Poetry Response - Unveiling

"In the cemetery 

a mile away

from where we used to live

my aunts and mother,

my father and uncles lie

in two long rows almost the way

they used to sit around 

the long planked table

at family dinners."

Pastan is comparing her family member's graves lined up in the cemetery to them sitting at the table for family dinners. She doesn't feel sad because it's like they're sitting around the table like when they were alive. 

"I don't feel sad

for them, just left out a bit

as if they kept

from me the kind

of grown-up secret

they used to share

back then, something

I'm not quite ready yet

to learn."

Grown-up secrets being kept from the author makes it seem like a kid wrote the poem even though that may not be the case. Pastan is looking back and remembering what it was like to feel like there were secrets being kept from her. The end "I'm not quite ready yet to learn" could either mean that she still views herself as a child and is still not ready to learn the adult secrets or that she's not ready to die. My impression, considering her parents and family are dead, is that this person is older but still considers herself a child. 

Poetry Response - For the Sleepwalkers

The first half of the poem is talking about people who are actually sleepwalking. They have no fear and are never harmed. They walk to the stairs and not the window. They walk through the doorway instead of the mirror. The path on the carpet is worn and there is an invisible arrow leading them. They have done this before and haven't ever been harmed and "always they return home safely, like blind men who know it is morning by feeling shadows." 

When they wake up, they're the same person they were before. Then Hirsch starts to talk about how our hearts should leave our bodies and be fearless like sleepwalkers. He says that we have to trust our hearts and not fear experiences. "We have to learn the desperate faith of sleepwalkers who rise out of their calm beds and walk through the skin of another life". We have to put away our fears, or "drink the stupefying cup of darkness", and when you wake up, you'll be refreshed. 

The Awakening (Ch. 35-39)

Edna hopes that Robert will come to visit her, but he never does. Edna sees Robert at a garden cafe and he walks home with her. Robert admits that he was thinking of Edna all the time in Mexico. But he knew that she was Mr.Pontellier's wife and that he was "demented, dreaming of wild, impossible things, recalling men who had set their wives free..." She responds that she isn't one of Mr.Pontellier's possessions. Edna leaves to go to Madame Ratignolle's. Robert says he'll walk with her, but she asks him to stay and wait for her. Doctor Mandelet walks Edna home and tells her, "you seem to be in trouble. I am not going to ask for your confidence, I will only say that if ever you feel moved to give it to me, perhaps I might help you. I know I would understand, and I tell you there are not many who would - not many, my dear." When Edna gets home, Robert isn't there.
He left a note saying, "I love you. Good-by -- because I love you." He knows that she can never be his wife and doesn't want to do any more damage.
Edna is back on Grand Isle and decides to go for a swim. She thinks about her husband and children and Robert's note. She swims out too far and becomes tired. Edna sees a bird with a broken wing that is falling and this symbolizes Edna.
I can see why she felt trapped and hopeless in her situation and felt killing herself was her best or only option. However, that doesn't take away the damage her decision caused.

The Awakening (Ch. 30-34)

Edna hosts some people for dinner before she moves into the pigeon house. She invites Mrs.Highcamp, Arobin, Victor, Mademoiselle Reisz, and Monsieur Ratignolle, who attends for Madame Ratignolle because she is pregnant. A lot of money is spent on food and decorations for her dinner party. She had also received diamonds from her husband in New York. Victor starts to sing a song, but Edna becomes upset because it reminds her of Robert. Arobin stays with Edna after the other guests have left and she becomes "supple to his gentle, seductive entreaties".
Mr.Pontellier is upset about his wife moving out because of the way it will make him look. He thinks that it will make it look like he's having finanical difficulties, so he decides to have a well-known architect remodel his home. He also arranged for one of the newspapers to have an article about how he and his wife were going to take a vacation. Edna likes living in the pigeon house and there was "a feeling of having descended in the social scale, with a corresponding sense of having risen in the spiritual." She also visits her children and is very happy to see them.
Robert comes home and Edna is disappointed that he had not come to find her right away. Also, she realizes that he has not come home for her, but for business reasons instead. The interaction between Robert and Edna are not like before he left. Her hopes of what would happen when he returned home are much different than what actually occurs.
I haven't been as annoyed with Edna as it seems many other people are, but I'm starting to become irritated by her actions. Spending a lot of her husband's money for a party because she's moving out is inconsiderate and immature to me. Also, having affairs with now two other men lowers my respect for her more.

The Awakening (Ch. 25-29)

Edna goes to the races with Mrs.Highcamp and Arobin. Edna spends some time alone with Arobin and becomes involved with him. He kisses her hand and she "felt somewhat like a woman who in a moment of passion is betrayed into an act of infidelity". She's more concerned about what Robert would think than her husband because she's still in love with him.
Edna decides to move out of her house into the pigeon house because she wants to be free. Another example of bird imagery is when Mademoiselle Reisz puts her arms around Edna to see if her shoulder blades, or wings, are strong. She also admits to Madamoiselle Reisz that she's in love with Robert.
Edna begins to cry after Arobin leaves. She feels guilty about all the material possessions that her husband has provided and realizes she has been irresponsible. However, "There was Robert's reproach making itself felt by a quicker, fiercer, more overpowering love, which had awakened within her toward him." She's been awakened and "she felt as if a mist had been lifted from her eyes, enabling her to look upon and comprehend the significance of life, that monster made up of beauty and brutality." The only regret she feels is that her involvment with Arobin was not because of love.

The Awakening (Ch. 20-24)

Edna goes to Madame Lebrun's to find Mademoiselle Reisz's new address so that she can listen to her play piano. Victor tells Edna about Robert's two letters and was disappointed that there was no message for her. Madame Lebrun and Victor remarked about how she looked ravishing and like a different woman.
Edna goes to Mademoiselle Reisz's and she informs her that Robert send her a letter asking questions about Edna, and she asks to read it but is not allowed. Edna tells her that she wants to be an artist and Mademoiselle Reisz tells her that she must have a courageous soul. Edna tells her she has persistence and asks if that counts for anything in art. She gives the Robert's letter to Edna and plays the piano. Edna begins to sob and asks Mademoiselle Reisz if she can come again. She tells her she can come anytime and picks up the damp, crumpled letter off the floor.
Mr.Pontellier goes to see Doctor Mandelet because he is concerned about Edna. The doctor asks if she's been associating with and psuedo-intellectual women and he says that she hasn't been associating with anyone. The Doctor agrees to stop by to see her and says that women are a "peculiar and delicate organism." He also questions if there is another man in the case, but doesn't comment about that.
Edna's father is in town to purchase a wedding gift for his daughter. Edna and her father are not close. Edna takes her father to a soirée musicale but Mr.Pontellier doesn't go. Edna enjoys being around her father, but realizes that her interest may not last long. The doctor has dinner with them but notices nothing.
Edna and her father get into an argument over Edna's refusal to attend her sister's wedding. Mr.Pontellier decides to go for her and Edna's father says, "You are too lenient... Authority, coercion are what is needed. Put your foot down good and hard; the only way to manage a wife." Edna became more affectionate toward her husband as his departure came closer, but she felt a "radiant peace" when her husband and children were gone.

