My New "American Dream"

I do not think I can begin to express how much my views have changed since the beginning of the term. Looking back on our original assignment of what we define as the "American Dream," I originally felt that it was a mutually inclusive idea that everyone wanted. I still think the idea is behind much of what we read; however, I have since learned that the best dream is equality. People simply want to be celebrated for who and what they are. Controversial writers like Allen Ginsberg in "Howl" talked freely about the social destruction taking place around him in order to bring awareness and release the feeling of suppressed liberation. "I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix, angelheaded hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly connection to the starry dynamo in the machinery of the night..." (1417). Writers like Gloria Anazaldua in "How to Tame a Wild Tongue" wrote about racism and how it not only affected her culture, but American culture as well. "Their purpose: to get rid of our accents. Attacks on one's form of expression with the intent to censor are a violation of the First Amendment... Wild tongues can't be tamed, they can only be cut out" (1587). Writers like Gertrude Stein in "Tender Buttons" refuted traditional styles of writing in hopes of branching out and creating something new and unexplored. "A kind in glass and a cousin, a spectacle and nothing strange a single hurt color and an arrangement in a system to pointing. All this an ordinary, not unordered in unresembling. The difference is spreading" (765). Without all of these writers, without all of their bravery, we would not be the America we are today. I now view America as a giant ecosystem filled with different genders, identities, races, and sexes all working and flowing together. If one is broken or clogged, the others cannot run smoothly to create a healthy, viable system. All and all, I have learned that the "American Dream" does not need to be complex. It can be as simple as having the freedom to be who you are.

Beyond Racism

Many social changes were taking place during the time Ralph Ellison wrote "Invisible Man". Although he says the story is not about racism, I find it hard to disassociate some of the themes within the story from his statement. The beginning scene of "Invisible Man" starts with a group of wealthy, intoxicated, cigar-smoking white men, a naked white woman, and black young men getting ready to box in a battle royal. The fact black men were able to view a naked white woman during this time period is one example of underlying racial tones. "Some of the boys stood with lowered heads, trembling. I felt a wave of irrational guilt and fear. My teeth chattered, my skin turned to goose flesh, my knees knocked. Yet I was strongly attracted and looked in spite of myself" (1256). It is clear from this quote that the black men knew what they were doing was inappropriate and it was obvious that they were scared of the consequences that could take place if they were caught acting as so. The battle itself is also pretty gruesome and racist. These black men were blindfolded and asked to punch each other out while the overly-confident white men placed bets on who could take out whom. "Quite a struggle was going on. Chairs were being kicked about and I could hear voices grunting with terrific effort. I wanted to see, to see more desperately than ever before. But the blindfold was tight as a thick skin-puckering scab..." (1257). The last and final bit of racism in the story was when the wounded black men were asked to pick up coins on an electrified mat. "A hot, violent force tore through my body, shaking me like a wet rat. The rug was electrified... But I saw this was not stopping the other boys. Laughing in fear and embarrassment  some were holding back and scooping up the coins knocked off by the painful contortions of the others" (1260). It is clear that the only point of these young, beaten black men picking up coins was for the entertainment of the white men. Regardless of the story's racist themes, Ellison wanted to prove a bigger point. His point was determination and how to wisely choose who we aim to impress. The fact he never gave up on his dream to give a speech, to be heard by the white men, shows that Ellison was writing from a time period where equality was challenged. It was not just blacks, but it was also women, gays, and anyone not of the "standard" white identity. No matter what Ellison wrote during this time period, it would have been pegged as racist because of these social changes.

Retelling a Story: Should You?

