Blood Wedding Journal #1

“Defiance becomes our duty in the face of injustice.”  Referring to at least two works you have studied, explore the ways in which writers have attempted to persuade us to accept or challenge this view.

                In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, Sophocles persuades us to challenge the view that “defiance becomes our duty in the face of injustice.  He does this through the entire play and the tragedy of Oedipus.  Oedipus made it his duty to find out who killed Laius, and we all know how that turned out.  With Oedipus throwing a giant fit and stabbing his eyes out, not so good if you ask me.  Had Oedipus left things alone, listened to Jocasta and not made it his duty to find the truth, things would be much better for Oedipus.  Although he would be bedding with his own mother, at least he and others would not know, and he would be able to lead Thebes which is exactly what is needed.  Sophocles makes one think, whether Oedipus should have made it his duty to find out the truth, or just let it go because at the time, he would think he was innocent.

                Now similar to this, Lorca in a sense challenges this view.  However, the Bridegroom and others who are trying to pursue the Bride are going to be making this injustice worse.  There defiance similar to Oedipus’ defiance leads and builds on the tragedy.  It might be a good idea to think before you go chasing after people, blood-thirsty and ready to kill.  Would that not make you a killer?  Would that not be injustice?  Can those people not be allowed to justify themselves and explain their feelings or why they are doing this?  Maybe Lorca and Sophocles are trying to tell us that we as people should think before we act.  That we are too quick to seek revenge, or seek the truth, when sometimes the truth needs to slip away and be undiscovered.  Is this a key flaw in human nature?  That we are always searching for the truth when we would be better off without it?  Is ignorance truly bliss?

Comments

Like Megan, I am having problems with posting comments on blogs.

Anthony Nguyen- (The Wild Duck Journal #3) I like how you brought examples that people can relate to.  I agree with you on how Sophocles and Ibsen cut out the dull bits and make things more dramatic.  Good work.

Jarrad Schulte-(Wild Duck Journal #5) Great insight on how dramatists create a gap between what the audience and what the character(s) know.  You explained things in good detail.  Keep up the good work.

Montana Agnew-(Wild Duck Journal #2)  You always have great analysis and insight on topics.  I agree with you on the plot structure of The Wild Duck, it does feel like it is meant for a stage. Keep it up.

The Wild Duck Journal #3

Letters the characters might have written

                                Dear father,

I am tired of all the trouble you have caused the people around us.  Such as Lieutenant Ekdal take the blame for the incompetent survey, and the illegal logging on state property.  That was morally wrong.  You should have taken responsibility for the problems you created as well as not allowed Ekdal to take the blame.  He does not where is uniform around anymore as he is afraid he will get in trouble because he “committed” a crime when in reality he was only framed.  Also, your affair with Gina while your wife is still alive.  Or even if mother had already passed away, you should have waited longer before doing anything.  That too was morally wrong.   Now Gina is married to Hjalmar and they have a child named Hedvig.  That child, the one that they care so much about, might not even be Hjalmar’s.  In fact, I think Gina believes that it is yours, but she cannot bring herself to tell Hjalmar.  Hedvig is daddy’s little girl, and that would devastate him to find out that she is not truly his.  You need to start thinking before you make you decisions, generally yours seem to tear apart, or ruin a family.  Though you helped Hjalmar with his career, was that just a “courtesy” thing so that you could make up for the things which he does not know.  You ruined mother’s life, and now you are ruining mine, as well as ruined Lieutenant Ekdal’s life, and beginning to ruin Gina, Hjalmar, and Hedvig’s lives.  There is a tension between Gina and Hjalmar that I have seen while I have been staying with them, and I am going to illuminate the dark secrets to Hjalmar.  Stay away from their family, you only do more damage by being around them, if they wish to visit or talk to you, they will do so on their own accord.

Gregers

I am still confused with the whole "wild duck" comparisons,  what is the "wild duck" supposed to symbolize?

On page 166, is Ibsen using foreshadowing when Hjalmar warns Hedvig, "Don't touch the pistol, Hedvig!  One barrel's still loaded, don't forget."?

The Wild Duck Journal #2

“What is drama but life with the dull bits cut out?”

                Both Oedipus the King by Sophocles and The Wild Duck by Ibsen are key examples of being drama but life with the full bits cut out.  There is nothing dull about either one of these plays.  Both use tension between the characters such as in Ibsen when Gregers is talking to his father Werle on page 132 in act 1, it says “Gregers.  Oh, there are reasons.  Listen, tell me—the time when you developed such warmth for your old friend’s son—wasn’t that just when he was planning to marry?

Werle.  How the devil—how, after so many years, do you expect me--?”  As we can see, there is this obvious tension between Gregers and his father Werle.  This conflict between the two is one of the many examples of how The Wild Duck, is an example of “drama but life with the dull bits cut out”.  There is nothing dull about this passage.  Gregers is hinting at an affair that Werle had with one of the servants, that is not something that should be taken lightly.  This tension could potentially lead to a dangerous conflict, adding to this drama.  In Oedpus the King, there are also prime examples of this drama.  Such as when Oedipus is trying to get the prophecy from Teiresias the prophet.  It says

“OEDIPUS
Monster! thy silence would incense a flint.
Will nothing loose thy tongue? Can nothing melt thee,
Or shake thy dogged taciturnity?
TEIRESIAS
Thou blam'st my mood and seest not thine own
Wherewith thou art mated; no, thou taxest me.
OEDIPUS
And who could stay his choler when he heard
How insolently thou dost flout the State?”

Ibsen and Sophocles are very similar in how they cut out dull bits, or add a sort of “flavor” if you will to their plays.  Both add scenes with tension in them to heighten the audience’s senses.  In this passage, Sophocles’ diction and context creates this tension.  With such words as “monster”, “flint”, “loose”, “shake”, and “dogged”.  These are only a few examples of how Sophocles’ diction and context creates this tension, and this is how the statement “What is drama but life with the dull bits cut out?” is applicable in these plays.

On the bottom of page 149, what does Ekdal mean by hunting?  What is he truly hunting for?

On the top of page 155, what does Greger’s mean by wanting to be a really fantastic, clever dog?

The Wild Duck Journal #1

Personal convictions and shared beliefs.

Both Oedipus the King and The Wild Duck touch on the private and the public life.  Both the private and the public life are different things, hence the different descriptions, and this is why they are at odds in the modern world.  The private is just that, to remain private, and only a few select people know, not for everyone to see on Facebook, or in The Wild Duck and Oedipus the King times, to be told to everyone in the area that knows the person.  Some things are meant to be public though.  Such as Oedipus’ helping the city of Thebes while it is in turmoil.  This is seen as a heroic act, as Oedipus is helping a city plagued with disease and crime.  He couldn’t have come at a better time for the city, and is greatly needed.  However the contrast between private and public is also seen.  When Oedipus admits to the Chorus that he has birthed four children from his own mother.  This is an area where the private life clearly should have stayed private.  He has just ruined his children’s lives because now everyone will know what their father has done.  People will say such things as “Oh, your that kid who’s dad impregnated his mother.” 

