Overall Thoughts.....

During the last ten weeks I have discovered that I have a love, hate relationship with literature.  I have also discovered that if I ever have to take a Lit class again I would never do it online. I also discovered that I know very little about many aspects of literature and how to analyze poems.  I have a very hard time with them. Who knew there were so many types??  And stressed and non stressed syllables..

In the future I would like to spend more time on this topic to further my knowledge but I would like to do it on my terms.  At many times through this course I felt rushed and pushed along. 

Short Stories, Poems or Plays

I have discovered through this course that I do not like reading poetry...I would much rather read short stories.  And plays I almost always want to see not read.

I like short stories because they are easier for me to grasp.  I don't have to dissect them and figure out what meaning there is in a poem sideways or three sentences long.

My favorite short stories are ones that are easily relateable and understand.  I do like trying to pull out the meaning and others classmates perspectives.

Fences

Although I'm not fond of reading plays, I do think Fences was a good play to read.  It was easy to follow and sometimes I was reading so fast that I would forget which character was saying what line.  Fences was easy to imagine in your head and have an idea of what the setting and theme was. 

On page 1055 where Troy and Cory are arguing about him playing baseball...I wish I could see the frustration in Cory's face...when he says "Just cause you didn't have a chance! You just scared I'm gonna be better than you, that's all"

It was also easy for me to relate to Rose and her effort to keep her family together as much as possible.  For her patience with Troy and his drinking, adultery and anger. 

Chapter 23 Reading A Play

Although I found the information in this chapter helpful I still prefer to see a play rather then read one.  I like to see the facial expression on the characters faces and to be able to visually see the props and stage.  I do agree with the chapter that the play is literature before becoming alive in a theatre. And if might prove to be helpful to read the play to get a better understanding.  But I also like a play to come to life for me and have me at close attention.  The best play I have ever been to was a production of The Diary of Anne Frank....my best friend was Anne and it was amazing....I still can remember her scream 15 years later when they were discovered above the store.  

Lit Chat Cirle-Group E

I really enjoyed our Lit Chat Circle this week.  We had three poems to go over....
~The One Girl at the Boys Party
~Daddy
~Daystar

I found it interesting that each of us in the group were women and all the poems were written by women.  They also represented in my mind life stages of women.  Or the trial and tribulations we can go through.

I really liked Daystar because as a mother of two young boys I want my own "palace" and would take one anywhere!!

In the poem “Daddy”, by Path, there are many accusations against Nazi influence and her revolting persona against her father’s path, a political worship of Hitler.  The poem is gruesome at times. It is helpful to know that her father died at 8 and her mother was a Jew.. So she could have been torn about her race....

In The One Girl at the Boys Party I get the feeling that the narrator is protecting this little girl.  However we aren't sure who it is....most would assume its her mother but I'm not sure.  She is growing up and discovering herself but using mathematics to give her confidence.

Harlem [Dream Deffered]

This poem has lots of simile in it...

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore— (shriveling up like a raisin)
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over—
like a syrupy sweet?  (compares the dream to food)

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

The them  of the poem to me seems to be frustration. And its not hard to believe that with the Era it was written in. 
It makes me wonder what his dreams were??

Facing It

The poem Facing It by Yusef Komunyakaa is very emotional to me. Having been to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial twice myself, I can easily picture the setting and the emotion around it.  I like the poems free verse and the easy understanding of the poems words.  I can also relate to the man's heartache and trying to decide what he sees now and what he saw then.....Having a very close friend who spent two tours in Iraq/Afghanistan I know how challenging it can be to face your feelings.  My friend has a hard time "facing it" some days and sometimes wanders back into the memories of bad times.