Elegy #6

In the poem "You Were You Are Elegy," Mary Jo Bang Reveals that her son had a drug problem and that may have been the cause of his death.  She never directly confesses to how he died but we are able to make assumptions through her writings.  In the poem she writes, "How drugs when drugs were/ Undid the good almost entirely/ But not entirely"(11-13).  She writes how drugs had ruined her sons life.  She also writes however, that they did not ruin him completely.  She is a mother and she will love her child no matter what.  She will never stop loving him and never stop seeing the good in him.  She continues to write, "Everything Was My Fault/ Has been the theme of the song/ I've been singing"(34-36).  She believes that it was her fault her son had become addicted and possibly that it is her fault he is dead.  She blames herself because she is the mother and children have to be raised properly by their parents.  Mary Jo Bang reveals her sons addiction and choices in life through her poem.

In the poem "One Thing,' Mary Jo Bang writes how she saw her son to be.  She loved her son deeply and couldn't let go of him.  She writes, "The one thing he was/ Not was an object. The other thing/ He was not dead"(1-3).  She says that she never took her son for granted or forgot about him or mistreated him.  She also will never forget him and remember him as if his spirit were still alive.  She continues to write, "Disquiet acutely attended./ Not dead. Not over"(6-7).  She continues to claim that his spirit will live on and that she will never forget about her son.  She also adds that he was never neglected and never mistreated.  Mary Jo Bang had a close, loving relationship with her son that she will never forget, not even for a day.

Elegy # 5

In the poem "Warped and Twisted," the author describes how although they seem pleasant on the outside, on the inside they're pessimistic and disturbed.  They have a very bleak and negative outlook on life and other people.  He talks about how he sees others when he writes, "Nobody's special, nobody's gifted,/ I'm just me, warped and twisted"(9-10).  He hates everyone else and feels that no one is blessed or unique.  There is no individualism and he is not preoccupied with anybody's life but his own.  His own life, in fact, is very depressing and disturbed.  He continues to rant about the terribleness of his life.  He writes, "Burnt out, wasted, empty, and hollow,/ Today is just yesterday's tomorrow./ The sun dried out, the ashes sifted,/ I'm still here, warped and twisted"(18-22).  He describes how life is meaningless and routine.  Nothing is left, everything has been used up, like happiness excitement, etc.  Then after everything has died out, he'd remain his same old self.  He is unchangeable.   This is one of my favorite poems because it is sincerely dark and uses end rhymes that fit flawlessly.  It's a one-of-a-kind poem and it's perfect.

In the poem "March Elegy," the author writes about her fulfillment in life and how there is nothing left to live for.  She laments her empty life because she should be satisfied but she is not.  She writes, "I have enough treasures from the past/ to last me longer than I need, or want"(1-2). Her opening explains the poem's contents.  She has many things, memories, keepsakes, but she doesn't really want them or need them. However, she cannot get rid of them.  She continues her feelings with, "a tiny rowboat that comes drifting out/ of somebody's dreams, slowly foundering"(11-12).  She insinuates the the rowboat is everyone's hopes and dreams, but that they struggle to come true.  Sometimes they never do.  She believes that no one can ever be truly happy and says so by saying that all dreams drown in sadness.  It's a bleak outlook on life and an interesting metaphor for ambitions. 

Elegy # 4

In the poem "There Is Only This," Mary Jo Bang recalls her memory of the death of her son.  She tells the story of how she witnessed his death in the hospital.  She remembers the exact time of death as well as his exit.  She writes, " Now, 12:31 turning over in its bed,/ Its head to the feet of another, shrouded/ In a body bag"(1-3).  The time was 12:31 when he had died and she watched the hospital workers take him away in a body bag.  He was shrouded, as if he were erased from the world and never to be seen again, maybe even forgotten.  After his removal, she sees herself in the third person.  She describes, "A woman dead centered/ Is saying something/ It takes great patience to hear"(8-10).  She describes how she must've looked and sounded.  She stands motionless in the center of the room.  She also must be at a loss for words, or else speaking incoherently or incessantly.  Mary shows death to be a shaking event.

