Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Welcome
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Introductory Reflective Hypertext Essay
Professor Reiss and Classmates,
As I had pointed out in my introductory letter to the class, I did not know anything about American Literature at the beginning of the semester. This course has been a highly educational and enjoyable experience. I think I found a very healthy outlet for my writing and have also developed my writing skills. Thoughts about literature that I have expressed throughout the semester, I didn’t think possible to convey but now I realize that writing is a very powerful medium that can be comforting while allowing oneself to grow.
In choosing my artifacts, I started with the analysis of Crevecoeur’s “Letter from an American Farmer” because I thought it would be best to start out with an important question relating to both literature and questioning our nature – What is an American? Although there are very diverse answers to this question, I think there is an underlying trait that seems to present itself through the writing and analyzes of various works by authors, critics and others in the literary world. Shawn’s letter about “Unity and Harmony in Transcendentalism” provided a good question in terms of what is defined as an individual in the natural sense – especially asked to a minority of the time, women. This is highlighted by the point Shawn mentions – “Fuller also wants women to be in touch with the nature around them “. The next artifact, Ralph Waldo Emerson's “Self-Reliance” brings up the idea of our natural selves being the best form of living. “The idea that nature is not a toy of Man is an interesting point. Nature and its wonders are, in fact apparent in long-lasting creations of
For my 4th artifact, I chose my original composition written in the style of Emily Dickinson titled “This light buzz I’m feeling”. Dickinson was notorious for her poetry style because she wrote provocatively. Her description of human nature and her defiance of established institutions are a testament to her love of the free spirit and nature. The two aspects I focused on were the rhyme scheme and the capitalization of certain words. This idea of the love of freedom resonates not only from Dickinson but also Harriet Ann Jacob’s “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl”. Here’s an excerpt from this piece – “In all of Jacob’s character’s experiences, there was a difference in the way she perceived her bondage in society. This difference was a testament to her commitment to true freedom.” It is said that one can only value that which one lacks and this is very much true in the case of Jacobs. Again, we see freedom as an underlying theme, as is also seen in other works.
Another classic example of the idea of freedom is Langston Hughes’ “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”. I thought this was a very powerful medium of an expression of freedom. Again, the lines blurred are not of sexuality but racial. From the artifact – “All in all, this poem has a very river-like flow to it – free, overcoming and calm. It has a simple yet though-provoking slant to it that is very striking.” The speaker uses symbolism to portray a style of living that is very much in tune with nature. The use of the river as a symbol provides a powerful symbol of freedom.
Melissa wrote a response to William Faulkner’s “Barn Burning” which was a very well written piece. The main point that stood out for me was the dichotomy of a decision as highlighted in this excerpt – “Although the story doesn't really discuss the anguish Sarty [the protagonist] must have felt inside, debating whether he should stay with his family or leave, the narrative leaves the reader wondering all the pros and cons Sarty must have considered in his decision to leave.” This is a very important aspect of the responsibilities that come with a freer state of mind. To break out from the bondage in society, be it in family relations of those established by the State, a free entity is always faced with the dichotomy of choice.
Lastly, I chose a letter written to my classmates on Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire” which also very well brings out the aspect of abstinence versus free living. When one realizes of the dichotomy of choice, there is a tendency to abstain from living out our life freely. Some would characterize this as fear, others prudence. Whatever the reason be, in my opinion life in all its power and diversity must be let lose on the stage of the world, in all its natural forms.
Sincerely,
Arjun Thakur
ENGL 214
Artifact 1: Crevecoeur’s "Letter from an American Farmer"
Group 2,
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Crevecoeur’s “Letters from an American Farmer”. There is a simplicity in his words that is very comforting. In his first letter, he warns the reader that his opinion is not that of a “philosopher, politician, divine or naturalist, but a simple farmer” (438). This is a very important aspect of this writing because it means that he will only speak the plain truth, without taking in consideration any of the ramifications of voicing his opinion.
