Robert Browning's poem "Porphyria's Lover"
"In one long yellow string I wound
Three times her little throat around
And strangled her. No pain felt she;" (lines 39-41)
Was anyone else totally got by surprise when this happened? I was. This is the turning point in the poem (which Roberts may have already said in Ch. 13) for me anyway. Because strangling your lover is the most logical thing to do in that situation (sarcasm).
Ch. 13 of Writing About Literature.
"Poets invite us to change speeds while reading--to slow down and linger over some words and sounds and to pass rapidly over others" (185).
If only we had read this chapter sooner, because I just had to write and do an essay on a sonnet in iambic pantameter. Oh well...
I have to admit that figuring out the meter of a poem is still a little tricky for me. However, from reading more Shakepeare sonnets, I'm slowly starting to get the hang of it. That, and I'm also becoming more of a poetry fan (*GASP*), but mostly the really really old stuff.
Ch. 7 of Writing About Literature.
"Nevertheless, ideas are vital to understanding and appreciating of literature: Writers have ideas and want to communicate them" (120).
I think that quote just summed up the Writing About Literature class itself. Really, anyone can find something noteworthy while reading, but it does help having an education that helps understand the intended meaning better. This will result in the reader coming up with ways to extend the idea.
Anton Chekhov's play "The Bear: A Joke in One Act."
"What a woman! How she blushed, her eyes shone...she accepted my challenge! To tell the truth, it was the first time in my life I've seen a woman like that" (390).
I really enjoyed this play, it shows just how random love can be. Actually, (and no offense to people who like them) it reminds me of a chick flick. Guy and girl hate each others guts, then just like that, they end up falling in love. It's a really an over used concept.
This is portfolio 3 for Writing About Literature.
Coverage: Entries on stuff read for class.
Time to Get My Nerdiness On-End of Maus I. Holocaust references in comic books.
Being Emo Shakespeare Style-Shakespeare's Sonnet #30 and the depressing vibe it has.
Metaphors be with You-Ch. 9 of Writing About Literature. The use of metaphors.
Character Depth... Where?-Ch. 6 of Writing About Literature. The use of setting.
Knock Knock, it's Death Again-Poe's "Masque of the Red Death." How Prince Prospero isn't a total idiot.
Pick a Sense, Any Sense-Ch. 8 of Writing About Literature. About the senses.
What are you Looking At?-John Masefield's poem "Cargoes"
Denial isn't just a River, it's a State of Mind-Katherine Mansfield's short story "Miss Brill"
Whatever Works for You-Ch. 18 of Writing About Literature. Doing research for essays.
What a Fancy Way to Say You like Reading-John Keats' poem "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer"
Sarcasm doesn't Work on the Internet-Ch. 11 of Writing About Literature. The use of irony.
Wow, another Poet I Actually Like-Langston Hughes "Theme for English B"
Left with a Sense of...Something-Prologue and Part 1 of John Henry Days by Colson Whitehead
Okay, Take it Easy-Parts 2-3 of John Henry Days
Whitehead and the Novel of Doom-Part 4 of John Henry Days
Wait... That's the End?-Part 5 of John Henry Days
Depth: Entries where I did some deep thinking. PFFFFFT
Time to Get My Nerdiness On-End of Maus I. Holocaust references in comic books.
Being Emo Shakespeare Style-Shakespeare's Sonnet #30 and the depressing vibe it has.
Character Depth... Where?-Ch. 6 of Writing About Literature. The use of setting.
Knock Knock, it's Death Again-Poe's "Masque of the Red Death." How Prince Prospero isn't a total idiot.
Denial isn't just a River, it's a State of Mind-Katherine Mansfield's short story "Miss Brill"
Whatever Works for You-Ch. 18 of Writing About Literature. Doing research for essays.
Sarcasm doesn't Work on the Internet-Ch. 11 of Writing About Literature. The use of irony.
Left with a Sense of...Something-Prologue and Part 1 of John Henry Days by Colson Whitehead
Okay, Take it Easy-Parts 2-3 of John Henry Days
Whitehead and the Novel of Doom-Part 4 of John Henry Days
Wait... That's the End?-Part 5 of John Henry Days
Interaction: Classmates blogs I commented on.
Karyssa Blair:
Is He Eyeballing Me?-End of Maus I. Using eyes as a means of expressing.
Set the Symbolism for Dinner-Ch. 6 of Writing About Literature.
Unfortunate, Not Ironic-Ch. 11 of Writing About Literature. How lisening to "Ironic" one time was enough.
Whiteheads Writing is a River-Prologue and Part 1 of John Henry Days by Colson Whitehead. Whitehead needs to take it easy with the metaphors.
Aja Hannah:
Not the End-End of Maus I. The nature of Vladek.
Setting and Poe-Ch. 6 of Writing About Literature.
No Shortage-Parts 2-3 of John Henry Days. How John Henry can be heartless.
J and John-Part 5 of John Henry Days. On J. and John Henry not being heroic figures.
David Wilbanks:
Arbeit Macht Frei-End of Maus I. Prior to the concentration camps.
Carissa Altizer:
The Value of a Dollar-End of Maus I. Vladek and Money.
Melissa Schwenk:
Accenting Everyone-Ch. 6 of Writing About Literature.
Cracking Facade-Katherine Mansfield's short story "Miss Brill". Reflections of Miss Brill
The Puzzle-John Keats' poem "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer". How helpful footnotes are.
