The reading that I found the most meaningful from this semester was “Araby” by James Joyce because the narrative emphasizes the boy’s environment’s limitations and restrictions. The boy’s limited options and his life’s stagnation are reflections of the harsh social and religious climate. I can relate to this since I’ve faced similar obstacles or been confined by certain circumstances in my life. In addition, “Araby” examines how innocence is lost and the harsh truths of life. The kid is exposed to adult life by traveling to Araby, where he discovers indifference and learns that his romantic desire is pointless. I can relate to this sense of losing innocence as I recall on my own times of disappointment and the inevitable passage from childhood to maturity. With that being said the majority of the other pieces I’ve read during this class I found interesting. The one I liked the least has to be “House on Mango Street” simply because it was a piece I’ve read numerous times in the past.
Daily Archives: May 16, 2023
The vignette that surprised me was “Sally”. After over-analyzing Sally like she does to everyone that catches her eye, Esperanza is able to sense something wrong with Sally based on the way she behaves after school, she alienates herself and before she takes off she straightens her clothes and wipes off her makeup. Esperanza assumes that Sally does not want to go home and what surprises me is that Esperanza was correct. In a later story you figure out that Sally is abused. The vignette that intrigued me was “The Monkey Garden”. It is not everyday you hear a story about a monkey causing a disturbance in someone’s neighborhood, but this is what Esperanza experienced. Along with the monkey, the use of imagery brings life and personality to the neighborhood that she sometimes seems bored with. The vignette that left me puzzled was “Red Clowns” This is not the only short story where it seems like the narrator is assaulted and I am not sure if this is literal or if she is using symbolism.
The reading I liked the most was “Araby” by James Joyce. This had the most meaning for me because the author shows how everything one desires is not always attainable and having high hopes, living in an illusion that just exists in one’s mind can lead to disillusionment, something all of us will experience throughout our lives in order to learn, making the right decisions in a future and grow mature. The one I liked the least was “Oedipus the King” because I found it too long and boring. I had a hard time engaging with the reading and actually paying attention to it, however, it teaches a great lesson.
During this semester, the text I liked the most was “Araby” by James Joyce, and the one I liked the least was probably “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles. I liked Araby, because it’s a story about love and how it sucks sometimes. The story is relatable for anyone who has ever been on the wrong side of unrequited love or who has ever felt let down by life. On the other hand, I didn’t really like “Oedipus the King” because he killed his dad and married his mom. The story is pretty sad, bloody, and gross. He eventually gouges out his eyes and exiles himself. One thing I did like about the story was the sphinx, because I like mythological creatures, and like the sphinx, the Greek mythos has many interesting and intelligent creatures and monsters. The story also uses dramatic irony, where you know more than the characters do, which makes you feel like everything is doomed and hopeless.
The reading “Salvation” by Langston Hughes had the most meaning for me because it deeply connected with me due to its powerful description of of the conflict between faith and personal experiences, the part that connected me was when when the young boys prayers go unanswered, it reminded me times when I prayed for alot of things and those prayers were never answered at that time and had a caused me to doubt on my belief in good and religion, However as time passed thats when reality hit me that every prayer that is not being answered at that moment is in the betterment for myself and things do no go as planned, God has better plans for us. The reading “Oedipus the King was the my least favorite reading in this semester because in the start of the play it focused on the background and setting, which felt slightly slow-paced and less attracting as compared to the later events, The play was difficult to understand which made it challenging to follow and connect with the characters on an emotional and deeper level.
“The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara stood out to me the most and made a lasting effect of all the texts we read this semester. This short story honestly spoke to me since it dives into the harsh truths of social inequity and the transformational power of education. It follows, Sylvia, and her circle of friends as they confront the inequalities between their lives and the lives of the rich. “The Lesson” stuck with me because it emphasized the huge role of education in breaking free from the cycle of poverty. It reminded me that information has the capacity to empower people and enable them to combat injustices in society. It was very interesting to witness Sylvia’s shift from ignorance to awareness, and it served as a reminder of the benefits that education can give. On the other side, “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles was the least enjoyable reading this semester. While I realize its historical relevance, its tragic and dismal themes did not truly resonate with me. My own tastes weren’t in line with the examination of fate, guilt, and self-discovery. Furthermore, the play’s use of antiquated language and intricate structure made it difficult for me to connect with the text completely. Nonetheless, I recognize the play’s literary significance.