Similar to this private life in Oedipus the King, there is also mention of things in The Wild Duck that should remain private.  At this point in The Wild Duck, the private life is kept private, where Gregers is talking to his father Werle, “Gregers: I wasn’t.  But---(Dropping his voice.) there were others in the house who were quite interested in her.

Wirle: What do you mean by that? (Storming at him.) You’re not referring to me!

Gregers: (quietly but firmly).  Yes, I’m referring to you” (Ibsen 132)

Gregers lowers his voice, but still keeps the same tone about this affair.  This is important as he is trying to keep this topic private, however I believe he is also using it to point out to his father Wirle, that he still remembers what went on.  Tension is built up between Gregers and Wirle in this passage because of this topic that he built up.  It could be possible foreshadowing for an explosion of conflict and chaos.

                Both Oedipus the King and The Wild Duck touch on the private and public life.  In Oedipus the King, Sophocles uses the conflict between the private and public life to further illuminate Oedipus’ flaws and the chaos that is occurring.  In The Wild Duck, Ibsen uses the tension between Gregers and Wirle to bring to light this private life, and how much it could affect them both in later decisions.

What is Ibsen trying to say, if anything, when Gregers describes his father Wirle's eyes as "They've always been weak"(Ibsen 133).

Are the Bald-Headed Gest, The Fat Guest, The Nearsighted Guest supposed to symolize something?  Are they significant/what role do they play?

Are they replacing the Chorus?

Oedipus Journal #3

Point of View/Characters

The story of Oedipus the king is told from the third person objective point of view.  This point of view does not change throughout the story.  I feel that the narrative voice is pretty reliable.  However because the narrative voice cannot tell us all that the characters think or why they act the way they do it makes the voice less reliable.  This also could be important because it allows everyone to make their own assumptions about the characters, as well as why they do what they do, and allows some people to relate more with certain characters that are more important.  As I have somewhat mentioned, the reader doesn’t get to know the characters too well.  We don’t know their thoughts, and they do not speak their thoughts out loud such as in Shakespeare’s Othello where Iago speaks his thoughts and desires out loud in different scenes and or settings.  Some of the characters such as Oedipus, Tiresias, the messenger, and the shepherd seem like credible characters from the way they use words and speak.  Jocasta and Creon seem more mischevious.  Jocasta seems to have known more then she said she does about the prophecy, and Creon seems like he just desires the crown.  Sophocles presents the characters and their character traits through each character’s use of language.  Generally Oedipus uses long sentences using many words to answer questions, explain what is happening and other things.  This could be to make him seem more knowledgeable and a more capable leader.  Creon  and Jocasta use more short answers then long answers, and this creates a feeling of mischievous actions or scheming.  Sophocles persuades us to like or sympathize with the characters again through their actions and words  As I have explained before, the words and actions that the characters use and do create this attraction to some characters such as the shepherd or repulsion to other characters.  In my opinion Creon is repulsive just because he seems like a scheming backstabbing kind of shifty character.

Is it in human nature to always desire the truth?  If so, is this a flaw in our human nature?

Is Oedipus still a good person even though he unkownly fulfilled the prophecy?

Why does Jocasta want Oedipus to end his quest for the truth?

Is the motif of blindness used to express a specific theme?

Why does Sophocles use a struggle between those with power and those who lack it?

Oedipus Journal #2

Diary Entry 1

Dear Diary,

So basically I took over the crown from Laius; only to find a country tortured by disease and turmoil.  I have no idea what to do exactly, but I will try my best do what is best for the country.  Apparently someone murdered Laius but everyone was too stupid to actually find out who it was.  I heard a prophecy that says I am supposed to spill the blood of my father, and sleep with my mother.  What up with that? What up with that?  I mean come on, who in their right mind would want to sleep with their own mother.  The person who birthed you, and nurtured you as a child.  Why would you want to do that? It is disgusting.  I felt like I should avenge Laius’ death.  So I inquired the great prophet Tiresias.  All that blind fool could basically tell me was that I spilt Laius’ blood.  What a stone blind fool.  How could anyone believe something like that?  Complete nonsense if you ask me.  Also, the man is old, frail, and crazy.  The kind of person that yells to the kids “eyyy you darn kids! Get out of my courtyard!”  I didn’t even know Laius, why would I spill his blood?  And how am I going to be the cause of my downfall?  Normally other people like slaves, armies, rebellions are the cause of someone’s downfall.  Is my life going to be a tragedy because of some unknown flaw that stains my character. 

Okay so basically I am freaking out because there is a high possibility that I killed my father, Laius.  If Laius is my father, that means Jocasta is my mother whom I have been sleeping with.  Great, I really am going to make babies that no one will want to look upon.  How was I supposed to know?  I fell like puking, I specifically ran away from the person who I thought was my “father” so I wouldn’t kill him, only to end up killing my true father on the highways.  Yeah, that about sums it up for you, basically my life is plummeting to its end, and my death is inevitable.

What is the motif of stone used for?

Is Oedipus' desire to know all the reason for his downfall?  If so how?  What is Sophocles trying to say about this?

Oedipus Journal #1

How writers arrest the reader's attention.

Often times writer's create intense moments in their works where figurative language, tension, conflict, and other literary techniques are used.  In my opinion the best literary techniques used to arrest the reader's attention are conflict, figurative language/intense description.  In Oedipus the King, there is a part on page 206 where Oedipus is describing what he has done.  It reads "Now, Jocasta, I will tell you all.  Making my way toward this triple crossroad I began to see a herald, then a brace of colts drawing a wagon, and mounted on the bench... a man, just as you;ve described him, coming face-to-face, and the one in the lead and the old man himself were about to thrust me off the road--brute force-- and the one shouldering me aside, the driver, I strike him in anger!-and the old man, watching me coming up along his wheels-he brings down his prod, two prongs straight at my head! I paid him back with interest! Short work, by god- with one blow of the staff in his right hand I knowck him out of his high seat, roll him out of the wagon, sprawling headlong-I killed them all-every mother's son!"  As you can see, there is an intense moment of description(syntax and diction), and conflict.  These two literary elements draw the reader's attention.  This is an important point in the play, where Oedipus realizes what he has done.  That he has possibly killed his father, the king.
        Similar to this moment of conflict in Oedipus the king,  Albert Camus uses great description in The Stranger when Meursault kills the Arabian,  "the Arab drew his knife and held it up to me in the sun. The light shot off the steel and it was like a long flashing blade cutting at my forehead. At the same instant the sweat in my eyebrows dripped down over my eyelids all at once and covered them with a warm, thick film. My eyes were blinded behind the curtain of tears and salt. All I could feel were the cymbals of sunlight crashing on my forehead and, indistinctly, the dazzling spear flying up from the knife in front of me. The scorching blade slashed at my eyelashes and stabbed at my stinging eyes. That’s when everything began to reel. The sea carried up a thick, fiery breath. It seemed to me as if the sky split open from one end to the other to rain down fire. My whole being tensed and I squeeze my hand around the revolver. The trigger gave."  This excerpt also includes intense use of figurative language as well as conflict.  "The light shot off the steel and it was like a long flashing blade cutting at my forehead", this plays off the readers senses.  The sense of touch as well as the sense of sight.  The use of figurative language to describe the scene creates a certain tone.  One of panic, Meursault panics because of how sharp and bright the sun is as well as the knife the Arabian weilds.  As we can see, both Camus and Sophocles use moments of conflict and great description to entice the reader.  Both also use these elements to portray more elements such as tone, which can lead to a specific theme which is trying to be portrayed.