In the poem, "The Essence," Mary Jo Bang describes the world as something hidden to the senses.  She depicts the world as something outside of our grasp.  She writes, "The world behind the mirror/ Was heartrendingly beautiful/ And convulsively sad"(1-3).  The mirror suggests that she believes most people are self-centered and preoccupied with their own lives.  So behind the mirror, or selfishness, is beauty and heartbreak.  She must have spent a lot of time in the mirror before realizing the problems and needs of others.  She continues to write, "In it, the almost-gone beloved was always turning/ A corner. His back in an overcoat"(4-5).  She writes how her relationships and aspirations were always too far out of her reach.  They were hard to distinguish before they disappeared.  Mary Jo Bang's take on life is hauntingly bleak.  She sees beauty in it, yet she does not enjoy it.   

Elegy # 3

In the poem "Let's Go Back," Mary Jo Bang uses imagery to demonstrate her pain over the loss of her son.  She asks to go back in time to when her son was first born.  She remembers his birthday and how happy of an occasion it was.  She writes, "And now July, that ladder half-/ Birthday that marks nothing but a rake/ that pushes back the pack of wild dogs into a cage"(5-7).  The image of wild dogs being put away suggests that his birthday was one of the only times that her troubles in life were pushed away.  She valued his birthday as a pleasant break from life, but that was while he was alive.  She then changes to a scene where he dies.  She writes, "There is no worse/ Than this last act where you disappear/ Behind the curtain of addiction and catastrophe"(9-11).  She relates his death to the final act of a play where he is hidden behind a curtain; stricken from the play entirely.  The curtain of addiction and catastrophe suggests that his death was drug related.  Mary Jo Bang's use of imagery suggests the idea that life is only pleasant when you are young and innocent.

In the poem "Guilt," Mary Jo Bang uses tone to express the idea that death is an inevitable tragedy.  She tells how her sons death weighs on her mind, even though there was nothing she could do to help him.  Sh writes, "And him, perched in her mind,/ Never to be unbalanced again"(11-12).  She cannot stop thinking about her son.  He will be stuck in her mind and nothing will ever be able to take him out.  She continues to write about his death in the hospital.  She writes,"Never to be hospital bedded, mother loved./ Oh, he's peaceful now, they told her"(13-14).  She continues the dark tone by using the cliche of people being at peace.  She establishes a sad, hopeless tone by saying he will never be mother loved.  She's lost her son and is lamenting him.  Mary Jo Bang uses tone to establish the theme that death is an inevitable tragedy.

Elegy # 2

In her poem "Ode to History," Mary Jo bang uses repetition to show how giving up your memories to feel better would take away your best memories as well.  She writes about lying in bed with her son and how close she felt to him.  The title, "Ode to History" uses the word "history" that suggests the past and thus, her poem is written about her memories.  She writes how she would love to rid herself of her painful memories, but she realizes she would lose everything she's learned.  She writes, "I would know nothing/ of mothering. I would know nothing/ of death. I would know nothing/ of love"(4-7).  She realizes that by giving up her painful memories, she would give up everything she had learned in her life.  She would lose her motherly habits, and all that she loved.  By the end of the poem, she feels like her whole life will have been darkened by his death.  

In another poem, "Hell," she writes about her sons death and insinuates his afterlife.  She writes, "A murder of craven angels appeared"(8-9).  This is the most interesting line in the poem.  A "murder" is used to describe a group of crows, which are associated with scavengers, shamelessness, and death, but it is used to describe the angels which are generally associated with light, singing, and glorious afterlives.  Mary Jo Bang expresses her contempt of any kind of death and the feeling that she didn't want her son to die, even if he went to heaven, the angels stole him away.  This poem is my favorite so far of all her poems; it gives the freshest perspective on death.  I've also noticed how almost all of her poems are memories of her child when he was young.

Outside Reading #1 Elegy

For my outside reading book, I chose Elegy; A book of poems by Mary Jo Bang.  As the title states, this collection of poems were written to lament the death of her son.  Each poem is a different description of her emotions of her loss.  I chose to read this book because i enjoyed analyzing poetry in class; before then i believed that all poetry that didn't rhyme was artsy garbage.  This will also help me in analyzing shakespeare in the future and perhaps help me to enjoy a wider range of poetry as well.  