There were quite a few stories that I enjoyed reading this semester, but I must say “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” definitely kept me on my toes while reading. There was so much suspense while reading this, and although the ending was extremely sad, because we don’t know what ended up happening with Connie, this was one of my favorite reads because as a woman, I can feel for Connie. The world we live in can be so cruel towards us women, and some may not realize it. As women, we have to be extremely careful of our surroundings and the type of people we associate ourselves with. One of the stories that I probably did not enjoy as much was “Salvation”. Although the story itself and the way it was written was great, I wasn’t really into it while reading. There was a lack of attention from my end. I feel like I didn’t enjoy reading “Salvation” because I couldn’t really relate to it.
I must say I have enjoyed many of the readings throughout this course so it’s difficult to choose one that resonated with me because many of them did in a way. One story I related to on a personal level was “The Lesson” which I chose to do my essay on. This story reminded me of myself growing up in the impoverished neighborhoods of New York City and wondering how I could make it out. The story touched me deeply and I felt compelled to write about it. I too learned many lessons as a child and adolescent, some not so easy to swallow. However I do believe that adversity builds character, and in this story the lesson strengthened the character and hopefully the reader. Another story that resonated with me was “Where are you going, where have you been”. This antagonist in this book Arthur Friend stood out to me for the simple reason that during this time I was reading a book called “Devil in the White City” by Erik Larson. The antagonist in this book based in the late 1800s was one of the first recorded serial killers Dr. H.H. Holmes. The characters have many similarities, what really made some connections for me was the reference to Arthur Friend as “Arch Fiend” and as the devil. In the overview of the story this was pointed out in great detail. The descriptions of Arthur Friend and Holmes were so glaring that it was a bit of serendipity for me as I was reading these stories at the same time. Holmes was also referred to as “the devil’ and “arch fiend” among many other monickers. He also stalked women who were his primary victim, women like Connie. The timing was just too good. The story that resonated with me […]
The vignette that surprised me the most was, “Four Skinny Trees.” This vignette surprised me because of the description of trees. The way the narrator admires them and speaks of them, almost like the trees are sacred and important. Trees are magnificent and they carry life and fresh air and they provide beneficial aspects to our everyday lives. People may find this weird if you tell them but, talking to a tree isn’t entirely stupid or idiotic. “Their strength is secret. They send ferocious roots beneath the ground. They grow up and they grow down and grab the earth between their hairy toes and bite the sky with violent teeth and never quit their anger. This is how they keep.” To read about the way trees are being admired in this sense, I rarely get access to reading things like this, especially when it’s provided by class. The vignette that intrigued me the most was, “Sally.” The way the narrator portrays Sally and is beautiful and almost “popular”. However her personality and aura changes as she’s away from the environment that keeps her uplifted. In reality, she is none of the things the narrator stated about her when she is away from everyone. She’s quiet, lonely and doesn’t seem to be living the happiest life or have the happiest home life. I can relate to this in a sense where when I was a young girl, school was a distraction for me, an escape almost. When I was surrounded by a person who made me “happy” or I was in an environment where I was surrounded by joy and distraction, I would be sad knowing I had to go home in the end, and to a life that was dark and quiet and not enjoyable. The vignette that puzzled me […]
Of all that we read this semester, ‘On Her Own Work’: The Element of Suspense in ‘A Good Man Is Hard to Find.’” had the most meaning to me and it was one I enjoyed reading this semester. My mind tends to drift off and I zone out sometimes while reading something. However, when this was assigned to read for class, it kept me intrigued and invested in what will happen next. The twist of events and how things turned out for the old lady and her family, followed by sudden choices and the ending kept me on track and I truly enjoyed it. I enjoyed House on Mango Street as well. Certain vignettes were relatable in terms of “never finding a home”, to live in a place that is not so great and the living conditions aren’t the best, and the narrator’s perspective on life. The reading that was my least favorite was Oedipus. Though it is great story and Oedipus finding out about his fate and the true state of his life was a great twist of events and plot of the story, I read this in senior year of high school. To be able to receive it as a reading was memorable for me. However, I had remembered what happened as I first read it in high school, so the events weren’t surprising or shocking to me.
