I never knew who John Donne was, and I had never read any of his poems up until this one. The words " Thou shalt never comprehendth thy words I speak... because I lived in the 1600's and speaking like that was a regular day thing for me." come to mind. All sarcasm aside, after picking the poem apart in class, I came to the conclusion that this John Donne guy is pretty cool; despite his use of of -th's and -st's. Defeating Death in a game of chess is quite the awesome feat ( Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey). However, completely reducing Death's power to the point where he is useless, is something that only the power of words can do.
Given my limited knowledge of being able to pick through the ancient script, I don't think I would have gotten very far in understanding the poem, without the opinions of my professor and the rest of the class. Once I did understand the poem, I could really appreciate what it really had to say. With all that said and done, I don't think I will attempt reading anymore of John Donnes poetry without an army of other poets behind me to read between the lines.
U no read poem? click here -> ___
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
"Dreamers" - Siegfried Sassoon
Poetry. I always considered poetry as like reading a book, but being half awake at the same time. You are reading everything, but in your stupor, you are only catching and understanding bits and pieces. "The...walked...road." Well who walked, and where did he walk. Man, dog, sea tortoise? up, down, left, across? Well, it was a sea tortoise, and he was swimming, because the road was under water, but for sea tortoises that is classified is walking; I should think everyone would know that. And he was crossing the road, because the super fast school of fish were feeling generous at the time and stopped to let him pass. Poetry can be pretty confusing sometimes, but other times it can be easily understood. Dreamers (second poem) is one such poem.
I've always had an interest in wartime novels. Being from Newfoundland, "No Man's Land" by Kevin Major, was nigh on burned into my brain in high school, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Dreamers was an interesting read, to say the least. When one usually thinks of war, they tend to dwell on the glorifying action, courageous soldiers charging into battle, and the like. However this poem focused more on what the soldiers were dreaming about rather than what the people at home are imagining. It talks of pretty regular days things a clean bed, maybe a home cooked meal, something you would take for granted if you weren't living in a trench, stepping in your own filth and crawling over bodies of other men day in and day out. War isn't always fighting for freedom, and running out in the blaze of gunfire taking out enemy soldiers, getting your leg blown off and then winning a medal. Soldiers are people too, and they have feelings and thoughts of home just like we do. However their thoughts might be a little more simple than ours.
A side note of sorts; War is sometimes an answer to the problem. I won't classify any actual events, because it's pretty subjective and one event that I may think that war is the answer to, others may see it in a different light. However war happens. If it wasn't for our soldiers back then, we would not be here today. So perhaps them thinking of home, and a nice warm bed gave them the motivation to go on and charge into battle without fear. Perhaps those homely thoughts, and the thought of losing them if they lost the war, was enough to push even the weakest of men to accomplish great feats of bravery. Or maybe not. Who knows.
I've always had an interest in wartime novels. Being from Newfoundland, "No Man's Land" by Kevin Major, was nigh on burned into my brain in high school, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Dreamers was an interesting read, to say the least. When one usually thinks of war, they tend to dwell on the glorifying action, courageous soldiers charging into battle, and the like. However this poem focused more on what the soldiers were dreaming about rather than what the people at home are imagining. It talks of pretty regular days things a clean bed, maybe a home cooked meal, something you would take for granted if you weren't living in a trench, stepping in your own filth and crawling over bodies of other men day in and day out. War isn't always fighting for freedom, and running out in the blaze of gunfire taking out enemy soldiers, getting your leg blown off and then winning a medal. Soldiers are people too, and they have feelings and thoughts of home just like we do. However their thoughts might be a little more simple than ours.
A side note of sorts; War is sometimes an answer to the problem. I won't classify any actual events, because it's pretty subjective and one event that I may think that war is the answer to, others may see it in a different light. However war happens. If it wasn't for our soldiers back then, we would not be here today. So perhaps them thinking of home, and a nice warm bed gave them the motivation to go on and charge into battle without fear. Perhaps those homely thoughts, and the thought of losing them if they lost the war, was enough to push even the weakest of men to accomplish great feats of bravery. Or maybe not. Who knows.
"The Story Of An Hour" - Kate Chopin
You can read the story, in much less than an hour, here.
Chop. In. That is all that comes to mind when I read the author's last name. Showpaan. That's the way her last name should be spelled. If that is how you pronounce it. If her name was Chop-in, it would be understandable, but it is not! I suppose though, I cannot complain, she did right a catchy little story, and even though it still had death in it, it's one of the nicer selections we have done in the unit.
Heart defect. Heart murmur. Heart. Problem. This is what Mrs. Mallard had, and this is what killed her. Ironic? No, not really, she had something wrong with her heart; I don't think we can live without one of those. At least that what the Doctors on television say. And television never lies! ( ... ) However the rest of the story is full of irony; irony is something I can't get enough of. Being the incredibly sarcastic person that I am, irony and satire run the main elements of my humour, so when reading a short story based around some sort of ironic event, it tends to catch my eye a little more, and I pay more attention. Usually I end up enjoying the story a little more, because of that act of irony, or humour from which the story is based.
Mrs. Mallard's husband dies, he was in a train accident. OH NO. What if her weak heart implodes on hearing this?! Wait... she is happy? She was really oppressed all this time and she did not know it? Now, she is free to be her own woman. That's pretty good I guess. But, her husband died. Oh, there is a knock on the door, who could THAT be at such a glorious time. It's her husband...He is not died. He did not even know about the accident. It is a miracle! It is too much for Mrs. Mallard's poor, weak heart, and she dies.
