This passage elucidates the nature of Willy's mind: he goes to his deathbed a salesman - with customers the world around, or so he thinks. It is in this instant, the reader or viewer realizes the tragic self that is Willy Loman. He is a low-man on the totem pole, replete of all supposed funeral voyeurs. However, it is in an illusion that he bases his beliefs. He has not come to terms with the truth: the truth that his career as a salesman is just as faded as Linda's need-to-be-darned silk stockings. This is probably the most poignant moment of the play.
]]>Linda's call to afford her husband grace is a call to all of humanity to behave as and act like humans - with grace and unfledging support, especially in times of meltdown.
]]>Miller's essay calls to recognize the importance that our society places on tragedy as a genre. It is important that we not isolate this particular human emotion and attribute it to solely the upper-crust, in part because of its very stature as it has been placed literature over the centuries. It is best remembered that tragedy is a well-spring of emotion that can fill even the seemingly most insignificant of basins. Tragedy can flood any one person's life - because it is that flexible. The trickle down effect of this faction is seen in all social classes, especially in the world removed from literature. It is interesting to think that some people automatically correlate tragic action with the artistocracy. Perhaps this equation is because of the fact that tragedy, at higher levels of social class, can seemingly effect a more broad span of people. In reality, every day tragedy of the common person can effect just as many people - but perhaps in more subtle ways. Any of Hemingway's works showcase the fallout of Post-WWI on the lost generation. It is interesting to note that the grand-scale catastrophe, the War - tragic in nature, can inherently suffocate people's individual lives in such ways that are given to the abandonment of long established beliefs and ideals. Big tragedy, massive ripple effects - however, the effects were not just seen on the leadership, the institutions: the effects came back to the common people.
Literature throughout the 20th century shows a movement to elucidate tragedy in the lives' of people. In this semester alone, we've studied works that contain tragic elements. These elements aren't crushing the bourgeois, but rather stifling the proletariat.
]]>Today, I was perusing Ashley Welker's blog. She offers sage advice to the freshmen, a cautionary note of sorts: never take 8 classes. Ashley, I will second that. Although, I do not have 8 classes I have 7 English classes, and it feels as though, sometimes, I am juggling between the semester's work and studying for the LSATs - all because I want to graduate a year early. Tackling these circumstances is sort of fun; the work is not the problem. The problem is realizing how much Seton Hill actually helps you to grow as a person and form long lasting bonds with the people around you. As most of you freshman know, Katie Lambert and I love you all and wish you the best of luck in the coming years. Just remember, if you ever need help - we're only a phone call away. In you all, I see a closeness and bonds forming that will be certain to last a lifetime. You should be proud of your accomplishments this semester. You made it! I know, I am proud of every single one of you and happy to call you all my friends.
Congratulations everyone on a great fall semester!
I am starting to feel like Dougie Howser, MD, so I am going to end this entry.
Interaction and Discussion: For this unit, most of the discussion and interaction was done in the classroom setting. However, my first We the Media entry sparked interaction and discussion from Dr. Jerz as well as Erin Waite. It is good to see that even Dr. Jerz has limits on how much of his personal self he will share with the blogging community. For a while, Dr. Jerz seemed like an open book because of all the information he posts on the internet. Erin Waite even tells us how blogging has been beneficial to show her the mistakes she makes, and the growth she has experienced as a blogger. It just goes to show, that blogging as a form of media is less predictable, but more interesting because it is available to a wider sect of the populus.
Xenoblogging:
Denamarie, Andy, and David all had well done presentations that certainly opened our classroom for a forum of discourse that is not seen everyday.
Lamb and common sense.
Lorin and cookies.
Wilcard:
A recommendation to read a magazine article about my mom, my hero.
AND
A blog site that is ultra wonderful because you don't have to download music to your computer.
]]>Prof B and the friendship blog
Depth: (These entries best exemplify depth because they examine other historical aspects that surround the plays' structures.)
Interaction: (Fences seemed to be of greater interaction on my blog, rather than the entries that I thought would spark interaction - the historical entries.)
Discussion: (The following entries sparked discussion in the classroom. I am most proud of these entries because they were the ones that really encouraged me to participate in class, as well as to understand the broader historical concepts that relate to the plays.)
Timeliness:
Prof B and the friendship blog
Xenoblogging:
Andy LoNigro and confusing intentions of PB.
Katie Lambert and Fences. How to deal with sins of the past when the sinner is MIA.
Kayla Sawyer and humor in Kindertransport.
Wildcard:
I asked readers to pick up this month's Country Living; however, failed to explain why. But, if you are inquisitive readers, you will have already picked up the magazine and understand why.
To evaluate a person's blog, or online journal, we must remember that we may be reading the work of an amateur. And even if the person has journalistic credentials, we must still be careful. Just because one may have credentials, one still have bias.