In the second letter, Crevecoeur couldn’t be more right about his life as a farmer. He seems truly happy with his life as a farmer, then as a married man and finally as a father – passing on what he has learnt in life to his son, taking the same pleasures out of life that his father had in passing on his way of life to him and so on. Somewhere, I think everyone wants a laid-back life as such where one can simply be self-sufficient within the confines of one’s own land and raise a family.
The third letter was very tragic to read. It highlighted an important point that there is a balance somewhere. For one part of society to live well, someone somewhere has to suffer.
The definition of what an American is very diverse. However, the aspects of these letters, in my opinion, ties in very well with what that means and what it requires. The pursuit of truth is something outlined in the first letter and is central to what being an American means. The second letter gives a feeling of living a life as an island, living off one’s own land and being self-sufficient. However, the third letter really shows that although living on one’s own terms might seem like the most harmless thing to do, there will always be someone who has to pay the price for our comforts – just like the “fate of this Negro in all its dismal latitude” (453). The encounter with the nine Haudenosaunee (aka Iroquois) and the naïve Andrew also ties in with the fact that others have to suffer the simple, quiet life that some of us are lucky enough to enjoy. Today, this same fate is being handed to the people in foreign countries.
It is true that Crevecoeur predicted America as being a great nation one day but there were problems of slavery, as there have always been in every civilization, but America is unique in that it has moved beyond these problems and tried to live in harmony with all cultures and races here. Maybe being American means moving outside of our comfort zones and moving beyond our fears of the unknown and living in harmony. Maybe.
Sincerely,
Arjun Thakur
ENGL 214
Artifact 2: Shawn Olsen's "Unity and Harmony in Transcendentalism"
Immediately when I began reading Margaret Fuller's "Woman in the Nineteenth Century" I could see definite similarities to the works of both Emerson and Thoreau. Fuller creates a strong tone in her piece, almost like she is delivering a sermon. She urges all women to start acting like that are equal to men and to stop being subservient. One direct similarity I noticed was when she recommended self-reliance (737) for women with their relationships. Emerson had an essay titled "Self-reliance".
Fuller also wants women to be in touch with the nature around them when she says, "If any individual live too much in relations, so that he becomes a stranger to the resources of his own nature, he falls¿into a distraction" (742). By this, Fuller emphasizes the main point that Thoreau made in "Walden", that individuals in their era need to slow down and not focus on material pleasures, and instead they should embrace the beauty of nature. It is interesting how Fuller is able to take the general ideas founded by Emerson and Thoreau of simplicity and self-reliance and relate them to the plight of women's rights. It's almost as if she's saying to women everywhere, "The words of Emerson and Thoreau aren't just for men, but you women can learn to be free and independent as well."
What I'm wondering is if there is any other way that these authors could believe that we could achieve self-actualization other than through discovering the beauty of nature, or is nature the only way to gain this enlightenment?
Your Group 1 Member,
Shawn Olsen
Artifact 3: Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Self-Reliance"
In Emerson’s work Nature, he points out that – “Nature never wears a mean appearance. Neither does the wisest man extort her secret, and lose his curiosity by finding out all her perfection. Nature never becomes a toy to the wise spirit. The flowers, the animals, the mountains, reflected the wisdom of his best hour, as much as they had delighted the simplicity of his childhood.”
The idea that nature is not a toy of Man is an interesting point. Nature and its wonders are, in fact apparent in long-lasting creations of
Artifact 4: Original Composition in the style of Emily Dickinson
This light buzz I'm feeling -
I fault your eyes.
Your Want has me -
Seemingly in Paradise.
Without you, my love -
There's not a moment's calm.
My Heart can't rest,
in the Garden of my dream.
But a knot you tied - for Silver rings
And of Necessity - your eyes afraid.
Fear not, give me your all.
My hands are now colored Red.
Dear Classmates,
For my original composition, I decided to try to emulate the style of Emily Dickinson and some aspects of her poetry style. Dickinson’s poems have a distinct flow to them which is hard to emulate but I have tried my best.