Journal #3 1984

In my opinion, the author’s vision is not very powerful /believable.  If you think about it, in order for someone to gain this much power, it would have to go unnoticed.  Also if they wanted to get people to be loyal to The Party it would require to stop all the rebellions.  And with hundreds of millions of human beings, each with different/separate ideas, some speaking different languages, some different races and other unique things, it would be nearly impossible to gain control over such a huge group yet change many of their lives to worse than they were before.  This kind of change would not go unnoticed, and it would be stopped before it could go too far.  Look at Hitler’s Nazi Germany, and Mussolini’s Fascist Italy.  How long did that last?  Not very long.  Hitler’s cause was quickly seen and rebellion, in a sense, from Britain, Poland, France, the US and other countries rose up to defeat the Nazi movement.  I don’t think we have anything to worry about, especially with the U.S. being a world super power and butting into everything whether it includes them or not.  The U.S. promotes equal rights for everyone and so something like 1984 happening is not very likely.  Yes we are probably watched more as citizens, with the FBI and all the technology that allows it, but that said, we don’t have to worry about something like 1984.  There may be more rules/more watching, but that shouldn’t matter if you are a good citizen and follow the laws.  Plus if the FBI or the government tried to promote something similar to the thought police, over 300 million people live in the U.S., I believe if something like that happened we would just rebel and stop it from happening.

1984 Journal #2

Winston resists The Party in multiple ways.  The fact that he commits Thoughtcrime leads to his other actions, and this is one example of his resistance.  Winston also buys a book, pen, and ink, which he uses for a diary.  This is another example of how he rebels, yes he may not be hurting the party, but he plants a seed of rebelliousness which will grow into his later action of starting an affair with Julia.  When Winston does start this affair, in a sense, he teams up against The Party with Julia.  He hates The Party, and he wants Julia to know every reason why.  But Winston’s thoughts lead to his actions.  Winston’s eye contact with O’Brien and the facial expression Winston has, even for a split second are because he committed Thoughtcrime.  O’Brien later makes contact with Winston because O’Brien can tell that Winston is against The Party.  A few days later, after speaking with O’Brien, Winston and Julia meet inside O’Brien’s flat and discuss The Brotherhood.  So far Winston has not committed any serious acts of rebellion against the party, no killing, no destroying, however, Winston’s Thoughtcrime is very successful.  It is successful because his thoughts lead to his actions (which also seems to be brought up in the text).  So far there are no consequences or effects of his rebellion, however Winston has acknowledged the fact that sooner or later, he will be killed, he will be vaporized, it is inevitable.  But this does not stop Winston from hurting The Party as much as he is capable of, and he does everything in his power to do so.

1984 Journal #1

On page 70 Winston writes in his diary “Until they[the proles] become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious.”  The Party, which is the society in 1984, is trying to destroy or suppress the human conscious as much as possible.  Winston is right in this passage, he has realized what it would take for The Party to be overthrown.  Winston is not a prole, but he has rebelled by starting up a diary and has awakened his conscious enough to realize that in order for The Party to be overthrown, the proles must “awaken”, to rise up and rebel.  The proles are the only hope because they make up 85% of the population, and because they are not as closely monitored as The Party members are.  Any Party member who rebels, is quickly taken from society and “vaporized”, almost always never seen again.  Anything that the rebel has said would then be altered in history so that it would appeal to what The Party wants.  These alterations of the past are seen as fact by The Party members, and that is another reason why members of The Party would not be able to overthrow it on their own.  They are constantly watched, and this makes it so only 2 to 3 members would be able to rise in rebellion before being caught in the action, only to be vaporized.

Thesis Statement

Albert Camus creates a character who's motivation is based on physical desires through plot, character, and setting.  The motif of weather and how it affects the character Meursault's desires and mood, Meursault's motivation, being based on physical desires, and the characterization of Meursault because of this motif and motivation show that an enjoyable life can be based solely on physical desires.

Stranger Journal #8

In my opinion, The Stranger was a great book.  I loved it, and it was definetly more interesting and better then Their Eyes Were Watching God.  After reading The Stranger the second time, I enjoyed the book more, and it also helped me to pick up certain aspects that I didnt see before.  The first time I read the book, I read it for background info/for fun, but the second time was more for analysis, and having read it twice allowed me to see motifs easier.  Such as the motif of weather, or the repetition of color.  One thing, in my opinion, that makes a book a great work of literature is how it affects the reader.  What I mean is, does it make the reader think.  The Stranger did this for me, not only did I enjoy the book, but it really made me think not only about Meursault, but about the human experience.

Stranger Journal #7

Albert Camus creates a character with a lack of motivation and caring through plot, character, and setting in order to show all one needs to lead a good life is based on physical necessities.

