He Didnt Love Her

He was her life, but he didn’t love her.
She was the ideal woman, but he didn’t love her.
He meant the world to her, but he didn’t love her.
She was gorgeous inside and out and he didn’t love her.
Heads turned full round 360 when she walked past, and he still didn’t love her.
She was the envy of all women, but he didn’t love her.
Any man would bow down to her command, yet he didn’t love her.
Her brains and beauty were unmatched, and he still didn’t love her.
No matter what she said or did, he didn’t care one least bit.
Whether or not she existed, was a matter of no importance.
At one point in time, he did love her and he did care.
But she fell into the world of temptation and it all changed.
She left him for another, hoping to find happiness.
Not realizing she had been living it all along by his side.
She took his love for granted, one too many.
At this instant she finds herself in tears as she writes this poem.
And now
As she is hoping to retain what she once had
She realizes that…
HE DOES NOT LOVE HER.

Miss My English Class...

ILL C U ALL ON MONDAY! =D

FRQ

Symbols are commonly used in fiction stories. They “take your story beyond simple plot or character development and create depth and meaning.” [www.ehow.com] A symbol helps communicate an idea to the reader that was not introduced clearly within the text. In the novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” Zora Neale Hurston used a variety of symbols to communicate an aspect of the story that led to a greater idea. One example of this symbolism is the use of Janie’s mothers name “Leafy.”
When you think of a leaf, you think of a green leaf on a branch of a beautiful blossoming tree filled with life. But what happens to that leaf when the tree slowly dies? Its leaves begin to fall. In the story, Leafy is characterized as the daughter of a former slave woman and her master. At the young age of seventeen, she became pregnant from the school teacher that raped her. After that, “she took to drinkin’ likker and stayin’ out nights.” [pg 19] Her mother “Couldn’t git her to stay here and nowhere else.” [pg 19] Nobody knew where she was after that. Whether she was dead or alive was an unanswered question. With the name of “Leafy,” Zora Neale Hurston is able to portray the typical fallen woman. That is, the one that became impure. After being raped and having a baby [Janie], society would not look on Leafy as the ideal woman. People would have degraded her for something that she clearly had no control over. Getting back to the top of the feminine social pyramid was made impossible. This acknowledgement of Leafy turned her into the woman that she became; the drunk that roamed the streets and stayed out at nights. After all, she was just another woman that did not care for her baby. The use of the name Leafy brings about this character as just another dry fallen leaf of a tree, roaming through the world and its wonders, with no sense of direction or path. The leaf just continues to be thrown and pushed by the wind that carries it through life. That leaf reflects with its color more death than life. That leaf fights its way to stay alive. Until eventually, that same leaf breaks and tumbles through the dirt, becoming nothing but a forgotten memory.
So what does this symbolism bring to the story? This symbolism helped portray the principles of which society placed on women. These same standards which also, shaped Janie into the woman that she became. It emphasizes the idea that women were all products of a society that held them at the top of the social pyramid, one that idealized “the true woman.” As one can see from this symbolism, society played a major role in the plot and setting of the story, since after all, it transformed the female characters. This symbolism helped portray Janie, who like her mother, was just another victim of society and its sick evils of ideology. This same symbolism stressed the importance of female roles in the story. With this symbolism for “the fallen woman,” visual images of a suppressed, dependant, and beat down black woman are made clearer. The notion of the silenced woman is understood more in depth.
Overall, symbols play a major role in novels. They help to bring about a deeper understanding of an idea. Symbols can tie the whole story closer together to add more meaning to the moral of the plot. In the novel, “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” Zora Neale Hurston made a good use of symbols to communicate her ideas to the reader. Having Leafy symbolize the “fallen woman,” brought about the importance of society in the story.

Their Eyes Were Watching God "Quote"

