If I am going to be drowned....

The past two sets of readings we have done have been ones that I have enjoyed. Sister Carrie was a strange yet interesting piece by Dreiser. I LOVED the style of writing that Dreiser used in Sister Carrie. Like most authors we have read this far, I have not encountered any of his work prior to these particular chapters. Dreiser wrote so vividly that I felt as if I was standing next to Carrie. He was able to capture each character introduced without having to spend too much time on them. For example, I got a feel for Carrie’s innocence and shyness right off the bat. Carrie is such an interesting character to me; I feel as if I know her. I think most people have been around someone like Carrie or may even have some of her qualities.

Dreiser did an interesting thing by setting a place for Mr. Drouet. He was able to expose Drouet’s true nature without really saying what he was like. Dreiser did an excellent job of hinting around! Putting it nicely….I find Drouet to be a total creep. :)

One of my favorite lines for this section was “To the child, the genius with imagination, or the wholly untraveled, the approach to a great city for the first time is a wonderful thing. Particularly if it be evening-…” I have never heard/seen this concept being explained. It is definitely something I can relate to; anytime I am in a new place, I usually can’t get over the beauty of it. At night, the whole atmosphere changes; everything seems even more beautiful after sundown. When I read this for the first time, I went back and re-read it. I still can’t get over the precision in this statement.

These two chapters from Sister Carrie make me want to read the whole thing. Dreiser has a way about his writing that just draws me in….

I also enjoyed The Open Boat by Stephen Crane. This is another great example of an author using a tremendous amount of detail. I was able to visualize everything Crane was describing. I loved the way he talked about the relationship between the men on the boat. Even though they don’t talk about their feelings toward one another, they all feel as if they are a true family. This is something that I have in my own life. There are people around me that I have a relationship with, and neither of us has to talk about how we feel. A mutual understanding is present.

Crane and Dreiser have similar writing styles, in my opinion, and I enjoyed reading both pieces of work by them. Their attention to detail made the writing strong and made it more than words on a page; they each became visuals.

Cast down your bucket where you are...

After comparing Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois, I see more truth in what DuBois said. Washington made some solid points, but I feel that he wasn’t as passionate as DuBois. I’m not saying he wasn’t passionate….I’m just saying DuBois gave me a stronger impression.

I can say that I partly agree with Washington’s “cast down your bucket where you are” statement. On one side, I believe that people need to make the most of a present situation and be a friend to others. On the other hand, I think that people need to stand up for their beliefs. A person can’t just sit around waiting for others to make a change; they need to start making it happen for themself.

DuBois was critical of Washington, and he had every right to be. DuBois understood and explained this idea that the African Americans couldn’t get what they wanted by simply asking. They needed to take action and be persistent.  Washington took the middle ground and wanted to please everyone. By taking this type of action, progress would not develop as quickly as it could. DuBois knew what he wanted to happen, and he was more realistic about knowing it would be impossible not to upset some people.

In my opinion, DuBois was much more on track than Washington. Booker T. Washington obviously had an impact on society, but I agree with W.E.B. DuBois’s approach much more.

I been there before...

I can honestly say that I am sad to have finished The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I feel as if I just started reading it, and now it is over. I can finally say that I have finished a book by Mark Twain!

After some discussion, I know that not everyone in class enjoyed the ending of the book. I, on the other hand, loved the last part of it. I’m not exactly sure what draws me to like it so much. Some people found Tom to be aggravating, and I found him to be more humorous. I liked his sense of adventure and commitment to having one.

Huck grew tremendously as a person throughout this book. At the end, he went back to his childish behaviors, but still showed some maturity. Even though he let Tom influence his decisions, Huck showed that he is not ready to submit to society. He has learned the difference of right and wrong, and I am please to know that he doesn’t want to start over again in another household.

Because Huck showed so much personal growth, it was easy for me to forget how old he truly was. At the end, I had to remind myself of his age and realize that his decisions come with that age. He may have appeared to have taken a step backwards in the end, but I saw him as being a typical young teen. His plans to runaway are exactly what I would have expected him to do. It is what I would have done if I was in his place. Huck overcame tremendous obstacles in his life, and he made a name for himself.

The relationship between Jim and Huck is one that I will never forget. Huck struggled with letting himself get close with Jim, but eventually he let his walls down. Jim started out as a slave and eventually became a friend and part of Huck’s family. Huck found the father figure he had been missing his entire life. Jim and Huck made a wonderful duo that went on to show the true meaning of friendship.

It all has to come to an end….

I could a staid, if I'd a wanted to, but I didn't want to...

So much has developed since the beginning of the book! Huck is slowly starting to mature, and this becomes more visible as he gets caught up in trouble. The increase of his conscience has certainly become apparent in his relationship with Jim and with the many people encountered on their journey.

When Huck encounters Buck, we see him, for the first time, take a liking to someone he and Jim stumble upon. Huck forms an attachment with Buck. He is also able to recognize the foolishness of the feud going on between the two families. This recognition shows the personal growth Huck is starting to develop. There is really no reason for this feud to continue; the families don’t even know what they are fighting about anymore. A recurring theme Twain uses is this idea of pride. Pride can get in the way of what is right and what is wrong; Huck is finally learning this.

Why is pride so powerful?!

The relationship between Jim and Huck is also becoming more complex. Huck doesn’t sell Jim out when he has the opportunity. Even though Huck struggles with whether this decision was right or wrong, he has learned something important in this situation. He has learned his true feeling for Jim. Jim is now much more than a slave; he is a friend, a companion.