The reading that I liked the most this semester was “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Conner because it represented old school and new school mindsets and how neither one is better than the other. For example, the grandmother was a traditional, racist Southern woman and the kids demonstrated the innocence of the newer generation, there was also very clear hypocrisy. Also, I just found it amusing that the grandmother caused the family’s death and she was the main one trying to lead them, and I know that even though the son wanted to keep driving, he respected his mom, as she is his elder and listened to her which caused their demise. I also enjoyed “Little Snow White” because that’s a fairy tale I grew up on as a child and now I can read it as a sinister fairy tale versus how I used to read it as just a simple princess love story. The reading that I liked the least was Oedipus the King by Sophocles because Greek plays has always been my weakness due to the vernacular. I had to re-read certain parts over in order to understand the characters roles and what they were talking about because it also jumped a lot to different characters.
It is very difficult to say which of the readings I liked the most, since there were a lot of interesting texts that made me think about many topics. However, I can say that most of all I was hooked by the stories devoted to the problem of woman position in society. “Wife” “The Story of an Hour” is very capacious and filled with emotion and meaning work touched me the most. Just as interesting was the article about the real cult of femininity. Therefore, I would rather single out the 9th week as the most important for me, probably because this topic is a burning issue to me. Another reminder of what place we occupy in society, and we are in general. And I can’t help but mention two stories that keep me in great tension: “a good man is hard to find” and “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”. In these stories, I was struck by the plot, and how it kept me in suspense throughout the entire reading process, and in the second case, I can say that I haven’t experienced anything like that for a long time, it’s even hard to describe. If we talk about the story that caught on the least, then probably it will be “Araby”. Partially, probably, because I basically like stories in which I can associate myself with someone, in which topics close to me are raised, although this probably reveals me as a slightly narrow-minded person, but still. I can’t say that I was imbued with the existential problems of this boy.
During this semester, online classes were a bit of a challenge for me, and I picked up two jobs recently. However, the times we had to do readings for this English class, I was actually intrigued. I had much previous knowledge about Shakespeare especially and the poems in general. I wouldn’t necessarily say I had a favorite reading, but I rather enjoyed reading the poems. Even since high school, I have always appreciated and took interest in poetry. The idea of not knowing what to expect and how to analyze it entrains and stimulates my way of thinking while reading. To seem to know what something means, but it may mean the opposite is almost like a mental adrenaline rush. This semester, our professors provided our class with various types of poems with a diversity of authors. For many of the other readings, the author was also chosen very strategically and for good reason. I must admit, some of these literary pieces that we have read are indeed true works of art.
“What Sally Said” was the most surprising and worst to read. This makes “Sally” make more sense to me. Sally’s dad hit her whenever she did or said what he didn’t like. She didn’t see it as abuse, she would try to put it off by saying she fell or that he never hit her hard. It’s disgusting and it hurts to read because I would never expect that to come from anyone, because no one deserves it. “Bums in the Attic” intrigued me the most because it reminded me of “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara. Esperanza wanted to persevere and change the way she lived for the better, just like Sylvia did. Another part that intrigued me was how Esperanza was happy to give back to whoever needed it. She was ashamed now, but couldn’t wait to be in a place to give others what she couldn’t/didn’t have. “Sally” puzzled me because I was not expecting the switch up in the story. The girls fighting and her completely changing after the boys were making fun of her in the locker room. When Esperanza describes Sally, she’s basically saying she wishes she could dress and be as beautiful as her. Though, it seemed as if she was bullied because of it. Sally no longer wanting to go home makes me believe she got caught by her religious dad and he made her change completely. I feel like this one had to be a little longer.
The reading I liked the most from this semester’s readings is in between “Little Snow White” and “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara. As a child I always enjoyed reading and watching Disney stories. I know it was said not to view this as such but it’s kind of hard not to. I loved reading it as an adult and taking the time to actually analyze it and finding out it’s true definition. In “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, I appreciated the “hidden meaning” that had to be looked for through Sylvia’s character. I go more in depth in my final essay. “How Do I Love Thee” by William Shakespeare is my least favorite reading. I already do not like poems to begin with but I do think the poems and discussions we had in this semester helped with my understanding of them. I did not enjoy this reading because it was rude. I did not appreciate/enjoy the fact that the man did not see beauty in his lover yet he was still in love with her. I feel. like it was ignorant because I do believe that to love someone you do have to see some sort of beauty in them, whether that is physically or on the inside. He was stating everything he physically did not like about her and only mentioned liking her voice-he never mentioned liking anything else. Overall, I did appreciate this course because it gave me better insight on how to break down texts and gave me more texts to read, as I don’t often do. Thank you and I wish all the best.