“…you got tuh go there tuh know there. Yo’ papa and yo’ mama and nobody else can’t tell yuh and show yuh. Two things everybody’s got tuh do fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin’ fuh theyselves.” [pg 192] Janie was a young girl who lived her life learning throughout her experiences about the realities of life. She did in fact face the real world and its injustices, but it did nothing more than shape her into the woman that she became. Throughout her experiences she learned that marriage did not mean love, that reaching the top of the social pyramid did not mean happiness, and most of all that you must live life at its fullest not caring what the response of others might be.
In the story “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” Janie is portrayed as this innocent young girl who is hoping on someday meeting with her one true love. Marriage was love and nothing more. “Husbands and wives always loved each other, and that was what marriage meant.” [pg 21] When her old grandmother asked her to marry for her own security, Janie did so, hoping that this would mean the “end to cosmic loneliness of the unmated.” [pg 21] Little did she know that marriage was nothing more than a game of property. It did not matter whether the couple loved each other, but whether or not one could supply for one another. As her grandmother explained, “De nigger woman is de mule uh de world so fur as Ah can see.” [pg 14] In fact the woman was the working hand of the world; homes could not possibly function without them. They were the structure of the family. Just like a mule works long hours to get the job of the man done, so does the woman work the same way. With their duty as wives, they are expected to listen and follow to the commands of the husband. Janie of course was not as accepting of this social stance. “Youse mad ‘cause Ah don’t fall down and wash-up dese sixty acres uh ground yuh got. You ain’t done me no favor by marryin’ me. And if dat’s what you call yo’self doin’, Ah don’t thank yuh for it.” [pg 31] Here, Janie did stand up to her husband, Logan, and refused to be his “mule.” This male dominancy irked Janie and pushed her to leave her husband for Joe Starks, who promised not to treat her in this manner. As she was leaving Logan, “A feeling of sudden newness and change came over her.” [pg 32] Janie did in fact change from this experience as she was able to overcome this issue and move on with her life. She did not let Logan and her unhappy marriage to him stop her from reaching her happiness.
Not only did Janie realize that marriage did not mean love, but also that reaching the top of the social pyramid did not mean happiness. In truth, it didn’t. As Mrs. Starks, she was the Mayors wife, the store owner, and the woman who lived in the beautiful white house that overlooked all the others. The people of town looked up at her, but deep down inside Jodie was nothing close to being happy. This unhappiness came from the continuous oppression from her husband. As a female, she was not allowed into male conversations and male hobbies. Her husband controlled her and forced her to wear head rags to hide her hair from public eyes. This control in return brought about this beat down silent woman who was just waiting to lash out. “No matter what Jody did, she said nothing. She had learned how to talk some and leave some. She was a rut in the road. Plenty of life beneath the surface but it was kept beaten down by the wheels.” [pg 76] Joe’s continued oppression caused Janie to restrain herself from talking, to hold up all of the emotions that kept piling within her. Being Mrs. Starks was not happiness like she expected, but rather more a life she didn’t wish to live. She would give up everything she had to just be happy. She disliked looking down on the Negro’s of the town like Mr. Stark did with his “I god” and intellectual talking. Janie did not feel ready to live the life of “de white madam,” like her grandmother had wished. Being on top of the social pyramid was not suitable for Janie; it did not bring happiness.
Last of all she learned that you must live life at its fullest even if it does not meet the acceptance of others. Janie came about this notion as she experienced joyous moments with her love Tea Cake. Many had criticized her for dating someone who was too young for her and did not have the money to offer her a life like Mr. Starks did. Janie did not allow for these gossipers to retain her from finally enjoying life. As Janie explains “Ah never ‘spected nothing’…but bein’ dead from the standin’ still and tryin’ tuh laugh.” After living a life full of restrictions, control, and oppression, Janie was just anxious to explore the world and its wonders. Tea Cake had become her ecstasy to attain this. She expected others to talk about her life and criticize it as they compared it to theirs. “Dey gointuh make ‘miration ‘cause mah love didn’t work lak they love, if dey ever had any.” [pg 191] Knowing the way that society worked and how they responded to such occurrences, Janie knew what others in town were going to say about her. They in turn were ignorant because they lacked the experiences of actually encountering the real life and learning from it. Janie had been happy by Tea Cake’s side, and she loved him with all her heart. If others could not accept that, she didn’t care. After all, “Love is lak de sea. It’s uh movin’ thing, but still and all, it takes its shape from de shore it meets, and it’s different with every shore.” [pg 191] In other words, love is different with each and every person, not all encounter it the same way. Love shapes people all in different areas and aspects. No love is the same.
Overall, Janie learned from the realities of life and her experiences. All these occurrences helped shape Janie into the woman that she became. They helped her grow, learn, and move on with her life. These experiences changed her view of marriage, society, and happiness all together. Life brought about this beautiful immature fruit that reached its full bright green color. After the storm cleared, this pear became ripe.

Society

Society has its hidden secrets that many philosophers before our time have tried to piece together. Yet there is no certainty as to what is right from wrong. We can only go by what is more relevant today by those visions of others. Neil Postman contrasted the visions of the future by two philosophers work, Aldous Huxley’s novel, Brave New World, and George Orwell’s mental picture in his novel, 1984. Postman was in fact correct by making the affirmation that Huxley’s vision is more relevant today than is Orwell’s. Orwell’s vision might have been true at some time in history, but we can relate Huxley’s with the society that we live in today.
As Huxley suggest, “people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.” [Postman 11] In the society that we live in today, we are surrounded by all sorts of technological advancement that have facilitated the work of man. The people have grown accustomed to them and they have become a part of the everyday life. A students’ work at school for instance is no longer as arduous thanks to the help of devices such as computers, calculators, and the internet. Worldwide resources are at reach with the click of a button, a calculus problem won’t be as difficult to solve with the use of a calculator, and an essay due the next day will not need the use of a pencil but instead of a keyboard. Such technologies have cut off some time from such tasks and in a way they have undone our capacities to think since the need is no longer there thanks to these devices. Yet, society has grown to love them because we are not so much concerned as to how much it affects our capacities to think, but how much time it saves us.
Another one of Huxley’s visions was that “there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.” [Postman 13] Many years ago the typical family past time was to read. The average American family was interested in the work of many great writers of poetry, novels, or just news. Now, this pastime has been replaced with television, videogames, and social networking websites. More people become almost addicted to these past times that the need to read is almost out of use. The majority of students will not read for their own pleasure unless they are required to do so by a school teacher. Books are no longer seen as enjoyment of the arts, but a torture to those who don’t find it in themselves the need to read. As the endless numbers of books in libraries collect dust sitting on a rack, people in society lay around at home killing time with their typical pastimes. The delight of reading has been dying out throughout the years that Huxley’s vision is more than true; it has become this society’s reality.
“What we love will ruin us.” [Postman 23-24] Huxley could not have been more precise in his vision than with this statement. Indeed, the things that we love hurt us the most. They do so because we allow them to. Sometimes the love that we have for others is so strong that we tolerate the wrongs that they do to us, because in fact that love is so great. Eventually the pain and suffering that comes along with all of this profound love will do nothing more than ruin us. It will become uncontrollable and take over our lives. To unleash yourself from this bond is almost nearly impossible. It is what makes it so strong that keeps hurting us, and yet you allow it to, because you love it. The love that you have for others permits their harm to reach you, leaving you vulnerable to all damage and eventual ruin.
Huxley’s vision of the future could not have been more precise. It is almost as if he seen everything through our time. Although his vision can be eye opening it doesn’t stop it from being true. Postman was right in considering Huxley’s vision as the most relative to the society of our time. Huxley was able to uncover the secrets of this society through his visions and are now true in this time. Will this current society’s way of life change throughout time? If so, will there be others who will predict the time coming, and have their visions become a reality? Only time will tell.

