Langston Hughes' "Mother to Son" really represents the situation for some people in this country. Some people want what is in their child's best interest. Most parents want their kids to have a better childhood than them even if they had a good childhood. This people, I feel, is inspirational. "But life ain't be no crystal stair for me" can symbolize the working class part of the U.S and that she is saying to him that she will do all she can to help him reach for the stars when he grows up.
Hughes' mom represents everyone who wanted to have had a better life but is trying look past her's and look toward the future and in the future the newest generation is it. In times like these, this poem is able to represent the entire U.S and the effects of life on everyone and especially during a recession.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Social Awareness Project
After 7+ days of hovering and watching the news and reading the newspaper I heard about a lot of good and bad news. First, a deli worker was killed by a robber in Queens 11 years after his brother was also killed. Also, there was a 7.7 Magnitude earthquake in Indonesia that triggered a volcanic eruption and a tsunami. The last important new that I've been watching is the Senate and House elections next week and how the Democrats could lose the majority in one of or both of the Congressional houses. To go with that, the Governor race in New York has gotten interesting due to Jimmy Mclillan of the Rent is Too Damn High Party and Carl Paladino's remarks on Gay Marriage in the U.S.
From this experience I learned a lot of things. First, I learned how many different things happen each day in NYC and in the world. How crazy this world may be. Also, how without the media it would be much harder for us to hear very important news in the blink of an eye. Lastly, I learned about how biased opinions can be in the media and that you want to listen to all of the media's people opinions.
From this experience I learned a lot of things. First, I learned how many different things happen each day in NYC and in the world. How crazy this world may be. Also, how without the media it would be much harder for us to hear very important news in the blink of an eye. Lastly, I learned about how biased opinions can be in the media and that you want to listen to all of the media's people opinions.
Monday, October 18, 2010
First Draft of Appreciation
When you first see a books that looks interesting, what do you look at? The cover, and in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe there is a lion with two kids on his back. Not very specific and doesn't tell you what the book is about. What do you look at next even if there is a nice cover that kinda tips you off on what the book is about, you look for the blurb. There is no blurb in on the back cover or front flap, so that means that you are forced to start reading a book that you have basically no clue about.
From the first page of Narnia to the last you are as close to being stuck in a reading warp as possible, where you can’t stop reading and the only movement in your body is your eyes blinking and your heart beating. The pictures in the book are extremely descriptive and they really help the reader visualize the situation and the setting of the story. When Aslan is being killed the illustrator draws the scene exactly as C.S Lewis describes it. All the monsters you'd see in a freak show are there. Cyclops etc...
The book begins with the introduction of what Edmund, Susan, Peter, and Lucy Pevensie are going through. It is the middle of World War II and they are forced to move to a suburb of London for the time being due to the Nazi bomb raids of London. They move in with a old professor who owns an enormous house, and while playing hide and seek, Lucy discovers a wardrobe which is a portal to Narnia. That is the end of boredom and loneliness for the Pevensies. At first, Lucy's older siblings don't believe her, until Edmund enters the wardrobe to Narnia and apologizes to Lucy for not believing her and they force Peter and Susan to Narnia. Turns out that there is a prophecy that four humans, two boys and two girls, that would end the reign of the evil leader the White Witch. The Pevenisies eventually join forces with Aslan (The true king of Narnia) and his rebellion and defeat The White Witch and restore freedom to Narnia.
When the world was introduced to Narnia in 1950, it was the first time the world had read a book of this type. By that, I’m saying that no author had ever brought the genre of fantasy to Narnia’s kind of level. It teaches kids that evil is not the way and teaches that in a way of bringing up witchcraft and evil. Narnia was actually the first real fantasy that the world had ever read. No book moral had ever been as complex and controversial as Narnia's.
I find it disgraceful that libraries and schools have banned the reading and use of reading any Narnia book. Libraries say that there is too much gore and witchcraft for people to read about. Reading Narnia should be like a privilege to these people, and isn’t it a library’s role in community to provide the community with the joy of reading and give all of the community’s people the opportunity to read ALL BOOKS! To fulfill the true meaning of reading, you have to read The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe.