As with any good story, there are two sides and then there's the truth. In "No Named Women" by Maxine Hong Kingston, she is retelling the story of her aunt as told to her by her mother. I feel the like the story began as a game of telephone. "You must not tell anyone... what I am about to tell you. In China your father had a sister who killed herself. She jumped into the family well. We say that your father has all brothers because it is as if she had never been born" (1568). Kingston's mother heard this story from her village. Although Chinese culture seems to be very involved in the affairs of its villages, I still feel like it would be difficult to have all of the necessary information about a family other than your own. Even with some personal experience, it would be difficult to have all of the facts without speaking to the person(s) directly involved. In this situation and others like it, the gathering of necessary information is not possible. Writing from a modern perspective, I believe that Kingston is doing more harm than good by retelling the story of her aunt. The reason is because she feels haunted by her aunt's story. "My aunt haunts me--her ghost drawn to me because now, after fifty years of neglect, I alone devote pages of paper to her, though not origamied into houses or clothes" (1577). I believe this haunting felt by Kingston is due to the lack of adequate information. No one other than her aunt knows exactly how or why she ended up in the family well. Her family and others within the village have speculated or romanticized this fantastical story of dishonor over the years. Even Kingston finds herself filling in the blanks of her aunt's story. "And she might have separated the rapes from the rest of living if only she did not have to buy her oil from him or gather wood in the same forest. I want her fear to have lasted just as long as the raped lasted so that the fear could have been contained" (1571). Assumptions such as these are what causes harm. Understanding your heritage is important, but without all of the facts I think it's easy to get lost in ideas that are not reality. Sometimes things such as these are better left alone. 

Mad Anthony Writers' Conference

Over the weekend I attended a writers' conference at Miami University in Hamilton. I thought it would be nice to share a couple of things I learned with the class. The first few workshops I attended were so-so simply because of the content, presenters, or both. However, I attended one workshop mid-day that caught my attention. It wasn't so much the content of the workshop that drew me in, but rather the presenter and craft of the subject matter. The workshop was called "Digging into Literature to Write Characters like the Pros." I'm not sure how many of you write, but no matter what you write characterization plays a major role; especially in fiction. The presenter, Nancy Pinard, previously taught creative writing at Sinclair, UD, and Antioch. Needless to say, I can't say enough wonderful things about her. She presented the attendees with three separate handouts. One handout in particular featured excerpts from her favorite novels with the main character's details omitted. The point of this activity was to look at the paragraph and determine the character's details by simply reading the setting. Her point was, when writing characters the reader must relate to the human condition. Sound familiar? For example, "He had a brown mustache and stood about 5'8" with a medium build" doesn't have the same effect as the simple statement of "He wore cowboy boots." What kind of man immediately comes to mind when you think of cowboy boots? Our mind has the capability to fill in imagery details on its own. Therefore, writers don't need excessive character details. 

The last workshop I attended was not only the most interesting, but it was also the most informative. The presenter, Emma Bernay, is a professional ghostwriter. I heard the term "ghostwriting" before, but I never knew what it entailed. Emma was extremely helpful and lead her presentation by letting the attendees ask questions. I learned that ghostwriting often takes place under a "front name" or pseudonym. Sometimes you may be the only Chad Jackson, but other times you may share that name with multiple writers in a series. The key to successful ghostwriting is to maintain the character's voice throughout the series with different writers. The catch is, ghostwriters are often paid a flat rate and have to sign over their rights to the publisher. Typically the publisher has an outline already written and when you contact them for commission, they will ask you to "audition" or send samples of your writing related to the topic you are inquiring. If you have little experience or they aren't hiring for writers, you may still suggest sending them a sample of your writing for the future. An annual book called, "Writers' Market," features book publishers and packagers across the United States. This book, Emma said, is the ghostwriter's Bible. She personally received all of her book deals without an agent. However, she said agents are nice when it comes to reading the fine print. I think this avenue would be an interesting one for English majors. Although, I would still like to know more.

