As I began reading the short story about Mary Elizabeth, I had a few questions about her. I was wondering if she was a servant because Sally couldn't make a cup of coffee and seemed very clueless about cooking. Also, I was wondering if Mary Elizabeth was a servant, why she was late or not coming that day and if it would cause her any troubles.
As I read on, I came to realize that Mary Elizabeth was African American. Her "slang" was difficult to understand at times. Many of her words were clustered together, which made the reading choppy at times for me. I had to re-read passages to get an understanding for the stories she was telling. I do think this adds to the story. I think it brightens up Mary Elizabeth's character and gives you a sense of the African American language during this time.
Something that stood out to me was the realationship between Sally and Mary Elizabeth. Sally didn't seem to care much that Mary Elizabeth was late. I would have thought this would have been a problem and could have costed Mar Elizabeth her job or a pay reduction, which could have impacted her and her family. Also, Mary Elizabeth seems very open with Sally and comfortable telling her about her husband and ex-husband, along with her sister, etc. Through stories I have read in the past, I never got the sense that a servant had a relationship with anyone in the household that they were working with. I enjoyed reading the stories Mary Elizabeth told Sally and the energy I felt from her as I read this story. It seems as though Sally just sat back and listened to Mary Elizabeth and enjoyed her company but was also shocked by the things she was saying to her. I also got the feeling that Sally respected Mary Elizabeth and wanted to help her out because she often gave her clothes and seemed quite generous. I think they both appreciated each other but in different ways.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Cane
When I began reading the story "Katrintha", I wasn't sure if this book was going to be about African Americans. When I read the line "Home in Georgia are most often built on the two-room plan," I made the assumption that the characters were going to be African American living in the south. As I continued to read, more and more stories made it clear that this book focuses on times of slavery.
I like the poem the "Reapers" because it was easy to understand but gives a vivid picture of what a day in the fields was like. The author presents this poem as if someone is witnessing it. He says "I see them place the hones in their hip-pockets as a thing that's done, and start their silent swingin, one by one." We get the sense that the reapers are used to this activity. From the poem, it seems to be a regular duty that they have to do. The reapers also seem to think nothing else than doing their job. He says, ".. a field rat, startled, sqealing bleeds. HIs belly close to the ground. I see the blade, Blood-stained, continue cutting wees and shade." The reapers pay not attention to the rat. They are concentrated on one thing, and thats to get the job done. I think is poems shows the work ethic of African Americans back then and also gives you a sense of the labor they had to endure.
The other poem I liked that I compared "Reapers" to was "November Cotton Flowers." After reading the title I assumed that I would be reading about cotton picking that African Americans had to do on their planations. The author is very descriptive when describing what the cotton-stalks look like during the winter seasons. He says, "Made cotton-stalks look rusty, seasons old, and cottonm scarce as any southern snow..." It is evident that during November, cotton is out of season and the stalks look old and dead as if they were there more than one season. I visualize a corn field during the winter seasons and how the stalks and husks are brown and bending because they are dead. The author is also descriptive when desribing the soil and how there is not use for it. It made me visualize a farm before the harvesting season and how plain, boring, and un-useful it looks.
I enjoyed many of these poems and noticed that many of them referenced to God, which was a theme in McKay's poems.
I like the poem the "Reapers" because it was easy to understand but gives a vivid picture of what a day in the fields was like. The author presents this poem as if someone is witnessing it. He says "I see them place the hones in their hip-pockets as a thing that's done, and start their silent swingin, one by one." We get the sense that the reapers are used to this activity. From the poem, it seems to be a regular duty that they have to do. The reapers also seem to think nothing else than doing their job. He says, ".. a field rat, startled, sqealing bleeds. HIs belly close to the ground. I see the blade, Blood-stained, continue cutting wees and shade." The reapers pay not attention to the rat. They are concentrated on one thing, and thats to get the job done. I think is poems shows the work ethic of African Americans back then and also gives you a sense of the labor they had to endure.
The other poem I liked that I compared "Reapers" to was "November Cotton Flowers." After reading the title I assumed that I would be reading about cotton picking that African Americans had to do on their planations. The author is very descriptive when describing what the cotton-stalks look like during the winter seasons. He says, "Made cotton-stalks look rusty, seasons old, and cottonm scarce as any southern snow..." It is evident that during November, cotton is out of season and the stalks look old and dead as if they were there more than one season. I visualize a corn field during the winter seasons and how the stalks and husks are brown and bending because they are dead. The author is also descriptive when desribing the soil and how there is not use for it. It made me visualize a farm before the harvesting season and how plain, boring, and un-useful it looks.
I enjoyed many of these poems and noticed that many of them referenced to God, which was a theme in McKay's poems.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
McKay Poems
After reading the poems by McKay, there were two that stood out. In class we discussed the violence that African Americans went through and the torture they faces on an everyday basis. In the poems, "The Dominant White" and "The White House" you get a sense of the impact whites had on African Americans.
