Monday, March 26, 2007

Reading Log

I read the book Love Me Or I’ll Kill You; I think this book was excellent. It really just captured my attention from the very first page. The characters in the story were Paula Gutierrez and Nestor "Chino" DeJesus, they were a Hispanic couple that were originally raised in New York. They had a very abusive relationship, Chino was the dominant one and he physically and mentally abused Paula almost every single day. She was too afraid to leave him and so she endured the beatings. They had one daughter and after her birth they packed up and they moved to Tampa, Florida. On July 6th, 2001 Chino developed the idea that they should rob a bank. The robbery was unsuccessful and the affair ended up in a standoff in the couple’s apartment complex. The ordeal lasted for 3 ½ hours. It finally ended in Chino killing a well-known female police officer, Lois Marrero while taking his own life.

On July 6th, 2001 Chino woke up with a hot temper. Paula immediately got up and started cooking breakfast, she recognized that temper and she wanted to do anything to keep her from getting a beat down. Chino began ranting and raving about how the "system" was messed up and how everyone was trying to keep him from succeeding. Then he devised the plan that him and Paula should rob a bank, her reply was no and that it was dangerous. She tried to persuade him to change his mind but Chino was determined; he called his mother to come and get their daughter and then he forced Paula in the car with his mac-11 semiautomatic.

Armed with the gun and scarves on their faces, they ran into the bank, they left with approximately 10,000 dollars. What they fail to realize was Chino had grabbed a dye pack while grabbing the money. A dye pack is a pack the bank installs in between stacks of money and once the pack has crossed the security codes it sets off a timer. Which then explodes spilling tear gas and red ink everywhere. The money becomes stained and the robbers are usually set into a fury of pain from the gas. This is what happened in the car as Chino and Paula was speeding away from their crime. Devastated, Chino threw all the money out the window; but by then the police knew exactly what car they were in and were on pursuit.

Later on as they entered their apartment complex, Chino gunned down officer Marrero in the parking lot. The bullets zipped through her body and bounced of many vital organs. She was shot twice and each bullet wound also had an exit hole. The couple ran into Isaac Davis’s apartment and kept him captive for 3-½ hours straight; although they couple assured him they wouldn’t hurt him, he was frightened for his life. Throughout all that time the whole Tampa SWAT unit was positioned outside. Chino was determined not to go to jail. He once mentioned I’m leaving here in a body bag, one way or another. While inside Chino constantly tried to persuade Paula to commit suicide with him; she would argue back saying jail wouldn’t be so bad. The ordeal ended by Chino finally deciding on suicide and Paula agreeing. They sat across from each other, both with guns under their chins. Chino said on the count of three, they would pull the trigger…one..two..pow! Only one died…. Chino, Paula had chickened out. She put her hands behind her head and walked out the apartment and into the arms of the police.

This book was so extremely addictive, I couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed this book and I think everyone should read this. Even though Paula wasn’t involved in the murders and all she did at the bank was hold the gun, she was given the life sentence. She’s spending her life behind the bars in Tampa, Florida. She has stated since then that she actually feels safer in jail then she has felt within all her days with Chino. I think what had me so drawn into this book was the fact that this is a true story. None of the names in this book has been changed, everything that occurred in the book actually did happen. Out of five thumbs I would give Love Me Or I’ll Kill You FIVE thumbs!

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Many people feel as if entertainers today are the main reason behind many of the crime committed by juveniles today. They feel as if the lyrics that recited by artists influence juveniles to lead a life of crime. They argue that certain television shows influences gay marriage and inappropriate behaviors. This argument has been going on for many years and many court cases have evolved from this issue. I have to admit though sometimes the lyrics of a song may influence me, it could never make me do something I really didn’t want to do. For example the lyrics I need money, that’s my goal, I’ll shoot anybody anywhere just to rock straight gold; may influence me to make money be my main goal. I realize money is power; but never would I feel I need to go shoot someone. If my favorite television show shows the main characters bleeping out curse words, I know that those words are bad and if they weren’t they wouldn’t be bleeped out. Although I may like certain stuff that entertains me, I would know the difference between right and wrong.

One major issue in the courts is involving the wrestling shows. Everyone may have enjoyed wrestling once upon a time, but me personally when my brother told me it was fake it took away all the excitement. Even though a lot of people may believe that wrestling is fake, even more believe that its real; and others just don’t care because it brings them excitement. So its not strange for little kids to want to imitate the moves they see on television.