The first style I focused on was the rhyme scheme. Before Dickinson, the rhyme scheme followed a regular ABCB pattern. However, Dickinson was the first to introduce the ABC-slanted B pattern in which the second B sounds similar to the first but is not a perfect rhyme. When she sent some poems to be reviewed by a close friend, he thought she was close to the idea of poetry but “hadn’t got it yet”. One of Dickinson’s work that would support this would obviously be “Tell the Truth but tell it slant”. As is my poem, in the second paragraph the words calm and dream do not perfectly rhyme but are slanted.
The other aspect of Dickinson poetry I focused on was the capitalization of certain words to emphasize them. The capitalization of words like Want, Paradise, Silver and Red make the emphasis on their meaning stand out.
For the visual representation, I sought help from a friend because I couldn’t find an appropriate picture to back my work. The lovers holding hand with one covered in blood highlights the subtle drama behind their love. I thought this was in line with Dickinson’s own writing because I always think that there is an inherent truth behind her writing. The secrecy with which she handled her poems is a testament to her desire to know the truth but keep it hidden. Dickinson’s parents’ financial stability is probably a good reason for this, among many others.
All in all, I tried to write something in Dickinson’s writing spirit however, I think I fall far short in graceful writing that her works flow in.
Sincerely,
Arjun Thakur
ENGL 214
Artifact 5: Jacobs' "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl"
Classmates,
Harriet Ann Jacob’s Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is both a very moving and inspiring piece of literature. There were many hardships that Harriet’s character, Linda Brent whose life paralleled that of the author herself, faced but in the end, she came out a stronger person.
In all of Jacob’s character’s experiences, there was a difference in the way she perceived her bondage in society. This difference was a testament to her commitment to true freedom. Brent was subjected to hardships right from her childhood to later in her life. There were many hard decisions she had to make and compromises she had to live with, only because society’s laws had brought her to this point in her life. The sexual harassment she underwent in her adolescent years, followed by the constant devil on her shoulder of mothering the children of a man in the quest for both vengeance and freedom are classic examples of the desperate measures anyone would be pushed to take in the darkness of slavery.
After having taken what can only disrespectfully be called refuge in her grandmother shed, with a lack of basic amenities and only the voices and sight of her children to keep her going, there is no doubt that Brent had a very strong demeanor and an unstoppable desire to be free. Even after moving North with her children and only having a change of her masters from vicious to benevolent, Brent was not satisfied. “I am deeply grateful to the generous friend who procured it [freedom], but I despise the miscreant who demanded payment for what never rightfully belonged to him or his.” (859) This was the main thrust of Jacob’s view of slavery which she herself tried to spread the word of to her people – that her freedom was her birth-right and not something that can be traded.
In the end, it is this freedom that Jacob herself came to value more than anything. Can anyone who has not known what it means to be a slave really appreciate freedom? If that be the case, do we all need, at some point in our lives, to live in a state of a lack of freedom to realize what its true worth is and how important it is to fight for?
Regards,
Arjun Thakur
ENGL 214Artifact 6: Langston Hughes' "The Negro Speaks of Rivers"
Classmates,
I am responding to Langston Hughes’ “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”. The central theme of rivers in the poem is a powerful image of interest that moves in both time and place, much like the speaker’s life. The river itself is free flowing and unhindered by the rocks and other obstacles it comes across. The same image is applied to how the speaker feels in the poem – which is quite a statement, given the years of oppression and slavery that an entire race of people were subjected to.
The poem starts out with the speaker proclaiming to know rivers of old times. The speaker then goes on to describe the
The line – “My soul has grown deep like the rivers” (4, 13) is mentioned twice. The first time it has a fresh sound to it – before dawn but the last line is a more somber and thoughtful statement.
All in all, this poem has a very river-like flow to it – free, overcoming and calm. It has a simple yet though-provoking slant to it that is very striking.