Wealth

The American society has placed its sole grounds of existence on the value of the green paper money that this country runs on today. “The American faith in money easily surpasses the degree of intensity achieved by other societies in other times and places.” [Lapham] Lapham’s ideas are nothing more than the very truth. Today, this country evaluates one’s success by their income, property, and lifestyle. This causes many other countries to “look upon the American devotion as sterile cupidity.” But how did this money embraced society in American come to be?
The average American is not thought of as successful because of his ability to work or comprehend. The wise are not acknowledged of their gift until their steps create dollar signs all over the floor they just passed. Society has created a need to become one of the upper class. It pressures those that were not as “successful” to find their way to the very top. This pressure violates the American Dream by transforming this longing of happiness and opportunity into nothing more than the desire for money and riches that come along with it. This notion thus infects the minds of the American citizens by creating this ideal image of success as nothing more than the pursuit of money.
“As often as not it isn’t the money itself that means anything; it is the use of money as the currency of the soul.” [Lapham] An American citizen is not satisfied with just obtaining their wealth until they are “clothed in the raiment of property.” They go on buying designer clothes, luxury cars, and big beautiful houses. All of this in hopes that society will recognize their success. This is a way of almost proving themselves to the rest of society that they have in fact accomplished their dream and reached the top of the social pyramid. This leaves the rest of society to look up to these people in hopes of one day being one of them.
Leaving others at the bottom, the people of the lower class still longing for the dream, go out of their way to gain a piece of that same vision. They do so by buying brand clothes and treating themselves to the newest gadgets. At times they would rather have all these valuable belongings, than investing that money on needed materials such as groceries. These attitudes only emphasize the idea that Americans have in fact placed a concentrated faith in money and are eager to show what little they have attained to the rest of the world. Unlike other countries, we as Americans cannot “balance the desire for wealth against the other claims of the human spirit.” [Lapham] That is that we focus our money more so on our wants than we do on our needs.
Overall, it has been proven that the faith that Americans have placed on that paper currency has in fact “surpassed the degree of intensity achieved by other societies in other times and places.” [Lapham] We fail to see the true meaning behind it all; due to the blindness of citizens from the green that engulfs this American society. It has become nothing more than an absurdity that “…In the United States a rich man is perceived as being necessarily both good and wise…” [Lapham] The entire nation as a whole has to put an end to such nonsense beliefs and cleanse the once so dear and true American Dream from the evils of greed.

Death and Justice Questions

Meaning

1. Koch’s thesis in favor of capital punishment is, “Life is indeed precious, and I believe the death penalty helps to affirm this fact.” [pg 320] He asks for the readers to agree with the fact that human life is in fact precious and that anything should be done to keep this notion true. He argues that if the value of life were imperative and the death penalty were “a real responsibility in the minds of the murderers, they might well have stayed their hand.” Koch believes that these ideals would discourage many “cold-blooded murderers” from killing so many people.
2. Koch focuses on the death penalty as a deterrent to murder and as a form of justice for murder done. In his argument, Koch emphasizes both these points when he states, “If we create a society in which injustice is not tolerated, incidents of murder-the most flagrant form of justice-will diminish.” [pg 321] Here he states that with the death penalty, society will enforce a way of life in which a tight justice system will be key and the value of human life would be crucial. This statement also emphasizes the idea that the death penalty will indeed diminish incidents of murder.

Purpose and Audience

1. Koch’s purpose in this essay does seem political. It serves as nothing more than a justification for his beliefs on capital punishment. In return, this is just another way to aim for votes. In one statement, Koch says, “Because I support the death penalty for heinous crimes of murder, I have sometimes been the subject of emotional and outraged attacks by voters who find my position reprehensible or worse.” Here, he is making himself seem the victim of “attacks by voters.” This could be nothing more than a way to get the understanding of those who find Koch at fault.
2. Koch seems to expect his audience to disagree with his position on capital punishment. He begins his opening paragraphs with the idea that “Killing is wrong.” Throughout the entire essay, Koch names the reasons for which many may not support the death penalty. He provides all the counterarguments and negates them with supporting evidence. This then gives us the idea that Koch was expecting his audience’s disagreement on the subject.
3. Koch places the responsibility on society to stand up and protect the innocent lives of others by accepting capital punishment as a solution to murder. For them to lose the “moral cowardice” that makes criminals grow “bolder” and to take action involving their community.