In the poem "Once," Mary Jo Bang uses imagery to bring back an old memory of her son under miserable circumstances.  She thinks back on how her life used to be, difficult yet satisfying, and compares it to how it is now; miserable.  She looks on an urn and remembers when her son was so young he believed she saved him from monsters.  She writes, "let's go back/ To the beginning."(9-10)  She means go back to a time when they were together; in her memory of the past when he was young.  By saying "let's go back," she informs the reader that they are indeed going to read about a past memory.  She then writes the memory, "You keep reminding me/ That I said I would never leave you to the monster"(10-11).  Only children believe in monsters, so we can assume this is an early memory of her son.  She brings the image of an innocent, sweet little kid walking through the woods and completely trusting his mother to protect him from evil.  Mary Jo uses imagery to show us how innocent children are and how sweet life used to be in our childhood.

Audacity of Hope number four

Our officially new president is a strong leader with many priorities and aspirations.  He is also one of the most selfless people in terms of his way of thinking.  He is a man who's fighting for what America stands for- equality.  He writes in his auto-biography, "I am angry about policies that consistently favor the wealthy and powerful over average Americans, and insist that government has a important role in opening up opportunity to all. I believe in evolution, scientific inquiry, and global warming; I believe in free speech, whether politically correct or politically incorrect, and I am suspicious of using government to impose anybody's religious beliefs---including my own---on nonbelievers." (Page 10)  Barack considers the needs of others before himself, especially those with the most needs.  His goal is to change our society for the better; give everyone a fair chance at the American dream.  However, Obama is as realistic as he is idealistic.  He writes,"... another tradition to politics, a tradition that stretched from the days of the country's founding to the glory of the civil rights movement, a tradition based on the simple idea that we have a stake in one another, and that what binds us together is greater than what drives us apart, and that if enough people believe in the truth of that proposition and act on it, then we might not solve every problem, but we can get something meaningful done." (Page 2)  He believes that we can all help to make a difference in our country, even if it doesn't solve the entire problem it will still help to make our nation a greater place for everyone.

The entire country believes that Obama will make many amazing changes.  I know he will.  Not only does he have the support of every American, but also a great sense of determination.  He has everyone chanting "yes we can!"  It's the simplest, most optimistic motto a president has ever used and it does its job; motivates everyone to do the unthinkable.  I believe in Obama because his idealism is held in check with his awareness of reality, and that's as efficient is they get.  He's determined to change our country, and quite possibly, the world.

Audacity of Hope... 4?

As most americans know, Barack Obama is a moral, upstanding person with an unbreakable belief system.   Barack reaches out to everyone, keeping everyone's well-being in mind.  He's a man who does his best for others so they can become the best they can be.  He speaks about the economy and wealthy Americans who should consider others before themselves, "I admire many Americans of great wealth and don't begrudge their success in the least. I know that man if not most have earned it through hard work, building businesses and creating jobs and providing value to their customers."(193)  He understands that people have worked incredibly hard their whole lives to get where they are today and also that they have earned everything they have.  Barack worked hard his entire life; eventually getting him into the Illinois Senate, and later, President of the United States.   Barack, however, does feel that the wealthy citizens should give back to their community and help others in need.

After living in an impoverished neighborhood for a long period of time, Barack has a great amount of respect and care for people in poverty.  He wants the wealth to be spread around so everyone can enjoy life and success.  He wrote in his book, "I simply believe that those of us who have benefited most from this new economy can best afford to shoulder the obiligation of ensuring every American child has a chance for the same success."(194)  Obama believes that everyone deserves a chance to grow up with wealth and success.  He wants the wealthy people to give back to their country and help develop younger people with great potential.  I admire and respect Barack Obama more than any political figure I have ever learned about.  Of all of them, he is the only one with legitimate morals and motivation.