One must even exercise this caution in reading news in the papers. The over all lesson is just be careful and decipher facts from fictions.
]]>Eva’s search for jobs for her biological parents spans far and wide through the neighborhood. Lil assists Eva; Lil places ads in the paper about Eva’s parents in an attempt to get them jobs so they can come to England and be with Eva. Eva, in her innocence and longing to have her natural parents by her side, attempts to do more to expedite the process of getting her parents to England. Unfortunately, Lil interprets Eva’s actions as distrusting her help. It is also interesting to note that men give her money and tea. The men are symbolic of the compassionate nature of the country during the Kindertransport. This is a poignant, heart touching moment in the play since it is drenched in the passion of humanity – the love for the children, the love for the Jews. It is also sad to realize the cruelty of the circumstance and all the little children had to give up in order to survive. Childhood should not have to involve searching for jobs so your parents can come to live with you. The contrasts of the search with the tender youth of Eva’s age are key factors in this scene.
Their conversation is ironic in the fact that later, Eva starts to identify Lil as her Mum and does not want to venture to America with her own mom. In one instance, Lil finds Eva’s sidebar search disparaging. However, it is Eva who eventually gives up on her own mother, and it is Lil who recognizes that Eva should not place such heavy blame on her mother.
Diane Samuel’s Kindertransport is replete with issues that have been struggled with since ancient times. The Hebrews wandered the desert, taking nothing with them (for it was too much to transport through the vast desert) – no art, and thus, leaving nothing behind. A thousand years later, the same people took nothing with them, (with the exception of their memories), to their mass graves, and often times, left nothing behind – no children. Some fortunate Jewish people were able to send their children to England in order to avoid persecution from Nazis in Germany. The children that were sent could take only their necessary personal effects, clearly, taking family heirlooms was out of the question. These children were displaced people; though, they were not homeless or orphaned because they had people in England to care for them. They were a people without a land, as the Jews have been throughout history. They were a people made to almost completely vanquish their heritage in exchange for the ability to live a life, a life in other lands – complete with others’ memories and histories.
Kindertransport examines the struggle of a Jewish born, English raised Eva/Evelyn to deal with her past. Her parents sent her to England, with valuable jewelry enclosed in the heels of her shoes, to ensure that she would be able to survive. Release from her parents’ household was the ultimate loving act because it would almost guarantee that she would live. In England, Lil was her keeper. Lil was their through her pre to post adolescence. In the absence of Eva’s birth mother, Lil became her surrogate parent. Eva/Evelyn grew up accustomed to the nature of her English surroundings and more readily accepted her English heritage. At the age of 17, her Mutti came to take her to America so they could forge a life new life together. Before Mutti got on the boat, the pair had a terrible, relationship quashing argument about identity and self. Mutti missed her Eva; Eva wants to continue living as Evelyn. The play was replete with mother-daughter issues. Evelyn struggles with her own daughter Faith’s issues in understanding Evelyn’s past. Evelyn wants to suppress the memories – Faith wants to understand the history. This, of course, causes Lil and Evelyn to destroy some past papers, but also helps them to form a more intimate bond because they revisit the past. The past is, after all, what shapes the present. Throughout the entire play, the looming theme of the Rat Catcher visits the set and props. They women read the book in the German, the story is translated, the songs ring out through the air, etc. It is an ominous, foreboding feeling that one has when this character is explored. The Rat Catcher’s goal was to take away all happiness, all talent, all youth, all vitality – just because of the mistake of one. It is horrific to know that in more recent history there have been such Rat Catchers in our midst. The acts of the Holocaust will never be forgotten: drama as literature, such as Kindertransport, helps to put a more human face on the atrocities of hatred. These events were real: this work asks us to not deny, nor ever ever forget history. Like the Rat Catcher from the 1200s, history repeats itself. This play asks us to make it our goal to ensure that these memories live on ---- and never happen again.
To learn more about Kindertransport, go here: http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/article.php?lang=en&ModuleId=10005260
Visit this wonderful site:
RadioBlogClub
PRIEST. I know myself to bo free. My religion, Professor, bids me love even those who hate me.
BERNH. And mine, your Reverance, or what is planted in my breast in place of religion, bids me bring comprehension even where I am misunderstood.
Something that I don't understand however is the ending of the scene between the priest and the Bernhardi. After all of this tension throughout the dialog, the Priest suddenly reaches out his hand and seems to make peace before he leaves. It even leaves Bernhardi in a little shock. Does anyone know why he did this?
Andy,
I think the answer is within the aforementioned dialogue. As a man of the cloth, it is the Priest's job to love everyone - despite the circumstance, or the trials/tribulations they go through. I think though this line may have seemed tense, at the time, the priest comes to a revelation that he does love. It is this type of turn in conversation that is indicative of understanding and reassurance, a certain sort of double play or revelation in the purpose of character.
