn't enough to say "Oh yeah Oedipus gouged out his eyeballs with a brooch or something..." No, the blood "burst[ing] from his ruined sockets like red hail." "Red hail", wow, that is so incredibly graphic.

Then again, maybe I just have a thing for tragedy, but I don't see any real shame in it.- I can't be the only one, seeing as this story has withstood the test of time. Human beings love their drama.(Shakespeare's most famous works were his most depressing.) For example, I am a huge opera fan - I prefer Puccini over Mozart because Puccini is generally more moody, brooding, and ultimately tragic. Human fascination with the drama of others plays out in daytime soaps, reality television, and even the 6 o'clock news.

How many times have you, or someone else said "Wow, wouldn't it be nice if they showed something happy and positive on the news for once? It's all doom and gloom." -You know why, and that this question is completely and utterly rhetorical. -It's okay. You don't need to feel ashamed. There is no shame to be had for your love for bad television and rubbernecking on the highway. Yes, it's annoying, but we've all taken part in one or more of these activities from time to time.

I love drama!

Take for example the story of "Antigone". (By the way, the rest of this post is going to be a big honking advertisement encouraging people to read "Antigone", which is awesome by the way.) Poor Antigone has suffered so much loss - her mother was Jacosta, her father Oedipus, and now her brothers have killed one another over the kingdom, leaving it to her uncle Creon. Creon has apparently become a major jerk over the years, or maybe it's the crown going to his head... Anyway, he decrees that one of her brother's will get a proper burial, and the one Creon doesn't like will be left out in the open to be eaten by birds and torn apart by dogs.

Now, the thing about doing this to a body, is that it angers the gods, and can bring misfortune upon the land. Essentially, Creon is potentially dooming his kingdom because he can't control his temper.

Antigone, our brave heroine does her best to help her brother's soul make it to the underworld by pouring sand and dirt on his body as best she can to cover it. Eventually she is caught, and Creon sentences her to be entombed alive.

Now, the real tragedy that falls in line with the definition of it occurs to Creon who ends up losing everything (yes, just about everyone dies at the end). Antigone does the right thing, and meets a sad end, but through no pride or bad personality traits. Hubris abounds in both stories, but I found it to be interesting as Antigone while a story with tragedy in it, is primarily about a tragic heroine; the hubris being her high ideals, whereas Oedipus' and Creon's hubris deals more with unwillingness to see and pride.

There are several really amazing quotes in Antigone, and here are just a few:

Choragos: Only a crazy man is in love with death!
Creon: And death it is, yet money talks, and the wisest have sometimes been known to count a few coins too many. (Scene I, lines 48-50)

Sentry: Nobody likes the man who brings bad news. (Scene I, line 94)

Sentry: We ran and took her at once. She was not afraid, not even when we charged her with what she had done. She denied nothing. And this was comfort to me, and some uneasiness: for it is a good thing to escape from death, but it is no great pleasure to bring death to a friend. Yet I always say there is nothing so comfortable as your own safe skin! (Scene II, lines 47-50)

Antigone: Words are not friends...(Scene II line 136)

Ismene: Grief teaches the steadiest minds to waver...(Scene II, line 151)

Haimon: They say no woman has ever, so unreasonably died so shameful a death for such a generous act. (Scene III, line 64)

There is also a fantastic conversation between Creon and Teiresias, and now that I've seen the "Antigone" video below, I can not think of Teiresias as anyone other than Pat Morita (Mr. Miyagi from the original "Karate Kid."). So, ultimately if you don't think that reading "Antigone" is your cup o'tea, or even if it is, you can watch these short, really funny, oft weird, cartoons below.

Enjoy!

Oedipus Rex: The Short Short Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA1_QZxvRyo&NR=1

The Story of Oedipus and Antigone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVtM3BDvJ0w&feature=related

Antigone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKM4t8EzKoc

Submitted by Katherine McGondel-Wininger

Sonny's Blues...A&P

I enjoyed reading Sonny's Blue's and the A&P. I like reading short stories because you don't have to read an entire book, but you can still read a great story. I liked Sonny's Blues because it was an atypical story, one many people can relate to, about struggle and finding one's place in the world. It was the same thing with A&P, i feel like the theme of identity was hovering over both these stories. That is a very powerful theme, one that should be interesting to everybody because it reaches so far and wide. I would recommend either to anybody to read at least once. I will probably never read them again, but the deed is done and i feel i understand it. If you haven't read it once and pondered about it, then you are missing out. Sonny's blues is an amazing story, reading it now and having a good background of Harlem in the 1960s, it's like a window to that time. If you are interested in learning about African American history and literature, Sonny's Blues is a must. It's ironic that A&P reads like such a vanilla story, but it has some powerful themes interwoven throughout it. That's something i enjoy about literature, you can convey something, not in a socialist propoganda way, but in a thought or question to ponder way. With the advent of computers and technology, it seems that literature is a dying breed, but man will never be perfect, and until then we can question things or look at them in a different light, and storytelling is the best way to do this. You can pose a scenario and ponder the consequences, you can write your dreams on paper, and anything in between.