It was pleasant; the coffee had warmed me up, and the smell of flowers on the night air was coming through the open door. I think I dozed off for a while. (9)

All around me there was still the same glowing countryside flooded with sunlight. The glare from the sky was unbearable. At one point, we went over a section of the road that had just been repaved. The tar had burst open in the sun. […] I felt a little lost between the blue and white of the sky and the monotony of the colors around me – the sticky black of the tar, the dull black of all the clothes, and the shiny black of the hearse. All of it – the sun, the smell of leather and horse dung from the hearse, the smell of varnish and incense, and my fatigue after a night without sleep – was making it hard for me to see or think straight. […] I could feel the blood pounding in my temples. (17)

I had the whole sky in my eyes and it was blue and gold. On the back of my neck I could feel Marie’s heart beating softly. We lay on the float for a long time, half asleep. When the sun got too hot, she dove off and I followed. I caught up with her, put my arm around her waist, and we swam together. She laughed the whole time. (20)

Then the street lamps came on all of a sudden and made the first stars appearing in the night sky grow dim. I felt my eyes getting tired. (24)

I told him yes they were and said I was hungry.  I ate fast and had some coffee.  Then I went home and slept for a while because I’d drunk too much wine, and when I woke up I felt like having a smoke. […]  it got very hot in the office, and that evening, when I left, I was glad to walk back slowly along the docks.  The sky was green; I felt good.  But I went straight home because I wanted to boil myself some potatoes. (26)

I wanted her so bad when I saw her in that pretty red-and-white striped dress and leather sandals.  You could make out the shape of her firm breasts, and her tan made her face look like a flower. (34)

The four o’clock sun wasn’t too hot, but the water was warm, with slow, gently lapping waves.  Marie taught me a game.  […]  This made a delicate froth which disappeared into the air or fell back in a warm spray over my face.  But after a while my mouth was stinging with the salty bitterness.  Then Marie swam over to me and pressed herself against me in the water.  She put her lips on mine.  Her tongue cooled my lips and we tumbled in the waves for a moment. […]  I’d left my window open, and the summer night air flowing over our brown bodies felt good. (34-35)

Once out in the street, because I was so tired and also because we hadn’t opened the blinds, the day, already bright with sun, hit me like a slap in the face.  […]  I felt a little better and I noticed that I was hungry. (47)

The sun was shining almost directly overhead onto the sand, and the glare on the water was unbearable. […] It was hard to breathe in the rocky heat rising from the ground. […]  I wasn’t thinking about anything, because I was half asleep from the sun beating down on my bare head. (52-53)

We walked on the beach for a long time. By now the sun was overpowering. It shattered into little pieces on the sand and water. (55)

The heat was so intense that it was just as bad standing still in the blinding stream falling from the sky. […]  There was the same dazzling red glare.  The sea gasped for air with each shallow, stifled little wave that broke on the sand.  I was walking slowly toward the rocks and I could feel my forehead swelling under the sun.  All that heat was pressing down on me and making it hard for me to go on.  And every time I felt a blast of its hot breath strike my face, I gritted my teeth, clenched my fists in my trouser pockets, and strained every nerve in order to overcome the sun and the thick drunkenness it was spilling over me.  With every blade of light that flashed off the sand, from a bleached shell or a piece of broken glass, my jaws tightened.  I walked for a long time. (57)

[…] a blinding halo of light and sea spray. I was thinking of the cool spring behind the rock. I wanted to hear the murmur of its water again, to escape the sun and the strain […] and to find shade and rest again at last. (57)

[…] my forehead especially was hurting me, all the veins in it throbbing under the skin.  It was this burning, which I couldn’t stand anymore, that made me move forward. […]  the Arab drew his knife and held it up to me in the sun.  The light shot off the steel and it was like a long flashing blade cutting at my forehead.  At the same instant the sweat in my eyebrows dripped down over my eyelids all at once and covered them with a warm, thick film. […]  all I could feel were the cymbals of sunlight crashing on my forehead and, indistinctly, the dazzling spear flying up from the knife in front of me.  The scorching blade slashed at my eyelashes and stabbed at my stinging eyes. […]  I knew that I had shattered the harmony of the day, the exceptional silence of a beach where I’d been happy.  Then I fired four more times at the motionless body where the bullets lodged without leaving a trace.  And it was like knocking four quick time on the door of unhappiness. (58-59)

I explained to him, however, that my nature was such that my physical needs often got in the way of my feelings. (65)

It was two o’clock in the afternoon, and this time his office was filled with sunlight barely softened by a flimsy curtain. It was very hot. (66)

Stranger Journal #6

Why does Albert Camus create a character who's emotions are dependent on the environment?

What is Camus trying to say about human experience by creating a character that seems to lack motivation?

Is Camus trying to say something by Meursault's repititous life? if so, what?

Why does Camus create a character that does not seem to care or react to change in life, whether it be good or bad?

Why does Camus use a character that adapts quickly to a new life?

On Tate's Blog:

Camus only states "the Arabs" because none of the other characters no any of "the Arabs" personally. Yes Raymond had a relationship with one of the Arabs' sisters, but Camus never mentions her name. Camus refers to the group as "the Arabs" one because they are Arabian, and two because it would not make sense if Camus described each one by name because the book is narrated through Meursault and he never meets or learns the name of the Arabs.

Megan's Blog:

#1  Just a heads up, I dont recall Raymond having a dog, Salamano has a dog.  Salamano has this dog because his wife has passed away, and he got the dog in order to help him get over the loss of his wife.  Camus uses this relationship between Salamano and his dog to give insight into human nature.  Many people have animals, friends, family that they do not get along with.  Often people treat their animals, friends, or family rudely or badly, and even though they do this they still love and care about them.  Camus is trying to show that despite how the dog angers Salamano, Salamano still cares about the dog, he just becomes annoyed by it and reacts sometimes by beating and or cursing at the dog.

Isabel Harger's Blog:

5. Throughout The Stranger, Camus characterizes Meursault as a person who goes with the flow. Meursault does not care really what happens to him. Meursault did not care that his mother died, he was indifferent about becoming friends with Raymond and marrying Marie. Yes Meursault did not object to these relationships, but also Meursault was not enthusiastic about these relationships. Meursault is one who is indifferent about life, he does not appreciate the legal system, however he accepts it because that is how he acts.

Andy's Blog:

1.  Camus begins the story with Meursault in full existentialism mode because this helps to portray the existentialist beliefs.  Were Camus to start Meursault with a more caring, motivated outlook on life, it could confuse the reader, and block the reader from seeing the existentialism that Meursault is characterized.

Isabella Lewis' Blog:

3.  Camus says that life has "come to a stand still" when Meursault was first in jail because Meursault's repitious life was flipped upside down and Meursault's routine is changed.  Meursault has a repitious life, going to the movies, making love to Marie, swimming, observing the town, and when Meursault is first in jail he is not used to things.  Meursault is a person who lacks motivation and caring, and when he is first in jail, he must take time, as all people need, to adjust to his new environment.  Camus uses Meursault's quick adjustment to his new environment and routine to show that people need to be able to adjust quickly in life, this allows for a less painful, less dramatic effect to the person.