Method and Structure

1.
A. Emotional:
· “When we lower the penalty for murder, it signals a lessened regard for the value of the victim’s life.” [pg 322-323]
· “Thou Shalt Not Commit Murder” [pg 323]
B. Ethical:
· “During my 22 years in public service…” [pg 320]
· “As a district leader, councilman, congressman, and mayor…” [pg 320]
C. Rational:
· “A study at M.I.T. showed that based on 1970 homicide rates….” [pg 321]
· “On June 22, 1984, the New York Times published an editorial…” [pg 320]

The emotional appeals proved to be most effective. The reason why is because it truly touched the reader as a form of connection that was made through the writing. It tied the reader with the author’s views and ideas, which was the purpose of the paper. The ethical appeals proved to be the least effective. I don’t think it matters his professions or his years in public service. These ideas are the least in mind to the reader when discussing such subjects.

2. MAJOR PREMISE: All killers admit to the wrongs when they face death themselves, to bring those who sentenced them to death down to their level.

MINOR PREMISE: Willie and Shaw charged with the death penalty admitted right before their deaths that “Killing is wrong” and that “Killing is wrong when I did it. Killing is wrong when you do it.” [pg 319-320]
CONCLUSION: Willie and Shaw sought “to bring his accusers down to his own level.” [pg 323]
Koch denies its validity by stating that “The state has rights that the private individual does not. In a democracy, those rights are given to the state by the electorate.” Here Koch is justifying the laws right to execute those charged with murder.

3. When Koch countered the argument that “the death penalty is ‘barbaric’” he completely diminished this argument by stating that “it’s not the method that really troubles opponents. It’s the death itself they consider barbaric.” This method of argument is incredibly convincing because it gives Koch’s argument importance due to the fact that those opponents consider “death” itself “barbaric.” Considering this fact, Koch can argue that those same opponents would consider “murder” “barbaric” as well and therefore, do nothing about that situation.

4. Robert Lee Willie and Joseph Carl Shaw… “hoped to soften the resolve of those who sentenced them to death.” Emphasizes the idea that killers try to bring down their accusers when it comes down to their deaths. [pg 323] Luis Vera and the “tragic death of Rosa Velez.” “…I knew I wouldn’t go to the chair.” Emphasizes the idea that killers’ understanding that they won’t face capital punishment, in a sense encourages killers to go on with their plans of death. New York Times editorial on the lethal injection proved that “it is not the method that really troubles opponents…but death itself.” [pg 320-321] The analogy between cancer and murder proves that “one does not have to like an idea in order to support it.” [pg 321] “No other major democracy-in fact, few other countries of any description-are plagued by murder rate such as that in the U.S.” This supports the idea that “If other countries had our murder problem, the cry for capital punishment would be just as loud as it is here.” [pg 321]

Language

1. Koch’s tone is assertive throughout the entire essay. His language emphasizes his tone because he speaks his mind as he believes to be true, because in a sense he knows he is right and is certain on what needs to be done. This adds to the openness of the readers acceptance because he is able to counterattack every opposing issue that seems to be out there and clearly stands his ground on supporting his ideas.
2. Koch refers to his opponents’ thinking as “sophistic nonsense” and “transparently false” [pg 323] His use of words indicate that Koch’s attitude toward opponents of capital punishment and their arguments is degrading. He brings down their ideas by considering them unreasonable and untrue. Then he introduces his own ideas as ideal and right.

Writing Topics

The rising now becomes, “Whether or not murderers should be executed or not?” My response to that question is that it should absolutely be so. If you have in fact taken somebody’s right to life in this world, what gives you any better right to life than that person? You should pay the consequences for your actions and indeed suffer a painful death. Nobody should have any consideration for you because you did not have consideration for somebody else. After all "Don't do to others as you don't want others to do to you." What better punishment for these cold-blooded killers than the death penalty.
Murderers are the most deserving of such punishment. They kill in cold blood and enjoy themselves while doing it. They don’t show regret or remorse for their actions until they face death themselves. The only way to stop this plague of serial killers in the world is to place a great importance on the value of human life. The capital punishment should discourage many murderers from killing, with the fear of losing their own life. They enjoy the freedom to kill when the government only places jail sentences on their dealings. Why should tax payers have to give up money to feed, clothe, and shelter these undeserving individuals, when their lives could easily be ended. The death penalty seems like the only rational solution to such hideous crimes such as murder. In the end, even the Bible states, "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."

Susan Glaspell's Trifles Response

Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”

Plays tell a story with the use of characters, actions, and visual elements. These aspects are used in plays to emphasize a setting, a personality or perhaps, a behavior. In Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles,” the use of such elements are used to set the mood for this crime story. In this story, a woman is being accused of killing her husband, and what better than a play to act out such an occurrence. Through the use of actions, costumes, and props, the visual elements in this play help to bring out this murder mystery to life.

