Blog Party

Sorry for the delay but here you go hopefully its what is needed!!


It would be safe to assume that most people would take into effect their personal experiences while reading literature no matter what kind it might be. Whether Belief, history, culture, or even personal experience I think it’s safe to say that these change the way we read and interpret the things we read or perhaps even the things we watch. Much like Larsen and Laszlo write: when literary stories are concerned, personal experiences may play a particularly important role in the process of appreciation. One of the most conspicuous aspects of reading literature is that a reader may feel a literary work to be deeply relevant and meaningful to him or her (Larsen and Laszlo 427). This is one factor I find to be very true under most every circumstance.
My inquiry question: Do people’s personal experiences affect the way they read into stories? Does this make the interpretation of the reading right, wrong, or perhaps neither?
I’m going to start off by answering my own question. I believe this all has a substantial effect on the way we connect to what we read or watch, assuming that we are talking about a broad selection of literature. No matter what I read or what I watch a will always have an opinion much like most everyone will. Was it good was it bad or even was it realistic. There would be no way to connect to a piece of literature unless I placed my own imagination of experience with it. For example, this can tie into the cultural part of things as well. Say that I was to read a book about a man that was able to run with no legs. Now I know that personally I have never experienced that in my life but I have read and seen people that continue to do sports with prosthetic legs. So with the experience of know that this is very possible I am fully aware of its potential. My culture and personal encounter have prepared me to except and understand this. Now for someone from a different culture that has no acknowledgment of what this even is may interoperate this story as make believe. And have a different emotional connection with it therefore using their own personal experience to make the story into whatever they feel like.
What causes these emotional attachments?
I think for personal experience to change the way we look at a piece of literature the emotional aspect needs to be considered. I conducted an interview from someone how has had a lot of reading experience in her day, my mother. I asked her if what she had gone through in life has helped her interpret any piece of literature she might come across. Her word of wisdom as follows:
“I believe that it has had a tremendous effect on how I look into what I’m reading. I’ve never had that great shot of love and that’s why I live vicariously through each and every love story that comes my way.” (Debbie Cloud)
Now to clarify my mom is divorced and is loved by a lot of people. I just didn’t want anybody to feel sorry for her. And I’m pretty sure that quote was a little sarcastic. : ) But you can see the connection that comes along with this and why we use these things to help us understand what we are reading.
One point which was discussed quite a bit over the term was the Poem called: “My Papa’s Waltz” By: Theodore Roethke. I wanted to use this quote because it is one that is very helpful in determining how we read things. The poem goes like this:
The whiskey on your breathCould make a small boy dizzy;But I hung on like death:Such waltzing was not easy.
We romped until the pansSlid from the kitchen shelf;My mother's countenanceCould not unfrown itself.
The hand that held my wristWas battered on one knuckle;At every step you missedMy right ear scraped a buckle.
You beat time on my headWith a palm caked hard by dirt,Then waltzed me off to bedStill clinging to your shirt.
I chose this because it seems that there are two interpretations of it. Why does this have an effect on our interpretation of literature? The reason being is because for those who used to play with their father and rough house around. This would not seem to be abnormal to them. What one chooses to take from this is exactly what they have been through or no someone that has been through to make this good or bad. For me I really never had my dad around to play with but I know what drinking can do to people so I take this with more than just a grain of salt. Perhaps someone that used to do this with their father in a playful way can make this poem a personal favorite. Whatever way this poem is looked at, I think it’s safe to say that personal experience will make this poem, good or bad!!
There was a lot of interesting information found in Larsen and Laszlo survey. One other topic that was very worthy to be considered was the fallowing: “Because of the generality of schematic knowledge, however, it seems insufficient to account for the fact that different readers, even with similar cultural background and present circumstances, may react very differently to a given work- and the same persona may react differently at different times”. (Larsen and Laszlo 427) Although this may not be true in every circumstance it provides a view for most to consider.
To answer the question whether it’s right or wrong to interpret with personal experiences and connections with literature, I believe there could never be a truly or entirely wrong answer. There would be no way of telling whether one person’s personal experience and depiction of what they read is wrong form someone else. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and should find where their comfort in reading is whether its personal experience or just imagination!!
Work Cited
Cloud, Debbie. Personal Interview. (November 20, 2009)
Kennedy, X. J. and Dana Gioia. Literature. Compact Ed. Longman, 2006. 978-0321475770
Larsen, S, & Laszlo, J. (2004). Cultural-historical knowledge and personal experience in appreciation of literature.. Academic Search Premier, Vol. 20 (Issue 5), Retrieved from http://0-search.ebscohost.com.eos.eou.edu:80/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=12155766&site=ehost-live

Freestyle

I am choosing to do my freestyle on a reading i did over the weekend.