The Awakening (Ch. 15-19)

Edna is informed that Robert is going to Mexico. She was surprised that after all their time together, he hadn't mentioned this to her. Robert visits her and she expresses her disapproval. Edna asks him to write to her and is disappointed in his reply of "I will, thank you, Good-by" because she expected him to be more empathetic. She's experiencing infatuation like she did when she was younger.
Edna thinks about Robert a lot and "Robert's going had some way taken the brightness, the color, the meaning out of everything. The conditions of her life were in no way changed, but her whole existence was dulled, like a faded garment which seems to be no longer worth wearing." Robert sent a letter to his mother and Edna feels jealous that he had written to his mother and not her. Mr.Pontellier saw Robert in New Orleans before he left, and Edna questions him about it. She says her feelings for Robert are nothing like her feelings for her husband and that she's used to keeping her emotions and thoughts to herself. Edna tries to describe her ownership of her emotions to Madame Ratignolle by saying she'd give up the unessential for her children, but she would never give herself. Madame Ratignolle doesn't understand.
Mr.Pontellier is angry with Edna for not fullfilling her social duties, which negatively impacts him. He leaves dinner and goes out. Edna finishes her meal alone and then goes to her room and paces, where she tries to crush her wedding ring and throws a vase, shattering it.
Mr.Pontellier asks Edna to meet him in town, but she declines and looks at her sketches instead. She tries to work, but isn't in the mood, so she walks to Madame Ratignolle's. Although Edna thinks that her praise valueless, it ended up having value. Edna feels depressed when she leaves because she realizes "the little glimpse of domestic harmony" was "not a condition of life which fitted her." Edna stopped doing most of what her husband requested of her and he began to wonder if there was something wrong with her. She asked him to leave her alone and he did. Some days she was happy to be alive and others she was not.

The Awakening (Ch. 10-14)

Edna had been trying to learn how to swim all summer, but had not yet been successful. This time, she tries again and "A feeling of exultation overtook her, as if some power of significant import had been given her soul. She grew daring and reckless, overestimating her strength. She wanted to swim far out, where no woman had swum before." She pushes herself out of her comfort zone, which leads to a moment of panic when she realizes how far out she, even though she really wasn't out that far. Robert walks home with Edna and she tries to describe the emotions she's experiencing.
Mr.Pontellier comes out asks why Edna is not inside and he tries to convince her to go inside, but she doesn't. She would usually follow his requests willingly, but this time is different. Edna is starting to experience an awakening. The narrator says, "She wondered if her husband had ever spoken to her like that before, and if she had submitted to his command. Of course she had; she remembered she had. But she could not realize why or how she should have yielded, feeling as she then did."
Edna meets Mariequita, who has a sense of freedom and vitality based on her physical appearance. She's friends with Robert, but not a member of Creole society. Edna gets jealous. Robert can have Mariequita because she's not a part of Creole society, but he can't have Edna. Robert says he can’t be interested in her, like he's playing Edna and Mariequita against each other. He turns his attention away from Mariequita and back to Edna.
When they return home, Robert says goodnight and Edna mentions that they have been together all day. She feels changed after her day at Grand Isle and she wonders why Robert had left her, not taking into consideration that he might be tired of her after spending the whole day with her. Robert is triggering her awakening and she has never been part of a mutual attraction and this is powerful to her. But it's not just Robert who is triggering her awakening. She's starting to recognize her own interests, such as art and music, that have never been developed.

Poetry Response - To Myself

The title is a very important part of this poem. W.S. Merwin is writing the poem to himself looking back over a continuum of time.
"Even when I forget you
I go on looking for you"
Sometimes he forgets himself, but he always keeps trying to figure out who he is or was.
"I believe I would know you
I keep remembering you
sometimes long ago but then
other times I am sure you
were here a moment before"
He's always remembering his past. Sometimes it seems as if the past was not so far back, but time can pass quickly.
"and the air is still alive
around where you were and I
think then I can recognize
you who are always the same
who pretend to be time but
you are not time and who speak
in the words but you are not
what they say you who are not
lost when I do not find you"
Our past is always still a part of us, people stay the same in some way. Even when he's not thinking about himself, whatever he is is still there.

The Awakening (Ch. 5-9)

Every summer since he was 15, Robert devoted himself to a different woman. One time, it was with Madame Ratignolle, but he acted differently with Edna than the others. "He never assumed his serio-coming tone when alone with Mrs.Pontellier." Edna sketches a picture of Adéle, which didn't look much like her. Adéle has a fainting spell, which Edna suspects is fake. After, she goes home and greets her children with "a thousand endearments". Robert asks Edna if she wants to go swimming, but she declines because she says she's tired. She goes with him to the beach anyway. She was "beginning to realize her position in the universe as a human being, and to recognize her relations as an individual to the world within and about her." Chopin also makes references to the ocean by writing, "The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude; to lose itself in mazes of inward comtemplation." and "The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfloding the body in its soft, close embrace."
Edna never really talked about anything with other people. She "had apprehended the instinctively dual life - the outward existence which conforms, the inward life which questions." The summer at Grand Isle changed her a little, partly because of Adéle's influence. The two walk down to the beach together. Edna is looking out at the sea, and Adéle asks what Edna is thinking. She says she's thinking about a summer in Kentucky when she was young. Adéle puts her hand on Edna's, which Edna finds confusing at first because she's not used to Creole's expression of affection. She then starts to think about her children and how she sometimes would "gather them passionately to her heart" and other times forget them. Adéle asks Robert to leave Edna alone because she might take him seriously. He's offended. A few weeks after their conversaton, Adéle has some weekend guests who she entertains. Mademoiselle Reisz plays for Edna and she feels the music unlike the mental pictures she had when Adéle played. Mademoiselle Reisz tells her she's the only one worth playing for.

