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.

Scene Respons "O" Othello

Although this is a new twist on Othello it seems to hold true to the story line for the most part. I did enjoy the movie probably because I could understand it or i guess relate to it more because of the style of language.
The scene that interest me in this movie is kind of the turning point, at least that all the people get to see, where O is in a dunk contest and he shatters the backboard. You really see his anger through the jealousy that ultimately put him over the top. It really puts it into perspective and makes you see the evilness behind the others actions. In a way its kind of two different types of jalousies. You have the son of the coach (josh Hartnett) jealousy because his dad is showing a lot of gratitude towards O. then he uses his jealousy to make O jalousie because of love. It’s crazy to think about.

Sorry if that didn't sound right, it sounded good in my head.

Quote response Persepolis

I found this reading to be very interesting. It’s funny to find when you don’t think you will enjoy reading something because it’s not on a topic that you know much about you actually end up really liking it. This reading in particular really had me fascinated. IV always liked learning about how different cultures do things differently and what those who are a part of it have to say.

There is a part in this reading where Mari's mother lets her know that she needs to watch her actions. She explains that there was a girl much like her that was captured form hiding and ultimately proposed to death. To there culture it was illegal to kill a virgin so they de-virginized her so they could execute her.

This is something that caught my attention because like I stated earlier it fascinates me to find how other cultures do things. This to us or at least to me seems a bit absurd. I don’t think any contradictory law such as making someone do or become something so that it would be ok to kill them, would ever fly here. These are all things that should be taken into consideration because after all we should view other cultures and there processes for the learning experience.

Song quote response

"Before the truth will come to fill our eyes
The wool comes down in the form of fire
And when the answers and the truth have cut their ties
Will you still find me
Will you still see me through smoke
I was born in a house in a town just like your own
I was raised to believe in the power of the unknown
When the answers and the truth have cut their ties
Will you still find me
Will you still see me through smoke" (need to breathe)

This is a band that is full of great quotes from their lyrics. This is a new release from their new cd called the outsiders. I chose this song because it touches on a person level.

I believe he is saying when things start to go against what you believe and what you know to be true are you going to stand up for what you know is right or just fade to the back to be unheard.
It's really hard to stand up for what you believe in to be right because there is so much criticism these days. It seems like most of the time we just have a routine for life and do what we are told rather then what we think should happen. I highly agree with walking through the smoke that is set in front of us by the wrong in life. Even if there are precautions to standing up, I would rather live with those then not stand up for what I believe in.

My Haiku

Ok so I'm not much of a poet either but I chose to try my hand at the haiku. This is what I thought it was supposed to look like. I know it’s short but sometimes simple is better. So enjoy and hopefully it makes since. It’s called "homework"

Home work

It's sometimes difficult

like a puzzle with 1000 pieces

which has no corners!!

Poem Paraphrase

I'm chosing to paraphrase a pome of Elizabeth Bishop. Because i love fishing!!

The Fish

I caught a tremendous fishand held him beside the boathalf out of water, with my hookfast in a corner of his mouth.He didn't fight.He hadn't fought at all.He hung a grunting weight,battered and venerableand homely. Here and therehis brown skin hung in stripslike ancient wallpaper,and its pattern of darker brownwas like wallpaper:shapes like full-blown rosesstained and lost through age.He was speckled and barnacles,fine rosettes of lime,and infestedwith tiny white sea-lice,and underneath two or threerags of green weed hung down.While his gills were breathing inthe terrible oxygen--the frightening gills,fresh and crisp with blood,that can cut so badly--I thought of the coarse white fleshpacked in like feathers,the big bones and the little bones,the dramatic reds and blacksof his shiny entrails,and the pink swim-bladderlike a big peony.I looked into his eyeswhich were far larger than minebut shallower, and yellowed,the irises backed and packedwith tarnished tinfoilseen through the lensesof old scratched isinglass.They shifted a little, but notto return my stare.--It was more like the tippingof an object toward the light.I admired his sullen face,the mechanism of his jaw,and then I sawthat from his lower lip--if you could call it a lipgrim, wet, and weaponlike,hung five old pieces of fish-line,or four and a wire leaderwith the swivel still attached,with all their five big hooksgrown firmly in his mouth.A green line, frayed at the endwhere he broke it, two heavier lines,and a fine black threadstill crimped from the strain and snapwhen it broke and he got away.Like medals with their ribbonsfrayed and wavering,a five-haired beard of wisdomtrailing from his aching jaw.I stared and staredand victory filled upthe little rented boat,from the pool of bilgewhere oil had spread a rainbowaround the rusted engine to the bailer rusted orange,the sun-cracked thwarts,the oarlocks on their strings,the gunnels--until everythingwas rainbow, rainbow, rainbow!And I let the fish go.