While i didn't have that much time to really do anything i read something this weekend that really caught my attention. It was on the Health Care Reform. I had no Idea how much of an effect this was going to have on me on a personal level. It makes me feel like i have no clue as to whats going on around me or that I'm not that well read for future events. This is something i would encourage everyone to read up on and gain as much information as possible. It is going to require the attention of everyone to know exactly what is going to happen!!! Study up people times are changing

"Othello" and "O"

Both Othello and O have the same motive behind them regardless of the characters race.
The youtub clips we were provided were interesting and insightful.
there were many defences between the clips and many similarities. one of the bigger issues that seemed to be of topic was issue of race in caricature roles. in both the 1995 version and the movie "O" the character played by Othello was black. Now I'm not sure if this had a great impact on the outcome of either but i did give the character a distinct nature. I personally think that if race was a consideration it wouldn't have made a bit of difference. All versions seem to hold very try to the meaning of the original regardless of the race of Othello!!!

"Othello" Act III

Throughout Othello we see the building of jealousy of a man who was highly regarded and thought of take him to the Merrie image of someone who is the lowest possible rank in society.

In this scene there is conversing between both Iago and Othello which is the turn in the story in which jealousy takes its place.

Iago " I dare be sworn i think that he is honest"

Othello " I think so too"

Iago " Men should be what they seem, or those that be not, would they might seem none!

Othello "Certain, men should be what they seem.

Iago " why, then, I think Cassio's an honest man.

Othello " nay, yet there's more in this.

This is very interesting because it seems that Othello is trying to stir something up. we see the turn of jealousy taking place and giving itself some sort of motive for action.

Freestyle

I wanted to touch on this topic because it’s something that has been stuck with me since the beginning of the term.
I guess its kind of an evaluation of what I’m doing with my time, or what not to do in this case!!I noticed that Nancy posted that she would never try to teach 5 classes in one term again on the blackboard postings. I'm kind of in the same boat as her. I have been trying to keep up with 20 credits, work, and sports. This is particularly the reason I am getting my posts in so late. I would recommend to anyone who wants to try this to not consider it. Your life will be much easier without the stress. As if we don’t already have enough right. Anyway that’s my two sense, sorry if it’s not helpful.

Quote Response "Othello" Act I

There seems to be a lot of dramatic irony in the start of Othello. I particularly like these couple of lines being spoke between both Roderigo and Iago,

RODERIGO "By heaven, I rather would have been his hangman."

IAGO "Why, there's no remedy; 'tis the curse of service, Preferment goes by letter and affection, and not by old gradation, where each second stood heir to the first. Now, sir, be judge yourself, whether I in any just term am affined to love the Moor. "

RODERIGO "I would not follow him then." (Shakespeare, 940)

we can see the drama unfolding and starting to gain some kind of buildup between mans feelings and his actions. I'm not sure if this is 100 percent right because it is hard for me to understand a lot of what they are saying but that is what i interpret this to be.

Quote Response "Trifles"

Trifles was a very interesting play. The mystery was funny and intense at the same time. There wasn't really one quote that I think I could chose to post because throughout the whole play it is basically one big quote.
The interesting part about this is the mystery in the fact that not only was there real detectives but others in the play chose to take matters into their own hands. I think that the title of the play possesses a good point towards why it is called "trifles", which was also seen in the underlying theme of this play as well.
The men within this play betray a sense of self-importance. They present themselves as tough, serious-minded detectives, when in truth they are not nearly as observant as the female characters. Their pompous attitude causes the women to feel defensive and form ranks. Not only do Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters bond, but they choose to hide evidence as an act of compassion for Mrs. Wright. Stealing the box with the dead bird is an act of loyalty to their gender and an act of defiance against a callous patriarchal society.