Submitted by Adam Bumpus

Dan's Blues

I'm sure that James Baldwin is a terrific writer but I have to be honest about this short story. "Sonny's Blues" has to be one of the WORST things that I have ever read. This story couldn't have been any more boring than what it was. It was an absolute struggle to make it through the twenty agonizing pages. The story moved so slow, it almost put me to sleep. Sonny was the only entertaining character and we only got a glimpse into his life at the end. To little, to late. If the story had been told from his point of view, it would have been a more entertaining read. Needless to say, I will not be recommending this to anyone.

Submitted by Dan Barrila

The Glass Menagerie

Though many others did not enjoy this play, I did enjoy it. I found it to be a little boring at the beginning of the play. Once Jim came into the picture, I started getting into it. My favorite part was when Jim was sitting with Laura. Jim makes Laura feel good and confident. He shows her that she is special. Although Jim does kiss her and then tells her that he was engaged, I believe he was sincere in the kiss and was falling for her. I am not really sure what happens to Laura after Jim leaves. I want to believe that she moves on with her life with more confidence, but she could very well end up hiding even more than she did before.

Submitted by Amy Farmer

The Glass Menagerie- A Comendy

When I first read "The Glass Menagerie" I have to admit, it wasn't the most interesting piece of literature I've encountered. But I decided to listen to our Professor and take his advice on listening to the audio for the play. I started listening to it and tried following along on the book. That was not a good idea - I guess they are not reading the exact words I am. I closed the book and decided to just listen to it, and was very surprised. The story was actually pretty funny! I laughed along many many many times! I loved the parts where Amanda asks Tom whre he's going and he says he's going to the movies... She starts freaking out! I guess sometimes it's good to try something a second time in a different way to see if you like it.

Submitted by Luisa DeSousa

To Build A Fire

I didn’t care for the story How to Build a Fire by Jack London. I thought the story was too long and fairly boring as well. I know I like other stories by Jack London, White Fang for instance. Something about this particular story just didn’t interest me. I guess the one thing that I did like about the story was the concept of man versus nature. I don’t think I would recommend this story to anyone. I did however enjoy the video I linked since this was probably the most exciting part of the story.



Submitted by Richard Beaulieu

To Build A Fire

To Build a Fire was boring. It was not interesting, just depressing. It had a beautiful setting the snow and such, the story line is alright. But it did not click for me. I know its about him dying alone and struggling through life. But was not that good in my opinion.

I think other stories by Jack London might be good because he makes you see not just read the story. He had such potential to write a good story. Descriptive setting okay story line, but it seemed drawn out. Too long.

Submitted by Cynthia Jimenz

I loved Oedipus

I love the play Oedipus. It is a classic example of irony at its best. Although the story is quite disturbing it is very good. I like how the story lines says that although you can try to fight fate you will always come back to it. It makes you think if our lives are predetermined and the choices we make are because you supposed too. Or if life is random. I like how the story shows if we are shown our future we would panic and make rash decisions.
I also like how a lot of our culture is based off of this story. "The Oedipus complex". How little girls are in love with their fathers and little boys are in love with their mother when they are young and do not know the difference between love for your parents and sexual love.
Submitted by Cynthia Jimenz

Oedipus the King

This was another story that I enjoyed reading. There was no escaping fate for Oedipus. It was prophesized by an Oracle that he was going to kill his father and sleep with his mother. Despite trying to escape there was no escaping because whatever the Oracle predicted would happen. It was Oedipus’s fate that he would kill his father and sleep with his mother and this is what happened.
Submitted by Daniel Stewart

The Yukon Code...

There is a Yukon code...He travels fastest who travels alone . . . but not after the frost has dropped below zero fifty degrees or more.


Jack London's "To Build A Fire" defines mans constant battle with nature. "Fifty degrees below zero was to him just precisely fifty degrees below zero. That there should be anything more to it than that was a thought that never entered his head."I think this line defines our battle against nature and the fact that we believe we can outdo nature. London points out in the story that the man lacks imagination but he also says the man is a chechaquo, a newcomer so maybe its not imagination the man lacks. The man has all he thinks is required to take the walk through the Yukon to meet his friends and feels he is prepared; it isn't lack of imagination that gets him into trouble, it's the fact that he didn't heed advice from more experienced people who have done the walk and he decided to take the walk alone.

