Nick: You've been my religion-the bar an' you. You don't never want to leave us. Why I'd drop dead for you! (244)
Well, I fininshed the play finally. Nick struck me the most through the last two acts because he seems to have a revelation. Like Valerie said in class, I as well, do and did feel bad for Nick because he was at her beck n' call. He was the most honest and true male to her in the play because he was not selfish and helped her no matter what. Nick was like the typical perfect guy standing right there in front of the Girl, but she had to take the one who no one wanted her to have. Even though Nick confesses his love for the Girl, he still wants her to be happy. He was sweet and even wanted Johnson to say goodbye to her because he knew she would be upset. I think the Girl should have known Nick liked her and taken him instead. He'd probably treat her better than any of the men because he stuck by her side through thick and thin.
The ending was, however, a nice happy ending. Both Johnson and the Girl got what they wanted. I don't know how she could have left all of that for just one guy. If Johnson really loved her, why couldn't they stay at the camp and make a life there? I guess its because everyone would give them a hard because they didn't approve. What do you think?
Coverage:
The Atlanta Exposition Address
Depth:
Gold Rush extras
Looking into the Atlanta Exposition Address
Interaction:
Discussing race in Washington
Comparing Addresses
Respect in Washington
The burden in Du Bois
Discussion:
Oops. I thought Washington was white. I guess it was because he was so accomodating during his address. He even looked white in the picture! Oh well, you learn something new everyday.
Sparked a little with Washington
Timeliness:
Atlanta Exposition
No story yet, but trying to put something...Gold Rush
Xenoblogging:
Gold Rush
Comment Primo on Stacy's
]]>I have never heard of this play or author, so I did a little research. For those who are curious, the play takes place during the Gold Rush in California. Heres some background information on David Belasco. More to come when I get to read!
"Out of every fifty men who think they can play, one ain't mistaken" (200 THe Girl).
After reading this play in its almost entirety (little more to go), this quote caught my eye. If I were in the play, I'd want to be the Girl. She is one tough chick the way she handles all the rough men that come in to her saloon. I thought the dialogue was a perfect depiction of a bar scene, particulary with people thinking they are better at something than they really are, like poker. The typical regulars in the bar were bent out of shape when Johnson came in to see the Girl, making them look like the jealous ones in a reversed role. I thought it was interesting how the Girl had the role of what a male might have, like running a saloon. This seems odd for the time period and really stands out in the story. I liked reading something different for a change, this one especially catching my eye because of the Spanish references in it. In case you are wondering, on page 203 Balasco refers to a "vaquero", which is someone who herds cattle. Do you notice the dominant role of the Girl over the males?
“But when we have vaguely said that Education will set this tangle straight, what have we uttered but a truism? Training for life teaches living; but what training for the profitable living together of black men and white?” Of the Training of Black Men
I think Of the Training of Black Men was better than the other selection we read because its features were more distinct. I noticed this selection was more targeted to the Negroes of the South, and less accommodating than the addresses of Booker T. Washington. Washington advocated education was one of the best ways to unite everyone of all races, but DuBois advocates something more. He insists that training isn’t just about tests and books, but about learning life lessons and skills. DuBois suggests there is something greater needed for the “profitable living together of black and white” and not just an education. I think this is true because not everyone will learn tolerance and live it after an education. I’m not sure was he is insinuating for training, but I know that he is poking at what Washington had to say.
]]>
"But the hushing of the criticism of honest opponents is a dangerous thing."
This particular quote caught my attention through the very narrative piece, which seemed almost like a biography on Booker T. Washington's life, (who is not white, haha). DuBois calls attention to the facts which aren't obviously called to mind when reading Washington's addresses. It is a dangerous thing if the people who really do care and are passionate about breaking racism and segregation keep their opinions quiet. These are the people that Washington needed to connect with the most, but DuBois is recongizing that they are honest because they are not speaking up. This was and still is a touchy situation and the honest people don't want to hurt anyones feelings or tell everyone how it really is and will be forever...that there is always that one person who is racist who will influence another. Sidenote: I did notice that DuBois was African American this time!
]]>"Casting down your bucket among my people, helping and encouraging them as you are doing on these grounds..." (Washington 2).
I chose this line because it is so powerful and compelling for Booker T. Washington, being of the White race, to extend his thoughts on being against another race. He was explaining to the crowd that we all need to work together, no matter what the race, in order to be successful as Americans living together. He said right at the very beginning that 1/3 of the South was "of the Negro race". This is a large amount of people that cannot be simply told to leave, so everyone might as well get along. I like how he says to "cement the friendhip between the two races" because he is trying to change the situation forever. This address was compelling because he took a risk by trying to help unite the races.
Coverage:
Nature Meditations (Thoreau)
Side Note: I loved reading Thoreau!
He's Genius! (Thoreau)
I liked Emily Dickinson, too!