This was the most compelling scene in the entire play because of the dramatic tension and the final, peaceful resolution. It is with this that the playwright makes his most profound point: we must love, no matter what.
Thank you for opening your blog up to such discourse.
I our discussion of Professor Bernhardi, we determined several themes. When we read Lorin's blog, we were struck by her comment about CST and the hypocrisy of "religious" individuals. This is a reflection of the holier than thou attitudes that permeate the era. Our feelings is that a specific religion is not as important as spirituality and implication of CST principles in life. A person, whether or not they are technically "Christian," is still able to live under Christian morals. We were somewhat turned off by the unwillingness of Flint and the other characters to open their minds and at least try to understand another's beliefs.
]]>"One of the most significant differences between print and the Web is that web-based conversations transcend geographical boundaries" (113).
Discourse is an important part of effective communication. In order to understand what is happening in other pockets of the world, one must communicate with someone in the center of the event. My friend Whitney is studying abroad in Paris, currently. Whit and I converse through email; I am able to have a better understanding of exactly how hostile the riots are, what French society is like, and what the Parisians are feelings. Without this firsthand account from a trusted source, I might be left in the dust as to the problems the French are suffering. The internet makes this easier because we can send messages in real-time across the sea, something our forefathers were never able to do. Ultimately, slowing down the communication led for a gap; however, I can see gaps as being beneficial because that would contribute to a more relaxed society. Wouldn't we all be more relaxed if we didn't know every moment the Terror Alert Level shifted from yellow? Also, online news stories are beneficial. How often do we walk into the Greensburg Sunoco and get a Parisian newspaper? We don't. To search on the internet yields a harvest of ripe documents that can lead to better understand of different cultural stations.
Chapter 7: "The Former Audience Joins the Party"
"Urban planners and criminologists talk about the "broken window" syndrome, said Ward Cunningham, who came up with the first Wiki software in the 1990s. If a neighborhood allows broken windows to stay that way, and fails to replace them, the neighborhood will deteriorate because vandals and other unsavory people will assume no one cares" (149).
This comparison was interesting and noteworthy because people fix the entries on Wikipedia and debate about what belongs there. It is interesting a little slice of our mind can contribute to making history and being fixed there.
]]>"A peculiar silence reigned in the most major newspapers and TV networks the first few days after Trent Lott, celebrating fellow Republican Senator Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday in late 2002, seemed to wax nostalgic for a racist past. Lott, then majority leader of the US Senate, recalled Thurmond's presidential campaign in 1948, a race in which he called for the preservation of segregation. The nation would be better off if Thurmond won, Lott said" (44).
Webloggers, emailers, and online journalists caused so much fervor when this statement was released that President Bush had to denounce Lott, and Lott stepped down. Of course, we must remember as fair journalists that both sides of the story need to be presented. What were the virtues that Thurmond campaigned for? Did anyone ever considered that it is nice to be kind to the elderly on their 100th birthdays? It is these and other little thins, that we must keep in mind when we set out to work on our own personal agendas.
On the up and up, technology can help us to document history as it happens. The book cites cell phone cameras as being advantageous for catching kidnappers. Current technology enables journalists to gather scores of data on anyone or anything, but once again, the difference between good and bogus journalism is how one sorts and responds to it.
Chapter 4: "Newmakers Turn the Tables"
"CEO blogs are useful. Even better, in many cases, are blogs and other materials from people down the ranks. For journalists, some of the most valuable communications from inside companies come from the rank and file, or from managers well below the senior level. Why not let them communicate with the public, too?" (74)
This entire chapter showcases the notions of journalists listening to the people they interview and work with; it also shows what the power of one person can do. For instance, according to the book, the Department of Defense posts interviews with Rumsfield and Wolfowitzin Q and A format. This is ultimately important because readers are able to back track to the actual account of the conversation, rather than just reading a written article that may be slanted to make either gentlemen look like monsters. This chapter also reports guidelines we all can use to clearly articulate our points and make it easier for readers to navigate our blogs. Chief amongst these ten points, is that people who teach you new thing and experiment all the time. Taking risks, while thanking your teachers with accreditation shows some form of maturation in the learning process that is life.
Chapter 5: "The Consent of the Governed"
"This evolution is also about reinforcing citizenship. The emerging form of bottom-up politics is bringing civic activity back into a culture that has long since given up on politics as anything but a hard-edged game for the wealthy and powerful" (89).