As the man travels London points out the way the man looks for certain dangers on the way. He stayed alert and paid attention. But when he got into trouble he had no one with him to help and this is what really caused his death. The fact that he felt he knew better and could handle anything nature threw his way all on his own shows not lack of imagination but a big ego.
Submitted by Nyle Cooley

Poetry is Our Soul

Poetry is with us in everything we do and everything we experience. It touches us to our very soul. The expression, humor, sadness, or maybe delight is there for us to partake in. It all affects us in one way or another. Poetry stands the test of time and will continue to entrall the reader. I find that the world would be a better place if we slowed down a little and enjoyed the simpler things in life. Poetry is a reflection of life and its purpose is to touch one's heart and merely give pause to the world around us whether from the present or from long ago.
Enjoy this poem by Robert Frost. It is very meaningful.
Submitted by Annette Cleary

Oedipus the King

The play Oedipus the king is a read worthy drama written by a sopholos. By this master piece sopholos depicts the most tragic and unforgettable
character from the past who fell victim of his own fate. Being a reader of the play the most important characteristic of any play or drama is the tone and way of delivering the whole situation in words. In this drama Dialogue is an extremely important means of characterization here because, as a play, the thoughts and opinions of characters are conveyed largely through speech. For example, Oedipus is portrayed as arrogant because of the tone he uses when speaking to the prophet Teiresias. The way in which characters speak (such as meekly or authoritatively) reflects both their status and confidence. This makes the drama read worthy and it holds the readers’s attention quite well through out the drama. The reader knows all the aspects of the plot from the beginning but the tragedy of the character and the immense dialogues of the play holds attention of the reader who is desperate to know the next turn of the play while reading .
The whole play is interesting because of the unbelievable tragedy but it is very sad as well through the end. This play does prove as a tragic piece of work by sopholos. The only thing which I do not like in the drama is the end of it. As Oedipus was destined to kill his father and marry his mother but it was not his fault, It was his fate that is why the play should have taken some other way. Over all drama is a great piece of work I would definitely suggest people to read this drama and would like to read more work of the author.

Submitted by Kiran Sami

A Clean Well Lighter Place

I really enjoyed this short story by Ernest Hemingway. It was my favorite piece of writing we had to read. This story shows three different stages of a person’s life. This story was funny, sad, and entertaining. I recommend reading this story. Watching the video helped too. If you read the story you got to watch the video.
Submitted by Daniel Stewart

"We are Many" but who are we?

In Pablo Nerudo's poem he touches on a lot of subjects that I deal with on a daily basis, and I think everyone else does also. He talks about how he never knows who he truly is and how he never acts in the way that he wants to. When he wants a fireman out comes an arsonist, when he calls for a hero his lazy self arrives. These are problems that I think everyone faces and deals with every day, I know that I do.

I have set certain expectations and standards for myself, even though I know that some of them are absurd and completely unattainable. I want to find a beautiful wife, get a well paying job, travel the world, get my master's, learn all about science, all about history, all about everything. I want to go skydiving, I want to swim at the great coral reef, I want to go into outer space. Some of these things will happen, others won't. I know I expect too much of myself and I know in some situations I don't act the way that I would expect myself too. However we are only humans and humans are imperfect. So we may be many but in reality we are only ourselves and what we make of our lives.
Submitted by Andrew Berard

Sonny's Blues...A Timeless Story

Although it was written in 1975, "Sonny's Blues" is a story that could fit almost anywhere in time. This is why I enjoyed the story so much. When we look at Sonny and his brother's relationship, we realize that many people can relate. Two brothers that have dealt with the same struggles in their upbringing took two separate roads. One chooses to live "right"; The other turns to drugs. Many people have experienced a situation where they and a family member, or friend, come to a crossroads and lose each other for a while. However, James Baldwin allows us to see the light at the end of the tunnel, that although we may have a falling out with a loved one, we have the chance to rekindle a lost relationship, and gain understanding. I would definitely recommend this story to anyone under the sun. An adult of any age could enjoy this story!
Submitted by Danielle Wentworth

The Glass Menagerie

I didn't really find myself liking this play. To me the whole family seemed to be trapped in their own worlds without having any recognition of the world around them. Even Tom who tries the hardest to escape it tends to lose himself in his movies, much as his mother does with the past and his sister does with her glass ornaments. I probably would recommend this to others as someone else may get a lot more out of it than I did. I'd also probably read something else from Tennessee Williams as I try not to judge a writer based on a single piece, especially when it's the only piece I've read from said writer. Perhaps he has something else written that I'd find more enjoyment in. Below is a link in which Katherine Hepburn portrays Amanda. The scene is after Jim leaves and has told everyone he is engaged. Amanda is arguing with Tom as she thinks he's intentionally played an intentional prank on them.