Audacity of Hope #3

In this chapter, it tells Obama's feelings on the US constitution.  Barack Obama knew the constitution well and believed there were only a few ways to interpret it.  He acquired this belief after his first couple of weeks in the Senate.  Because he was new, he was not familiar with many senators and soon became friends with the old-guard lawmakers.  After learning much from them about how the Senate worked around the Constitution, Barack came to the conclusion that, 
"What the framework of our Constitution can do is organize the way by which we argue about our future" (p 92).  Barack knew the constitution wasn't just a set of rules; it was created to be ever changing and to allow adaptation to modernization.  The old-guard were wise and had much respect for the constitution and the forefathers that created it, but the newer, inexperienced youth of the senate were quite different.

Barack was upset with the younger members of the Senate for disregarding the constitution and focusing on what they believed to be the solution to our nation's problems.  They always wanted action to be taken without thinking things through, but the experienced members knew better and shut them down.  Obama thought the Senate should fix the country's problems through healthy debate, not rash decisions.  In regards to the constitution, he believed, "The answer I settle on--which is by no means original to me--requires a shift in metaphors, one that see our democracy not as a house to be built, but as a conversation to be had" (p 92).  Barack tried all he could to learn from the older members, but he soon learned from experience.  He understood the frustration of the younger members for being restrained, but knew it was wiser to view all possible solutions.  Barack learned to be a very understanding person.

Obama's Ethics

Barack Obama is a man of great ethics.  He knows the difference between wrong and right and no matter the pressure, he always selects the good decision.  He was raised with strong, moral family values, which he applies to everyday life.  He also intends to apply them to the country as president.  If family members support each other, help each other, and are willing to do anything for one another, then his ethical beliefs are incredibly strong and good-natured.  Obama spent a long time in the rough city areas to help the impoverished, (202).  He believed that he had to help his "family" in the poor areas because, after all, they were his brothers and sisters, his sons and daughters.  Obama wouldn't do anything wrong to keep his family well though; he would do anything within reasonable measures to keep them safe and comfortable.  He is a man of strong morals.

On the Waterfront: Traitor or Crusader?

In the movie, On The Waterfront, the characters believed that by ratting out the mob on a crime they committed, you would be considered a "stool pigeon."  The mobsters believed that if you ratted them out, you were no good and they'd get rid of you.  They believed that rats had something to gain from tattling on them.  Terry believed that what he was doing was right; he knew that what the mob was doing was wrong and he wanted to stand up to them and help everyone out.  He thought he was a moral crusader, or a whistleblower, the mob thought he was a rat.

I think that if you rat someone out because you can gain something out of it for yourself, you're a tattle tale.  Selfish acts are for traitors.  If you stand up and point something out that someone's doing wrong because you know it will benefit society, then you are a moral crusader.  I think there should be more moral crusaders in the world.

All My Sons is pretty dramatic.

In the play All My Sons, Arthur Miller, the author, shows how a man places the needs of his family before those of society.  Joe Keller is the father of the Keller family, as well as the owner of a machine parts factory.  He sells broken machine parts to the military which end up taking the lives of twenty-one pilots.  After putting the blame on his partner, who goes to prison, his son finds out and he explains to him how he did what was best for his family.  Joe tells his son, "For you! The business was for you!"(70).  Joe's life's goal was to create something for his son, otherwise he felt like his life meant nothing.  He wanted to support his family and leave his son wealthy; he didn't care about leaving anything for others in society.  Joe was a family man, a man who'd do anything for his family.  So, he killed twenty-one pilots to keep his family off of the streets.

 I don't judge Joe on what he did.  I know that if I were in his shoes, I'd try to do what was best for my family too.  Except killing innocent pilots is crossing the line.  Joe should've made a better decision but given little time he did the best he could.  Anyone would put their family first.  Some would call that selfish but deep down they wouldn't give up their children.