The Awakening (Ch. 1-4)

After reading all the reviews, I was curious to find out which side I agree with - "flawless art" or "an essentially vulgar story". The book starts out with bird imagery. Mr.Pontellier is sitting outside Madame Lebrun's cottage, but decides to leave because the noise the birds are making him are distracting him from reading the newspaper. As he's sitting outside his cottage, he sees his wife, Edna, walking toward him from the beach with Robert. Mr.Pontellier asks Robert if he wants to go play billiards with him, but Robert declines because he'd rather stay and talk with Edna. Robert talked about his intentions of going to Mexico and Edna talked about her childhood. Both were interested in what each other had to say. Mr.Pontellier returns home late from billiards and checks on the kids. He tells Edna that one of them has a fever, but she says he's fine. He criticizes her for her "habitual neglect of the children". Edna goes to the boys room, but when she returns to her room, she doesn't speak to her husband. She goes on the porch and begins to cry because of an "indescribable oppression". Mr.Pontellier leaves the next morning for business. He gives her money and sends a package a few days later. All the other ladies are talking about how Mr.Pontellier is the best husband in the world and Edna admits "she knew of none better". Mr.Pontellier doesn't like how Edna treats their sons. He thinks that Edna should idolize and devote all of herself to him and their children. Edna isn't a "mother-woman". Adéle Ratignolle was the "embodiment of every womanly grace and charm" and unlike Edna. Edna married a Creole but didn't feel comfortable in their society.
I wouldn't like their society either because I don't like the inequalities between men and women. It doesn't make sense to me why it would be acceptable for Mr.Pontellier to have an affair, but the the women are supposed to be devoted to their husbands. Also, I thought it was ridiculous that Mr.Pontellier woke his wife up to take care of the kids, when he could of easily done it himself, just because he doesn't think it's his job.

Heart of Darkness - Part II

Section 1:
Marlow is on a boat heading toward the center of the Congo. He overhears the Station Manager and his Uncle talking about Kurtz and they are talking about how Kurtz wants to rise up in the ranks and make things more moral. They want him hanged.
The Eldorado Expedition sets off into the wilderness and Marlow finds out later that they are dead. He refers to them as "less valuable animals"
Marlow has 6 pilgrims and 20 cannibals with him on his journey to the Inner Station. The pilgrims are white men from Europe who aren't just there for trade, but Marlow doesn't talk about their mission because he doesn't consider them important enough. In Europe, the land is controlled, but in Africa is it free. Marlow is sort of connected with the cannibals and almost admires them becaues of their self-restraint. Marlow himself also has a lot of self restraint. The human mind is capable of handling anything and not succumbing to the horror keeps people sane.
Fifty miles below the Inner Station, Marlow find's a Russians book in an abandoned hut. The book is in English and Marlow is attracted to the book because it is a glimpse of sanity and shows the value of work. Marlow must work hard to keep the steamboat working and he uses work to keep himself from thinking. Work causes the truth to fade.
When they get close to the Inner Station, Marlow hears screaming. He can't see who's screaming because of the white mist. White is hiding evil.

Section 2:
Marlow doesn't think his boat will be attacked, but they get attacked and the helmsman, who is a native to Africa, is killed. He has been characterizing the land as savage that will attack, but he now realizes the land is teaming with life. The steamboat causes the natives grief because they think that Kurtz is going to be taken away.
Marlow thinks that Kurtz is dead and this bothers him because he never got to hear him speak. Kurtz has come to represent the importance of his mission, but he doesn't realize why Kurtz has become so important to him. He's now seeking Kurtz more than adventure. He compares himself to the agony of the savages to his sorrow at not being able to talk to Kurtz. It's as if he's been robbed of his beliefs or missed his destiny in life. Marlow finds out that Kurtz isn't dead. He gets to talk to Kurtz, but it's different than he had imagined. When they arrive at the Inner Station, they meet the Russian Harlequin, who left the book, and realize he is obsessed with Kurtz.
There is a jump in narrative that takes the reader to Marlow's encounter with Kurtz where they talk about the "intended". He thinks that women are not part of the darkness and help them stay out of the darkness. Kurtz is bald and his head is compared to ivory. What's in his head is as valuable as ivory. Kurtz things he's in charge and him saying, "My intended, my ivory, my station, my river, my..." shows this. However, the darkness has already taken over him. Kurtz symbolizes Europe. Europe couldn't handle the darkness and it would destroy them. In his pamphlet, he says the whites are treated as a deity and he is treated like one by the natives. He also says the exterminate all the brutes, but he seems to forget he wrote that.
The men on the Nellie can't relate to the insanity Kurtz experiences because they are still part of society.

Heart of Darkness - Part I

Marlow is telling his story about his adventures in the Congo while aboard the Nellie on the Thames River. He uses the word "gloom" many times, such as "mournful gloom" and "brooding gloom" to represent darkness. Freslaven is the first example of what darkness can do and he is an example of deterioration resulting from darkness.
An example of black and white symbolism is the maps. The blank, or white, maps are good because they're unexplored. Eventually those blank spaces have been filled in and are black and dark because of colonization, which he is a part of. However, while other people are in it for reasons such as money, Conrad is in it for the adventure. He compares the river to a snake and says, "The snake had charmed me." A snake could devour a bird just like Africa could devour him.
He visits the doctor before his trip to the Congo, where his interaction with the doctor seems unusual. The doctor measures his skull and asks if there has been any madness in his family. Marlow asks the doctor if he will measure his skull when he gets back and the doctor says no because he doesn't think he'll see him again. He says goodbye by saying adieu, which is goodbye forever.
There are many moments where Conrad makes racist comments. For example, he writes, "Black rags were wound round their loins and the short ends behind waggled to and fro like tails. I could see every rib, the joints of their limbs were like knots in a rope, each had an iron collar on his neck and all were connected together with a chain whose bights swung between them, rhythmically clinking." He describes them like animals, but they are not his enemy.
In the second section, there are more examples of racism such as, "The pilgrims could be seen in knots gesticulating, discussing. Several still had their staves in their hands. I verily believe they took these sticks to bed with them."

Poetry Response - My Fear

In this poem, Raab personifies fear. It reminds me of the little person sitting on your shoulder whispering things in your ear. He, being fear, follows and keeps track of people like the annoying voice telling you things that won't leave you alone. The person narrating this poem wants Mr. Fear to give him something small that can fit in his pocket and fall through so that it doesn't bother or stick to him and is easily ignored. He also wishes that fear gives him a small brown bat or crickets because there are things he is familiar with and are easy to handle. We can all relate to this poem because all of us have small fears, such as getting a bad grade on a test, to big fears like having a meteor fall from the sky and land on you. We can't avoid having fears, but some of them we can ignore and deal with better than others.

Eveline

Eveline is about a woman who is supposed to move away to live with a man who loves her but changes her mind.

Level One: Which one of her brothers died?
Level Two: Why did she change her mind about going?
Level Three: What decision do you think you would have made if you were in a similar situation?

Eveline changes her mind about going because even though leaving is in her best interest, it's a big change. Her situation at home isn't desirable, but it's familiar to her which keeps her stuck in it. There are a lot of situations similar to hers, some of which I've experienced. You know something needs to change but it's difficult and you don't want to because it's familiar. Even though you don't like the situation, the fact it's what you know makes it somewhat comfortable.
I'd like to say that I would have made what most people would consider the right decision by leaving. It's easy for me to say that I would have left, but if the decision was left completely up to me, it's quite possible I'd choose to stay in my current situation. I don't really like change that much, and I would need someone to push me to make the decision that's best. If someone did that, such as my parents, I would probably leave. The theme of this story is change and how difficult it can be even if it benefits a person.