Submitted by Barry Erlandson

The Oedipus Complex

When we began our drama unit, I was really excited to learn that we were going to read Oedipus. Last semester, I took a psychology course that touched on Freud, his theories of defense mechanisms, childhood development, and of course, the "Oedipus Complex." Freud attributed feelings of competition with parents of the same sex, and unwanted desire of parents of the opposite sex, to a stage of development, usually between the ages of three and five years. During this time, children generally see their parent of the same gender as a threat. However, once they "outgrow" this feeling, they begin to mimic the traits and actions of that parent. I had heard of the Oedipus Complex before taking this course, and had a basic understanding of the theory. However, even after taking the psychology course, I didn't understand completely where the name came from. I knew that Oedipus was a Greek character, who killed his father and married his mother, but as I had never read the play, I didn't know the exact details. After reading the play, and learning that Oedipus did not even know that he had killed his father and "bedded" his mother, the Oedipus Complex seemed to make more sense. His killing of his biological father, and taking over his place as king, mirrors Freud's thoughts on taking on parental traits. The desire he had for his mother, even though he did not know who she was, fits perfectly with the theory that all children yearn to "possess" their parent of the opposite sex. Overall, because he did not know who his real parents were, Oedipus' whole life was based on subconscious desire. This therefore made it easier to relate to Freud's theory, because it is highly based on the subconscious.

After reading Oedipus, not only did I understand the psychoanalytic theory better, but I also had a better grasp on Greek drama. Since I had never read this type of work before, it was a bit hard to read at first. By the second or third page, however, I had picked up on the tone and grasped the plot. Because I came away with a greater understanding of both psychology and dramatic literature, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this piece. I would, therefore, highly recommend it to anyone interested in ancient Greece, philosophy, psychology, drama, or literature. I would also simply recommend it to anyone looking to read something new or different from what is readily available today.

Submitted by Alyssa Bellie

Oedopus the King

What tragedy can befall a man as much as Oedipus? In the scheme of things, I feel that life can be rough, but this story is a reminder that it could be much worse. We all need reminders of this every now and then to make us appreciate the little things in life.

I have read this story before,and even though it is a very old story, it stands the test of time. I think this story has a very powerful message for us all.

Submitted by Annette Cleary

Oedipus the King

I found myself enjoying this short play. Plot twists play a large part in many major Hollywood motion pictures, and it's entertaining to see that plot twists were used so long ago in plays. How a man goes from being born into royalty only to be disregarded and taken in by another royal party is a very interesting concept. Out of his own fears of prophecy, he runs away from his home only to eventually do exactly as it was foretold he would. He goes from being a savior to his people to being the cause of the entire kingdoms misfortunes. The play also allowed for a lot of visualization with regards especially to how Jocasta killed herself, and Oedipus' gouging his own eyes. I would probably read other works by Sophocles as I really found myself enjoying this piece more than I had believed I would when I started to read it. Below is a link to part 1 of a 12 part play on Youtube on Oedipus the King, which I found to be interesting.
Submitted by Barry Erlandson

Different Views on the Same Story

Reading Sonny's Blues
Recently I read Sonny's Blues by James Baldwin for a class reading assignment. I don't like to read but if I do read it's usually about war stories. Reading this story was different and I actually liked it. I had formed an opinion about this story and posted my opinion. I started to read my classmates thoughts on this story. I was amazed at how many viewpoints were expressed over this one story. A lot of people read something completely different even though we all read the same story. I then decided to google James Baldwin and read about his background. This article gave a whole new slant to this story! This exercise actually made the reading assignment interesting. It also showed me how the same story read by different people can be interpreted in different ways!!!
Submitted by Nyle Cooley

To Build A Fire

Although we have already started our second unit on drama, the first reading I wish to address is from Unit 1. Of all of the literary reading assignments from this unit, To Build A Fire by Jack London was definitely my favorite. London's vivid description of the setting kept me interested in the story. His use of the main character's interior thinking to document the change in his exterior circumstances was both impressive and captivating. To me, the most striking part of this approach was the fact that, as the main character's circumstances became more and more dire, his attitude became less and less serious, and thoughts became more imaginative. This was particularly interesting to me because it was pretty accurate in relation to reports of what happens to an individual before dying, especially in cases of hypothermia. I remember learning, in high school, that once hypothermia kicks in, the mind shelters the body from the reality of its impending end, and causes the individual to feel a sense of warmth and contentment. London's character definitely displayed this contentment at the end of the story, when his mind wandered and he drifted into "the most comfortable and satisfying sleep he had ever known." In conclusion, London's illustrative method of writing, along with his creative incorporation of realistic events, has definitely sparked my interest in him as a writer. Needless to say, I feel drawn to read more of his work, and would recommend this piece to anyone interested in reading a classic, well written short story.
Submitted by Alyssa Bell

Welcome

Welcome to the class blog for English Composition II, being offered at Middlesex Community College in Massachusetts.