Overstatements... This is the Best Blog Ever-Ch. 11 of Writing About Literature. How hyberole use to confuse me.
Let's Talk Light Bulbs-Parts 2-3 of John Henry Days.
Eye'll Erase My Name-Part 5 of John Henry Days. What One Eye wrote on the note.
Gladys Mares:
Even Money Can't Save You this Time-Poe's "Masque of the Red Death." How Prince Prospero isn't a total idiot.
A Closing Curtain-Part 5 of John Henry Days. The mention of curtains.
Josie Rush:
Duly Noted-Ch. 18 of Writing About Literature. I'm not a fan of note cards.
Discovering Literature Columbus Style-John Keats' poem "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer". I wish more people liked to read.
Refusing to Tone it Down-Langston Hughes "Theme for English B"
How to Die Laughing-Prologue and Part 1 of John Henry Days.
Brooke Kuehn:
Just Like Blogging-John Keats' poem "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer". Blogging+Poetry=FOR THE LOVE OF GOD NO!!!!!!!
Not Respected-Parts 2-3 of John Henry Days. How freelancers are like leeches.
Jessica Orlowski:
Was that Supposed to be Funny?-Ch. 11 of Writing About Literature. Just how awesome Avenue Q is.
Dianna Griffin:
How We Protect Ourselves-Part 4 of John Henry Days. Humanity can be heartless.
Jessie Krehlik:
Holding Out for a Hero-Part 4 of John Henry Days.
Discussions: People who bothered commenting on my blog.
Time to Get My Nerdiness On-End of Maus I. Holocaust references in comic books.
Metaphors be with You-Ch. 9 of Writing About Literature. The use of metaphors.
Character Depth... Where?-Ch. 6 of Writing About Literature. The use of setting.
Knock Knock, it's Death Again-Poe's "Masque of the Red Death." How Prince Prospero isn't a total idiot.
Denial isn't just a River, it's a State of Mind-Katherine Mansfield's short story "Miss Brill"
Whatever Works for You-Ch. 18 of Writing About Literature. Doing research for essays.
What a Fancy Way to Say You like Reading-John Keats' poem "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer"
Sarcasm doesn't Work on the Internet-Ch. 11 of Writing About Literature. The use of irony.
Left with a Sense of...Something-Prologue and Part 1 of John Henry Days
Timeliness: Entries posted before class that started a discussion.
Uh... pretty much the above list.
Xenoblogging: Blogs where I was the first to comment.
Set the Symbolism for Dinner-Ch. 6 of Writing About Literature.
The Value of a Dollar-End of Maus I. Vladek and Money.
Setting and Poe-Ch. 6 of Writing About Literature.
Accenting Everyone-Ch. 6 of Writing About Literature.
Refusing to Tone it Down-Langston Hughes "Theme for English B"
How to Die Laughing-Prologue and Part 1 of John Henry Days.
Wildcard: Random entries. Sorry folks, no And so it Comes to This... entry. 1. There's one more portfolio after this and anything longer than a trilogy is too much (except with Star Wars) 2. I don't think people would find how I feel about blogging at the moment very nice.
Denial isn't just a River, it's a State of Mind-Katherine Mansfield's short story "Miss Brill"
Part 4 of John Henry Days.
"They needed bodies. They were set to launch in six weeks and needed all the bodies they could get as they vamped up for launch" (287).
The novel has a "blood as payment" theme to it. In order for something new to fully take effect, someone has to die. It's a morbid way to think about things and I can't help but feel the above quote applies to the theme.
Part 2 and 3 of John Henry Days.
"It's just something to pass the time" (131).
This is said by both Alphonse and his wife, Eleanor, about their hobbies. It seems like most of the characters in the novel are preoccupied with something. For J., it's food and finding receipts, Pamela: angsting about how much John Henry ruined her relationship with her father, Alphonse: stamps...and causing chaos, Eleanor: whatever interested her at the moment, One Eye: taking his name off the List, Josie: the ghost. Besides J. and maybe Pamela, the characters take their interests to the extreme such as Josie having the urge to knock on someone's door at 3am just to tell them about the ghost.
Part 5 of John Henry Days by Colson Whitehead.
"The song never said wear black, wear blue so she wore blue" (371).
The whole chapter shows just how much she loved her father. The fact that she's willing to wear a dress just because of the song really says something. The only reason she couldn't stand her father was because of his obsession with John Henry. So after his death, she wanted to show how much she loved him.
Last chapter of How to Read Literature Like a Professor called Envoi.
"There comes a point in anyone's reading where watching for pattern and symbol becomes almost second nature, where words and images start calling out for attention" (280).
This just doesn't happen to me while reading, it sometimes happens when I watch something. I'm not saying it's bad or anything, I enjoy pointing things out to people. It's just that sometimes, I just want to be entertained and not have any deep thoughts. Foster was a good read. Some things I already knew and some I didn't and there were sometimes where I didn't agree with him. I'll most likely keep the book in case someone I know wants to learn how to close read.
This is from an essay called "'There's More Honor:' Reinterpreting Tom and the Evasion in Huckleberry Finn" Kevin Michael Scott.
"Guided as he is by the rules, Tom sees no effective difference between Jim and other free men when it comes to the treatment he should receive from society" (199).
Kids have this innocent view of the world and that's what I get from Tom. He imagines going on adventures and includes anyone around into his fantasy, meaning that they're going to put through a kind of torture. For Tom, the main thing is that he has fun and that it's done in style.
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