Araby

Araby is about a boy who is in love with a girl who lives across the street. He has an imaginary conversation with her and decides to go to a bazaar to bring her back something.

Level One: Where does the boy live?
Level Two: What does the boy realize at the bazaar?
Level Three: Do you think the boy was foolish or deeply in love?

The boy realizes that he can't accomplish his goal to make the girl happy and like him. Everything starts to shut down and close and he becomes aware that what he was doing wasn't real. He couldn't find anything to give her. He says, "I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and my eyes burned with anguish and anger." By calling himself a creature, it shows he wasn't thinking in a sane way. He was driven by vanity by thinking that he could win the love of the girl and it changed him in a negative way.
I think that he was deeply in love which caused him to act foolishly. He was impatient with his uncle for the money he wanted, but the girl did not actually ask him to go to the bazaar for her. Instead of playing in street with his friends, he watched girl from a window. His thoughts were completely consumed about how he could win the love of the girl. The theme is the story is that love can cause people to act differently or do foolish things.

A Good Man is Hard to Find

A Good Man is Hard to Find is about an annoying grandmother who goes on vacation with her family.

Level One: Where was the first place they stopped on their way to Florida?
Level Two: How did the family get into the predicament that got them killed?
Level Three: Do you feel bad for what happened to the grandmother?

The grandmother thinks she remembers and mansion down the dirt road and manipulates the family into going. She could have actually remembered that there was a secret passage or lied to draw the kids in. When they drive down the road, they run into the misfits. Because of the grandmother's conniving personality, they are put in this situation.
I don't really feel bad for what happened to the grandmother because she was so annoying. I thought the last few things the misfits said at the end of the story were true. But I do feel bad for the family because they suffered as a result of her. They tried to ignore everything she was saying, but she eventually got to them through the kids.

The Rocking-Horse Winner

The Rocking-Horse Winner is about a boy who is told that luck equals money, which causes him to use his rocking-horse to bet on horse races to earn money.

Level One: Who informed Paul about horse racing?
Level Two: What is the significance of the rocking-horse?
Level Three: Is money necessary to be happy?

Everyone in the house heard the house saying that they needed money. Even though the entire family could feel it, they never spoke about it. Paul is influenced by that and decides he needs to make money so he uses a childhood toy to choose which horses to bet on to get the money that he thought was really important.
The theme of the story is that money does not always lead to happiness. I don't think that money is needed to be happy. There are people who have no money or lots of money who are happy and people in both situations who are unhappy. In some cases, I think that too much money screws people up. For example, someone who wins the lottery focuses completely on the money they have won and not what they had before and what was important. In the beginning, Paul didn't care about money and he it seems he was better then than in the end.

Poetry Response - Still Memory

In the first stanza, Karr compares a dream to floating on a river but how it always returns to its notch. The poem is a reflection on his childhood and events that occurred when he woke up in the morning. It speaks of his father returning from work, his mother in the kitchen, the environment outside his house, and his sister walking on the cold tile floor of the bathroom. Karr also says her "parents are not yet born each into a small urn of ash" meaning they have not yet passed away. When she writes "My ten-year-old hand reaches for a pen to record it all as would become long habit." it makes me think of her as a ten year old writing memories down and how she continues to do that for many years following.

I Stand Here Ironing

I Stand Here Ironing is about a mother looking back at her daughter's past in terms of how she raised her and the outcome of that.

Level 1: What does Emily discover that she likes?
Level 2: What is the significance of the mother telling the story while ironing?
Level 3: How much do you think love, attention, and affection during childhood affects a person?

The theme is a lack of affection when a person is growing up has a large impact later and through out life.
It's significant that the mother tells Emily's story while ironing because she doesn't really have to pay attention to anything and can just think. Another thing that I thought about was what the purpose of her telling the story is. Is she trying to justify her actions as a mother? Or is she going through everything that happened trying to figure out what she could have done differently?
I think that the way parents interact with their kids has a large impact on how their kids grow up. Emily spent a lot of time away from home at daycare or the place she went when she was sick. Because of this, she didn't form a strong connection with her mother and when her mother tried to show affection to her, she didn't accept it. Emily's insecurities and problems can be partly attributed to her upbringing, but I think part of the way she feels is unrelated to that. Some people, even if they grow up in loving families, go through similar struggles as Emily.

The Lesson

The Lesson is a short story about inner city kids being exposed to class differences.

Level One: Where does Miss Moore take the kids?
Level Two: Why did Miss Moore take them to the toy store?
Level Three: What do you think Sylvia meant when she said "But ain't nobody gonna beat me at nuthin."

Miss Moore took them to the toy store to expose them to class differences. Before they leave she talks about how money is unfair. She values her college education and tries to teach the kids useful skills such as when she asks Sylvia to calculate a tip for the cab driver.
I think there are a few ways to interpret the last line of the story. She could have meant that she wasn't going to let the class differences bring her down or keep her poor. Another possibility is that she ignored the lesson and decided she wasn't going to let the other kids beat her, ignoring the rest of the world.

Realization

At the end of the book, Joe realizes he is the future, but he has no hope. His desire for human contact and for his loneliness to go away will never be fulfilled. He wants to be able to show people the horrors of war, but he is not allowed to leave the hospital because it is against regulations. If people see the horrors, they will not want to fight, and the people in charge of the war need them. They don't want people to see the future. He isn't even allowed to communicate in the hospital anymore because when he tries, they sedate him. Joe is pointing the gun at the "masters of men" who make people fight. They make other people do the fighting while they watch and are out of harms way. He feels that the only way to end the fighting is to fight back at the men who are planning the war, which is why he points the gun at them.

NO MORE BLOGS!!!

Joe's Desires

Joe wants human contact and to be able to communicate with other people. He doesn't want to be lonely. He also wants to get out of the hospital as an exhibit to show people what war can do. If I were him, I would want to get out too. I'm not sure I would want to make myself an exhibit. As much as I would want to show people the horrors of war, I wouldn't want people staring at me thinking and saying whatever they want. It would bother me that I would have no sense of how people were looking at me or what they were saying. The only thing I would be able to sense is if people were around, but nothing more than that. At the same time, the only other option would be to stay in the hospital and do nothing, which I would definitely not want. I think that getting out of the hospital would motivate me to get over my fears of people's reactions.

What does Joe want?

After many attempts to communicate with nurses, one nurse recognizes his morse code and a man comes who understands it. He asks Joe what he wants. What Joe really wants is to be put back together into a functioning human being so that he can live normally in the world, but he knows that is not possible. He decides that he wants to be used as a freak show and travel outside the hospital to show the horrors of war to people. The man leaves after Joe's request but then returns tell him that what he wants is against regulations. He realizes that they are keeping him a secret and that they want to forget about him. The army doesn't want to show people the horrors of the war because it would discourage them from enlisting. He feels hopeless because he realizes that he will be confined in the hospital and that his loneliness from a lack of contact with people and the outside world will never cease.