On July 28, 1999, Lionel Tate, a twelve year old, weighing 170 pounds said he was imitating professional wrestlers when he beat to death six year old Tiffany Eunick who weighed 48 pounds in his Pembroke Park home in Florida. Tate claimed he had Tiffany in a headlock as he slammed her head on a table, but a medical examiner's reported indicated injuries caused by much rougher abuse. Experts testified that Tiffany suffered a beating lasting 1 - 5 minutes. She had 35 injuries, including a ruptured spleen, lacerations, and damage to her rib cage, a fractured skull, brain contusions, a partially detached liver and bruises all over her body. Tate changed his story years later claiming he jumped on her from a staircase.

A 7-year-old North Dallas boy imitating a wrestling move he learned from television, accidentally killed his 3-year-old brother. The 3-year-old began making complaints to his mother concerning his head, which prompted his mother to take him to Children's Medical Center in Dallas. The 3-year-old victim died from brain swelling. Dallas police said they initially suspected that an adult had to have caused the 3-year-old's severe head injury

If there’s no one there observing their every move, who’s there to tell them the people on TV are professionals? Who’s there to inform them that they shouldn’t imitate what they see? Who’s there to tell them that the moves they see are actually very dangerous and can even be fatal if they try it? No one is telling them these facts so they are forced to learn it the hard way.

Some parents believe that the all time Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants, is promoting the acceptance of homosexuality. He is popular among children and grown-ups as well who watch him cavorting under the sea on the Nickelodeon cartoon program that bears his name. In addition, he has become a well-known figure among gay men, perhaps because he holds hands with his best friend who is a male starfish by the name of Patrick Star. There is one particular episode where SpongeBob and Patrick parent a baby clam. In the episode SpongeBob was reflected as the mother, wearing maid outfits and feeding and changing the baby. At first Patrick, reflected as the father was very involved in the family but after a while he started slacking off. He wouldn’t provide for the baby and he was constantly just laying back and making SpongeBob work his heart out.

SpongeBob's creator, Stephen Hillenburg, 43, said the allegations are far-fetched and his agenda does not go beyond fun and entertainment
"We never intended them to be gay. I consider them to be almost asexual. We're just trying to be funny, and this has got nothing to do with the show."
I personally believe the cartoon is harmless, I watch SpongeBob every chance I get, and I’ve never had the thought that he was gay or in any way promoting homosexuality. I feel as if these parents are too stuck up on things that aren’t even as important, where they should be protecting their children from drugs, abuse etc. they are arguing with the fact that their watching a television program. Less time needs to be spent on this topic and focused on more important subjects.

The parents of today are arguing with little matters that aren’t as important as saving their children from a life of crime. The parents are behind all these accusations, do you think a child looked at SpongeBob and said, "hey I think he’s trying to tell me to be gay?" No! Kids are young and innocent; they don’t know what’s going on without the initial thought being put into their mind in the first place. It’s ridiculous how parents who are failing at their job of being parents are accusing the media for their mistakes. If someone was there to tell Lionel Tate that those wrestling moves are only to be done by professionals, do you think he would’ve still attempted to try the moves on little Tiffany? I think the problem is the parents and not at all the media.

The parents need to raise their own children instead of relying on the schools, churches, or the entertainment business. They need to be there to help their kids choose between right and wrong. They need to instill common sense in them, as of now their just teaching them to be ignorant and instead of taking responsibility of your wrongs try to find another way out.

I know better and I have the common sense my family instilled in me while I was growing up. Then you have to realize, not everyone has parents and not everyone has a family. The main issue here, which everyone is overlooking, is that the parents aren’t in control of their kids. The parents aren’t enforcing discipline today and that is why these kids are losing control and committing idiotic crimes. The streets are raising the kids of today because their parents have abandoned them.

Writing One

Hip-hop has been around longer than anyone can imagine. The loud sound of bass and the rowdy music seemed to help urban people escape their problems, but also seemed to go beyond that. It talks to the streets, to the people who live there. It talks about life. It's poetry, filled with metaphors and similes. It's creative and very straightforward; no one hid their problems when they expressed themselves on microphones. Each stanza, every quote, every single word withheld a hidden message. Whether it was a message about drugs, violence, death, it was music that certainly, with a resonant chest thumping beat that captured the thoughts and feelings of whomever that listen to it.