I really like this one because of its truthfulness. I believe the person talking in this poem about the fish is stating their awness towards its history. She starts out by explaining the fish, which she does a great job of. Then she talks about all the things that she sees in the fish. It helps create a great visual!! but I think what she is getting at is that she has so much respect for this fish that has made it this far almost like a war vet. That she has to let it go because it deserves to be in an appropriate setting. So she caught it admired it then "Let it go" awesome, in fact I would probably do the same thing after reeling in something as beautiful as that!!

free style

A picture is worth a thousand words.

I always found this phrase to be interesting. I believe a picture can be worth a thousand words but depending on how you look at it. If you’re saying this from artistic perspective I believe that it can be very true. Even if you think or say you’re not a good drawler, what you can put on paper is truly from your imagination. It can make your imagination come true. It can be worth a thousand words because you can simplify a thousand words into one picture.

Now there is the picture from a camera way of thinking about this. Some people are very good at this and can make it seem like a thousand words but it can also be worth nothing. Sometimes the camera doesn’t function right and you get that blurry picture. Where do you go with that?

I guess its always personal preference and how creative you can be. For me I think picture say a lot whether it’s good or bad.

Quote respons Week 3

"Jim, darling," she cried, "don't look at me that way. I had my hair cut off and sold because I couldn't have lived through Christmas without giving you a present. It'll grow out again--you won't mind, will you? (O. Henery 167)

I chose this response because of its undeniable truth. First off I really enjoyed the story. It reminded me of the good we try to do for our loved ones.

This quote shows what the majority of us do around Christmas time. Not necessarily cut our hair off but go to certain lengths to make sure we can show how much we care by doing what it takes to give to the ones we care about. She wanted so desperately to give him a gift that she cut her hair off for the money. My personal experience with Christmas and giving is similar to this. I didn't cut my hair off but I wanted my mom to have a cool present because she had done so much for me. We had a store that sold used jewelry and I didn't have enough to get the necklace I thought she would like. All I needed was 10 more dollars which was a lot to me back then. The only thing I could think of was the basketball shoes that my mom had just bought for me. So I sold them for 10 dollars anyway. Of course I got in trouble but it didn't matter because that wasn't the purpose behind the gift.

This story represents the need to please our loved ones with gift and the hope that it means a lot to them. I think it’s great.

Freestyle week 2

This freestyle writing isn't about a book but a quote that somebody said on a video i was watching at work the other day.

"we limit ourselves to only do the minimum, when you achieve the maximum you then will start your life"

I understand this may be a bit confusing when you don't really know what he is talking about, but I work at the outdoor program and I put a rock climbing video in to fill noise in the background because it was really slow in there the other day. This video had to do with exploring different parts of the earth to find rock-climbing spots.
This quote came into play when he was talking about how he loves life because he pushes his limits. I think he was implying that nobody lives until they find out what they are truly capable of. This is something I am a strong believer in. I really don’t like the word I can’t. There is something that makes me cringe when I hear that.
I feel that this is applied in everyday life. This can apply not only in the outside world but with inside things such as reading. If you read the same kind of books you tend to become familiar with a one set mind and don’t become well rounded in other areas. This can also be a crucial personal skill.
I think more people should push their limits and really find out who they are. I really like this quote because it’s something that can really motivate a person, well me at least!!