How Injured is Joe?

Joe was seriously injured in the war. He wakes up in the hospital to discover that he no longer has his arms, legs, and his face. All he can feel are the bandages covering his body. He is unable to communicate with doctors and nurses and feels as if he is an experiment to them. He thinks the doctors value their pride more than his well being. He is even unable to scream out loud when realizes that his arms are cut off, but he often cries out in his head. He goes in and out of consciousness, which he compares to drowning. Even though his body is in a poor condition, his mind is not. He has vivid memories of his past such as with Kareen, his father's death, his life before he went to war, and the war. Also, he has thoughts about his current state and at one point Trumbo writes, "He thought well kid you're deaf as a post but there isn't pain. You've got no arms but you don't hurt. You'll never burn your hand or cut your finger or smash a nail you lucky stiff." Shortly after he becomes bothered by his situation - "I can't. I can't stand it. Scream. Move. Shake something. Make a noise any noise. I can't stand it. Oh no no no...." Both these statements show that Joe is very much mentally alive. His physical state severely impacts his ability to communicate or do anything really, but his mind keeps him alive.

Once Upon a Mattress

The gender roles in Once Upon a Mattress were reversed compared to most other fairy tales. Instead of a princess waiting for her prince, a prince was waiting for his princess. Princess Winnifred didn't have a typical female role. She didn't act very feminine or how a princess usually acts, considering she swam the mote. Instead of being quiet and following what she was told to do, she had characteristics more often associated with males such as the ability to stand up for oneself, strength, confidence, and not being so concerned with other people's thoughts and reactions. Also, she wasn't sensitive, which is a necessary trait of a princess according the the queen. In general, she played a part that would more typically be seen as a male considering her personality, behavior, and especially her role/place in the story. Another example of this gender reversal is the king and queen. The king is usually superior to the queen in most fairy tales, but in this case, the queen was definitely superior. She set the rules, people followed them, and she wasn't challenged (until the end by Dauntless). The male, instead of being superior to the female, was not able to stand up for himself and was forced to follow the queen's orders.

What is Marriage? #2

Wolfson explains his definition of marriage first because he wants to establish his definition to support his argument. Wolfson says that marriage is universal in all languages and cultures. He says that marriage is a personal commitment and that is a social statement which places someone in society. Also, marriage is a relationship between the couple and the government because of the protections, benefits, responsibility, and legal issues surrounding marriage. Marriage is also significant because is gives someone status. I think that his definition is well written and reasonable. Unlike the previous article by Santorum, Wolfson does not at all mention that it has to be between a man and a woman. His argument is not overly biased and it gives good solid facts to support his view that marriage doesn't have to be heterosexual.

It Takes a Family

Dr. Horn is comparing a traditional mother father family to a nontraditional family. He is saying that the traditional family can be compared to a plane that always get you there, but a nontraditional family can be compared to a plane that doesn't always get you there. The problem with this is that you don't to choose what kind of family you are born into. Comparing it to planes in real life, all planes have a safety records, but you don't get to choose which plane you fly on. Given his statistics, we are willing to believe that the best place for a child is in a traditional home. Just like one can't always get on the airplane with the safest record, not every child can grow up in a traditional environment. In reality, not everyone can grow up in a traditional family, which is seen as the most successful by the author. There are nontraditional families and just as less safe planes don't always crash, nontraditional families can be successful. There are many situations where the nontraditional family is more successful than the traditional. For example, a family can have a mother and father, but the parents don't get along making life for their children difficult. In this situation, it would be better to have, for example, two fathers who love each other and can provide a good environment for their family. Even though there are example where children of single parents are no successful, there are many cases where their children are successful.

Appearances

We automatically assume that Mickey and Brian are gay partly because of her physical description of them as well as the context of the description. She decides not to immediately reveal they aren't gay to show that people are quick judge based upon very little information. She waits to allow the reader to get caught in the trap of assuming from little information that someone is gay. The issue of antigay violence changes dramatically when one realizes that some of its victims are heterosexual. When this is recognized, a person realizes that it could easily happen to him or her. For example, a man wearing clothing that could make him appear to be gay, acting a certain way, or having an interest often associated with the opposite gender could make someone appear to be a homosexual when that is not the case. Something as simple as this could lead to violence, which is never appropriate, for a false impression.

Girl - #7

Always be polite; Say please and thank you; Don't interrupt when someone is talking; Don't use profanity or language that makes you seem unintelligent; Respect adults; Think before you act; Don't talk to strangers; Treat guests at your house well; Wash your hands before cooking or eating; This is how you cook; Don't put your elbows on the table; This is how you set the table; Hold your utensils properly; Sit up straight, don't slouch; Don't chew with your mouth open; Smile when people interact with you; Dress appropriately, don't look like a slob; Keep good hygiene; Stand up for yourself, but know the limits; Don't talk back to adults.

The Manliness of of Men

I disagree with Mansfield that manliness and sensitivity are incompatible. Stereotypically, manliness is seen as being tough, rugged, and willingness to die for a cause. The stereotype of sensitivity is seen as more feminine. However, in reality, one can have both qualities. A man can be manly, but not have to push people around or dominate women. There are many tough people who are at the same time sensitive because they still care about other people and how they feel. They can be strong, but know what crosses the line in how they use their strength to control. I think that having both these characteristics is valuable and leads to a more well-rounded, balanced person. Eustice Conway epitomizes manliness, but he still shows sensitivity. His sensitivity isn't related to people but rather to nature and how he appreciates it. He chose to live what one would view as a manly life partly because of his love of nature.

The Last American Man

Elizabeth Gilbert believes that Eustace Conway is the last American man for various reasons. He lives in nature on his own and makes everything for himself. He doesn't rely on anything other than what he can make or what is available to him in nature. He doesn't rely on other people and only needs himself to survive. He is not weak and will do whatever is necessary to survive, no matter now difficult or grotesque as we may see it. This style of living is much like frontiersmen, and doing these types of things to survive such as making wherever he is a home or finding his own food are seen as manly and what men should do in Gilbert's mind. Also, he is the last American man because men today don't live the same way as him and those who try to be like him and live his way are not successful.

How the Americans Understand the Equality of the Sexes

Tocqueville says that in Europe, men and women are seen as "alike" but not equal and that this degrades both genders. In American society, men and women are seen differently and he says that this is democratic. This democracy allows men and women to be equal in their own ways and in their own strengths (according to Tocqueville). Both genders are giving something to one another by giving each other acceptance of their differences and living within those differences. Europeans do not accept the differences in gender and do not allow different genders to fully utilize their strengths. He does say that yes, they are not able to "escape from the quiet circle of domestic employments", but women are not pressured to "manage the outward concerns of the family, conduct a business, or take part in a political life". Also, he says that they never have to face strenuous physical labor. Division in genders exist "in order that the great work of society may be the better carried on".