Hip Hop was basically battle zones of the 1980s, but instead of fighting and using violence, battlers got on mics and rap freestyles. They use their knowledge of words to tear down their opponent. They used words punctuated by the emergence of crack cocaine, gunfire, and gang wars. They spoke on the pain of living in a low poverty city, the pain of going home to no food, no lights, and no running water. They talked about the deaths of loved ones from the streets. They were fighting verbally…..and in that way no one could die physically. Being ranked the best on the streets was the power they were looking for. It was the highest reputation anyone "degrading" could have. Hip-Hop literally set them free.

The music was different from the crazy disco beats that were popular at the time. In actuality, the blacks weren’t allowed in those disco clubs. They weren’t allowed to go to the suburban part of time to go to the club to have a good time like everyone else. So they turned to parties, house parties. They threw house parties and were able to go all out. They were able to scratch their CD’s, play a favorite track over and over and blast the music to an almost unbearable level. It was just something about the pulsing beat that didn’t allow the listener to play the music at normal level. It was a vibrating beat that occasionally seems likely to burst the windows of enthusiasts' cars.

That’s what started hip-hop, but since then we’ve grown so much. We’re now in a decade that allows anything from having magazine coverage on the artist to premiering videos on the television. We went from not being allowed in the Disco Club to building our own clubs that plays hip-hop only. Hip-hop and rap music are by the best selling, highest grossing styles of music to burst upon the American - and global - scene in decades, racking up billions of dollars in sales year after year, both for the music produced by the industry and the magazines that cover it. One reason for the music's popularity is that it crosses cultural boundaries, blacks, Asians-Americans, Latinos everyone can enjoy the power of the music. Males and Females included.

Hip- hop artists of the 21st century seem to have lost the true reason for the music in the first place. Now instead of rapping about how they want to become someone and provide for their kids, they’re rapping about money drugs and sex. Even though in the ‘old’ rap days some artists included those certain factors, the music wasn’t based on it. Plenty interviews have been recorded with "old" artists who set the paths for our recent artists, and they are not ashamed to say ever that they think that the music of today has degraded. They feel as if these artists are in the business for the wrong reasons and instead of helping our generations by motivational music, they’re breaking us by just influencing drugs, sex, and money. Kids are out there trying to get money, but in all the wrong ways and why? Because that’s what their favorite artist said they were doing before they "made it". Times have change, so of course people must change with it. We came from a lot in over20 years who knows what the next 20 will hold.

Modernism

Disillusionment. I chose this topic because I couldn’t imagine being oversees, fighting for my life and for the lives of others back in my home; not to mention the fact that when I go back home, nothing has changed. I’m still considered lower than an average man, that would upset me so bad. Its like I’m not human enough to be at home and to try to better my life; but I’m human enough to put my life in danger by fighting in a war.

I feel as if the soldier in the story was depressed and sad. I felt bad for him, because I can imagine how he must have felt. He went off to war, he left school and his fraternity brothers and all his friends just to go fight in the war. He was over there for about two years and then he was one of the lasts to return home. On top of that after being away for so long, when he came back there was no celebrations or anything to make him feel special for putting his life on the line for his country. He felt depressed and he didn’t really feel like living. I can imagine being gone for over two years and when I come back, no one seems to have enough time to appreciate my courage.

When he came back he was depressed from being away from home for so long. He realized that he was in the need of loving, but he didn’t want to deal with the drama that would be associated with a relationship. He liked looking at the girls from distances, he thought they were pretty and he admired how they dressed and their hairstyles. Whenever he came close on them, like if he was in the same area as him he would automatically be disgusted by them. His emotions were twisted up inside, he felt unappreciated. This example shows how the American life was just disillusionment. He thought when he came back he would be appreciated everyone would admire his every step; but he realized that he was just another simple man. He lost his love for everything and he just didn’t want to be bothered.

Don't you love your mother dear boy?
No,Krebs said.
His mother looked at him across the table. Her eyes were shiny. She started crying.
I don't love anybody, Krebs said. It wasn't any good.
He couldn't tell her, he couldn't make her see it. It was silly to have said it. He had only hurt her. He went over and took hold of her arm.

The war physically and mentally wore him out and he no longer seemed to actually be living his own life. He learned to stop loving and caring about others. He didn’t want to be bothered with anything. Its almost like he was just a shell and his inner person was gone. Like he lost his soul in the war.