In the beginning of the play, the scene starts out with the description of the house and its kitchen. This “abandoned farmhouse” [pg 3] is given the depiction of loneliness and gloom. The portrayal of the kitchen gives “signs of incompleted work” with “unwashed pans under the sink, a loaf of bread outside the bread-box, a dish-towel on the table.” [pg 3] All these visuals give off this feeling of a deserted and vacant home, implying its inhabitants’ need for a sudden escape. As the people begin to enter the home, the order in which they come in gives this notion of importance. The men: the COUNTY ATTORNEY, HALE, and the SHERIFF, are “followed by the two woman.” [pg 3] As always, the women are the secondary characters and just play the roles of “extras” as their characters importance is diminished by their sex. Later on, when the men go upstairs to look for evidence at the crime scene, “[The women listen to the men’s steps on the stairs, then look about the kitchen.]” [pg 12] Once again, the women are left behind and are of little concern to the men. These two women are not of importance so therefore, do not have the right to step into the room. This notion of inferiority is portrayed throughout the entire story as the men laugh at the women and the “unimportant” things that they do. This idea is later emphasized when the COUNTY ATTORNEY “[Kicks his foot against the pans under the sink.]” [pg 9] This action shows the carelessness that this man has for the woman’s house and or work. This is just another way that he is diminishing the woman’s house work as he disturbs it much more than it already is. Overall, the COUNTRY ATTORNEY shows nothing more than disrespect to the woman’s work by performing such an action. Following this, MRS. PETERS “[arranges the pans under the sink which the LAWYER had shoved out of place.] [pg 12] This action shows the woman’s concern for the pans, in a form of respect to the widow‘s home. It also brings about a connection between the women who seem to understand one another in what really concerns them in the home. What may seem of little importance to the men, may be of immense value to the women. This then brings about the difference of thought and behavior between the two sexes.

Overall, the visual elements in the play helped to bring out the characters and issues that came along in this story. With the use of actions, props, and costumes, the story’s plot as well as its setting was thoroughly depicted in the play and given a sense of life. This probably would not have been possible without the use of such elements in the story. Visuals did more than enough to add to the readers comprehension of the play with the laying out such issues that became the key parts in the story. Without the use of such elements, the readers would most likely not feel as connected with the story in regards to the lack of imagery that would usually be provided with such devices. That is why visuals are so vital to a play’s success.

Rhetorical Terms

anaphora: the REPETITION of a group of words at the beginning of successive clauses.

asyndeton: the omission of conjunction between related clauses-for example, "I came, I saw, I conquered."

antithesis: The juxtaposition of contrasting words or ideas, oten in parallell structure-for example, "Place your virtues on a pedestal; put your vices under a rock."

polysyndeton: The interruption of lists by using and.

personification: The giving of human characteristics to inanimate objects.

allusion: A reference in a written or spoken text to another text or to some particular body of knowledge.

hyperbole: An EXAGGERATION for effect.

simile: A type of comparison that uses the word like or as.

metaphor: An implied comparison that does not use the word like or as-for example, "His voice was a cascade of emotion"; the most important of all the TROPES.

Bernice Bobs Her Hair

During the end of the eighteenth century and early nineteen century, the characters and values of women in society were drastically changing. With the rise of the First World War, women gained a sort of independence and modernism that dragged on after the war was over. As the new generation of women was sticking to this modernism, the older generation of females resented this alteration. In the story “Bernice Bobs Her Hair,” the major issue that troubled some women in society was that of becoming modernized. The character and style of the older generation was now being looked down upon by the new generation of women that were more independent, flirtatious, and outgoing. The notion of fitting into this society became crucial to most.
In the beginning of the story, Bernice was described as “sorta dopeless” and “no fun on a party.” [pg 4] She was far from ever becoming a “gardenia girl,” who was “too gay and fickle.” [pg 5] Her beauty and kindness was no match for the young bachelors that were craving what all the other men wanted: fun and popular girls. She was, as her cousin Marjorie described, “the womanly woman!” that men found as nothing more but “weak, whining, cowardly mass of affections!” This was, the typical view of the women of the older generation, which lived in a greatly influenced male dominant society, such as that of Mrs. Harvey, who grew up during an era where “young ladies who belonged to nice families had glorious times.” [pg 5] Bernice was brought up “on novels in which the female was beloved because of certain mysterious woman qualities, always mentioned but never displayed.” [pg 4] She was brought up as an ideal woman, but that image was no longer true. Little did Bernice know that she was far from being a modern female in her society. The men were known for not liking her and would just “stand being bored” in her presence. Warren “wondered idly whether she was a poor conversationalist because she got no attention or got no attention because she was a poor conversationalist.” [pg3] As one can see by this quote, a women’s grace was no longer yearned for by the opposite sex, as a matter of fact, these qualities of women were nothing more but jaded. In this society that Bernice was introduced to while visiting her cousin, she never really fit in due to the great difference of character in which she carried herself in. The respectful and loving women that were once idyllic to the past generations, no longer stood at the top of the women’s social pyramid. Bernice would have to change her character and style before men could even come to notice her. Probably, like most women would face these pressures of society and the urgency to fit in, they put themselves through a sort of transformation before attaining this goal. For example, Bernice went to the extremes of “bobbing her hair” even though she knew “it would be ugly as sin.” [pg 17] The bobbing of her hair was a catastrophic last minute decision, since she had to attend a dance that was dedicated to her and her cousin Marjorie, by the woman whom bobbing of the hair was “her pet abomination.” [pg 18] This only comes to show the extremes of the women in order to just fit in to society. To change their character, persona, and qualities, would seem absurd to many, but to these women, it was a must.
The image of ideal women continues to change throughout time. Though, the need to fit into society still remains crucial to most people. The extremes that many people go through just to attain this recognition in society, results in the creation of a mass that are not true to themselves and are not contained in true character. “Bernice Bobs Her Hair,” is just another story that emphasizes the point just stated. Now whether or not this still remains true, is up to you to judge the authenticity of the work just provided.

Martin Luther King, Jr. "I Have a Dream"

II. Rhetorical Structure: Figures of Speech

1. Alliteration: The REPETITION of constant sounds at the beginning or in the middle of two or more adjacent words.
Allusion: A reference in a written or spoken text to another text or to some particular body of knowledge.
Metaphor: An implied comparison that does not use the word like or as-for example, “His voice was a cascade of emotion”; the most important of all the TROPES.
Simile: A type of comparison that uses the word like or as.