Childhood Story

There are many different stories told such as Snow White and Cinderella, but one that sticks out in my mind is Pocahontas. It seems like the majority of these types of stories make females seem subservient or dependent. Stories such as Cinderella make one think that once a female meets the right male, her life is perfect. Also in these stories, the women have more female associated tasks such as cleaning or doing whatever someone tells her to do. However, Pocahontas displays strength and courage, which I think is a more appropriate way to show a female role. It taught me that women are capable of more than just cleaning and can have more male characteristics (according to these stories). From what I can remember, Pocahontas was one of the few stories that showed the female role with strength and did not include falling in love as a cure all.

Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet, one of Shakespeare's most famous plays, has been adapted into works of music by many composers such as Berlioz, Prokofiev, and Tchaikovsky. All tell the same story using various musical themes to represent different aspects of the story. Tchaikovsky is one of the most popular composers from the romantic period. He was first given the idea to compose a work based off of Shakespeare's play by Mily Balakriev and the original version was finished in six weeks. The distinction between family conflicts and the passion between the two lovers results in two contrasting themes. In the story Romeo and Juliet, the two people fall in love, but come from families who hate each other. The two refuse to let this stop them from seeing each other. The music starts at a slow tempo with solemn chords, but then transforms into two different, contrasting themes. The theme that represents the conflict between the two families is represented by quick, forceful and irregular rhythms that is initiated by a single note. To me, this represents the meaningless hatred between countries or people with differences and how it can appear to be set off so quickly. There is no true reason why the two families hate each other besides history, and similar situations still exist today. The piece then goes to a love theme, which comprises of melodic tones. On a more positive side, it shows that people will stand up for what they believe or follow their passions despite the consequences. However, the piece then goes back to the first theme to display the conflict between the two families and ends with a dying heartbeat played by the timpani. It then concludes with four bars of abrupt chords symbolizing the tragedy of the lovers' deaths. To me, this shows that conflict between people often ends in tragedy even though it's not necessary.

Realization

Wright goes to the May Day Parade, but cannot find who he is supposed to march with. An old party friend tells him that he can march with them. Wright says no, but the other many insists. He is then attached and kicked out of the parade by white communists while his black communist friends watch. He goes home, feeling alone because what he was trying to believe in rejected him. He comes to the conclusion that people, no matter the differences, will never unite. Despite his discouragement, he decides he's not going to stop trying. As he says, "I would hurl into this darkness and wait for an echo, and if and echo sounded, no matter how faintly, I would send other words to tell, to march, to fight, to create a sense of the hunger for life that gnaws in us all, to keep alive in our hearts a sense of inexpressibly human." By saying this he means that no matter what happens, he'll respond and not give up. I agree with Wright that people will probably never come together despite differences. I also think his decision to not give up because of this situation is good considering that it seemed like he spent a lot of the book feeling sorry for himself.

Artists and Politicians

I agree with Wright's view of the difference between politicians and artists and that it is often true, especially in the politician side. Wright tries to become involved with the Communist party, but realizes that it's not for him. Wright uses his art, writing, to make sense of the world and "meaningless suffering" and to try to improve the quality of people's lives. Politicians he encounters have a different approach to changing people's lives, not really improving them, by imposing their beliefs, hoping that people will conform . They are out for their own gain primarily a lot of the time. If one doesn't conform, such as Wright, they are treated negatively. Wright is even told that people who think individually or intellectuals fit well into the party. He becomes very frustrated with the way the Communist party functions, an example being the trial of his friend Ross, and decides it is not fit for him.

Passage in Parenthesis

Wright often adds his perspective or thoughts on what he had just written in parenthesis after that passage. Wright is working in a delicatessen in a white neighborhood. He talks about how he is afraid of not knowing what type of person he is dealing with. He then speaks about how he is starting to understand why people like Shorty allowed white men to treat him poorly. He says, "While working in Memphis I had stood aghast as Shorty had offered himself to be kicked by the white men; but now, while working in Chicago, I was learning that perhaps even a kick was better than uncertainty..." Wright's goal when moving out of the South was to escape racial tensions, but he is still experiencing it and relating to what he couldn't understand previously. The feelings he has and the realization he comes to do not fulfill what he wanted out of moving to the North.

Change

At the end of part one, Wright decides to move to the North at that time instead of waiting. I think that his decision was positive because instead of staying in the South like some other people he knew such as Shorty, he decided to do something about his dislike of how he was treated. Even though he had to steal to get the money needed to move, I think it was better for him to do it right away instead of waiting because there was a chance it might not have been possible if he waited to earn money. Even though overall it was a positive change, there were still risks involved regarding just getting by. Also, even though conditions for blacks in the North were much better, moving out of the South didn't guarantee that he would be free of all racial tensions and being treated differently.

Stealing

Wright thinks the only way he can escape from everything holding him back is by moving to the North. He needs to buy a train ticket, but does not have enough money so her resorts to stealing. He quits his job at the hotel and gets one at the movie theater where he resells tickets to make money. He also steals a gun from his neighbor's house and cans of fruit preserves from the college, which he sells for money. He hesitates to steal because it is what would be expected of him. He doesn't want to fall into the stereotype that blacks steal or make himself look bad compared to whites. I understand why Wright stole and I would have done the same thing to escape from his conditions, but I'm not sure that justifies stealing. Even though I too would have been impatient to get out of the South, there are ways to make the money needed to buy a ticket even thought it would have taken much longer. Even though I understand where he's coming from, I'm not sure it justifies stealing even though I would have acted in a similar way.

Learning How to Live in the South

Wright had a problem with only holding a job for a short amount of time because he was let because of the way he acted. He talks to Griggs, a former classmate, about his problem and Griggs tells him the "learn how to live in the South". By saying this he means that Wright needs to learn how to act around white people. He tells him, "When you're in front of white people, think before you act, think before you speak. Your way of doing things is all right among our people, but not for white people. They won't stand for it." While they're talking, Griggs also pulls Wright out of the path of some white people walking. Wright is surprised and somewhat annoyed by what Griggs has done, but Griggs tells him he needs to learn to get out of their way because "white people want you out of their way". Also, Griggs tells Wright that because of his behavior around whites, getting and keeping a job is difficult for him. Although Wright knows what Griggs is telling him is true, and Wright says, "it was simply utterly impossible for me to calculate, to scheme, to act, to plot all the time." He hopes he will someday be free of this.