Stranger Journal #5

I think that Camus created two parts to The Stranger because there is a major change in Meursault's routine and his daily life.  Although there is a major change in Meursault's life he quickly adapts and becomes used to his new surroundings and daily routine.  In part I, Meursault smokes many ciggarettes, "I stayed in bed until noon, smoking cigarettes" (Camus/Gilbert 25), "After smoking a couple of cigarettes" (27).  When Meursault is arrested in part II, all that was on him was taken away from him, including his cigarettes which he is clearly addicted to, "The lack of cigarettes, too, was a trial. [...]  But, by the time I understood, I'd lost the craving, so it had ceased to be a punishment" (97).  Other things have changed in Meursault's life, such as "[his] habit of thinking like a free man.  For instance, I would suddely be seized with a desire to go down to the beach for a swim. [...]  Afterward, I had prisoner's thoughts. [...]  I had come to watch for my lawyer's odd neckties, or, in another world, to wait patiently till Sunday for a spell of love-making with Marie." (95).  Meursault's "typical Sunday afternoon" (27) as he called it is now different.  It has changed from making love with Marie, watching the bustling town, the sea, smoking cigarettes, going to the sea and swimming to thinking, sleeping, and other activities.  Yet Meursault still has the "one life was as good as aonther, and my present one suited me" (52) way of thinking.  I think that Camus has created a part one and a part two to see how Meursault reacts to this change in his life. 

Stranger Journal #4

Why is Marie wearing a white dress? Is it foreshadowing that Meursault one day may want to marry her?

Why is Meursault's emotions dependent on the environment?

Is Camus racist?

Why does Meursault shoot the Arab 4-5times?

Why does he stay around afterwards?

What is the throbbing in his head caused by?

Stranger Journal #3

Faithism
My philospohy is called Faithism because my beliefs have a lot to do with Christianity.  I believe that there is a purpose to life and a reason for all of us to be here on the Earth.
1.  There is a God who is a personal one, he cares about each one of us individually and reveals purpose for human beings.
2.  Having a positive/out-going outlook on life will help you to make better choices, it will help you to make friends, and overall, make your life better.
3.  There is a deep purpose and meaning to life.
4.  There are consequences to every decision(good and/or bad consequences).
5.  One of the most important things in life, is family.
6.  The harder you try/work for something, the more likely you will be to achieve it/obtain it(like a goal).
7.  In my opinion, what doesn't kill us, gives us learning experiences, where our lives and the lives of others around us can change.
My philosophy is very similar to theism.  I have learned through many experiences in my life, even though I am only 16, that all of these things are true.  I believe that it is good to focus on the positive things (the glass is half full, not half empty), this allows us to see what we have and be greatful for it.  I believe that the choices we make can have good and or bad consequences which may lead us to more bad or good decisions.  But we have the ability to change what will happen in the future(there are some exceptions).  I am talking about how we act,  what we say, what we think, etc.  Family is one of the most important things in life because of the way they make us feel.  Family does not neccesarily mean "blood related" in my opinion.  An example of this is could be a closely bonded/united sports team, or a bunch of friends that may not have anything else, except for each other.  Generally speaking, if you work hard, you will eventually achieve what you desire.  The harder you work, the more likely you are to achieve this goal.  I have heard many times, "You miss 100% of the shots you dont take" and this is very true.  Think about it, if you try for something and fail/dont achieve it, at least you can honestly say that you tried.  I also believe that what doesn't kill us, allows us to learn.  When I broke my leg freshmen year, I learned that I needed to be more thankful for what I have been blessed with.  For my family, the country I live in(where I can actually get good medical treatment) and many other things.  Many of the things that I believe are because of the way my parents have raised me, and because of the church that I belong to.

Stranger Journal #2

Part 1:  In my opinion Matthew Ward has the most literary value because he keeps some of the literal translations.  The opening page contains the word "Maman" where as in Stuart Gilbert's translated version of The Stranger he translates the french word "maman" to "mother".  Also Matthew Ward uses European measurements for distance, using "eighty kilometers" compared to Gilbert's "fifty miles".  These two instances show and help orient the reader.  If I did not know before that the book was translated from french, as many people wouldn't. then I would have honestly assumed it was somewhere such as the United States beacause we use miles instead of kilometers.  It also helps us to realize and see the culture that the book comes from.  Another reason Ward's translation is valuable because he uses more sharp and direct sentences which create a better tone because it helps to characterize Meursault even more.

Part 2:  I would assign the English translation the name of "The Outsider".  I believe this would be a better fitting title because not only is Meursault indifferent about things that take place, but he seems to be on the outside, looking in and observing what is going on.  He does not seem to know a lot about what happens, or why people say things, or why he even says certain things, but he does observe what happens around him and what people do and say.  "My bedroom overlooks the main street of our district. [...]  A typical Sunday afternoon. . . .  I turned my chair round and seated myself like the tobacconist, as it was more comfortable that way.  After smoking a couple of cigarettes I went back to the room, got a tablet of chocolate, and returned to the window to eat it.  Soon after, the sky clouded over, and I thought a summer storm was coming" (Camus/Gilbert 26-27).  I only quoted a small portion of pages 26-27 but on these two pages, Meursault sits at his balcony watching the bustling streets until they clear out, but he still watches them, observing the stores, "a typical sunday afternoon" he calls it.  This is why I would assign the English translation the name of "The Outsider", because Meursault seems to be on the outside, looking in and observing what is happening.

Stranger Journal #1

For the Stranger I plan to tab anything that pops out as important to me.  This worked well for me last time when we read Their Eyes Were Watching God.  I will be looking closely for things such as motifs, metaphors, symbols, figurative language, similes.  Other things I will be looking for are tones and moods that I find through out the book, verb choice/vocabulary and characterization and personification of anything.  I dont color code my tabs but I do write why I tabbed a certain thing and I also highlight within my book becuase I own the books.  I will be specifically looking/searching for and tabbing motifs of sleep, symbols/motifs of the color black.  I will be tabbing characterization of Meursault as well as how he reacts to certain situations and how he acts, also possible answers to his (un)motivation and why he may be acting the way he is.

Journal #10

Theme: Jealousy clouds the mind with thoughts and assumptions leading to bad judgement and or bad actions.

Seeing the woman as she was made them remember the envy they had stored up from other times. So they chewed up the back parts of their minds and swallowed with relish. They made burning statements with questions, and killing tools out of laughs. It was mass cruelty. A mood come alive. Words walking without masters; walking altogether like harmony in a song.  (pg 2)
   

 "What she doin coming back here in dem overhalls? Can’t she find no dress to put on? – Where’s dat blue satin dress she left here in? – Where all dat money her husband took and died and left her? – What dat ole forty year ole ‘oman doin’ wid her hair swingin’ down her back lak some young gal? – Where she left dat young lad of a boy she went off here wid? – Thought she was going to marry? – Where he left her? – What he done wid all her money? – Betcha he off wid some gal so young she ain’t even got no hairs – Why she don’t stay in her class?  (pg 2)

"They, the men, were saving with the mind what they lost with the eye.  The women took the faded shirt and muddy overalls and laid them away for remembrance.  It was a weapon against her strength and if it turned out of no significance, still it was a hope that she might fall to their level some day." (pg 2)

"She ain’t even worth talkin’ after," Lulu Moss drawled through her nose. "She sits high, but she looks low. Dat’s what Ah say ‘bout dese ole women runnin’ after young boys." (pg 3)

The jealousy that the men and women have leads later on to gossip and judgement.