Richard Corey
I think this poem is saying how all the people admired Richard Corey in his town. Everyone admired him because he just had a certain presence about himself. He knew how to turn heads without even trying, he was polite and just someone every one wanted the children to be like. I think Richard Corey was depressed, I think I could probably tie this to the disillusionment in more ways then one. While everyone was admiring Richard Corey he was probably thinking how everything wasn’t how it was suppose to be, and so he took his life. And he was rich—yes, richer than a king, And admirably schooled in every grace. In fine, we thought that he was everything to make us wish that we were in his place. And Richard Cory, one calm summer night, Went home and put a bullet through his head.

Mending Wall
The person in this poem was similar to me. He wanted to be alone, he was a very secretive. He wasn't exactly being prejudice or racist in any way; he just seemed to want to have his own personal space that’s why he put up a fence between him and his neighbor. He then asks himself what exactly is he doing by putting up the fence, he said what exactly am I walling in; or what am I walling out. He describes how he’s different then other people. He is all pine and I am apple orchard. My apple trees will never get across and eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.

A Dream Deferred
I think he’s asking like once a dream is put to the side does the owner still think about it. Or like ever since the dream didn’t work out the way it wanted to, does everything in your life seem to get worse after that. Would the dream constantly be on your mind or will it just eventually slip away. Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore-- And then run? I think this poem could describe The Psychoanalysis Stage, the way how he is thinking what really happens to a dream that is never forfilled. He asks questions within the poem to make you think.

The Negro Speaks of Rivers
I think he’s saying even though he’s never actually been to these places, he’s been through enough to equal to these things. I think he’s saying that he’s been through the worst and the best of things throughout his life. These things have helped him grow as an individual and now he has more knowledge. I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln went down to New Orleans, and I've seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset. I've known rivers: Ancient, dusky rivers. My soul has grown deep like the rivers. This poem can describe the Harlem Renaissance, the way we basically came from nothing and then we were given the opportunity to do much more. I think he's talking of the achievements blacks were recieving at the time.

Incident
I think this author is saying how the smallest thing can effect someone. She felt degraded and confused, she thought she was going to have a good time and it took her by surprise to be called out her name. That fits into disillusionment, where they (black people) finally thought it was all over and they can be accepted as equals. In actuality they were still being treated the same degraded ways. Now I was eight and very small,And he was no whit bigger,And so I smiled, but he poked outHis tongue, and called me, Nigger. I saw the whole of BaltimoreFrom May until December;Of all the things that happened there and That's all that I remember.

Monday, March 5, 2007

Realism

This story explains the feeling the author had after her husband died. The author was alone in her room to think about how her new life was going to be. This story is based on realism because it describes every single detail; it tells where she was sitting at, what the weather was like outside, and it explained her feelings as she sat up there and thought about life. "There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair. Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul. She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which some one was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves. There were patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds that had met and piled one above the other in the west facing her window."

She felt a new freedom and actually felt excited about how her new life going to be without her husband. "She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death; the face that had never looked save with love upon her, fixed and gray and dead. But she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely. And she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome." It just shows how women were unappreciated in those times. She felt like an animal in a cage, she felt as if she never got to live life to the fullest with her husband in the picture. Although she’s sad that her soul mate is dead, she’s delighted at the thought of her being on her own for the rest of her years. She thinks she will be able to finally live her life how she wanted to without someone telling her what’s right or wrong.

This author explains his life as a slave and he tells the reader how being a slave broke him from his manhood. He had no problem with working but it was a certain slave master that just took things to the extreme at all times. The slave master was very inconsiderate of the author and the other slaves’ well being. " I was made to drink the bitterest dregs of slavery, that time was during the first six months of my stay with Mr. [Edward] Covey. We were worked in all weathers. It was never too hot or too cold; it could never rain, blow, hail, or snow too hard for us to work in the field. Work, work, work was scarcely more the order of the day than of the night. The longest days were too short for him, and the shortest nights too long for him".

He describes the pain he endured physically and emotionally he explained how his pride was the first to leave him. "Mr. Covey succeeded in breaking me. I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark that lingered about my eye died; the dark night of slavery closed in upon me; and behold a man transformed into a brute!"

This story describes realism, because the author provides every single detail. He explained how his body appeared once he arrived at his owners house to complain about his slave master. He explains how he no longer can take being treated like trash, and so he vowed to defend himself. He said if any master tried to succeed in whipping him, then they will have to succeed in killing him also. "From the crown of my head to my feet, I was covered with blood. My hair was all clotted with dust and blood, my shirt was stiff with briers and thorns, and were also covered with blood. I supposed I looked like a man who had escaped a den of wild beasts, and barely escaped them." He was determined to find his pride back.