While I do see the benefits of weblogging to raise money and elect political candiates, we must remember not to jump so easily on people. Howard Dean, weblogged candidate, is not sitting in the Oval Office today - Kerry ran as the Dem nominee. Dean might have triumphed on the Net, but not in the numbers. Grubb didn't unseat Coble who "kowtowed" to the Hollywood crowd (remember Bill Clinton - boxers or briefs on MTV? Playing the sax on late night television? Barabara Streisand relocating from the country if GW got in?) It takes cash to win - we can't just single out groups because everyone, at some point, needs the almighty dollar to make it to the next phase. Ending the chapter with allusion to Yeats "The Second Coming," wasn't tasteful: different generation of people, different problems, different ideologies. Yes, the internet is useful - but we as citizens need to recognize our core ideologies before turning to the internet to retrieve thought. It is an era that we need to revert back to thought, rather than recitation of other people.
]]>"Life don't owe you nothing."
"Death ain't nothing but a fastball on the outside corner."
For a man who believes that life doesn't owe anyone anything, Troy certainly acts as though life needs to repay him for his let downs. Troy never got to play in the pro-league baseball because he was too aged, so in turn, Troy takes away Cory's chance to continue his career in football. Troy constantly references baseball, probably because he was denied the opportunity to play it. The reader also sees his struggle with his multiple children to different women: Alberta and his love child Raylene, Cory to his wife, and the other son who comes around looking for money on payday. Part of his plight comes from his children, but most of it derives from himself. He has an affair, he drinks, he argues with the boss (however, he wins this case and gets to drive the garbage truck), he argues with Rose and becomes a "womanless man," and he sings the blues. Singing the blues can't solve anything, but it relates to the oral tradition offered in slave literature. Also, trains act as symbols in the play: to move away from sorrow, to carry people to safety - trains are common in African American spirituals. Troy suffers from problems from race relations, as he is displaced from his home in the south to northern Pittsburgh, and he has to fight to just drive a garbage truck rather than loading garbage. But race relations are not the main problem in this play; the problem, therein, lies in coming to terms with the self. Actions lead to consequences - it is almost as though this is a coming of age story, for an older man. And it results in death. Is this a cautionary tale?
]]>"...news was being produced by regular people who had something to say and show, and not solely by the "official" new organizations that had traditionally decided how the first draft of history would look" (X)
We are introduced by certain shots heard around the world in this introductory section of the book. Since we all hear the shots, [ examples: 9/11, the death of President Kennedy, FDR's death], we are all able to say things about them. However, the latter two examples happened in a time when news was trickled down from more official sites, such as networks and newspapers. In our wired world, we are about to snap on a computer, sit down, and write our own version of the news. Not only are we consumer and readers, but we are also becoming reporter-like in the essence that we can pitch our own ideas into articles.
Chapter 1:
"...muckrakers performed the public service function of journalism by exposing a variety of outrages, including the anticompetitive predations of the robber barons and cruel conditions in the workplace..." (3).
At this point, Gillmor reminds the reader of some of those muckrakers, such as Ida Tarbell and Upton Sinclair. It is interesting to think that the media functions to expose bad practices in oil and poor conditions in meat packing companies. At this time, cities were beginning to develop and overflow because that was where jobs were. It is important to understand the historical and cultural contexts of situations before we, as journalists, cook companies. Of course, there were problems in the Chicago meat packing industry, as there were problems with Standard Oil, but careful investigation must proceed attack.
This chapter was also interesting because it showed the progression of radio and television as facets for the news. It illustrated the talking heads on the radio - from far right to far left, and also the advice that came from everyone that got to be on the radio: doctors, lawyers, etc. If you turn on XM radio, today, there are entire channels devoted to these talking people. However, people enjoy tuning in and getting advice from these faceless sources.
Chapter 2:
"The tools of grassroots journalism run the gamut from the simplest email list, in which everyone on the list receives copies of all messages; to weblogs, journals written in reverse chronological order; to sophisticated content management systems used for publishing content to the Web; and to syndication tools that allow anyone to subscribe to anyone else's content. The tools also include handheld devices such as camera equiped mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs). What they have in common is a reliance on the contributions of individuals to a larger whole, rising from the bottom up" (26).
This is the only part of the text where I felt a strong reaction, and this is only because I do not want to be that wired to the world. This also semi-kills any sense of privacy we may have. I don't want anyone to be wired into my thoughts, because it is very personal. This is why I try usually to write objective weblogs, rather than ones that are super slanted. I would much rather give a summary of the text, than my personal reaction - because that is exactly what it is, personal. If one really wants to know what another thinks, ask the other. Finding one's website and reading one's thoughts, seems to me, to be impersonal and borderline probing. We the Media even called one blog slanted to the right. We are urged to stay objective, so why fiddle with people who are not trained journalists? Of course, it is nice to have a vast array of perspectives from the pockets of the world, but I would rather get my news from the paper (even though those can be slanted, and sometimes not 100% accurate, too).
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