2. “Five score years ago,” the opening phrase of King’s speech, is an allusion to Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, “Four score and seven years ago…” This was an appropriate and strong way for King to begin his speech, because of the fact that he is using Lincoln as a sort of symbolism for freedom. M. L. King Jr. a strong advocate and speaker for the Civil Rights Movement, knew that he needed to make a connection with the people in order to get his message across. Referring back to Lincoln, in a way reminded the people of the fight for equality that had begun so long ago, that was still to be won.

3. Allusions to the Declaration of Independence were:
· “unalienable Rights”
· “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,”
· “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”
Allusions to the Bible are:
· “justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
· “every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight.”
· “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”

4. An Example of alliteration in King’s speech:
· “ We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of the self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating…”

5. An Example of a metaphor in King’s speech:
· “One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.”

6. An Example of a simile in King’s speech:
· This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.”

7. This is an example of a metaphor. Bringing up strong images of slavery was an effective method of moving the audience because it reminded the people that segregation and discrimination were still oppressing the Negro. Even though the chains of slavery had already been lifted, the segregation and discrimination towards the African Americans still had their iron lock on them with the Jim Crow laws. This being said, segregation was just a step of the progress made from the end of slavery.

8. Besides the famous “I have a dream” phrase, two other examples of anaphoras are:
· “Now is the time”
· “We can never be satisfied as long as…”

9. The repetition of the phrase, “I have a dream.”
· This was a way to motivate and stimulate the people to continue on with the fight for the equal rights of the Negro. This was a call to the people to make this dream become a reality, reminding them that it still was at that time nothing but a dream.
· This also made many realize that this optimistic dream was far from being reached but never impossible to accomplish. Yes, the people of this country would go through many trials and tribulations in the process of accomplishing this, but this dream was so great that nothing could outshine its greatness once it would be made from a dream into a reality.

10. King’s images that I found most powerful and appealing were the phrases of the “We can never be satisfied as long as…” The images that King portrays in this paragraph truly sank into my brain knowing that these people would not give up their fight for equality. That all sort of oppression only made them stronger and gave them motivation to persevere and never give up. When King states, “We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality,” it only brought to my mind images of all the innocent Negroes that were victims of such atrocities in a nation that promised justice and freedom to all. How can such a hypocritical country, built with the idea of government on opportunity, freedom, and justice, still have the nerve to subjugate and strip the Negro of all human rights granted by God and law? King goes on saying, “We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: “For Whites Only,” I could not help but think back to the movie “Ruby Bridges” and the much discrimination she had to face as a little girl being admitted into an all white school. To think that these people would be so ignorant and vicious towards her disregarding the fact that she is in fact a child makes me appreciate the fact that our society, even though not completely filtered of discrimination, has made some progress throughout time.

III. Understanding the Dream

1. King’s dream was the hope that someday our country would no longer be divided between races or religions. His dream was that this nation would one day come together and join hands for the better good of the country, and truly define the meaning of a “Union.” This was a hope that Abraham Lincoln’s fight for the black race would not just end with Reconstruction and that the promises of the Constitution should be granted to all of God’s children. Also, the equality of the Negro should be given not only through paper and pen, but through the close minded thoughts of a society of white supremacy. King’s dream was the motivation that the Negros needed to lift and dust themselves up from all the injustices and cruelties that this country had brought on them. It was his way of saying, “it is our time.” Indeed, it was his time; he fought for his dream to become a reality, a dream that cost him his life. In the long run, his dream is partially accomplished by the people of our times. It will take long before the next generation can look back and say, “This is no longer just a dream, it is this countries reality.”

2. Some of the specific acts of injustices against African Americans which King cites in his speech are:
· “…the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality.”
· “…our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities.”
· “…the negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one.”
· “our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: “For Whites Only.”
· “Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote.”

3. The American dream is basically the opportunity in American to go from rags to riches. It is to come to the land of opportunity and to make something of yourself and become something through the means of hard work and determination. It is also the ability to fully practice the rights offered by the Constitution to insure the happiness of one’s own self.

4. King names many states I think to mainly point out those states in the belt of the Deep South, which where were much of the oppression, discrimination, and segregation of the Negro was the strongest and more concentrated. This added emphasis to the importance to bring to an end to these types of actions mostly in those places, but more so all over the country.

5. I think that I truly would have been moved by King’s speech. If I were to put myself into that era and truly analyze all the sorts of injustices and inhumanities that the Negros were experiencing, I would not be able to ignore these issues and pretend as if it were not affecting me. His speech was very moving and brought chills all over my body, mind you not this was just from watching the video. Had I been one of the audiences, I probably would have wept at the words that he was expressing through his speech. The reason why King’s speech was so moving to me, was because of the fact that he was very passionate and intense in his message. He added power to his words with his voice and made sure the world was listening to him. You could see that he truly felt his words as he was reciting them to the people. His message expressed hope of one day there being freedom and justice to all. To me, hearing King’s speech and knowing that he died for his cause, only adds more to the emotions that I would have towards his message. It is very moving and motivating to continue the fight for the ongoing battle for the full equality of all people and the end to discrimination, not only in the United States, but all over the world.

IV. Relating to the Dream

1. My definition of racism is:
· The belief of a person’s superiority over another due to race. (hate)
· The injustices towards that race in their belief of their right to rule over others.