They right I'm reciting my life
I was there no matter what
Through sirens on a silent night
Cold Sundays slow Mondays
Hot Friday nights
Tuesdays, Thursdays serving whether or not they ride tonight
On peaceful days
Hostful evenings even violent nights
Chip on my shoulder
Hold a grudge cause you can die tonight
I swear you people had no idea what my life was like
The bright lights
And a half a million just to grab the Mic----


Those lyrics are from my favorite artist, T.I., I think this song reflects realism to the fullest, because he’s showing how his life was like. He explains how no matter what was going on he was out there in the streets giving his clients what they needed; he was a drug-dealer before he became a rapper, and no matter what situation came up whenever he was needed he was there. He states that people have no idea what his life was like so in actuality no one can’t judge him, nor tell him he was wrong because that’s all he knew.

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Dark Romanticism

1) Edgar Allen Poe- I believed he believed against transcendental philosophy because if people were all pure in their minds then his stepfather wouldn’t have disowned him. Neither would his three wives die of the same disease, it seemed like he was cursed and that’s why he believed that people weren’t all pure and godly.
Herman Melville-I believed he believed against transcendental philosophy because he witnessed cannibalism. He probably felt that if all men were pure in their minds and in touch with god, then they would’ve known against eating human flesh.
Nathaniel Hawthorne- I believed he believed against the transcendental philosophy because he disowns his family. He knew that his family was doing wrong by killing all those people and so he knew that all men couldn’t be all good.

2) Honestly I believe that I would fall more into the category with the Dark Romantics. I simply don’t believe that men are 100% pure, we are pure in some ways, but definitely not 100%. That’s just like saying that everyone is perfect in the way that they think and if that’s the case then no crime would ever happen. Everyone has a bad side to him or her and certain people just let their bad sides overcome them when certain things happen to them. Those are well known facts and those facts help prove my decision on being more on the Dark Romantic side.

4) This poem was awesome! I read every single line. It describes the Dark Romantics belief in many ways; there were times in the poem when the author felt anger within himself. He felt hatred and violence and he wanted to hurt someone or something, that right there shows proof against the transcendentalist belief because they believe all men are good and pure in their hearts. "Evil thoughts became my sole intimates-the darkest and most evilest of thoughts". That shows how he had these thoughts in his head that basically urging him on to do something bad. He started off loving his animals taking care of their every need and then he gradually started to change, he began ignoring their needs and basically reverted to moping around the house. Then finally one day he just snapped. "The fury of the demon instantly possessed me. I knew myself no longer. My original soul seemed, at once, to take flight from my body and a more then fiendish malevolence, gin-nurtured, thrilled every fibre of my frame. I took my from my waistcoat-pocket a pen-knife, opened it up, grasped the poor beast by his throat, and deliberately cut one of its eyes from the socket!"

5) I feel sadness and I can feel his anguish and depression through his words. I can imagine how angry he was with the raven for not really giving him a full answer! "Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from a unseen censer swung by Seraphim whose foot falls tinkled on the tufted floor. Wretch I cried, thy God had lent thee—by these angels he had sent thee respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore! Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forgot this lost Lenore! Quote the raven Nevermore." He wants the answer to his questions his preparing himself for the worst of worst thoughts and the entire time the raven would only reply was nevermore. He never gave him a direct answer.

This poem describes an anti-Transcendental idea by showing how upset the bird made the author. The bird represented evil and pain and it hurt the author by revealing the answers to his questions that hurt the most. Even though the bird only said one word it inflicted pain. The author asked would he ever see his wife again, it replied nevermore. He asked when would the raven leave him alone and the bird replied once again nevermore. He was agitated and angry and the bird was calm and peaceful.

6) Edgar Poe was born in Boston in January 1809. His parents were actors, and they separated less than a year after his birth. His mother took him, his brother and his sister on tour with her plenty of times. A little while after his 2nd birthday she died. In 1815, Edgar moved to Britain with his "adopted" family and received his education there; they moved back to the states in 1820. In 1827 he joined the army. When he was 27 he married his 13-year-old cousin. He wasn’t a well-trusted person and was involved in many lawsuits throughout his life. He remarried three times and all wives died of tuberculosis. His life was full of pain and anger, which was his main motivation for all of his work. He could write stories based on the pains he once experienced and that’s why he was so talented; he could actually bring out the pain of his life through his work. Even though he’s passed, I still think he’s one of the best writers ever.