Huck makes another great decision that goes against what he has done previously. He made an attempt to give the money stolen back to the rightful owners (Mary Jane). When this doesn’t go as planned, Huck does the honorable thing. He tells the truth. This was a big step for Huck to take, and it showed his true character. Huck has now proven that his conscience exists and he knows right from wrong. By trying to make things right, he also proves that he is capable of forming honest relationships. He feels a commitment to Mary Jane and her family.

This commitment carries over into Huck’s relationship with Jim. When he witnesses the crying of Jim, Huck realizes that Jim is a person. Until this point, Huck didn’t think of Jim as someone with the same feelings and thoughts as himself. Huck has opened his eyes to a new, more realistic, view of Jim and other slaves. This is another point where his personal growth is very apparent.

“He was thinking about his wife and his children, away up yonder, and he was low and homesick; because he hadn’t ever been away from home before in his life; and I do believe he cared just as much for his people as white folks does for their’n. It don’t seem natural, but I reckon it’s so.”  

Warn't...

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is the first book I have read (began reading) of Mark Twain. I haven’t been exposed to Twain’s writing until now; there are just a few things I have to say about it….

First of all, I really enjoy the story of Huck Finn so far. It took me up until five or six pages to really get past the difference in language. As a grammar freak, the use of words such as “warn’t” and just about anything else being said in the book drives me nuts! At first, I didn’t think I was going to get past the improper use of grammar and language. Lo and behold, I got used to the way in which Twain writes and I even kind of like it. It’s hard for me to admit that I like hearing “bad grammar”, but I think for the purpose of this book, it works.

There are parts in the book where I find myself mouthing the words or even reading aloud in order to understand what is being said. The conversations between Jim and Huck can get confusing and I have found that it helps to at the very least mouth each word. It may look strange, but it helps! I like how Twain has used different dialects and ways of speaking even amongst each character. There is a noticeable difference in the way that Huck talks compared to how Jim talks. I find that these differences help develop the character in my mind and make the reading more stimulating.

There are a few ideas in the story that have stuck with me. I have noticed the use of superstition and how often it can be found in the book so far. It appears that each character, no matter what status, has a great deal of belief when it comes to superstitions or wise tales. Christianity is also brought into this aspect of the story. When Huck is talking about prayer, some take this as poking fun of Christianity. For me, I think Twain is using Huck to explore the reality of what children think when it comes to God and prayer. I remember thinking that I would get everything I prayed for until I matured enough to understand the real intent prayer should have. I think Twain does a nice job of capturing the naivety of children or those who don’t know Christianity. He explores many different ideas, and I look forward to expanding on them as the novel goes on.

Huck is a very complex character; I find him rather intriguing. One thing I have noticed about him is his ability to adapt to different situations. He talked about hating the lifestyle of the Widow, but he eventually grew to like it. When he was with his dad, Huck eventually went back to liking that lifestyle. It appears as if he is happy as long as he has someone. Huck talks about being able to be on his own and not minding the fact that he has had to fend for himself, but in the end, Huck likes the company and likes having someone to look after him. I enjoy the developing relationship between Huck and Jim and look forward to what is coming next….

Song of Myself....

Walt Whitman and Emily Dickenson were the first two influential writers looked at in this American Lit. course. Poetry has never been a strong suit for me, but I do find enjoyment in reading a vast variety of poems. Because I am a more “black and white” person, I struggle with understanding most poetry. I like to read pieces of work and know right away what is being said (this is what it says, and this is what it means). This way of thinking obviously doesn’t work well with poetry.

We kicked off this class with reading “Song of Myself” by Walt Whitman. Despite my struggle with poetry, I found Whitman to be enchanting and moving. I loved how descriptive Whitman was in his writing and how he paid close attention to details. I will admit, I am not sure that I was able to grasp each part of the poem in its entirety, but I feel I was able to get a good idea of what he was trying to say. One of my favorite parts of this poem came from section six. In it, Whitman played out a conversation with a child about grass. The child asked what is grass. What may seem like a simple question is in fact a very profound one. What is grass? I’m not sure I could answer this or that it even has an answer. This idea of asking for an explanation of something so common really stuck with me. There are items we as a society pass by daily and never really stop to question. Whitman goes on to answer the child’s question by offering multiple explanations; none of which can really be deemed correct.

In “Song of Myself”, Whitman also discusses the thought of death. Death is not something that is generally explored on a positive level, but Whitman manages to do just that. He explains death as not an ending, but rather a part of life. To him, life and death are one. I often think of death as the final chapter in my life; until now, I haven’t explored the other side of death. I liked when Whitman said, “All goes onward and outward, nothing collapses, And to die is different from what any one supposed, and luckier.” What a great way to think of it! We all have this preconceived notion of what death is like and what death truly means, and Whitman has made me rethink mine.

Emily Dickenson was next on the list. This was the first time I have read a piece of work by Dickenson and I was excited to finally do so. I found Dickenson to be a bit more understandable than Whitman. Although, I liked Whitman’s way of writing a bit more than Dickenson. Going from “Song of Myself” to the poems of Dickenson required me to do a shift in my way of thinking. Emily Dickenson’s poems were short and to the point. She wrote in a way that is both intriguing and insightful. I truly enjoyed each of Dickenson’s poems. My favorite of them all was that last one, and I will leave you with that…..

Tell all the truth but tell it slant-

Success in Circuit lies

Too bright for our infirm Delight

The Truth’s superb surprise

As Lightning to the Children eased

With explanation kind

The Truth must dazzle gradually

Or every man be blind-