Entry 4 Quote response

Quote

""Why does she come here at all, who wants her? Why doesn't she keep her silly old mug at home?" (Mansfield, 86)

Response
Ultimately I feel like it was a good story. But frustrating in the fact that it’s a little sad to see this older women go through her life as naive as she is and not realize what’s going on. Well I guess she might not choose to realize what is going on? Ha ha....
I think that I chose this quote because it’s a little disheartening. We are given this picture of "Miss Brill" that is quite sad. I think we are given this understanding of Miss Brill so we can almost sympathize on a personal level with her. At least that’s what it felt like to me. Even though the people in the story aren't looking at her from a reader’s perspective it’s hard to understand why anyone would say this about her. I mean all she is trying to do is give herself a life. After all she has nobody!! I’m glad that she was able to create her on little reality. Or set the stage for herself. Now I understand that that she may have sat and judged a little and seemed out of place to most people but I would think that sometimes we need people like this around!

Reading week 1c quote-response

I'm choosing a passage from "A Rose for Emily" because of the humor, mystary, and irony that it adds to the story.
"I want some poison"
"Yes, Miss Emily. What kind? For rats and such? I'd recom-------"
"I want the best you have. I don’t care what kind"
"That will kill anything up to an elephant. but what you want is----"
"Arsenic, is that a good one?"
"Is...Arsenic?? Yes, ma'am. But what you want is----"
"I want arsenic." (Faulkner, 32)

I feel like this is a vital passage in "A Rose for Emily" because of the mystery it adds for the towns’ people, and in my case the mystery it gives the reader. Ever since Emily's childhood people had been trying to make her life their own. everyone always wanted to know what was going on at her house. She was a vary interesting addition to the town. This passage seemed to add to that interest.

I think that the key term that caught my eye in this part of the story is "Arsenic" most people don't take that word lightly. I mean we typically associate it with death or killing. But not just that word alone makes it interesting. It’s the timing that it’s used in the story. To make a long story short we find out that she loses her dad which was prominently the only man in her life and very painful for her. At least some would say it was hard on her. Then another man comes into her life. After the story goes on for a bit the towns people start to conspire that she had maybe ran him off. In comes the arsenic passage. This is the mystery of the whole thing. Did she buy it for rats or to make sure that another man was not going to leave her?

To me this seemed like a really important turn or twist in the story. I like reading books that make you read all the way through cause of a catch that they throw in the middle. This type of story really makes me use my imagination which to me is a very cool part to reading. The imagination!!

about me

Well I guess I'll start by introducing myself. My name is Dustin Cloud I am 6'1'' and have a mustache that I am growing out for Halloween, which I can't wait to shave off by the way. It looks ridiculous. I am a transfer from Treasure Valley Community College where I received my AA in Drafting Technologies and also ran track for two years. This is my second year at EOU as well as running track. I am a business major and hope to finish up in the next two to three years. As far as hobbies, I feel like I'm in the right spot. I love to fish, hunt, rock climb, raft, and workout. I know that sound pretty typical for most people but this is really a great area for all of that.
I started reading when I was younger like most kids do. Usually just the required text that all kids learn in school. I never really read outside of the class, I think because I was so interested in the outdoors and spent most of my time there. In high school I really let reading go which was a bad idea because I still struggle to keep it up these days. When I do make a valid attempt to read I like to read the Bible. Just personal choice. It seems to keep me interested every time.
Well of the three people I interviewed one gave me mystery novels. She explained that she likes the intensity. As far as relating to me? I guess that the bible is a mystery for a lot of people. Ha Ha...not sure if that's a valid connection. The other two simply said "magazines" they also mentioned that they liked the pictures. Connection wise, not quit sure.