Raft or Shore: More Huck Finn
Huck, Jim, and American Racial Discourse
More Huck: Jim Stands Out
Depth:
These are some blog entries where I found myself searching for more, or just thinking in depth about something.
Connecting Don Quixote and Huck Finn
Find Out about Lilburn Boggs and Boggs in AHF
Why The Negro is Black and Race Evolution
Interaction:
I liked commenting on what others had to say about the selections I have read. Read with an open mind and it's interesting to read my classmates' points of view.
Talking with Stacy about Walden selections
Talking with Stacy about Poe and money
Commenting on the Introduction to AHF
More talk on Huck
Poe with Meredith
Emily D. with Meredith and class
I helped things get rolling for Michelle
Discussion:
I thought Thoreau might be lonely, which sparked some conversation.
Other classmates thought Thoreau was a genius, too.
Race evolution was a big one
Timeliness:
Here are some of my on-time blogs...
Xenoblogging:
I got things rolling for Michelle.
Also for Stacy.
Wildcard:
Since I read Don Quixote in Spanish, I immediately noticed a connection with Tom Sawyer and the books he reads.
]]>
"I'll die with a hammer in my hand" (John Henry, Steel Driving Man).
After reading these lines in the ballad, I noticed how serious it was and how John Henry felt about his job. I read that he was trying to beat the steam hammer and show his boss that he could do the work better and faster. I think this shows how dedicated he was and how important the work was to his living. I liked Steel Driving Man the best because it gives a good sense of what life was like right after the Civil War and with the railroads.
The Prison Crew Versions are shorter with choppier words. This makes it seem easier for a bunch of men to sing and keep them together with doing hard labor. I noticed a lot of words were mispelled, too.
]]>"But being called humorist was not an unproblematic compliment" (47, AHF).
When I read this, I rememebered my research for our last paper because I read about how Mark Twain made fun of pollitics through his novels, especially in Huck Finn. He talked about satirizing humorously through his characters in the novels, like Boggs and the real guy named Lilburn Boggs.
It's interesting because my article compared the pricing or selling of the coffins to the Extermination order of Lilburn Boggs. I didn't realize that humor wasn't held at a high prestige during Clemens' times. This reading said that Clemens' "recognized and worried about" this. Maybe this is why he hid his humor and satirizations through the characters in his novel.
"Niggers is niggers now, but de time wuz w'en we 'uz all niggers tergedder."
This selection took a different take and was more forward about explaining the races. I thought it was kind of cruel for the elder black man to explain the way white people came about because it sounded racist. He said that everybody was black at one time, until they dipped into the magic pond. I don't know about you, but this sounds kind of bias towards the White race. The poor little innocent boy would grow up thinking this because he doesn't know any better. I did think it was clever how the author described "race evolution" because we usually just think of evolution as changing into a human, not considering race. I like the twists that Harris' uses in order to confront difficult issues like ethnicity.
]]>"You look sorter stuck up dis mawnin' 'sezee, en den he rolled on de groun', en laft en laft..."
Ha! I loved this selection of "The Wonderful Tay Baby Story" because of the Brer Fox's wit. After reading the accompanying analysis, I realized it's hard to determine who the protangonist is. I thought it was the Brer Fox, but is he really since he prevailed through a trick? I was happy to see Brer Rabbit get stuck and then Brer Fox make his comment about being "stuck up". I think Brer Rabbit was, in fact, the one who was stuck up because he tortured the Tar Baby for not talking to him. The story is hysterical, what do you think?
]]>"The nature of Tom's honor, and its relation to Southern honor, provides the entry into a new understanding of the ending." (9).
This article gave a great new interpretation to the ending of Huck Finn. I liked how it analyzed Tom's purpose in the story more because he is not mentioned that often in the novel. The author pointed out that Tom's actions at the end were racist. I don't think he was racist, I just think that was the norm during the time period and it was normal to treat black people like slaves...like when he tortured Jim in his "prison" with snakes and such. I do agree with the discomfort at the end of the novel because their journey just suddenly ends.
]]>(Finish) -- American Literature, 1800-1915 (EL 266)
http://blogs.setonhill.edu/AshleyHoltzer/2005/10/index.html
“But I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest, because Aunt Sally she’s going to adopt me and sivilize me and I can’t stand it. I been there before.” (320)
I loved these last few lines of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn because I think it sums up Huck’s character. It seems like Huck liked the whole journey and adventure of escaping from home. He made things out worse than they were, like hiding Jim when he was free the whole time because Miss Watson died. He was on his own and was scared sometimes, but realized at the end that he liked it, mostly because of the adventure. Huck knows now that he doesn’t want to become “sivilized” like the rest of society because then his life is dull and he can’t be adventuresome anymore.
The end of the story has a lot of irony when the reader finds out that Miss Watson died and Jim was free. I thought to myself “well they did all of that for nothing!” Huck and Jim hid and ran the whole novel just for fun. It was a very good novel because of the creativity and twists and turns Clemens gives the reader. I would like to read a sequel to this novel if there is one.