A Streetcar Named Desire: Blanche's Motive

The moment Blanche arrived to Elysian Fields by a streetcar named Desire she was out of sorts. All she knew was country life and city hub-bub overwhelmed her. Blanche was appalled by the dreadful dwelling of her baby sister, Stella. She first displayed herself as a judgmental, paranoid bundle of nerves when she and Stella sat down to chat. Blanche automatically assumed Stella was making assumptions. "...Now don't get worried, your sister hasn't turned into a drunkard, she's just all shaken up and hot and tired and dirty! You sit down now, and explain this place to me! What are you doing in a place like this?" (1164). Although Blanche tried to direct the conversation toward Stella, she still managed to make it about herself. The insecurities of Blanche were shown more and more as the play progressed. The loss of Belle Reve greatly affected Blanche. She spoke of the loss not only as material, but also of death. "...All of those deaths! The long parade to the graveyard! Father, mother! Margaret, that dreadful way!... You came home for the funerals, Stella. And funerals are pretty compared to deaths" (1167). Blanche's automatic reflex to play the victim got her out of sticky situations in the past. However, Stella's handsome husband, Stanley, was onto her act.

Blanche displayed sudden gumption when she tried to convince Stella to leave Stanley. Blanche was at a pivotal point in her life. She knew what she left behind in Laurel and she knew flirting would only work a little while longer in New Orleans. Older women who were not settled during this time period often found it difficult to marry at all. Again, loss played a major factor in Blanche's insecurity. The one person she truly loved was sexually confused and she blamed herself for his suicide. "There was something different about the boy, a nervousness, a softness and tenderness which wasn't like a man's, although he wasn't the least bit effeminate looking--still--that thing was there... He came to me for help. I didn't know that" (1199). Since that tragic event, Blanche had been searching for acceptance. She thought by sharing her history, rather than being found out, she would receive forgiveness. Instead, Stanley used her past to make her an object of sexual desire. The irony between the disbelief of Stella and the disrespect of Stanley and Mitch tie into the grief of Blanche. Although she escaped further persecution in Laurel, she did not escape abuse in her "safe haven." In the end, Blanche's previous desire resulted in her death.

The extensive dialogue in Scene Six between Blanche and Mitch express Blanche's main motive of loneliness. She (and Mitch) simply wanted someone for company. Her desire to be loved and forgiven and his desire to find a suitable match before his sick mother passed away made them an ideal couple in theory. He asked Blanche questions about her age simply because he was inquiring for "his mother." He said of his mom, "She won't live long. Maybe just a few months. She worries because I'm not settled. She wants me to settle down before she--" (1198). Blanche non-nonchalantly avoided his questions by asking her own. She acknowledged their mutual loneliness when she said, "I think you have a great capacity for devotion. You will be lonely when she passes on won't you? I understand what that is" (1199). The understanding Blanche expressed again, made her the vulnerable victim. The scene ended with Blanche and Mitch coming to a mutual agreement of possibly uniting their loneliness. Mitch said, "You need somebody. And I need somebody, too. Could it be-- you and me, Blanche?" (1200). Blanche replied, "Sometimes--there's God--so quickly" (1200) as if her prayers had been answered. 

Unpack a Poem: "Lady Lazarus"

I first discovered Sylvia Plath near the end of my high school career. I was dating the guy of my dreams and was in the process of recovering from a two-year stint of deep depression. I read an article about must-read books and the artwork of Plath's novel caught my eye. I went to the local library and checked out The Bell Jar.

My boyfriend at the time was a skateboarder and we spent a lot of our time at skate-parks. I typically sat on a nearby bench with a book, art supplies, and my kitten, Monster. Unaware of the novel's semi-autobiographical background, Plath's dark but relatable writing caused me in to finish the book in just a day's time.

I thought to myself, "I get it. I totally understand her." The inspiration I felt after reading her novel pushed me to study her life. I began reading more about the effects on her writing: the dynamics of her family, the relationship between her and her husband, Ted Hughes, and most importantly her sanity. For those of you who would like to know more about Sylvia Plath, here is a short biography.

"Lady Lazarus" is an extremely raw poem about Plath's suicidal struggles. She does not hide the effects of her father's authoritative German background on her youth. The entrapment Plath felt throughout her life is displayed in the poem's structure of repeating three-lined stanzas. 

Her German word usage, "Jew linen" and "Nazi lampshade," represent a controlled environment or forced way of life with no escape. The repetition of multiple suicide attempts and her reference to a cat's nine lives signify Plath's dark sense of humor. She took solace in writing through self-expression. Sadly, it was not her only escape. 

