MeredithBenson: November 2005 Archives

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November 17, 2005

Booker T. Washington post class

In class I had mentioned about how i thought it was interesting how he changed his speeches to address who is audience was, whether black, white, or both. I actually admire his approach. Its very smart if you think about it. People were criticizing his approach because it was taken in small steps, but slavery had been going on for a long time and it isnt just going to end right away with no problems. For the most part, Booker T. kept both sides happy and thats just what he needed to do. Although, his approach did work, in the small little steps that it did, he did have lots of critics from his own race. But, for him being one of the first people in his position and doing things in a peaceful manner he did a great job!!

Posted by MeredithBenson at 02:09 PM | Comments (3)

November 16, 2005

Of Mr. Booker T. Washington an dothers

In my previous blog i had mentioned how it seemed as if that there were cynics coming from both races and in the nect reading - Of Mr. Booker T. Washington and others, there is even more evidence to support this. "Amont his own people, howere, Mr. Washington has encountered the strongest and most lasting opposition, amounting at times to bitterness, and even to-day continuing strong and insisten even though largely silenced in outward expression by the public opinion of the nation." It is interesting to see how there are always disagree with an opinion, there is never a 100 percent support. Even the people of the same race even find ways to complain about what someone is doing even when it is good. People always find things to complain about...

Posted by MeredithBenson at 05:19 PM | Comments (0)

Two Thousand Miles for a Five-Minute Speech

I thought that this was a very interesting piece of writing. I was surprised to read that was a fairly positive writing. I thought that it was going to talk about the troubles in his life an dhow he was so poorly mistreated. But, it wasnt like that at all. Not saying that he didnt talk about it, but he looked beyond that to talk about the fortunate things that he had in his life. He was a very respected man both respected by the whites and the blacks. His most important speech was that to congress and not the one that he was talking about in the end, according to him. Although, he was respected by both he seemed to have critics from both sides. Obviously, he was going ot have critics from the whites but there were blacks that were kind of cynical because they wanted to know what he was going to say and kind of wanted to make sure blacks kind of did take control, if that makes sense. I never knew that blacks, whites, women, and men were allowed to be together like they were presented in this era. I've always heard such terrible things about this era but it was cool to read about somethign that was good, because although bad times had been endured good times were coming.

Posted by MeredithBenson at 03:56 PM | Comments (0)

November 13, 2005

Blogging Portfolio 2

Although, I did go through a period of time where my blogging and commenting wasn't as indepth, numerous, and timely as I wanted it to be I do think that my blogging has improved since that beginning of the year. I also try to look for interesting pieces in the literary works we are reading that not everyone notices or sees, sometimes I find interesting things and sometimes not.

Coverage - For my coverage blogs i thought there were a few that I could put under this one. The ones that particulary like are:

The Raven Uncle Remus and Walden .

Depth - After reading Uncle Remus I had immediately noticed the different layers the author used to tell the story. This link helped guide and further my thinking in the layers of the story.

Interaction - I was particulary fascinated with the Raven by Poe. I loved interacting with people and their blogs. The Raven blog by Jay Pugh, which even got me some feedback on my own blogs. Yes, it is true I got some comments.

Discussions - For the blogs underneath the discussion point I once again like The Ravenand also recently Uncle Remus . Apparently, those two were the only ones people liked. I did comment back on Uncle Remus on my site but for the Raven I went to others sites and commented on what they said on my site.

Timeliness - As I mentioned earlier I did have a little streak of a lack of blogging. Well, i blogged for everything but not necessarily in a timely manner. But, I did blog in a timely manner for the majority of my blogs. For instance, In a library, taste of Liquor, Silence, Epigram for Wall Street, The Raven, Walden, were some of the ones I did in a very timely manner.

Xenoblogging - I felt that for xenoblogging that I commented on a lot of people's blogs but i couldnt find many of them. One of them though comes from Ian's blog. I didnt get to actually start many people's blogging cmoments off but i did get invloved in the discussions.

Wild Card - Under my wild card entry I kind of had a hard time choosing which one I wanted to use. But, in the end i decided to go with Walden.

Posted by MeredithBenson at 06:18 PM | Comments (0)

John Henry

Apparently, I never pressed publish on this entry and just pressed draft on it. John Henry was a typical heroine story. He was a hero to everyone (blue collar workers), he gave the people hope. Was he a martyr? Definitely, he died for what he believed in. It was ironic that he beat the machine and then died after beating it. Was John Henry real?? I think he's only real to people that needed hope and for others who dont need hope he is just a fictional character created to instill hope.

Posted by MeredithBenson at 02:21 PM | Comments (1)

John Henry

Posted by MeredithBenson at 02:21 PM | Comments (2)

November 08, 2005

Uncle remus Initiates the Little Boy

You really do need to read these stories aloud or they really wont make that much sense. I had some trouble reading Huck Finn, I was always hoping that Jim's part in the book were small so I didnt have to think about what he was acutally saying. I think this one was definitely a little harder to read than Huck Finn, although once you get past the words the story is quite simple.

I really dont know what I want to quote and talk about in this story because I dont really think that the story that is being told by Uncle Remus is actually the most important part. It is a cute little tale about how Brer Rabbit outsmarts Brer Fox in the end, though.

I did notice this though, when it says " she heard the sound of voices in the old man's cabin, and , looking through the window, saw the child sitting by Uncle Remus. His head rested against the old man's arm, and he was gazing with an expression of the most intense interest into the rough, weather-beaten face, that beamed so kindly upon him. "

I thought that this was interesting because the boy and Uncle Remus have a real bond. He puts his head on his arm and sits in his lap almost like it is a father son bond. Miss Sally almost knid of seems surprised because they way the nar. describes it it is like see is peering through the window supiciously. Either way, Uncle Remus tells a little tale that was probably told to him when he was child and so on, and now the tale will continue to flow through this boy and through this story.

Posted by MeredithBenson at 02:27 PM | Comments (3)

Huck Finn Ending

Tom Sawyer - what a guy!

"Well that is a question, I must say; and just like women! Why, I wanted the adventure of it; and I'd a waded neck-deep in blood to - goodness alive, AUNT POLLY!"

The whole time Huck and Tom were reunited Tom was totally aware that Jim was already a free man and he never even once mentioned it until after the fact. He risked his life, Huck's life, and Jim's life, for a little adventure. Wow! He doesnt care about anyone but himself and his reputation. He'd rather lose his life or the lives of his friends to make his reputation better. His relationship with Huck is definitely not a good relationship, it basically is a relationship of manipulation. I think Tom, the duke, and the dauphin would have gotten along together real well.

Posted by MeredithBenson at 02:19 PM | Comments (1)

Huck Finn 1-24

Throughout the entire book the most interesting part to me was the relationship between Huck and Jim. Here we have Jim and old man and Huck just a child that created an eternal bond. Their relationship seems as if it is even more powerful and real than any relationship Huck has had in his life, even more than Tom's (which seems trivial).

"It was Jim's voice - nothing ever sounded so good before. I run along the bank a piece and go aboard, and Jim he grabbed me and hugged me, and he was so glad to see me. "

This is such a good example of the love they have towards each other. I think if it was Tom and Huck, when Huck saw Tom Tom would have just made some kind of remark about how great the adventure was and how it was out of a book or something. Although, Jim and Huck have such a good relationship it is a relationship where Jim and Huck are on the same level. Although, Jim is much older and should be more respected he is not because he is black and a slave. But, this is the closest Jim has ever gotten to being treated as an equal, even if the equal is a young boy.

Posted by MeredithBenson at 02:12 PM | Comments (0)