Stereotypes?

Still I Rise by: Maya Angelou  This is a youtube link to Maya reading her poem. I think her reading it is far more compelling the you reading it from print yourself. Maya has several poems on youtube for you to experience, I highly recommend you spend time listening to her. I listened to many of them and I feel certain I will be back to listen to them again. She is a very talented speaker, with some very powerful, thought provoking, not so politically correct, and creative things to share. She has and will continue to be a great source of inspiration to many people, both young and old. Her ideas while rooted in her culture, calling for social change can be applied to many different kinds of injustices. They seem to have a purpose driving the meaning in one direction, but have a certain timeless meaning that can relate to many other issues. I am reminded of an earlier poem we read in class in which the speaker said that all poems were to be about birds and flowers, beautiful things, and then took you in an airport toilet, no beauty in that, and yet by the end of the poem you could see the many beautiful things in meanings and ideas. Maya is a master craftsman the way she not only puts the words sequentially on the page but how she animates them in her voice, and in our minds. The art of being a poet, great story teller, is the ability to translate words into emotion and stirring thoughts. Sometimes these thoughts are sadness, joy, hope, fear, freedom, shame, anger, happiness, or quickly recalling experiences of the past that relate directly to the passage. Maya wants us to revel in her rising, "I Rise." To experience her pride, "I Rise." To understand despite all that was, she made it to the goal, carrying the hopes of all that strive to or dare to dream about that same goal, "I Rise." It serves to teach us about the enduring human spirit, "We Rise." The parts about this poem that I like the best were lines 9-11, these lines speak to things that are as sure as day and night. They are about forces that no human can control. Just like the spirit inside each of us that no one else can control. Maya points this out in lines 33-34 where she references the tides again, "welling and swelling." Just like the tides and just like the human spirit, she says, "I Rise." This is a powerful statement that speaks volumes about the tenacity of a determined spirit, "I Rise." Chase your dreams to the end and never give up, it will be worth it. When the day breaks, " I Rise."

What is an Elephant Man?

The Elephant Man by Bernard Pomerance This a link to where you may purchase the play and read reviews by others, this is not an endorsement by me of this website. I like to include a way for you to read the subject of each post if you have not done so, but alas this play is not available except by purchase or library. I highly recommend this read, and as you read, think about the world in which you are living, the world you grew up in, and the world the way you hope it might be tomorrow.
          This play set in London and Western Europe in the 19th century, a time when the second industrial revolution was changing the world faster than people could keep up. A time when advancements in medicine and mechanical technology were exploding. Inventors were inventing and the wealthy were gaining more wealth, while the poor and uneducated were falling even further behind. The culture of living in a self sustained life in a semi rural setting was over and areas were becoming more urbanized. The one truth that follows big cities everywhere in the world is poverty, "ghettos." They don't start out like that but when job markets change and the workers have no other job skills or places to work what do they do? and what does this have to do with the Elephant Man?
           This play opens with a young Doctor fresh out of medical school ready to save the world from all its' horrible diseases. Then cuts right away to a crier shouting to the crowd to come into his tent and witness one of the most horrific freaks of nature known to man. The young doctor curious, first because he thinks he has seen everything in medical school, second because he hasn't seen everything. He pondered what if this is really true, I might be able to cure this beast (freak) and I'll be the hero. He bargains with the crier and goes in, it is real! He wants a real examination in the hospital where the good doctor has access to his tools. He also takes the opportunity to display the man to his colleagues.
           Back to my questions, this all started in the beginning of Joseph "John" Merrick's life. He lived in a "work farm" orphanage (factory house?). There is very little mentioned about his mother and no mention of his father. His mother did not have the means to care for him and they were no doubt in one of these ghettos. A character by the name of Ross sees John and knows he could charge people to see this freak, because people love to see freaks. People seem to take the opportunity to look, pay to look, at something or someone that is abnormal as a way to see themselves as normal. a great example is when you see a woman that is over 6 feet tall most everyone says WOW!! She is Tall! Meaning that in some way this is not normal or the same way if someone is really short, fat, or skinny. Acceptance is a powerful inate motivator, and we all want to be accepted. Even the nonconformist wants to find others like them to bond with, which is conformimg (irony). I think this story would have been a completely different story if Merrick had been born into a wealthy or more affluent family. If the family would have had the resources to get him medical care, limited as it may have been in those days, it would have been an attempt to make things better for him. Despite his condition Merrick would have been educated and socialized. Maybe not full on socialization but he would have had a sense of family and friends. I say all of this to point out that in the story as Merrick, bathes everyday, reads, and socializes he is seen more as a normal person, as if he were not before he moved into the hospital and started doing the things normal people do. His disorder was not lessened in fact was always getting worse, but because he was treated more like a normal person he was seen more like a normal person. Pomerance tells the true story about Merrick's life, tragedy and triumph. I feel that Pomerance looked for a story in which he didn't have to grossly disfigure the main character in such a way that the reader might question whether someone could really have a disease like that, in order to present to the reader the true goal of this story. I feel he wanted the reader to realize that we all have feelings, dreams, desires, and the need to be loved. That no matter what we look like on the outside we are still a person. Merrick was a real person, that really lived with a terrible disorder, that gives more credibility to this underlying theme. We may think differently, look differently, talk differently, and even eat different things, but at our core, we may also share the dreams about our lives. This is also a story about circumstance, do not wallow in yours; rise up out of it, others may have it worse than you. Dare to live and dream inspite of your physical limitations, everyday is a gift, that is why it is called the present.
            