Ironies of Social Injustice

In both "The Lost Beautifulness" and "In the Land of the Free" the irony is freedom. In "The Lost Beautifulness" Hanneh and her husband came to America to enjoy a life of equality and freedom. Their son, Aby, joined the Army while Hannah saved all her pennies to paint a white kitchen for his return. Hannah wanted a white kitchen since she had came to the states; she equated them with the American Dream. "Ever since she first began to wash linens for Mrs. Preston, years ago, it had been Hanneh Hayyeh's ambition to have a white painted kitchen exactly like that in the old Stuyvestant Square Mansion" (1). Hannah saw Mrs. Preston's kitchen and thought that was what made her American and happy. Hanneh said, "...Shining up the house for Aby is my only pleasure" (1). She too felt that achieving happiness was by taking pride in her home. The unfortunate part of the story was shown through Hanneh's hard work and excitement. By his greedy nature, he landlord raised her rent after seeing how she had spruced up the apartment. He crushed her American Dream by telling her "The flat is worth five dollars more..." (5) knowing she could not afford it. Hannah starved herself and refused Mrs. Preston's money offer for extra income. "Nothing can hurt me no more -- And you always stood out to me in my dreams as the angel from love and beautifulness. You always made-believe to me that you're only for democracy" (7). Hanneh felt like all she had worked for was gone; all the freedom of Mrs. Preston would never be hers. She then went back to her apartment and destroyed her beautiful work before she was evicted. Aby came home from fighting for America's freedom to find his mother out on the street because she did not have enough money to achieve her American Dream.

"In the Land of the Free" Hom Hing and his wife, Lae Choo, brought their son across the border to America or the land of the free. Little one was born in China due to circumstances beyond their control. Hom wanted his son born there, but the health of his parents was failing and his wife was expected to take care of them. Little one was two years old when Lae brought him to America. All of the paperwork was said to be in order until the United States Customs questioned Hom about his son. "Where was he born? Has he been to America before?" (546) they asked. When the officers found out that Little one was new to America, more paperwork had to be verified and sent Washington. "I'm afraid that we cannot allow the boy to go ashore. There is nothing in the papers that you have shown us--your wife's papers and your own--having bearing any bearing upon the child" (546). For ten months Little One was separated from his parents. Lae was devastated and when the paperwork finally arrived she lit up like the sun. She went to the orphanage where Little One, now named Little Kim, lived. As she greeted him with outstretched arms "...Little one shrunk from her and tried to hide himself in the fold of the white woman's skirt. Go'way, go'way! he bade his mother" (551). The irony of this story shows how a Chinese couple came to America in hopes of raising a better family. Instead, they were greeted by officers who felt that Little One may not be their child. After taking him away for months, American women essentially brainwashed Little into one of them. I think the bigger question is, how can the "Land of the Free" treat people with such disrespect and injustice? A free land would welcome all and view equality as a priority, not as a complication to their social injustice.

Ecological Criticism

Robert Frost ties his poem "Birches" in with multiple elements of nature. He refers to the bent trees as being weighted down by ice. "When I see birches bend to left and right Across the lines of straighter darker trees, I like to think some boy's been swinging them. But swinging them doesn't bend them down to stay As ice storms do." (785) He relates the ecological cycle of water and precipitation to growth. However, his reference to growth does not strictly adhere to ecology. "Birches" also features growth in character as well. He references the separation or innocence of childhood to the difficulties of adulthood. He looks at nature from a common-folk perspective: "So was I once a swinger of birches. And so I dream of going back to be" (785). His appreciation of the trees in relation to ecology allow the reader to hold a renewed respect for nature. He speaks of earth as the "right place" for the most common human emotion. "Earth's the right place for love: I don't know where it's likely to go better" (786). Frost uses the different sects of ecology in accordance with human growth. Ecologically speaking, everything that happens within an environment affects something else. Humans have the same connection except not only with themselves, but with nature. How humans view and respect their surroundings plays a major role on ecological balance. In other words, ice may be a nuisance after we selfishly soak up summer sun-rays, but it is a necessity for the replenishment of our trees parched bark. 