"You know if you pass some people and don’t speak tuh suit ‘em dey got tuh go way back in yo’ life and see whut you ever done.  They know mo' 'bout yuh than you do yo' self.  An envious heart makes a treacherous ear.  They done 'heard' 'bout you just what they hope done happened." (pg 5)

"Logan with his shovel looked like a black bear doing some clumsy dance on his hind legs." (pg 30)
-Figurative language-use of a simile

"Janie soon began to feel the impact of awe and envy against her sensibilities. The wife of the Mayor was not just another woman as she had supposed. She slept with authority and so she was part of it in the town mind. She couldn’t get but so close to most of them in spirit. It was especially noticeable after Joe had forced through a town ditch to drain the street in front of the store. They had murmured hotly about slavery being over, but every man filled his assignment." (pg 44)

"Maybe he make her do it. Maybe he skeered de rest of us mens might touch it round dat store." (pg 47)

"That was because Joe never told Janie how jealous he was.  He never told her how often he had seen the other men figuratively wallowing in it as she went about things in the store.  And one night he had caught Walter standing behind Janie and brushing the back of his hand back and forth across the loose end of her braid ever so lightly so as to enjoy the feel of it without Janie knowing what he was doing.  He felt like rushing forth with the meat knife and chopping off the offending hand.  that night he ordered Janie to tie up her hair around the store.  That was all.  She was there in the store for him to look at, not those others.  But he never said things like that." (pg 51-52)

"So he didn’t come that night and she laid in bed and pretended to think scornfully of him. "Bet he’s hangin’ round some jook or ‘nother. Glad Ah treated him cold. Whut do Ah want wid some trashy nigger out de streets? Bet he’s livin’ wid some woman or ‘nother and takin’ me for uh fool. Glad Ah caught mahself in time." She tried to console herself that way." (pg 102)

"It was after the picnic that the town began to notice things and got mad. Tea Cake and Mrs. Mayor Starks! All the men that she could get, and fooling with somebody like Tea Cake! Another thing, Joe Starks hadn’t been dead but nine months and here she goes sashaying off to a picnic in pink linen. Done quit attending church, like she used to. Gone off to Sanford in a car with Tea Cake and her all dressed in blue! It was a shame. Done took to high heel slippers and a ten dollar hat! Looking like some young girl, always in blue because Tea Cake told her to wear it. Poor Joe Starks. Bet he turns over in his grave every day. Tea Cake and Janie gone hunting. Tea Cake and Janie gone fishing. Tea Cake and Janie gone to Orlando to the movies. Tea Cake and Janie gone to a dance. Tea Cake making flower beds in Janie’s yard and seeding the garden for her. Chopping down that tree she never did like by the dining room window. All those signs of possession."  (pg 105)

"De men wuz talkin' 'bout it in de grove tuhday and givin' her and Tea Cake both de devil.  Dey figger he's spendin' on her now in order tuh make her spend on him later."
"Umph!  Umph!  Umph!"
"Oh dey got it all figgered out.  Maybe it ain't as bad as they say, but they talk it and make it sound real bad on her part."
"Dat's jealousy and malice.  Some uh dem very mens wants tuh do whut dey claim deys skeered Tea Cake is doin'." (pg 106)

"They had to give it to her, she sho looked good, but she had no business to do it.  It was hard to love a woman that always made you feel so wishful." (pg 111)

"Janie learned what if felt like to be jealous...She began to be snappish a little.  A little seed of fear was growing into a tree.  Maybe some day Tea Cake would weaken.  Maybe he had already given secret encouragement and this was Nunkie's way of bragging about it.  Other people began to notice too, and that put Janie more on a wonder....She just acted on feelings.  She rushed into the cane and about the fifth row down she found Tea Cake and Nunkie struggling.  She was on them before either knew.
"Whut's de matter heah?"  Janie asked in a cold rage.  They sprang apart.
"Nothin'," Tea Cake told her, standing shame faced. 
"Well, whut you doin' in heah?  How come you ain't out dere wid de rest?"
"She grabbed mah workin' tickets outa mah shirt pocket and Ah run tuh git 'em back,"  Tea Cake explained, showing the tickets, considerably mauled about in the struggle....She walked slowly and thoughtfully to the quarters.  It wasn't long before Tea Cake found her there and tried to talk.  She cut him short with a blow and they fought from one room to the other, Janie trying to beat him, and Tea Cake kept holding her wrists and wherever he could to keep her from going too far.
"Ah b'lieve you been messin' round her!"  She panted furiously. (pg 130-131)

Journal #9

Katie had spent all that time making dinner only to find out that Tim was going to be working late again with Jenny.  She had met Jenny once before and Tim seemed to be very friendly with her.  Katie was tired of Tim working late with Jenny.  Jealousy sucked her up like a vacuum.  Katie heard the door shut downstairs, "Tim?"
"Yes Honey?" Tim replied.
"Why are you home so late?"  Katie questioned coldly.
"I called and told you why, I had to work late again with Jenny." Answered Tim.
"Why do you always have to work with Jenny? Huh? Im tired of it!"  Katie exclaimed.
"Why do you hate Jenny so much?"
"Because all you do is work with her and spend time with her!  You dont spend as much time with me as you used to and I am tired of hearing, 'Jenny this' and 'Jenny that'.  'I have to do this with Jenny.  I have to work late with Jenny.  I have to go to a meeting with Jenny.  My boss said Jenny is my partner on this project.  I have to go on a business trip with Jenny.'  All you talk about these days is Jenny!"  Katie yelled.
"I am sorry Katie.  I didn't think about it when I told you, I just thought that you would want to know where I was, what I had to do, or what was going on."  Tim said.
"You aren't having an affair are you!?"  Katie demanded.
"Katie....I would never do such a thing.  I am married to the woman of my dreams.  The only reason I told you about all the things with Jenny is so that you would know what I was doing.  I didnt know you would be so quick to judge and think I was having an affair.  I am sorry that you would think that, but I can truthfully say that I am not and would never do such a thing."  Tim said in a soothing voice.  Katie began to cry.  She realized her thoughts were clouded and that she had jumped to a false conclusion.  Tim walked over to her and held her in his arms.
"I love you." Tim said. 