2 · I think that the extreme right-wing organizations such as the Klan chose violence as a means to fight against the civil rights movement because it was their way of intimidating and discouraging the Negros from continuing their fight for Civil Rights. Even though this brought much sympathy for the cause of the Southern blacks and it enraged the rest of the country, the Klan like always just thought of it as another way to keep the African American people oppressed and in a way, threatened.
· I think that the black community withstood such violent attacks without responding with their own violent retaliations because they probably knew that this would only add to the negative image that the country already had towards them and their cause. It would pull away supporters by making the Negros look like radicals or extremists, something that the black community could not bear or take.

3. I do believe skinheads are dangerous but to a certain extent. I feel that one day they will bring masses of people into their cause and try and take matters into their own hands. Their radical right-wing philosophies and views can be nothing more but destructing and dangerous to non-whites living in this country. They would do anything in their power to reach their means of righteousness in their own ways. How can people with such ill-minded thoughts not be considered dangerous? If Hitler was able to create such atrocities, what in the world assures us that this cannot occur once more and have history repeat itself?

4. I think that this country is only getting closer to making King’s dream a reality to this nation. We have already accomplished the citizenship to the African American, along his right to vote. Segregation institutions which were considered as “separate but equal” were once declared to be constitutional, but are no longer true. African Americans now take on white collar jobs and enroll on many of the top universities and colleges of the country. Just today, our black President Barack Hussein Obama was sworn in, when just about 50 years ago blacks were not even allowed the right to vote. The part of the dream that yet remains to be accomplished is the complete filtering of this country from the evils of discrimination. We have progressed throughout time by overcoming much of this great evil, but there is still much left to clear out.

Langston Hughes "Salvation"

Langston Hughes
“Salvation”

Meaning

1. The main point of Hughes’s narrative is to describe how his experience of being “saved” only caused him to be disappointed in himself. This also results in his lying to the church and his feeling of guilt for doing so. The “saving” of Hughes eventually leads to his loss of faith in Jesus Christ. This just shows the reader how the pressure that an adult can have on a child causes so much damage to the infant who is not aware of what exactly is going on.

2. Hughes finally decides to get up after he grows impatient for waiting on Jesus to come to him and save him. He felt that since he was the last one on the mourner’s bench, the whole church was just waiting on him to be saved. Hughes’s didn’t want to hold everything up so long and he began to feel ashamed of himself for doing so. He also believed that if God had not punished Westley for lying to the church then he should lie too. This has a great affect on him afterward when he realizes what he had done. Hughes’s was feeling guilty at the fact that he had lied to everybody at the congregation, making them believe that he had in fact seen Jesus. This really brings him down and causes him to cry. This all results in his belief that Jesus in fact does not exist because he did not help him.

3. The title basically lays out the topic of the narrative to the reader. The first two sentences allow the reader to see that the narrative is something that is going to be contradicting of itself. Later as the story follows, one is able to see why Hughes’s would lay out such opposing ideas: the fact that Hughes was meant to be saved, but in his heart and mind, he never was, even though everybody else believed so. Hughes is saying that salvation was not what he was expecting it to be. In the end it all is up to the person and how they interpret this notion of salvation.

Purpose and Audience

1. Hughes’s probably wrote “Salvation” as part of his autobiography more than two decades after the experience because perhaps at an adult age he was able to fully understand what it was that happened in that event of his life. His purpose was simply to express his feelings by this significant even in his life. He was not at all trying to criticize his aunt and the other adults in the congregation. He was simply explaining the distance of the generations and how they differed in their way of thinking of certain concepts and things. This is shown when Hughes’s and his aunt have a difference in thought about what is expected from a “salvation.” “And I kept waiting serenely for Jesus, waiting, waiting-but he didn’t come.” Hughes’s (the younger generation) literally wanted to see Jesus and was expecting him to come to him. On the other hand his aunt (the older generation) thought that Hughes’s was crying “because the Holy Ghost had come into my life, and because I had seen Jesus.”

2. Hughes’s assumes that his readers are familiar with a charismatic church. Where there is “much preaching, singing, praying, and shouting,” “rhythmical sermon, all moans and shouts and lonely cries and dire pictures of hell,” “sea of shouting,” “women leaped in the air,” and “few ecstatic ‘Amens.’”

3. The dialogue and the details of the sounds recreate the story of the event in the readers mind. This way the reader is able to put himself in Hughes’s shoes and get to feel the pressure that was being put into the situation. With the dialogue the reader literally connects with the story having this sense of understanding as to what the author was going through, almost feeling as if the dialogue is meant for the reader himself. The recreation of the sounds help to put the reader in the setting that the author was put in, envisioning the reader and surrounding him with the environment that Hughes’s was in at that time. All of this contributes to the strong feeling of attachment between the reader and the author. The things that add to the pressure is the repetition of the question “Why don’t you come? Why don’t you come to Jesus?” This adds to the frustration that Hughes’s experiences when he can no longer wait for Jesus, since he feels that he is “holding everything up so long.” Also the pressure intensifies when he becomes the last one on the mourner’s bench, the last to be “saved.”

Method and Structure

1. I think Hughes’s chose narration because it was his way of really putting down his feelings and emotions just as they were the way that he had experienced them. This would add to the credibility of the story and the effect that it would have on the reader based on criticism, due to the fact that this dealt with a argumentative topic: religion. The title could have been “Interpretations,” because it all had to do on how Hughes’s interpreted “salvation” and how other people of the church interpreted it as well.