In the first paragraph of "The Dominant White", it describes how God gave whites the power and strength to help and lift, but instead abused their gifts and made African Americans bleed and hurt. In the second paragraph, he describes with detail the toture that whites put African Americans through. The description of the paragraph is similar in the Autobiography by Johnson when the narrator is describing the lynching. WIth the descriptions of these brutal attacks, you can see the impact it has left on so many African Americans. How could someone ever forget or forgive whites for what they have done? In the third paragraph he says,"Bequeathed to it a bastard heritage And made the black ashamed to see his face." What an awful feeling that African Americans have to face during this time. The term bastard heritage is a powerful way to describe whites. The last thing McKay says in every paragraph is, "You've proven unworthy of your trust, God-He shall humble you down to the dust." I think this sums up the feelings of African Americans. They were given a job by God when put on this earth, and for not doing that, God is going to punish them as much as they have punished African Americans. I think although African Ameicans may have felt hopeless at times, they kept God by their side to guide them, which is how they overcame this traumatic time in history.
I like the poem "The White House" because you get the sense of hatred that African Americans have developed towards whites. He says, "But I possess the courage and the grace To bear my anger proudly and unbent." I compared this poem with "The Dominant White" because in "The Dominant White", we get a sense of how brutal the whites were towards the African Americans and how cruel they were. In this poem, we see that even though whites are cruel and unworthy, African Americans will hold their heads up and fight this battle until it ends. They will not let white hatred posion them. I think this shows the strength that African Americans had and the courage they had to find within themselves to fight for their lives and for their race.
In the first paragraph of "The Dominant White", it describes how God gave whites the power and strength to help and lift, but instead abused their gifts and made African Americans bleed and hurt. In the second paragraph, he describes with detail the toture that whites put African Americans through. The description of the paragraph is similar in the Autobiography by Johnson when the narrator is describing the lynching. WIth the descriptions of these brutal attacks, you can see the impact it has left on so many African Americans. How could someone ever forget or forgive whites for what they have done? In the third paragraph he says,"Bequeathed to it a bastard heritage And made the black ashamed to see his face." What an awful feeling that African Americans have to face during this time. The term bastard heritage is a powerful way to describe whites. The last thing McKay says in every paragraph is, "You've proven unworthy of your trust, God-He shall humble you down to the dust." I think this sums up the feelings of African Americans. They were given a job by God when put on this earth, and for not doing that, God is going to punish them as much as they have punished African Americans. I think although African Ameicans may have felt hopeless at times, they kept God by their side to guide them, which is how they overcame this traumatic time in history.
I like the poem "The White House" because you get the sense of hatred that African Americans have developed towards whites. He says, "But I possess the courage and the grace To bear my anger proudly and unbent." I compared this poem with "The Dominant White" because in "The Dominant White", we get a sense of how brutal the whites were towards the African Americans and how cruel they were. In this poem, we see that even though whites are cruel and unworthy, African Americans will hold their heads up and fight this battle until it ends. They will not let white hatred posion them. I think this shows the strength that African Americans had and the courage they had to find within themselves to fight for their lives and for their race.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Johnson Autobiography pg.89-148
A common theme that I had in mind as I was reading "The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man," and that was mentioned in class was the idea of dependency that the narrator has. In the beginning of the story, it seemed as though he was dependent on other people, for example his mother. He also was passive and went with the flow. He does not seem to take inititive or speak out. He observed "Shiny" speaking out about his race, but he did not seem to know how to do that. This theme seemed to continue through a good chunk of the story until he starts to play music at the "Club."
As I was reading,I noticed that as soon as the narrator started playing at the "Club" it was the moment when he could indentify who he was and what characterized him as a person. He was confident about his musical abilities and described his popularity among the audience. I think this allowed him to feel unique and special at the same time. He was able to identify what made him, him. Once he met the millionaire and starts to make money, he realizes the direction he should take, whereas before he was gambling and wan't sure where his life was taking him. I also believe that the millionaire came into his life at the right time and guided him beause he admired his talent. Although they ended up going their own ways, the narrator has a basic foundation to his life and where it should continue, which I think he was looking for, for many years.
As I was reading,I noticed that as soon as the narrator started playing at the "Club" it was the moment when he could indentify who he was and what characterized him as a person. He was confident about his musical abilities and described his popularity among the audience. I think this allowed him to feel unique and special at the same time. He was able to identify what made him, him. Once he met the millionaire and starts to make money, he realizes the direction he should take, whereas before he was gambling and wan't sure where his life was taking him. I also believe that the millionaire came into his life at the right time and guided him beause he admired his talent. Although they ended up going their own ways, the narrator has a basic foundation to his life and where it should continue, which I think he was looking for, for many years.
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