The theme that I used in my pastiche was that jealousy clouds the mind with thoughts and assumptions leading to judgement and bad actions.  Through out the book there is jealousy.  Men jealous of Joe Starks married to such a beautiful woman.  Men jealous again when Tea Cake is married to Janie.  Double-Ugly becomes jealous when Tea Cake wins all his money.  Many of these examples of jealousy cloud the mind with thoughts and assumptions, leading to judgement and bad actions.  The three literary techniques I used were figurative language, syntax, and motifs.  I used figurative language in this pastiche when I described jealousy as a vacuum sucking Katie up in it.  Hurston uses figurative language in Their Eyes Were Watching God.  Sometimes the figurative language she uses is complex and goes on for more then a few sentences, other times it is just one sentence here and there that adds to the atmosphere of the story. I also used syntax.  In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston often uses short, quick sentences to help point out a particular subject, topic, character etc.  I used short quick sentences to help further express Katie's dislike of Jenny and the time Tim spends with Jenny.  Lastly I used motifs.  In my pastich I used the motif of judgement which Hurston uses multiple times throught the book and will often point judgement out.  In my pastiche, it is clear that Katie has judged Tim because of the conclusion she jumped to.  Tim also uses the word 'judge' which helps to further point to judgement.

Journal #8

1.  "She couldn't make him look just like any other man to her.  He looked like the love thoughts of women.  He could be a bee to a blossom-a pear tree blossom in the spring.  He seemed to be crushing scent out of the world with his footsteps.  Crushing aromatic herbs with every step he took.  Spices hung about him.  He was a glance from God." (101) This quote takes place recently after Janie has met Tea Cake and they have been spending time together.  Janie has been working in the house and the store and she can not stop thinking about Tea Cake.  In this passage, I believe that Hurston is using figurative language.  She is using figurative language to personify Tea Cake and also to change the atmosphere of the passage.  The figurative language that Hurston uses is romantic and that is the atmosphere that is made by this figurative language. 

2.  "Tea Cake and Janie gone hunting.  Tea Cake and Janie gone fishing.  Tea Cake and Janie gone to Orlando to the movies.  Tea Cake and Janie gone to a dance.  Tea Cake making flower beds in Janie's yard and seeding the garden for her.  Chopping down that tree she never did like by the dining room window.  all those signs of possession.  Tea Cake in a borrowed car teaching Janie to drive.  Tea Cake and Janie playing checkers; playing coon-can; playing Florida flip on the store porch all afternoon as if nobody else was there.  Day after day and week after week." (105)  This passage occurs after Tea Cake and Janie go to the picnic.  The town started noticing them together and began to got mad.  Tea Cake and Janie are spending more and more time together, doing everything together, and not caring if anybody else was watching.  In this passage, Hurston is using short sentence structure or syntax.  She uses these short sentences to give us quick details about Tea Cake and Janie and to also show how much time they are spending together.  When I read these sentences, Tea Cake and Janie are repeating subjects, so it helps me to see a point or subject more clearly.  It helps me to see how much Tea Cake and Janie's relationship has grown from the first day they met because of how much time they spend together.  It also helps me to see that this relationship is better then Janie's previous 2 marriages.

3.  "De men wuz talkin' 'bout it in de grove tuhday and givin' her and Tea Cake both de devil.  Dey figger he's spendin' on her now in order tuh make her spend on him later." (106)  Sam Watson is talking to his wife Pheoby about the gossip.  He heard the men from the town judging and gossiping about Tea Cake and Janie. Then he went back home and talked to Pheoby about it.  Hurston is using motifs in this passage.  The motif that Hurston is using, is the motif of judgement.  This motif is seen through out the book, and once again it is seen here in this passage where the men are jumping to conclusions about Tea Cake and Janie.  The men are judging the realtionship that Tea Cake and Janie have.  This helps me to see the motif of judgement because it is a reoccuring subject in Their Eyes Were Watching God.  It affects how I read it because when I see a reoccuring subject, it makes me think more about the subject and try to find out what the author might be trying to say about that subject.

Journal #7

However Omar began to question Jealousy.  Jealousy, that bitter, resentful one with eyes always watching.  The envious one that dwells within us, often waiting.  What forces compel Jealousy, and how do we rid of him?  He lives deep within, invisible to the untrained eye.  Lives deep within, listening to our heart's desires,  waiting for the right time to take over.  Been living there, scheming, craftily and cunningly.  He was likely to find poison from his knife in his actions someday.  He needed support and friendship too.  Discouraged Paul!  He shouldnt have to go to war on his own.  He had the coach bring teammates show they support, but Paul refused.  These teammates wuz good friends and players, but there aint nothin they could do to bring him out of this state.  He'd be fine as soon as he practiced enough and could hit right pipe on a full speed split dodge, left-handed.  He wasnt going to be jealous.  That was what he thought.  Though the coach told him the truth, so he knew what to expect.  And even if he hadnt, soon enough he was likely to know, for his actions grew bitter, and his heart turned to stone.  Teammates who would have spoken great things about him, avoided him altogether.  Just sat there, pondering how he changed.  Judgement, that muddy mess, had stained another life.

Other then using the same sentence structure as Hurston, I kept the pastiche vague, but at the same time I used creative verbs, adjective, and nouns to create emotion.  I also kept the pastiche vague because when I read Hurston's passage about Death, it made me further ponder Death, rather then just a bunch of words, Death came to life(no pun intended) and that is what I tried to accomplish with Jealousy.

Journal #6

So Janie began to think of Death.  Death, that strange being with the huge square toes who lived way in the West.  The great one who lived in the straight house like a platform without sides to it, and without a roof.  What need has Death for a cover, and what winds can blow against him?  He stands in his high house that overlooks the world.  Stands watchful and motionless all day with his sword drawn back,  waiting for the messenger to bid him come.  Been standing there before there was a where or a when or a then.  She was liable to find a feather from his wings lying in her yard any day now.

Personification and characterization of Death:

• Hurston personifies and characterizes death in order to appeal to human senses.  When Hurston personifies Death, making him into a person, it changes the atmosphere of the passage and creates a dark, creep, scary feeling.

Motif of Death's power:

• What need has Death for a cover, and what winds can blow against him?
• Death has no need for cover, no storm or tempest will stop him.  Winds symbolize the fact that nothing can stop him.
• "Stands in his high house that overlooks the world.  Stands watchful and motionless all day with his sword drawn back...", Death's high house that overlooks the world, in battle, a high place symbolizes power because it is an advantage to have the high point.  Not only does Death have a high house, but he overlooks the world, which is an extremely big place.  Death stands watchful and motionless all day with his sword drawn back, his sword drawn back symbolizes power also because he is ready to strike, and he is watching, motionless, all day.

Metaphor of Death being a bird

• She was liable to find a feather from his wings lying in her yard any day now.
• This compares Death to a bird, which some birds specifically have superstitious meanings such as the crow and vulture.  They both symbolize death and that is often what is thought of when there is a gathering of these birds.

Journal #5

Zora Hurston uses the motif of dreams to illustrate human nature and how the achievement of these dreams is effected by those around us.


Posted comments on Jarrad Schulte, John Beck, and Montana Agnew's blogs.