Speech

Wright is named the valedictorian of his class and is asked to give a speech at graduation. He goes home and writes the speech, but the next day is handed a speech from the principal which he is instructed to read instead of his own. The principal justifies this by telling Wright that he is speaking to both blacks and whites, and therefore does not have enough experience to know what to say. He also tells Wright that the superintendent will be there and that he needs to make a good impression. He also adds that he has been principal for many years and that he has seen many people graduate and "none of them was too proud to recite a speech I wrote for them." The principal threatens to not allow Wright to graduate, but he still refuses even though his family urges him to give the speech written for him. On the day of graduation, Wright gives his own speech and flees the auditorium right after. I think that what Wright's refused to give the speech is justifiable. He worked hard to get where he was and deserved to give his own speech, not one written for him because he was viewed as incapable of giving an acceptable one. Although he gave his own speech the day of graduation instead of what he was instructed, I still think he acted in the right way.

Uncle Tom

One morning Wright wakes up to his uncle asking him what time it is. He looks at his watch and gives his uncle the time, but his uncle isn't sure of his answer and asks him again. Wright doesn't want to deal with him or look at his watch again and tells him, "If it's a little slow or fast, it's not far wrong." His uncle becomes angry because of what Wright said to him. Wright responds again in a way that angers his uncle and his uncle tells him, "I never heard a sassier black imp that you in all my life." Wright doesn't like the way his uncle is treating him and talks back. Wright sees nothing wrong with what he's said because he speaks the same way other people. The two get into a big argument and Uncle Tom threatens to beat Wright. When Uncle Toms moves toward Wright to beat him, Wright fights him off with razors. Wright is upset with Uncle Tom because he thinks he has no right to beat or control him because Uncle Tom was never a big part of his life. He sees nothing wrong with what he has done to deserve a punishment from a man who has no right to do so. Also, Uncle Tom tells him that he'll "never amount to anything" and "end up on the gallows".

Writing

After the miscommunication between Richard and Granny, Granny told Richard he must pray for the sake of his soul. One day when Richard was supposed to be praying, he remembered some Indian history he had read and decided to write a story about that. Even though he realized his story was lacking some major elements, he was proud of himself for accomplishing something. He said, "But I had never in my life done anything like it; I had made something, no matter how bad it was; and it was mine." He then wanted to show it to someone and he chose the woman living next dooring knowing his family would not approve. His neighbor did not understand why he wrote it, and it makes him feel powerful because he did something that someone didn't understand. He has affirmed himself by writing, and this is the beginning of Wright using writing to make sense of the world.

Paralysis

Richard's views and feelings toward life in general change a lot after his mother suffers 2 strokes, the first one leaving her paralyzed. The first time, his neighbors help him take care of his mother, but he also decides to write a letter to Granny to help him. He is anxious for Granny to arrive, and "when she came, I gave up, letting her handle things, answering questions automatically, obeying, knowing that somehow I had to face things alone. I withdrew into myself." He "went through the days with a stunned consciousness, unable to believe what had happened". He also says, "The utter loneliness was now terrifying. I had been suddenly thrown emotionally upon my own." Wright is distraught when he comes to the realization he is on his own. Although he is scared because he has never had this type of responsibility, he refuses to accept food from other people even though he needs it because he is ashamed. When Wright's mother has a second stroke, she is taken away, and at this point, Wright realizes that his mother is out of his life completely. His mother suffers a lot, but he is still allowed to see her. Her illness becomes accepted in a way that they realize nothing can be done. His mother's suffering becomes a symbol in his mind for many negative aspects of the world. 

Cultural Heritage

While Wright's mother and Aunt Maggie worked all day cooking for white families, he and his brother were left at home to do whatever pleased them. They were given money everyday and each day they went to a grocery owned by a Jew. He had never seen a Jew in his life up until this point and says "the proprietor of the corner grocery was a strange thing in my life". He says that people in his neighborhood hated Jews not because of the way they were treated by them, but instead because Sunday school taught them that Jews were "Christ killers". Jews were seen as a separate group from them and they singled them out and ridiculed them in ways such as chanting rude things. Wright and other kids were taught to hate Jews by their parents and that it was part of their "cultural heritage". Wright had seen many bad things happen to black people, such as Hoskins getting killed for no reason, and doesn't trust white people and he's kind of used to bad treatment of other people. Also, because blacks were the victims of this hatred, they needed a scapegoat. Black parents and children didn't see any harm in this because of how they are treated.  

Hunger

Wright is physically hungry for food. When his father left his family, there was no food for Wright's family to eat until his mother got a job as a cook for a white family. Even then he was not given enough food to satisfy him. He was allowed to go to work with his mother and was allowed the have scraps if there were any. Also, he didn't understand why he couldn't have the food his mother was cooking and that bothered him. Wright's hunger often consumes his thoughts, and he associated hunger with his father which caused a dislike, among other factors, towards him. Wright is hungry for other things not physical. Based on his behaviors, such as lighting the house on fire or hanging around bars, he needs to be occupied. He is often bored and it seems like he wants attention, someone to care for him, or somewhere where he belongs. He doesn't seem content which is apparent from his impulse or risky behaviors early on to the way he feels when lived at the orphanage.

School

As much as I dislike having to go to school at times, I think it is needed. Gatto does make valid points, but I think school has many positive aspects that shouldn't be thrown away just because of the negatives. The first aspect he lists is the adaptive function which causes people to obey authority without judgment. This does often happen, although not with everyone, and can be negative. However, learning to obey authority in a way where people still make their own choices is important. Another part of school is the integrating function in which people learn to conform. Conformity in a way is important for some level of functioning, but I agree with Gatto's stance that it is bad because it can cause people to lose their true identity. The diagnostic and directive function, as he states, determines a student's role and the differentiating function determines a student's role and how they are treated based on their determined role. I think that this definitely occurs, but that is unfortunate. In terms of the selective function, I think it's true, but I'm not sure what I think about it. As bad as it sounds, society needs people to do the less desirable jobs. The aspects of school that Gatto lists are generally true and some are damaging. However, the benefits, such as an education and other nonacademic skills acquired, are more important.

Nonacademic Education

I think that the nonacademic education that we receive is really important. I don't think that school is all about getting good grades or learning math or other facts because there's more to life than just doing homework and trying to get As. In school, people learn a lot socially which is an important factor for your whole life, unlike, for example, learning math or random facts. In order to keep a job, one has to know how to deal with varying social situations. Another part that's important is responsibility that goes along with going to school, although people display it at different levels. I think that learning social skills and responsibility are some of the most important and beneficial. Mann talks about other aspects of the nonacademic education such as physical, political, religious, and moral education. Physical education is important so that people can keep themselves healthy. Also, I think that political and religious education is important so that people can make informed decisions on what they believe and stand for. Although these are important, out of the things that Mann lists, moral education is the most important along with social skills and responsibility. Students are influenced by these nonacademic topics, and it is probably usually good. However, in some cases I think it could be bad, but whether or not it's good or bad is based completely on personal views and can vary person to person.

