Monday, May 14, 2007
intro
In “The Swimmer” by Raymond Carver and “Are These Actual Miles” by John Cheever, the narrators have similar problems that they have to deal with. They are both living in the same suburban life. Both stories are about a man who has problems with his life. These problems are connected to life in suburbia
chchchile 2
Herrera p. 58
“You are the paper, oyeme, Mamita, you are the words, you. Not me. Look at yourself put the words on paper – You.”
This paper is saying how he feels about his writing. Since he is writing about his mother, he is telling her that is is her that decides what the story is about, and what happens. She is like a book herself, or at least that is how Herrera sees her.”
Herrera p. 39
“Corporate handshake molds. Camouflage wedding rings.”
In this entry, he is just saying what seems like random things. I did not understand the message that he was trying to convey, and I say little use in reading a random assortment of words in which I could find no meaning. I did, however, find two lines that I really felt were interesting. The first, makes me think of how in corporate world, it all about handshakes. Its not all about handshakes, but that is one thing that seems to mean noting, but it s actually a way that many people judge others. And the mold part, it says to me how there I a mold in which everyone in coroporate world puts there hand before a handshake. The second quote, I liked because of how it is an oxymoron almost. A wedding ring is to show that you are married, so why would you try to hide it? It would be more practical to just take it off. I don’t know, probably stupid, but just my thoughts, which look better in my head then on paper.
“You are the paper, oyeme, Mamita, you are the words, you. Not me. Look at yourself put the words on paper – You.”
This paper is saying how he feels about his writing. Since he is writing about his mother, he is telling her that is is her that decides what the story is about, and what happens. She is like a book herself, or at least that is how Herrera sees her.”
Herrera p. 39
“Corporate handshake molds. Camouflage wedding rings.”
In this entry, he is just saying what seems like random things. I did not understand the message that he was trying to convey, and I say little use in reading a random assortment of words in which I could find no meaning. I did, however, find two lines that I really felt were interesting. The first, makes me think of how in corporate world, it all about handshakes. Its not all about handshakes, but that is one thing that seems to mean noting, but it s actually a way that many people judge others. And the mold part, it says to me how there I a mold in which everyone in coroporate world puts there hand before a handshake. The second quote, I liked because of how it is an oxymoron almost. A wedding ring is to show that you are married, so why would you try to hide it? It would be more practical to just take it off. I don’t know, probably stupid, but just my thoughts, which look better in my head then on paper.
Friday, May 11, 2007
chile!!! 1
Herrera p. 5
"Ok, Mom. Just put your foot in this pan of hot water. Hold the toe up, Juan, come on. Ok, now, give me that razor. What razor? Your papi's brand new Gillette. It's not brand nweww, Mama. 'S OK, the hot water and the salt will burn the germs."
I found this quote very interesting. Its from the beggining of the story, and he gives no context about this short entry. He does not use quotations to seprate what him and his mama are saying. He does not seperate it at all. I found this style very interesting.
Herrera p. 8
"I drop my burdens from my lungs that fill them. I drop my burdens from my stomach that knots them. I drop my burdens from my body that holds them."
I really liked this quote becuase it reminded me of a chant. It is much longer that this, but every other line is "i drop my burdens" this makes it seem like a spiritual song. i find Herrera's stlye of writing like this very creative, and effective.
"Ok, Mom. Just put your foot in this pan of hot water. Hold the toe up, Juan, come on. Ok, now, give me that razor. What razor? Your papi's brand new Gillette. It's not brand nweww, Mama. 'S OK, the hot water and the salt will burn the germs."
I found this quote very interesting. Its from the beggining of the story, and he gives no context about this short entry. He does not use quotations to seprate what him and his mama are saying. He does not seperate it at all. I found this style very interesting.
Herrera p. 8
"I drop my burdens from my lungs that fill them. I drop my burdens from my stomach that knots them. I drop my burdens from my body that holds them."
I really liked this quote becuase it reminded me of a chant. It is much longer that this, but every other line is "i drop my burdens" this makes it seem like a spiritual song. i find Herrera's stlye of writing like this very creative, and effective.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
interview questions
1. How did you become an appalation trial hiker?
2. How many years have you been hiking the appalation trail for?
3. Do you hike the appalation trial every year?
4. Do you hike with other people? If so, how many?
5. Do you hike with the same people every year?
6. What is the hardest part about the trip?
7. How long does it take you to hike the trail?
8. How does hiking the appalation trail affect your life the rest of the year?
9. Do you think the appaltion trail is a good counter culture lifestyle? Why?
10. Why do you hike the appalation trail?
2. How many years have you been hiking the appalation trail for?
3. Do you hike the appalation trial every year?
4. Do you hike with other people? If so, how many?
5. Do you hike with the same people every year?
6. What is the hardest part about the trip?
7. How long does it take you to hike the trail?
8. How does hiking the appalation trail affect your life the rest of the year?
9. Do you think the appaltion trail is a good counter culture lifestyle? Why?
10. Why do you hike the appalation trail?
Monday, May 7, 2007
house on mango street
House on Mango Street
Cisneros p. 747
“The house would be white with trees around it, a great big yard and grass growing without a fence.”
