Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Is Music Poetry?

1. Select 2 musical selections – one you consider to be poetry and one you do not.
Poetry
Jay-Z: Song Cry
http://www.metrolyrics.com/song-cry-lyrics-jayz.html

Not Poetry
Soulja Boy: Crank That Soulja Boy
http://www.metrolyrics.com/crank-that-soulja-boy-lyrics-soulja-boy.html


2. Convince your audience that your opinion is valid. Why is one song a poem and the other is not?
I believe that Jay-Z’s song “Song Cry” is a poem and Soulja Boy’s song “Crank That Soulja Boy” isn’t because “Song Cry” has a personal meaning. It also contains many literary elements while the other contains two. Jay-Z's song shows men that it is ok to say that it’s their fault but at the same time the girl was responsible for not being straight out with him. It’s just a piece of art. On the other hand, Soulja Boy’s song “Crank That Soulja Boy” has no meaning. It’s just a hype/dancing song, to get the crowd pumped.

3. IS RAP/HIP-HOP POETRY?
a. Is Rap/Hip-Hop music poetic expression? Why or Why not?
In my opinion, Rap/Hip-Hop music is a poetic expression. The reason I think Rap/Hip-Hop music is a poetic expression because many lyrics from rap/hip-hop artists contain what most poems have such as, a theme, metaphor, simile, enjambment and many more. Also, these artists’ shows how he/she feels and it’s giving a message to the people.

b. What literary characteristics or poetic terms does this music express?
Rap/Hip-Hop expresses all of the literary characteristics. For example, Jay-Z’s song “Song Cry” within the first stanza it contains alliteration, assonance, consonance, and enjambment.
The most incredible baby
Uhh - mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm
Yeah, yeah.. uhh

c. What type of critic are you? Explain why.
I think I am more of a context critic because I think that the power of words really helps me understand how an artist feels. I believe that an artist can use any kind to words to get a message across. It also, helps me have knowledge of the artist tone better.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Poetry – Image Writing Exercise






1 – Dylan Thomas – "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night"
1) What emotions/feelings do you have after reading the poem?
After reading this poem, I have empathy for the poet. It seems as if he doesn’t know how to deal with death. He shows a grieving personality over his father’s death. Also, I believe that death takes a new personal meaning for Thomas. http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15377mMID/15377

2)How does your chosen image reflect the emotions conjured by the poem?
My image illustrates various ways to approach death in old age. To me this image is the definition of dying light. Thomas father is dying gently into the night and he doesn’t want his father to go away. It shows affirming life up until the last break of dawn, rather than learning to accept death quietly.


2 – Gwendolyn Brooks – "We Real Cool"
1) What emotions/feelings do you have after reading the poem?
My feelings towards this poem is that I don’t have no remorse if these young teenagers keep doing the bad things there doing. If they keep following that lifestyle they will eventually die.
http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15433
2) How does your chosen image reflect the emotions conjured by the poem? This image shows there are no direction, and the group of boys “We” don't really care about anything, not even their wellbeing for the future. All they want to do is hangout in the streets and live a bad lifestyle. They have no sense of themselves and are not aware of the importance of education, which will sooner or later become their downfall.


3 – Emily Dickinson – "I felt a Funeral, in my Brain"
1) What emotions/feelings do you have after reading the poem?
I feel as if the author is having a pain attack or mental breakdown of some sort. I find this poem to be weird and very confusing to understand I think the title of the poem is a metaphor for the author having a mental breakdown.
http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15391




2) How does your chosen image reflect the emotions conjured by the poem? This image shows that when the human mind under stress it goes into a mental breakdown through the overall metaphor of a funeral.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

"A Clean, Well-lighted Place" Assignment

1 – Describe the setting. Why is the idea of a well-lighted place so significant to this short story? The story takes place in a café which is well-lighted and clean. The reason why it’s so significant of a well-lighted place because the old man who comes to the bar every night, comes to escape the darkness, and to have a drink. Also to mention that the old man is deaf and when it’s late at night the café is quiet and the old man can notice the difference.

2 – Why are the characters nameless?
The characters are nameless because many of doesn’t have any importance in the story. There are three main characters, the two waiters and the old deaf man. The author illustrates each of the waiters for having different views on the old man. The younger waiter assumes that since the old man has money then he has nothing to despair. On the other hand, the older waiter seems to understand the old man because he is old himself.

3 – What is the connection between the old man and the older waiter? What is the purpose of the younger waiter in the story?
The connection between the older waiter and the old man is that the older waiter understands the loneliness that the old man feels. In the story he says: "We are two different kinds." "It is not only a question of youth and confidence although those things are very beautiful. Each night, I am reluctant to close up because there may be someone who needs the cafe." The older waiter is lonely and he lives alone with no wife. He is also an insomniac. This shows that the older waiter fully understands the old man; they both resemble each other. The purpose for the younger waiter in the story is to display the difference between the two. The younger waiter doesn’t see the difference from their café from the other bar and bodegas. All he wants to do is go home to his bed with his wife.

4 – What is the plot? Be specific and briefly outline the 5 plot elements.
The story begins at a cafe very late at night. Two waiters are watching their last, lingering customer, an old man who is by now very drunk. These are the story’s three major characters.
• Conflict- the younger waiter wants to go home but he can’t because the old man is still in the café.
• Rising action- When the old man indicates that he wants another drink served, the young waiter ignores him.
• Complications- The old man realizes that the younger waiter is being offensive, but ignores him and asks out loud for the drink. When the waiter brings it, he makes it spill purposely. Moreover, knowing that the old man is deaf, as he walks away he says, “You should have killed yourself last week.”
• Climax- The younger waiter finally asks the old man to leave which he does.

5 – What is the theme (in one sentence)?
Whenever you go from for troubles will lead to a clean well-lighted place.

PART 2
Research the life of Ernest Hemingway. Compose a one paragraph biographical summary. Highlight facts about Hemingway's life experiences that are evident in "A Clean Well-Lighted Place".
Ernest Hemingway was born in Illinois in 1899, Hemingway's life was influenced early on with literature as he became a reporter directly after high-school. He served in WWI, in which he became seriously injured and then lived in Paris for a time. His passions were writing and hunting. In many of his other works, his characters typically displayed courage and integrity. Suffering from a mental condition that caused memory loss, Hemingway took his life with his favorite shotgun in 1961, an act very much unlike most of his literary characters, but surprisingly foretelling. In A Clean Well-Lighted Place Hemingway unwittingly relates the main character to himself.
http://www.booksellerworld.com/ernesthemingway-bibliography.htm