Sincerely,
Arjun Thakur
ENGL214
Artifact 7: William Faulkner's "Barn Burning"
I'm writing in response to William Faulkner's "Barn Burning." I was surprised how bitter the father, Abner, was in this story. I understand why he is bitter, being unhappy with his position in life and not being treated fairly just because he was black, although after recently learning more about blues music I was surprised at the way Abner acted toward his family. I got the impression from reading about the black culture in Harlem and listening to the blues music that there was pain and suffering experienced by blacks, but that they supported each other somewhat and helped each other through difficult times because they were all experiencing the same problems. This was not true with Abner, he seemed to ignore what his family wanted but I did not get the feeling he was doing this in a selfish way. Instead, the impression I received was that at some point earlier in his life Abner must have mentally snapped and could no longer tolerate the treatment he received having someone constantly "own ...[his] body and soul" (1965). After no longer being able to tolerate doing whatever he was told he must have become very bitter and was no longer able to think rationally. No one in his family could even make him behave and stop burning and ruining other people's property. Another reason I think he was not completely mentally stable is because he did not seem to feel any remorse at all for any cruel acts he performed. He was proud of everything he did and seemed to believe that the white people deserved the damage he brought to them. Although, he was not boastful about his destructive habits either, he seemed glad that he did things, but didn't want to discuss them or brag since he didn't want to get caught. It was difficult to completely understand Abner's character with the story being from another character's point of view.
Because of Abner's mental state and his obsession with destruction and burning I think that the greatest conflict in this story is between Abner and his son Sarty. It was difficult for Sarty to choose to leave his family, but this was the best choice he was left with after seeing that his father would truly not change. Throughout the story he seemed to have faith that this time "maybe this is the end of it" (1969) referring to Abner's bitterness, vengeful attitude and destructive nature. I don't know if I would agree that Abner had absolutely no control at all over his actions, but he seemed to have very little control because to me he seemed to be going insane. Sarty must have felt helpless in this situation and decided that there was nothing left he could do except to separate himself from his father and his father's reputation so that he himself could live a better life. Although the story doesn't really discuss the anguish Sarty must have felt inside, debating whether he should stay with his family or leave, the narrative leaves the reader wondering all the pros and cons Sarty must have considered in his decision to leave. Also, when I was through reading I wondered what Sarty was thinking as he sat alone in the woods looking forward to his life ahead in which he has to start all over with no family or support; the only thing he was taking with him was the lessons he learned from his past.
Sincerely,
Melissa Zarnoch
Artifact 8: Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire" Letter
Dear Classmates,
I am responding to Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play “A Streetcar Named Desire”. The setting of this play is in the town of New Orleans, Louisiana. I thought this was the most interesting aspect of the setting.
At the end of Scene 3, Blanche says to Mitch that “Desire is the opposite of Death” (61). I think this is a very important statement when thinking about the location of the play. New Orleans has been the ‘ruin of many a poor boy’, to put it in the words of a famous rock song. Even the important role of music – especially the blues – is well highlighted in the explanation of the setting. New Orleans has recently been devastated by a hurricane and the lack of responsible and appropriate counter-action has caused much pain and suffering. In a sense, New Orleans has always been flipping the coin of Desire and Death.
Stanley and Stella’s apartment is a perfect representation of this idea. Their place is, according to Stella’s sister Blanche, a “horrible place” (19), however both Stella and Stanley are a happy couple despite their problems. I think this setting is a perfect representation of life and desire in the face of death. I find it to be a funny thing that all existence in the form of the planets and stars in our galaxy are revolving around a black hole – their impending deaths. I think there is a parallelism between the lives of the stars and ourselves and maybe the house in this representation, and life in the form of Stella and Stanley and their new-born is appropriate. However, it is easy to fall into the trap of abstinence – as is characterized by Blanche’s character. Mahatma Gandhi’s quote seems relevant here in which he said – “Everything you do is insignificant but it is very important that you do it.” Do you think this is an accurate representation of the setting or am I way off the mark?
Sincerely,
Arjun Thakur
ENGL 214