Barack Obama's Virtues

Barack's virtues are based off of the opposite of what he saw in corrupt politicians.  He saw how the political system made it hard for the politicians to stay true to their virtues, even Democrats. In fact, the Democrats' recent loss in power made them more likely to fall into corruption and bribery, just to maintain electability. In his book he states,"I think Democrats are wrong to run away from a debate about values, as wrong as those conservatives who see values only as a wedge to pry loose working-class voters from the Democratic base." (52)  

Barack also claims that he learned most o his values from his mother, and that he takes these values and applies them in his decision making in office.  He wrote,
"Like most of my values, I learned about empathy from my mother. She disdained any kind of cruelty or thoughtlessness or abuse of power ....Whenever she saw even a hint of such behavior in me she would look me square in the eyes and ask, "How do you think that would make you feel?" ... I find myself returning again and again to my mother's simple principle -- "How would that make you feel?" -- as a guidepost for my politics."(79)  Barack uses the morals he grew up with and learned as a child and applies them to his adult life.  This works well because I believe that children are innocent, and adults are not. So by using what he learned as a child, he can help to 'purify' our nation with the innocence of children.  Barack is very interesting when he comes to politics; not every politician would turn to his childhood for guidance.

Barack Obama's Audacity of Hope

Barack Obama has just become president, a huge, historical feat.  But before he ran for presidency, he was in the Senate.  Barack had always been a person who helped people, even before he was politically active, but the Senate was a whole new experience for him.  When he first arrived in Washington, he said, "I felt like the rookie who shows up after the game, his uniform spotless, eager to play."(19)  He wasn't experienced, but he was ready to make changes.  His 'teammates' were also very welcoming towards him; they respected him.  But since Barack was a Democrat, Republicans would not be as friendly to him.

In the first chapter, Republicans and Democrats, Barack learns that the world is divided into Republicans, people who like America the way it is, and Democrats, people who see that changes need to be made.  Barack saw how the republicans were more apt to use slander and negative ads to get their points across to America and have their way, but he also saw how some honorable republican leaders were disgusted with modern day politics. He said, "I suspect the Republican leaders weren't entirely comfortable with the direction that politics had taken."(33)  After working in the Senate, Barack developed a sense of respect for the republican party, seeing that they weren't entirely ignorant and brutish.  He knew the world was split between democrats and republicans, but he learned through the Senate that they were all civilized people that wanted what was best for America.

Monkeys With Weapons

Researchers have observed chimpanzees in the West African savannah making and using spears to hunt.  This is a major step in evolution in hunting for animals other than humans.  Although researchers have observed chimps throwing rocks, this is the first time they have seen chimpanzees actually brake branches off of trees and sharpen them into weapons.  After sharpening the sticks with their teeth, they violently stab into bush baby nests and eat the small animals they killed.  This use of wooden weapons leads scientists to believe that humans, similarly, crafted wooden weapons to hunt, instead of stone.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/22/AR2007022201007_2.html

I've heard of monkeys peeling bananas and riding bikes, but making weapons and killing things is scary.  It's interesting to think that they are evolving like us, slowly becoming more creative and innovative.   However, I'm also worried that they will start attacking humans and learn how to make better weapons.  Some kind of "Planet of the Apes" scenario where we are oppressed by chimps.  Aside from an irrational fear, this was the coolest article I've read in a long time.  Maybe ever.

View Angles for Photography

A view angle can be used to create compelling composition to a photo. By choosing unusual angle of view, one can create a composition that is something out of the ordinary.  You often see photos of famous sights that are photographed from the eye level and straight from in front of the sight. Many photos are taken from the most natural location and view angle which is of course logical. However, it means that many photos taken by different people from the same sight might look somewhat similar. That can be boring because the view in the photos is something that everybody sees while walking by the sight. The appeal of a photo can often be increased by choosing an unusual view angle instead of the natural one. A low view angle can be used to create interesting views.  

This article gives good advice on the use of camera angles.  I find it to be true that most photos are taken from eye level and I think its a little boring.  It would be a refreshing change to vary different shot angles and give a different perspective to the famous sights of the world.  I, for one, would prefer close up shots of most architecture over long-distance shots.

