Journal for Dope

The reading for today is "Dope" by Leroi Jones. This is another poem from the beat movement so needless to say the poem neglects the refinements of traditional poetic form. The big difference from other poetry we have read is that this poem is meant to be heard as a performance more so than read. when not read out loud the poem losses a bit of its meaning and appeal. i like how Jones calls out the American government, the concept of capitalism, and religion for having betrayed the black man but I also like how he calls out the black man himself for being so blind to the obstacles around himself.

Reaction to Howl

The reading for today is the poem "Howl" by Allen Ginsberg,. This is a poem from a writer of the beatnik generation and as such it should be immediately stated this sort of poem exhibits a total neglect of form in its writing. This poem is actually one of my more favoured beat poems after I was able to ascertain its meaning and progress past the neglect of form in its writing. The poem is in its own way a sad salute to Ginsberg's friend at the psychiatric ward that he stayed in. The poem mentions periods of Ginsberg's life and he does use extremely lewd words and images that actually push me away but I feel that he does make a point in the end. It is just difficult to determine what that point in.

Journal for "A Good Man is Hard to Find"

The reading for today is  "A Good man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor. To begin, I do not condone violence, especially the type shown in this story, but there was just something about the character of the Misfit that made me unable to dislike him for what he does to the family. In a strange way I felrt as though the family, while not deserving to be killed, was in some way not better people than the Misfit just because they were not killers like he was. The way that O'Connor actually drew my attention away from the happenings in the story is a clever bit of writing, because it made me focus on the formality of each character in such a trying and horrific moment.

Reaction to Hills Like White Elephants

The reading for today is "Hill Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway is by far my second favourite author after F. Scott Fitzgerald. In this short story Hemingway constructs the stories and backgrounds of his characters in the mind of the reader without extended details or writing. This story constructs a relationship between a man and a young American woman that together have a decision to make. Hemingway shows their relationship in the few things the two girls say to one another. He shows the happiness of the relationship in the past and its possible failure in the future. Then in the end of the story Hemingway leaves an interpretation of the story's future to the reader. The manner in which Hemingway says so much in such concise writing is outstanding.

Journal on The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

The reading for today is the poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot. This is a modernist poem that at times seems very confusing. The poem has tweo interpretations of it. One could potentially take it for its obvious mneaning and say this is a love poem in which the character of Prufrock merely wishes to talk to a woman amidst his insecurity and the judging eyes of others. One could also say that under that surface this is a poem about a man who feels that he is living a false life where he has conformed to the monotony of it all while deep down he wishes to break away from this and actually speak as he wants and debate some philosophical point or ask some overwhelming question to those around him.

Journal for Dubois

The reading for today is The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Dubois. As an activist Dubois is much more militant and full speed ahead than his contemporary Booker T. Washington. As I mentioned before this is, to me, the opposite of the expected case based on their different upbringings. I do not agree with Dubois' teachings as much as I do with Washington's. While learning intellectual things is helpful I find that when immediately slavery ended practical trades and skills were the most important things for the Negro. Also, I do not believe in his idea of the talented tenth. Choosing which persons should be capable of empowering the race is offensive in that it takes into account the upbringing and education of persons (something that Dubois had an advantage in). In my opinion it should be the responsibility of the entire race to empower the race and not the responsibility of some ten percent.

Journal for Washington

The reading for today is Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington. The title of the autobiography displays how far in life Washington managed to come just so that he could achieve his dreams of going to college. Yet while reading the story I notice how in truth Washington still had many obstacles to overcome even after many people would say he accomplished his goal. While going to give his speech Washington notes how perhaps many white folks were in attendance just to hope that Washington would make a fool of himself. In reading Washington, despite the obvious racism rampant around him, he exhibits a much less militaristic style of DuBois and I find this strange when one thinks about how Washington had been throw a lower upbringing than DuBois and perhaps had less to lose in his failure as an activist.