Irony.
Now, you could go into detail and argue about the sense of freedom she had felt when her husband was gone, and how that, instead of losing it again, upon seeing her husband, her heart (which in my argument can think for itself) stopped working so she would die a free woman. This is what happened! But, it was ironic, which is what I am discussing here in this entry. Irony, and how deviously clever it can be. Irony, is something that can be a bad thing sometimes, but most times thinking about it after, you can smile and sometimes laugh and the terrible occurrence of events, and consider it an experience to say the least. Life is full of irony.
Chop. In. That is all that comes to mind when I read the author's last name. Showpaan. That's the way her last name should be spelled. If that is how you pronounce it. If her name was Chop-in, it would be understandable, but it is not! I suppose though, I cannot complain, she did right a catchy little story, and even though it still had death in it, it's one of the nicer selections we have done in the unit.
Heart defect. Heart murmur. Heart. Problem. This is what Mrs. Mallard had, and this is what killed her. Ironic? No, not really, she had something wrong with her heart; I don't think we can live without one of those. At least that what the Doctors on television say. And television never lies! ( ... ) However the rest of the story is full of irony; irony is something I can't get enough of. Being the incredibly sarcastic person that I am, irony and satire run the main elements of my humour, so when reading a short story based around some sort of ironic event, it tends to catch my eye a little more, and I pay more attention. Usually I end up enjoying the story a little more, because of that act of irony, or humour from which the story is based.
Mrs. Mallard's husband dies, he was in a train accident. OH NO. What if her weak heart implodes on hearing this?! Wait... she is happy? She was really oppressed all this time and she did not know it? Now, she is free to be her own woman. That's pretty good I guess. But, her husband died. Oh, there is a knock on the door, who could THAT be at such a glorious time. It's her husband...He is not died. He did not even know about the accident. It is a miracle! It is too much for Mrs. Mallard's poor, weak heart, and she dies.
Irony.
Now, you could go into detail and argue about the sense of freedom she had felt when her husband was gone, and how that, instead of losing it again, upon seeing her husband, her heart (which in my argument can think for itself) stopped working so she would die a free woman. This is what happened! But, it was ironic, which is what I am discussing here in this entry. Irony, and how deviously clever it can be. Irony, is something that can be a bad thing sometimes, but most times thinking about it after, you can smile and sometimes laugh and the terrible occurrence of events, and consider it an experience to say the least. Life is full of irony.
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
"Young Goodman Brown" - Nathaniel Hawthorne
I first read this story sometime in high school, but remembering the thought that I had read it previously, got lost in that brick of grey matter we call a brain. But when I started to read it this time around, I thought: "Why does this sound so familiar, and I bet that guy is going to have a snake staff..." Then it returned to me. I remember hating this story so much in high school, but I can't recall why. After having finish "Young Goodman Brown" a few nights previous I think it's a great story, with a good theme, and great symbolism. So why did I hate it back then and not now? Honestly, I don't know; It could be that my level of understanding has change, or MAYBE, quite possibly, I might have grown up a little bit. Maybe... but I doubt it. It was most likely, due to me getting slightly better at seeing what's behind the words, instead of just words.
What to say about this story. WORSHIP THE DEVIL! No, but sort of. The main theme seems to be the loss of Faith in Young Goodman Brow, both physically, as well as spiritually. However, I think another theme could be argued. The corruption of man, ( or society; because where would we be without the woman? In the kitchen, making our own sandwiches, probably. Kidding!) is definite and even the most honest, and chivalrous can defeated and turned. Corruption is everywhere, one just needs the temptation. I'm not going to write a full blown essay on the topic, but evidence is there to be able to make one. Ultimately this man loses his faith, in himself, his wife, his religion, everything. He also goes insane. What traditional Gothic story would not have someone go insane.
What I liked a lot about the story was the lack of colour, if that makes sense. everything seems very gray, not only in the clothing, homes, and the area around them, but there personalities as well. Everything is bottled up; no kissing in public, etc. EXCEPT for the pink ribbon in Young Goodman Brown's wife's hair. Such a bolt of colour in this gray world is shocking, and must have some sort of important meaning. Innocence. But what happens when that pink ribbon is lost? Could be the loss of innocence, perhaps even loss of Faith? Why yes, yes it can! Something so small, and delicate and have such a huge meaning. That's what I really liked about the story.
What to say about this story. WORSHIP THE DEVIL! No, but sort of. The main theme seems to be the loss of Faith in Young Goodman Brow, both physically, as well as spiritually. However, I think another theme could be argued. The corruption of man, ( or society; because where would we be without the woman? In the kitchen, making our own sandwiches, probably. Kidding!) is definite and even the most honest, and chivalrous can defeated and turned. Corruption is everywhere, one just needs the temptation. I'm not going to write a full blown essay on the topic, but evidence is there to be able to make one. Ultimately this man loses his faith, in himself, his wife, his religion, everything. He also goes insane. What traditional Gothic story would not have someone go insane.
What I liked a lot about the story was the lack of colour, if that makes sense. everything seems very gray, not only in the clothing, homes, and the area around them, but there personalities as well. Everything is bottled up; no kissing in public, etc. EXCEPT for the pink ribbon in Young Goodman Brown's wife's hair. Such a bolt of colour in this gray world is shocking, and must have some sort of important meaning. Innocence. But what happens when that pink ribbon is lost? Could be the loss of innocence, perhaps even loss of Faith? Why yes, yes it can! Something so small, and delicate and have such a huge meaning. That's what I really liked about the story.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)