My Photograph

Lyin' Eyes by The Eagles

City girls just seem to find out early 
How to open doors with just a smile 
A rich old man 
And she won't have to worry 
She'll dress up all in lace and go in style 

Late at night a big old house gets lonely 
I guess ev'ry form of refuge has its price 
And it breaks her heart to think her love is 
Only given to a man with hands as cold as ice 

So she tells him she must go out for the evening 
To comfort an old friend who's feelin' down 
But he knows where she's goin' as she's leavin' 
She is headed for the cheatin' side of town 

You can't hide your lyin' eyes 
And your smile is a thin disguise 
I thought by now you'd realize 
There ain't no way to hide your lyin eyes 

On the other side of town a boy is waiting 
with fiery eyes and dreams no one could steal 
She drives on through the nice anticipating 
'Cause he makes her feel the way she used to feel 

She rushes to his arms, 
They fall together 
She whispers that it's only for awhile 
She swears that soon she'll be comin' back forever 
She pulls away and leaves him with a smile 

You can't hide your lyin' eyes 
And your smile is a thin disguise 
I thought by now you'd realize 
There ain't no way to hide you lyin' eyes 

She gets up and pours herself a strong one 
And stares out at the stars up in the sky 
Another night, it's gonna be a long one 
She draws the shade and hangs her head to cry 

She wonders how it ever got this crazy 
She thinks about a boy she knew in school 
Did she get tired or did she just get lazy? 
She's so far gone she feels just like a fool 

My, oh my, you sure know how to arrange things 
You set it up so well, so carefully 
Ain't it funny how your new life didn't change things 
You're still the same old girl you used to be 

You can't hide your lyin eyes 
And your smile is a thin disguise 
I thought by now you'd realize 
There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes 
There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes 
Honey, you can't hide your lyin' eyes

The Eagles are one of my all time favorite bands, and my favorite song is definitely Lyin' Eyes.  

It tells how a woman made a mistake in marrying for money and falls in love with another guy.

She cries over this guy because he makes her so happy, but she's also guiltily attached to her husband.

This song is narrated by a guy who obviously knew her well and could always tell she was lying through her eyes.

Question 1: Should Homer be considered an early feminist or an old-fashioned sexist?

I believe that homer should be considered an early feminist because of the way he portrays the goddesses in his writing.  Throughout history, women didn't have many rights until the 1900's, so Homers vision of the women in his writings was a revolutionary and unique way of thinking.  A good example of this is the goddess Artemis defies Hera and the gods in the Trojan War.  She keeps pushing Apollo to kill more Achaeans even though Hera forbids the Trojans winning.  Women certainly weren't as defiant in the days of ancient Greece, so it seems weird that she would be portrayed as having enough confidence to stand up for herself.  Another goddess that screams "feminist" is, of course, Athena.  She is the goddess of bravery, strength, wisdom, and combat.  In other words, the total opposite of a woman in those days.  Woman weren't always strong, wise, and violent, they cooked and cleaned all day.  This shows how Homer stands up for the power of women, and gives them a tougher, stronger look.

Women aren't usually aggressive or violent, but Homer decided that they could be as well with the goddess Hera.  Hera is a jealous, stubborn, hateful goddess, who does anything it takes to win, like taking out Artemis when she helped the Trojans.  Women were supposed to be humble housewives, not rough and tough go-getters.  Homer shows how women, too, can show their strength and fight for their beliefs by making them goddesses, people to worship and fear as powerful as kings.  By making almighty goddesses, Homer evens the playing field for the ladies and maybe takes men down a peg. But it's not just goddesses Homer wrote about, he created a nymph named Calypso as well.  She holds Odysseus as a love hostage on her island and refuses to give him up to the gods.  Once again, it was surprising for a woman to deny a man in ancient times, but it was a trait that Homer gave her.  This hints at Homer's idea that women are equal to men and shared the same rights to opinions.  By making women into idols of worship and even fearing them, he shows his beliefs that women have equal power and rights as men, which thus clarifies his position as an early feminist.

Book 1 Analysis

This book was pretty suspenseful and surprising.  I liked the ending, how the hunter became the hunted, or just got killed.  Not only did it have a good story line, but it was also well written. I recommend this book to everyone because it is definitely worth reading.