Common Themes of London and Hemingway

Both "To Build a Fire" and "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" featured prideful men as main characters. The narrator spoke of the man in "To Build a Fire" as being completely uninhibited by his surroundings. The prior advice given to him before his heroic journey into the bitter cold had no weight on his decision to persevere. "It did not lead him to meditate upon his frailty as a creature of temperature, and upon man's frailty in general, able only to live within certain narrow limits of heat and cold; and from there on it did not lead him to the conjectural field of immortality and man's place in the universe" (651). In other words, the man did not think of himself as human but rather as superhuman or invincible. The main character in "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" also thought of himself as invincible. After scraping his leg while climbing a monstrous mountain, he neglected to clean the scrape properly and it became infected. Unlike the main character in "To Build a Fire," Harry knew he would soon perish. He started out the story by saying of his gangrene, "The marvelous thing is that it's painless (...) That's how you know when it starts" (1067). Both main characters were so encompassed with their potential achievement that they neglected to see themselves as helpless human beings. The desire to reach their goal-- or the pride it ensued-- was more important than their wellness. 

The common theme of death is prevalent in both stories from the very beginning. The dimly lit environment of "To Build a Fire" set to reader up for eternal darkness. The lack of light from the sun, "There was no sun not a hint of sun, though there was not a cloud in the sky" (650) and the main character's inability to start a fire, "Each twig gushed a puff of snow and went out, The fire-provider had failed" (658) were two examples how the bitterness of nature slowly sucked the life out of the man. Yet, he remained completely oblivious of the idea that death was nipping at his face and extremities. In "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" Harry felt death closer with each breath he took. "Because just then, death had come and rested its head on the foot of the cot and he could smell its breath" (1081). The personification Harry gave death allowed him to ignore the fact it was self-induced. By creating an alternate reality through his haze of sickness, he was able to place the blame on any vile force other than himself. The daoistic, claustrophobic way wilderness was presented in both of these stories created an alternative view of death. Although nature was vast, it was still an entrapment; once each man allowed disillusionment to set in, wilderness was able to sing them into an eternal slumber.

Nature versus Wilderness: "To Build a Fire"

After listening and participating in our class discussion Tuesday morning, I found the above image on Instagram Tuesday evening. Even though I had been a part of the nature/wilderness discussion before, the wheels inside my brain continued to turn. What is nature? What is wilderness? Are they the same? Are they connected? I soon realized that my definition, although similar to many of those stated in class, was based on personal experience. Everything is connected. I think of nature as something created by man. It is a controlled environment where expectations are set at a certain level. Wilderness, on the other hand, is untouched by man. It is an uncontrolled environment filled with surprise. Wilderness is the whole; nature and beings are simply inhabitants. It is where our human spirit lies.

Oddly enough, Tuesday's class discussion gave me a chance to put my recent state of mind into perspective. After viewing a picture of Oregon wilderness, I decided that needed to be my place of retreat. The thrill of adventure and exploration overcame me as I imagined myself amidst uninhabited land. The fact is, I know nothing about wilderness; I grew up in suburbia. Even with that recognition, romanticism still invaded my mind and created an arrogant, nonexistent knowledge with a common thought of, "Oh, I'm different from everyone else. Why do I need hiking experience? I won't get lost." What happens when our imagination becomes reality? What happens when our feelings of excitement dissipate into anxiety? In that moment, I was being the man from Jack London's story "To Build A Fire." I was the ego, an example of the human condition, and proof that knowledge without wisdom is useless. As London stated, "He was a newcomer in the land, a chechaquo, and this was his first winter. The trouble with him was that he was without imagination. He was quick and alert in the things of life, but only in the things, and not in the significances " (651). Like the man in the story, I believed I was invincible. At times, I truly believe human beings can benefit from using something other than logic to make informed decisions. 