More Presentations

A lot of people used stores as examples of rhetoric, but there were a lot of advertisements too. Mallory talked about how Victoria's Secret arranges their store to attract people. She also compared Gap Body to Victoria's Secret and the different messages they send and how they attract different people, which I thought was interesting. An advertisement that I thought was kind of weird was the beer ad with the pregnant woman. Yes, it was nonalcoholic, but I just thought it was kind of odd to try to attract pregnant women to drink even though it wasn't dangerous. I guess I would think pregnant women would be really interested other things instead of finding something to drink that was safe while they're pregnant. Who knows... I'm not them. Even though it was kind of weird, the shock of the picture catches people's attention.

Rhetoric Out on the Town Presentations

I thought that a lot of people had good ideas and examples of rhetoric. I didn't think of anything other than advertisements as examples, and I liked how other people thought of less obvious and more creative examples. For example, the one of Victoria's Secret and other stores at Clay Terrace were good examples of rhetoric in how they attract certain types of people to sell their product. Also, I liked the billboard for The Economist because it was an interesting idea and a good way to catch people's attention to get them to become more interested. I also thought that the MTV one with the election was good because MTV's audience is young and the picture showed younger people and diversity, which makes it appealing to a larger audience. I'm interested to see what other types of examples of rhetoric people found.  

Presentations

I thought that the commercials were all pretty good. It seemed like all of them used humor in some way to appeal to people. The one that stuck out in my mind was the one for iBall. The product itself is pretty much worthless, but the way it was presented was really humorous and if the iBall had any value, I would buy it because of the commercial. The commercials were directed at high school students, and what the iBall would provide would be appealing to students. The examples of what it could be used for were presented in a funny way, but were somewhat valid. The hat emporium commercial was similar to this because it showed different uses for hats and had humor which both make the commercial more appealing and effective. 

Pottery Barn

I agree with what most of the article said. However, it made it seem like all it takes to create a successful business is one person with good ideas. The article says, "At Pottery Barn, there are no panels of focus groups and no teams of market researchers. To create a powerful lifestyle brand, Tejada says, you must first have a life. And the consequences of dodging one's responsibility to eat, drink, and merry can be severe. "I tell my team, 'You will not get promoted or rewarded for working 20 hours a day,'" she says, her voice firm as a headmistress addressing an unruly class." She says that there are no market researchers of panels of focus groups, and that she encourages her staff to go to restaurants and other places to observe. Although that may be somewhat different from more traditional market researchers, that is market research and is how they create products that people want to buy. The people who run Pottery Barn and other similar stores know how to get people to buy their product, and have even tried to appeal to other audiences such as children and teens. If they can make it seem like what they're selling is the best, people will buy it even if it is overpriced. As the article says, "But while customers may be reluctant to pull the trigger for a $1,400 red-leather club chair, no matter how delicious, they're still willing to spring for a $34 flowered pillow of pay $42 for a great set of wineglasses." Young and affluent people, such as the recently married lawyer and marketing director, are willing to spend whatever is necessary to get what they see as the perfect product. 

Environment

The environment of a store has a big influence on what you buy and varies depending on the type of store. For example, in high end stores that sell expensive jewelry and clothing are usually open and spaced out. The way in which the items are displayed, such as jewelry in nice cases, and the way in which items are placed gives a sense of elegance. Openly spaced stores often appear to be of a high quality. Walmart, for example, does not have a nice or high end appearance and the type of store it is and its prices reflect that. The way in which a store is decorated also has an influence. In a store for kids, the colors could be brighter whereas a store directed at older customers would be more conservative. Another example is that many stores put "impulse buys" right next to or near the cash register. At the grocery check out, there are items such as candy and drinks and some people will buy these items just because they're waiting and have nothing else to do. These items are inexpensive, but have a high mark up. Overall, stores create an environment or appearance geared towards the types of people who go to their store so that they have a better chance of making a profit.

Super Bowl Commercials

The commercials that stuck out most to me were beer commercials probably because there were a lot of them. The two that I saw were towards the beginning and were for Bud Light. The first starts out by saying that Bud Light is the beer that has everything one wants including the ability to breathe fire.  one showed a man and a women having dinner together. The man had a bottle of beer and the woman was about to light two candles. The man said he could do it and fire came out of his breath, lighting the candles and the woman was impressed. He then asks if she has a cat and starts sneezing which lights other things, almost including the cat, on fire. It then goes to a picture of Bud Light saying that it no longer gives fire breathing abilities, but the taste still remains. The commercial uses humor to appeal to people and is directed at males. The second one shows a wine party. The guy walks in with a large piece of cheese and goes in the kitchen to put it down. He walks in and there are a bunch of other guys. Hidden inside the cheese is a pack of Bud Light. Another guy then reveals a hidden bottle inside a baguette. The thirds guy has a something that has wine inside it, but it's actually a TV. It's directed at males because they can relate to a situation where their wife has a party that they don't want to be part of. Like the other commercial, it is also humorous. 

Class Discussion

I was somewhat surprised to people's reactions mostly because I had different opinions. A lot of the conversation seemed to be about how Kilbourne exaggerated in her examples. Even though she did exaggerate, I still agree with her opinion. What the discussion focused on was a lot different than what I got from the article. I think one of her main points was that women are being dehumanized and that males think that they are superior to females. It gives males power and control which sometimes leads to abuse or violence. I can see where males would be offended by this, and even though this is not true in all situations, it does happen. Kilbourne didn't focus a lot on how males are portrayed, but in my opinion, there isn't that much to focus on. I personally don't see the way males are portrayed causing females to feel superior and act violently or rape someone. The discussion was sort of frustrating because people interrupted and talked over each other. Also, some people didn't seem willing to look at things from a different perspective, which is kind of unproductive.

"Two Ways a Woman Can Get Hurt"

Although she does push and exaggerate some things, I agree with Kilbourne's argument. It is dangerous for women to be displayed as sex objects because it is demeaning and can give males the idea that they have power over women or that males are superior. This idea that males have that they are powerful or superior is especially dangerous when they act on it, especially in violent ways. Society encourages males to be manly and females to be submissive. Violent people portrayed in the media are almost always male. Females are often shown with bad male role models, which encourages females to take more risks and attempt to attract bad males because they are exciting or interesting. Kilbourne also says that males are told they shouldn't take no for an answer. Kilbourne also says that females don't really mean no when they say it. It devalues females. She also says that people don't abuse equals, but instead inferiors. The media sets it up so that females are inferior to males, which gives males the idea that they have power and control.

TV Commercial

I saw a commercial for H&R Block. It shows two guys eating hot dogs except one of them says he can't afford the buns. He squirts ketchup in his mouth and puts the hot dog in his mouth. His friend then tells him he could afford hot dog buns if he would have done he taxes with H&R Block and gotten a refund on a prepaid card. The commercial is funny, but also somewhat disgusting. They try to make the audience believe that without doing taxes with H&R Block and getting a refund, one can't have simple things such as hot dog buns. It makes it seem as if you have to do your taxes with H&R Block otherwise you won't have money. Also, they try to make their services better than other tax services because they give you your refund on a prepaid card, which is more convenient.