Trifles a Small Account

Trifles by Susan Gladspell This is the link to the play. This play is set in rural farmland that could be almost any where in the US. Since Gladspell herself was from Iowa it might be easy to assume that the play could be set in the farmland surrounding Davenport, Iowa. It is true that many writers draw upon the experiences of their childhood and life as they create stories and the characters in the stories. This seems to be the case in this drama; a drama of a murder, sexism, crimes of passion or compassion. I have to say, the main characters of the play, Mr and Mrs White, husband and wife, are never seen nor do they offer any narrative about themselves or the events, all we know about them is third person information. The opening scene [exposition] is in the kitchen of the White's home, and the stage directions are as important to read as the narrative itself in order to completely follow the plot. The "men," a sheriff, Lewis Hale, and the county prosecutor enter the room followed by the "women" Mrs. Peters (the sheriff's wife) and Mrs. Hale. One might infer that Lewis Hale and Mrs. Hale are husband and wife although there is no reference to this, however Mrs. Peters is referenced as the sheriff's wife (pg. 922). I think this is a topic that should be explored more, simply because of the actions and comments the ladies make as the play develops, and the fact that Lewis Hale is the one that discovered the crime (pg. 913). Both women lament to some degree about not visiting Mrs. White  as much as they should have and both seem to regret this action (pg.921). Both of these women seem to have the same value system or moral / ethical code (not commenting on good or bad just stating it seems similar). The first example of this is how they enter the room (pg. 912) a few steps behind the men and they don't move toward the stove until asked to do so (pg. 912). This tells me they were both reared in a common cultural setting where women walk behind the men and do not encroach on the men's space or conversation until asked. That is why I feel that the relationship between Mrs. Hale and Lewis Hale needs to be determined. If Mrs. Hale is in fact Lewis Hale's wife then there is an even bigger reason why she feels guilty for not visiting; they were neighbors (pg. 915, 921). That might also explain how Mrs Hale knew intimate details about Mr. White's nature / personality (pg. 919). In this exchange of information Mrs. Hale says "yes...[pause] good; ...hard man." (pg. 919). She gave a pause which suggests to the audience that she is reluctant to agree good, qualifies  what she means or what exemplifies bad and then adds "but he WAS a hard man." (pg.919). Dead less than a day and already he [was, not is]..., she goes further with her verbal and non-verbal description of John White; she even introduces what Minnie might have wanted since she couldn't have children, a bird. This provokes the thought that if Minnie had a singing bird she might return the once happier version of herself and return to singing in the choir (pg.921), an activity that seemed to bring her and others a great deal of joy. This is why I think the women decide to cover up the evidence they find and somehow jump to the conclusion that if John Wright had indeed twisted the neck of a helpless little song bird to death, then he too deserved the same treatment. Make no mistake the women knew she was guilty of this crime and if the men found out they would punish her for it not be sympathetic or understanding. I understand the sense of compassion the women had and the need to expose their own desires for equality, but good reason or not does anyone really deserve to die? Is the quest for equality and recognition of intellectual prowess a good reason to commit a crime of omission? What are your thoughts? There is so much more to be said about this play; I may do another post from a different POV (point of view).

Monkey, Crosses the River

To Help the Monkey Cross the  River; by Thomas Lux This is a link to the poem so you can read this irony filled humorous poem if you have not. We are reading animal poems this week as a theme and this poem along with one about a fish I really like. We are also looking into the different types of irony, dramatic, situational, and verbal. Some irony is very overt and easy to identify and other times it is embedded deep within the poem or story itself. Some people will even identify irony that is specific to their own experiences or cultural norms, these will not be identifiable by you the reader, but if explained and supported by others are just as valid. The Irony starts right away with "I sit with my rifle on a platform," (4) this stirs the idea that the speaker is hunting or going to shoot the monkey. The speaker is not hunting the monkey but ironically helping the monkey by shooting at him (verbal irony here puts the emphasis on the word "at"). The speaker checks the river "looking up river first..."(8-11) for crocs and snakes, these are the true predators of the monkeys. They know the monkeys will be crossing the river "for fruit and nuts," (2). The river is wide and the young monkeys are not good strong swimmers yet, this makes it easy for the crocs and snakes to eat the young; the speaker makes this point "the monkey has hands like a child's," (25). Even though the speaker seems to be a champion for the monkeys, his acknowledging the prowess and hunting skills of the crocs and snakes doesn't go unmentioned. The speaker seems to admire how the crocs and snakes position themselves in the river, because they have learned when and where it is the most opportune time to catch a monkey by precise calculations (13-14). This animals doing math reference is a good example of dramatic irony, in that it uses a human learning concept and applies it to the instinctual hunting behavior of two predators hunting the same prey.  The speaker watches carefully to see if he needs to intervene, with the hope the monkey will make it on his own. If the monkey finds himself about to be eaten the speaker fires multiple shots just behind the monkey (19-21) to hurry him up little. I find that shooting these shots are two fold; first they serve to scare the monkey for he might feel as if the gunshots splashing in water are that of the snapping jaws of a croc; second they serve an even greater warning or scare tactic to the snakes and crocs which are or could be in very close proximity to the actual bullets hitting the water. Contrary to what most people think a bullet penetrates the water very little and is deflected sharply downward upon impact. The water absorbs almost all of the bullet's energy within the first foot of penetration. The crocodile has very thick skin and would require a well-placed shot to humanly kill it or stop it in its pursuit of a prey, monkey in the water. The snake, even a big snake is still a small target. The last bit of irony in this poem I want to talk about is the last line, "the smart ones, in a cage, can be taught to smile." (26) This is ironic because the caged monkeys seemly safe from snakes and crocs are not safe from predators, humans. The speaker spends a great deal of his time watching and helping the monkey survive and live the way they were intended to live, wild and free. This seems to be totally lost on the humans that argue "they are the ones truly keeping the monkeys safe by capturing them," and as an added bonus teaching them how to smile, not live wild and free.