This is the girl’s idea of a perfect house. It is like the dream of a perfect life in suburbia. The white house, nice big yard, and trees and grass, all cliché parts of a perfect suburban house. She thinks that having this house will make her have a happy life.
Cisneros p. 748
“ You live there? The way she said it made me feel like nothing. There. I lived there.”
This quote once again shows the girls wish for that perfect house in suburbia. She wants have a house that she can be proud of, one that she will be proud to be outside of. Although this house is theirs, it is not good enough for her. She wants to live the suburban dream. Its interesting how because she lives this lifestyle, she wants suburbia, yet in Dharma Bums, the are trying to get away from suburbia, to her lifestyle.
Cisneros p. 747
“The house would be white with trees around it, a great big yard and grass growing without a fence.”
This is the girl’s idea of a perfect house. It is like the dream of a perfect life in suburbia. The white house, nice big yard, and trees and grass, all cliché parts of a perfect suburban house. She thinks that having this house will make her have a happy life.
Cisneros p. 748
“ You live there? The way she said it made me feel like nothing. There. I lived there.”
This quote once again shows the girls wish for that perfect house in suburbia. She wants have a house that she can be proud of, one that she will be proud to be outside of. Although this house is theirs, it is not good enough for her. She wants to live the suburban dream. Its interesting how because she lives this lifestyle, she wants suburbia, yet in Dharma Bums, the are trying to get away from suburbia, to her lifestyle.
seeing 2
Seeing 2
Dillard p. 704
“When I walk with a camera, I walk from shot to shot, reading the light on a calibrated meter. When I walk without a camera, my own shutter opens, and the moment’s light prints on my own silver gut.”
I really like this quote because it is comparable to many people today. Many people are not connected to where they are. They use cell phones, i-pods, and all kinds of other electronic devices. These things pull people away from where they are, and put them somewhere else. They are not able to observe their surroundings. Dillard has a similar situation. When she has a camera she is only worried about how good a picture is, so misses the small things that can be the most important.
Dillard p. 705
“The world’s spiritual geniuses seem to discover universally that the mind’s muddy river, this ceaseless flow of trivia and trash, cannot be dammed, and that trying to dam it is a waste of effort that might lead to madness.”
I thought this quote was great because I love the idea of the mind’s ideas and thoughts as a muddy river. There is a pure and impure thought, and they mix together to create a muddy river. I was not sure if when Dillard said, “dammed” she meant to stop it or just to slow it, and purify it. I think that she meant to try and purify because stopping the flow of thoughts completely would leave just a body and no person.
Dillard p. 704
“When I walk with a camera, I walk from shot to shot, reading the light on a calibrated meter. When I walk without a camera, my own shutter opens, and the moment’s light prints on my own silver gut.”
I really like this quote because it is comparable to many people today. Many people are not connected to where they are. They use cell phones, i-pods, and all kinds of other electronic devices. These things pull people away from where they are, and put them somewhere else. They are not able to observe their surroundings. Dillard has a similar situation. When she has a camera she is only worried about how good a picture is, so misses the small things that can be the most important.
Dillard p. 705
“The world’s spiritual geniuses seem to discover universally that the mind’s muddy river, this ceaseless flow of trivia and trash, cannot be dammed, and that trying to dam it is a waste of effort that might lead to madness.”
I thought this quote was great because I love the idea of the mind’s ideas and thoughts as a muddy river. There is a pure and impure thought, and they mix together to create a muddy river. I was not sure if when Dillard said, “dammed” she meant to stop it or just to slow it, and purify it. I think that she meant to try and purify because stopping the flow of thoughts completely would leave just a body and no person.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Seeing 1
Seeing 1
Dillard p. 695
“When at last I picked out the frog, I saw what painters are up against: the thing wasn’t green at all, but the color of wet hickory bark.”
This quote stuck out o me case it shows how everyone sees things differently. Even things as concrete as color are interpreted. Different people see different things completely differently. This is just part of Dillard’s observation on seeing.
Dillard p. 698
“Nobody on the planet seems aware of this strange, powerful taboo, that we all walk around carefully averting our face, this way and that, lest our eyes be blasted forever.”
I really liked this quote. This quote observes something that is very true and very obvious, yet no one ever thinks about it. People go to huge efforts not to look at the sun. it is like there is some unwritten rule that we are not allowed to
Dillard p. 695
“When at last I picked out the frog, I saw what painters are up against: the thing wasn’t green at all, but the color of wet hickory bark.”
This quote stuck out o me case it shows how everyone sees things differently. Even things as concrete as color are interpreted. Different people see different things completely differently. This is just part of Dillard’s observation on seeing.
Dillard p. 698
“Nobody on the planet seems aware of this strange, powerful taboo, that we all walk around carefully averting our face, this way and that, lest our eyes be blasted forever.”
I really liked this quote. This quote observes something that is very true and very obvious, yet no one ever thinks about it. People go to huge efforts not to look at the sun. it is like there is some unwritten rule that we are not allowed to
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