So you ask, do I plan on going "Into the Wild" of Oregon? Absolutely. I also plan on finding out as much information as possible before doing so. I want to listen to others who have the wisdom and experience I need to achieve my goal. I aspire to be the dog-- instinct over ego. 

Gregory Orr on "Tender Buttons"

Today I went with Professor Cassel to see Gregory Orr at the University of Cincinnati. All I can say is, those of you who showed lack of interest or were unable to attend missed out on a wonderful opportunity. (Especially all of you English majors!) I could not be more proud of my decision to take the day off and hang out with our professor and a famous poet. I would like to point out one thing in particular that was said during Orr's lecture. In response to a question about his feelings toward lyrical poetry, Orr spoke about Gertrude Stein's Tender Buttons. He maintains a strong belief that words have a purpose, and that purpose is to have meaning. He said there is a covenant that should not be broken, a covenant between words and the world. Orr continued by saying it is not to reader's responsibility to "figure out" the meaning behind Stein's experimental mess, e.g.., Did she mean something? If so, what did she mean? Is the blind glass really a glass or  is it the nearsightedness of a war-stricken nation? He feels that words in a poem should arouse some type of obvious emotion or feeling, something of which the reader can easily relate. I do not know about you, but I think he answered our original question of "What is literature?" Apparently, in the eyes of Gregory Orr and many others in our class, Tender Buttons does not make the cut.

The American Dream: Is it Real?

I think the "American Dream" question fits in well with the other question asked in class. Do we have a classless society? I say no, we do not. I think the American dream is based on what class you are born into. Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible for lower-income America to reach the American Dream most of us think of. When I think of "American Dream" I think of suburbia. I picture a white, upper-middle class husband and wife, two perfect children, an over-sized mass produced home, a luxury car, a Golden Retriever, and a white picket fence. I expect the husband to be the primary bread-winner and the wife to stay at home and care for the children. They would be financially secure and capable of spending money on frivolous things without experiencing hardship. I think this image of the "American Dream" is drilled in our heads at a young age. It started back in the 1940s after the Depression when people wanted a near perfect society. I think it is especially hard for individuals who are not American to reach this so-called "American Dream". 

For instance, Hanneh in "The Lost Beautifulness" wanted so badly to be like her superior Americans. Yet, she did not think of them as her superior until the end of the story. She started out by saying, "I am sick of living like a pig with my nose to the earth, all the time only pinching and scraping for bread and rent. So long my Aby is with America, I want to make myself an American..." (2). She felt like because her son was fighting in an American war, she had to live the American Dream to impress him. Her American dream was not a large house or luxury car, it was a simple white kitchen. When I think of what the color white represents, I think of: pure, fresh, and clean. I am sure when Hanneh came to America she did not expect how difficult it would be to start fresh or even find a decent place to live. Coming from a collectivistic culture into one that focuses on individualism, Hanneh was caught off guard when she was taken advantage of by saving her money and working hard. As her landlord said, "That don't concern me. If you can't pay, somebody else will. I got to look out for myself. In America, everybody looks out for himself" (5).

Hannah soon realized that equality was nonexistent in American society and her American Dream was ripped apart. Her biggest issue was that she placed everything she had into a white kitchen for her son. What she did not realize was that the American Dream was more than materialism. It was also love. The love the she had for her son Aby was more impressive than any nice kitchen she painted for him. He already had what many Americans did not: a family. Hanneh's American Dream caused her to lose hope and when her son arrived home to greet her cheery face, all he saw was a woman sitting outside, devastated.  "…Good God -- his mother! His own mother -- and all of their worldly belongings dumped there in the rain" (9). The fact the author ends with "worldly belongings" makes me think the point of the story is to not only to show class-ism in American culture, but to also point out the importance of non-materialistic things.

What is Literature?

Literature is written word spun from emotion. It is individualistic in the sense that each form of literature is up the reader's interpretation. Literature is subjective, and can vary from handwritten letters to mass printed novels. Literature is more than writing and books; it's a form of communication. It's a release and allows the reader to escape his or her own reality. Literature is what you make it.