From the first page of Narnia to the last you are as close to being stuck in a reading warp as possible, where you can’t stop reading and the only movement in your body is your eyes blinking and your heart beating. The pictures in the book are extremely descriptive and they really help the reader visualize the situation and the setting of the story. When Aslan is being killed the illustrator draws the scene exactly as C.S Lewis describes it. All the monsters you'd see in a freak show are there. Cyclops etc...
The book begins with the introduction of what Edmund, Susan, Peter, and Lucy Pevensie are going through. It is the middle of World War II and they are forced to move to a suburb of London for the time being due to the Nazi bomb raids of London. They move in with a old professor who owns an enormous house, and while playing hide and seek, Lucy discovers a wardrobe which is a portal to Narnia. That is the end of boredom and loneliness for the Pevensies. At first, Lucy's older siblings don't believe her, until Edmund enters the wardrobe to Narnia and apologizes to Lucy for not believing her and they force Peter and Susan to Narnia. Turns out that there is a prophecy that four humans, two boys and two girls, that would end the reign of the evil leader the White Witch. The Pevenisies eventually join forces with Aslan (The true king of Narnia) and his rebellion and defeat The White Witch and restore freedom to Narnia.
When the world was introduced to Narnia in 1950, it was the first time the world had read a book of this type. By that, I’m saying that no author had ever brought the genre of fantasy to Narnia’s kind of level. It teaches kids that evil is not the way and teaches that in a way of bringing up witchcraft and evil. Narnia was actually the first real fantasy that the world had ever read. No book moral had ever been as complex and controversial as Narnia's.
I find it disgraceful that libraries and schools have banned the reading and use of reading any Narnia book. Libraries say that there is too much gore and witchcraft for people to read about. Reading Narnia should be like a privilege to these people, and isn’t it a library’s role in community to provide the community with the joy of reading and give all of the community’s people the opportunity to read ALL BOOKS! To fulfill the true meaning of reading, you have to read The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Further Research Into Old Time Favorite Books and Current Favorite
There always seems to be a story behind all of the greatest books of our generation, and the the generations before us. Harry Potter started in a coffee shop and was rejected by publishers 13 times before it was finally published (Wonder what those guys were thinking?). The Wrinkle In Time was rejected 26 TIMES!!! Some of the most highly acclaimed books were banned from countries. During the Nazi Regime in the 1930's-40's, citizens were denied access to most books such as the Wizard of Oz. These books were torched in the streets of Berlin and throughout Germany during the Nazi rule of Germany. Only books that were approved by the government were permitted.
Not just Germany, but in parts of the U.S schools and libraries have banned and disallowed the possession and/or reading of some amazing and highly acclaimed books. These books include The Wrinkle in Time, all Harry Potters, even some Mark Twain books for promoting use of witchcraft, featuring supernatural forces rather than religious to defeat evil, and for graphic violence and gore.
I find this information a little startling especially the part about the U.S baning but at he same time it's very interesting. For more information go to http://www.banned-books.com/bblist.html.
Not just Germany, but in parts of the U.S schools and libraries have banned and disallowed the possession and/or reading of some amazing and highly acclaimed books. These books include The Wrinkle in Time, all Harry Potters, even some Mark Twain books for promoting use of witchcraft, featuring supernatural forces rather than religious to defeat evil, and for graphic violence and gore.
I find this information a little startling especially the part about the U.S baning but at he same time it's very interesting. For more information go to http://www.banned-books.com/bblist.html.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Entry #6!
Throughout the Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe I struggled to find a really good note that was at the same to a good connection to me or just something in life. I realized that Edmund Pevensie is like Anakin Skywalker and that the book is like the movie Star Wars. In the book Edmund is like the Chosen One of Narnia as is Anakin Skywalker. Edmund was one of the four humans who were to dethrone the White Witch who was like the Dark Side in Narnia. In Star Wars, Anakin Skywalker was the one who was supposed to put the destroy the Sith Lord .A.K.A The Emperor) Both of these characters were seduced to the "Dark Side" at one point of the story and both were eventually deduced to the light side by their relative/relatives. Both have the same ending.
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