Journal #4

Reoccuring patterns/subjects:
1.  Joe Starks is filled with the American Dream through out his life. 
"Every day after that they managed to meet in the scrub oaks acrosse the road and talk about when he would be a bug ruler of things with her reaping the benefits." ....."He spoke for change and chance" -pg 28

"Ah'm buyin' in here, and buyin'g in big.  Soon's we find some place to sleep otnight us menfolks got to call people together and form a cmmittee.  Then we can get things movin' round here."

2. God, Jesus Christ, Heaven, Angels other religious topics are all brought up multiple times through out the novel.

"If God don't think no mo' 'bout 'em then Ah do, they's a lost ball in de high grass." -pg 5

"Yeah, Sam say most of 'em goes to church so they'll be sure to rise in Judgment." -pg 5

"He kin be de king uh Jerusalem fuh all Ah keer." -pg 37

"Folkses, de sun is goin' down.  De Sun-maker brings it up in de mornin', and de Sun-maker sends it tuh bed at night." -pg 42

"Brother Davis, lead us in a word uh prayer.  Ask uh blessin' on dis town in uh most particular manner." -pg 43

5. Oppresion of women

"So de white man throw down de load and tell de nigger man tuh pick it up.  He pick it up because he have to, but he don't tote it.  He hand it to his womenfolks.  De nigger woman is de mule uh de world so fur as Ah can see." -pg 14

"It must have been the way Joe spoke out without giving her a chance to say anything..." -pg 41

"Why, Janie! You wouldn't be seen at uh draggin' out, wouldja?  Wid any and everybody in uh passle pushin' and shovin' wid they no-manners selves? Naw, naw!" -pg 56


4.Women are reoccuring subjects in dialogue between male characters
5. Janie wants to share her opinion/thoughts/ideas, and wants to participate in events
6. Dont settle for less then your dreams

Journal #3

Sargent Claude Johnson was one of the first African-American's from the state of California to obtain a national reputation. Sargent Johnson was well known for his modern, figurative and abstract styles.  Johnson was a potter, printmaker, painter, ceramist,  sculptor, graphic artist, sculptor, and carver.  He worked with very many different materials including clay, watercolor, ceramic, wood, oil, terra-cotta, and stone.  He was well known for focusing on racial identity within his works.

Rules:
Phrases:
1. I'm a banana!?(banana means Zak)- I'm Zak
2. Mono Mono- Peace
3. I'm a real boy- I'm a martian

Grammar:
1.  Talks in third person(accept for phrases)
2.  Ends every sentence with Eha
3.  Uses the word like and or likes multiple times in a row
Pronunciation:
1.  It- Et
2.  and- eee
3.  Yes- Yi

One fine day Sargent Claude Johnson was working away in his workshop, throwing some nice pots.  All of a sudden he heard a "zaaaaaap!" along with the sound of pots falling to the ground and shattering.  Sargent turned to see a small martian in the corner of his workshop, a pot on each foot. 
  "Hello earthling,  I'm a banana, eee banana come in mono mono, eha!" Zak yelled
  "What are you doing in my workshop!? Who and what are you!?" Sargent demanded.
  "Do not worry earthling, banana come in mono mono!  I'm a real boy! Eha!" Zak replied.
  "What is mono mono?"  Zak asked taking a step back.
  "Banana come in mono mono! Why dont you understand!? Eha!"  Zak yelled.
  "Oh my gosh,  I am sorry I do not understand.  What are you going to do to me?"  Sargent replied with a shaky voice.
  "Banana wont hurt you.  Banana is a nice real boy.  Banana come in mono mono.  Banana heard that you make very nice pottery.  Like, like like like like this one," Zak points to the pot on his right foot, "Banana likes like likes this pot. Eha!"
  "Phew, I was afraid I was going to be abducted by aliens or something.  Since we are not a threat to each other.  What is your name?  Is it Banana?"  Sargent asked.
"Yi Banana is not a threat.  No my name is Banana eee I'm a real boy! Not an alien! Eha!"  Zak explained loudly.
 "Woah,  let's calm down here.  There is no need to get mad, I am just confused, that is all.  I just asked if your name was Banana, and you said no, my name is Banana, how does that work?"  Sargent questioned.
 "Banana is calm, do not worry, how does what work? Eha!" Zak said.
 "I was talking about the name situation....." Sargent responded.
 "What name situation? Eha!" Zak asked.
 "Nevermind, I will just call you Banana for a nickname, is that okay?" Sargent asked
 "Banana thinks et's okay that you call Banana, Banana. Eha!" Zak answered.
 "Oh! How rude of me, my name is Johnson, Sargent Claude Johnson, but you can just call me Sargent.  So what brings you here to Earth Banana?"  Sargent said.
 "Well, Banana likes like likes like likes art eee crafts.  Banana was passing by Earth, eee Banana remembered that earthlings make great arts eee crafts so Banana decided to stop by and ask an earthling to help Banana.  You were the first person to come up on Banana's list.  So Banana zap in! There is only a short period of time,  Banana not allowed to be on Earth, the mothership will come eee get Banana.  Will you help Banana?"  Zak explained.  All of a sudden a giant claw smashed through the roof, capturing Zak in its grip.  Next it pulled him up into the sky and into space and as quickly as Sargent met the real boy, he was gone.

Journal #2

(pg 13-14) She slapped the girl's face violently, and forced her head back so that their eyes met in struggle.  With her hand uplifted for the second blow she saw the huge tear that welled up from Janie's heart and stood in each eye.  She saw the terrible agony  and the lips tightened down to hold back the cry and desisted.  Instead she brushed back the heavy hair from  Janie's face and stood there suffering and loving and weeping internally for both of them.  "Come to yo' Grandma, honey.  Set in her lap lak yo' use tuh.  Yo' Nanny wouldnt harm a hair uh yo' head.  She dont want nobody else to do it neither if she kin help it.  Honey, de white man is de ruler of everything as fur as Ah been able tuh find out.  Maybe it's some place way off in de ocean where de black man is in power, but we dont know nothin' but what we see.  So de white man throw down de load and tell de nigger man tuh pick it up.  He pick it up because he have to, but he dont tote it.  He hand it to his womenfolks. De nigger woman is de mule uh de world so fur as Ah can see.  Ah been prayin' fuh it tuh be different wid you.  Lawd, Lawd, Lawd!"
1. Point of view: First
2.Foreshadowing
3.Tension
4.Flashback
5.Symbol
6.Conflict
7.Characterization
8.Figurative Language
9.Parrellelism to men giving women all the work
10.Vocabulary
11.Verb Choice
12. Imagery
13.

Journal #1

If I had a life long story like Janie had, I would tell it to one of my family members.  Depending on what the story or moral of the story was, but I would tell the story to my son(s).  I would start my story at the beginning so that it would be easier for them to understand.