2. Hughes mostly summarizes events after Westley is saved and the events that happened right after the service was over. He doesn’t go into much detail about the emotions of the people and their reactions when Westley claimed to be “saved.” After Hughes’s was saved, he ends that event with “…all the new young lambs were blessed in the name of God. Then joyous singing filled the room.” Right after this he goes right into, “That night…” This idea of summarizing takes away from the importance of the events to the story. Clearly one can see that the description of such events weren’t critical to the point of the narrative.

3. Hughes uses signal transitions: “Going on thirteen,” “for weeks,” “then just before,” “for days ahead,” “then,” “still,” “finally,” “now,” “suddenly,” “when things quieted down,” and “that night.” These signal transitions are used throughout the essay, mainly at the time of the “salvation.”

4. The process analysis of the understanding of how a revival meeting works is critical to the essay. Without this piece of information a reader who is not known with such things would not be able to connect with Hughes’s due to the lack of knowledge of such an event. The reader has to be acquainted with the material that he is reading to even gain a sort of relationship with the author. The fact that Hughes did lay out the process set a ground for the reader to connect to the story.

Language

1. Hughes’s language reveals that he was writing this story as if he were still a child, holding on to the feelings and thoughts of that time. During the time of the event, Hughes’s felt more confused and frustrated because Jesus would not come to him. He was beginning to feel afraid that Jesus would not come. “I wanted something to happen to me, but nothing happened.” Towards the end of the story this all changes to feelings of guilt, disillusionment, and sadness. “That night…I cried.” “I couldn’t bear to tell her that I had lied…and that now I didn’t believe there was a Jesus anymore, since he didn’t come to help me.”

2. The effect of the short sentences and the beginnings of the sentences with the word And, emphasize the idea of this being a child. This allows the reader to truly feel as if a child were telling the story, which would take the reader back to that time that event took place. Overall, this adds to the credibility that the story is in fact that of a confused and vulnerable child.

3. Hughes thought that when his aunt explained to him that he would “see” Jesus, he expected to literally “see” Jesus in flesh and blood like any other human being. His aunt and the other members of the church viewed the “seeing” of Jesus as something more spiritual and mental, feeling a close connection with God through their body and soul. The significance of this in Hughes’s story is the difference of perception between the two generations. Children take things literal, while adults take things more into consideration dealing with emotions, feelings, and thoughts.

Letter to the Later Generation

Letter to the Later Generation

This letter is intended for all of you children who are now being rocked to sleep. For those of you who will soon fall into a world where bombs, screams, and the sound of war are nowhere to be heard. The ticks of my clock have been replaced with the explosive ticks of guns. But here I am, hopeless and distressed. Closed shut into the bleakness of reality, longing for the return of the love of my life. The time that passes only makes me loose more faith. To come to think that the blood I smell came from him shouldn’t even cross my mind. But how can I just rest here, lying to myself, as if to think that he will one day come? In this world that we live in, we are filled with nothing more than the hate for the race of mankind. To those in the seat of absolute power, they seem to not care for the loss of so many innocent souls. I cry in despair that maybe this war can someday come to end. The sunrise and sunset are no longer visible through these clouds of black smoke that infest this city. The beautiful buildings that once adorned this capital are nothing more than crumbles and pieces of worthless cement. Something that meant so much before has no importance now. The only thing that one is concerned about is for the safety of one’s own life. To think about what will be tomorrow’s meal that is if there even is one. Supplies are so short that at times I wonder if I will one day die of hunger. Will I survive this disastrous war? Will I be able to live without the love of my life? Will I live to have children? It’s tragic to see things this way, but it’s even more devastating to realize that this is my reality. Being a woman of course, I have no opinion or say as to what I believe to be just and right. I am a twenty one year old woman living in Paris trying to figure out what will be of my life, and nothing more. To this male dominant society it is the “obligation” of the female nature to be a part of this war by working and staying home to care for the families. How dare a woman step into the shoes of a soldier, a warrior, being so fragile and vulnerable that is? The men shrivel at the thought that a woman step into fields of war. Yet, are not the nurses in the fields facing the same dangers as them? Why then can women not enlist? This notion of female inferiority has yet to sink into my brain. I don’t know if it is my stubbornness that does not allow it so, or perhaps, my better understanding of things. Now that the men are off to war, the women are given better job opportunities by replacing the men. That’s one positive outcome of this war. Maybe this will give the female race an opportunity to show the dominant male society that we are not as weak as they may regard us to be. It will show this culture that is engulfed with ignorance that the female and male races are of equivalence both in bronze and brains; that we can both accomplish and perform the same tasks that we involve ourselves in. Of course this is nothing more than another radical thought of my female brain. It is obvious that women are only needed for the time being. Once the males return, we go back to the way it used to be. For now, we have no choice but to listen to the sounds of war, the cries of misery and despair, the continuous gunshots in the battlefields, and the crumbling of precious buildings. The colors of the world have been washed away by the only two remaining colors that I now see: the grayness of the sky and the redness of the soldiers’ blood. Hopefully the later generations won’t go through as many hardships as us. There will be one day when the problems of nations could be solved with agreements and not with the unnecessary superfluous amount of human souls. These vast sites of destruction and catastrophe will eventually see the light of day. When all the smoke is gone and the land is clear of rotting blood, the children of the later generation shall prevail.