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