“Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” “Go Down Moses,” and “Keep Your Hand on the Plow” are all spirituals, or songs that slaves would sing that had subject matter from the Bible. This may make them seem Romantic at first, but they are in fact Realist works, and they also fall under the category of Regionalism due to how specific they are to slaves in the South.
Each of the songs uses stories from the Bible that talk about someone or a group of people being freed from some sort of bondage, whether that bondage be in prison, slavery under the Egyptians, or banishment in the wilderness for 40 years. This common theme that ties them together says a lot about the anonymous groups that created them, however. Obviously, the authors were slaves in the South before the emancipation.
These songs were more than just songs for singing out in the fields, however. With each telling a story of how someone or another attained freedom, these were songs of hope for the slaves that someday, they themselves might be freed as well.
(TBC)
Works Cited
Anonymous. "Go Down, Moses." GlencoeLiterature. Ed. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 347. Print.
Anonymous. "Keep Your Hand on the Plow." GlencoeLiterature. Ed. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 348. Print.
Anonymous. "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." GlencoeLiterature. Ed. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 346. Print.
1.27.2011
Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address and the Gettysburg Address
Abraham Lincoln is thought to be one of the greatest presidents our country has ever seen for the way he handled the Civil War and the issue of slavery. However, from a literary aspect, is simply a Realist speech writer. His speeches did not make light of the situations being faced when both were written; they gave instruction and guidance to those who were feeling lost and unsure in times of trouble, grounding people in reality while leading the way, and it is probably this aspect of his writing which gave the country direction in such dark times as those were.
Lincoln’s second inaugural address was steeped in advice from above, for example (Lincoln, "Second" 339). While this may appear on the surface to be Romantic, one must recognize that it is not as it is calling for action while still being realistic. After all, many people back then did believe that God was a part of reality, as far fetched as such an idea might seem for some people, so it is alright for God to be included in Realist works. Here is a piece from Lincoln’s religious address to a nation finally finished with its bloodiest war to that date:
Here Lincoln uses religion, the word of God, in order to show the American people who have been so open to the slavery of their fellow dark-skinned Americans why it is alright now for the slaves to be free (Lincoln, "Second" 339). He uses this religious argument because it would pertain to the average person, since the average person would generally believe in God and want to please Him. In this way, Lincoln uses Realism to set the his political policy for the Reconstruction era of the United States.
Another example of Lincoln’s use of Realism to assure the nation was in his famous Gettysburg Address. This speech was given after the Battle of Gettysburg in which many lives were lost. In order to comfort those that were grieving, Lincoln spoke not of other things, but addressed the things pertinent to them right then, something Realism strives to do. He spoke those famous words, “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here” (Lincoln, "The Gettysburg" 402). Lincoln celebrates those average, everyday men, the heroes of Realism, who fought and died at Gettysburg, while recognizing with logic what will and will not be remembered from that day forth (Lincoln, "The Gettysburg" 402). This is what Realism does.
Works Cited
Lincoln, Abraham. "The Gettysburg Address." GlencoeLiterature. Ed. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 402. Print.
Lincoln, Abraham. "Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865." GlencoeLiterature. Ed. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 339. Print.
Lincoln’s second inaugural address was steeped in advice from above, for example (Lincoln, "Second" 339). While this may appear on the surface to be Romantic, one must recognize that it is not as it is calling for action while still being realistic. After all, many people back then did believe that God was a part of reality, as far fetched as such an idea might seem for some people, so it is alright for God to be included in Realist works. Here is a piece from Lincoln’s religious address to a nation finally finished with its bloodiest war to that date:
“The Almighty has his own purposes. ‘Woe unto the world because of offenses! For it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh!’ If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South, this terrible war, as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a Living God always ascribe to Him?" (Lincoln, "Second" 339)
Here Lincoln uses religion, the word of God, in order to show the American people who have been so open to the slavery of their fellow dark-skinned Americans why it is alright now for the slaves to be free (Lincoln, "Second" 339). He uses this religious argument because it would pertain to the average person, since the average person would generally believe in God and want to please Him. In this way, Lincoln uses Realism to set the his political policy for the Reconstruction era of the United States.
Another example of Lincoln’s use of Realism to assure the nation was in his famous Gettysburg Address. This speech was given after the Battle of Gettysburg in which many lives were lost. In order to comfort those that were grieving, Lincoln spoke not of other things, but addressed the things pertinent to them right then, something Realism strives to do. He spoke those famous words, “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here” (Lincoln, "The Gettysburg" 402). Lincoln celebrates those average, everyday men, the heroes of Realism, who fought and died at Gettysburg, while recognizing with logic what will and will not be remembered from that day forth (Lincoln, "The Gettysburg" 402). This is what Realism does.
Works Cited
Lincoln, Abraham. "The Gettysburg Address." GlencoeLiterature. Ed. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 402. Print.
Lincoln, Abraham. "Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865." GlencoeLiterature. Ed. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 339. Print.
The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro
“The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro” is a very powerful speech written by Frederick Douglass and spoken the day after the Fourth of July celebration to a white audience in New York (Douglass 337). Its somber attitude and subject matter and the fact that it destroys traditional Romantic ideas about that particular national and patriotic holiday make it distinctly Realist.
While many people of the day would have celebrated the liberty they had in America on the Fourth of July, Frederick Douglass strove to draw attention to the fact that there were still many in America at the time who had no freedom: the slaves (Douglass 337). Through this excerpt in his speech, he makes it clear that the happiness and liberty shared that day was not equally shared at all:
This is where Douglass uses reality to make his point clear and also makes this speech a piece of Realism. While his white audience was enchanted by the notions of liberty and joy throughout America on that Fourth of July celebration, he tells them that really, not everyone was able to enjoy and share in such riches and prosperity that day (Douglass 337). He goes on to say:
While this may seem an exaggeration at first, it must be thought about. Other countries at this time that own slaves do not lie and boast that they have freedom for all on their shores. Only America does this, and that is the most shocking and horrendous thing of all.
Works Cited
Douglass, Frederick. "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro." GlencoeLiterature. Ed. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 337. Print.
While many people of the day would have celebrated the liberty they had in America on the Fourth of July, Frederick Douglass strove to draw attention to the fact that there were still many in America at the time who had no freedom: the slaves (Douglass 337). Through this excerpt in his speech, he makes it clear that the happiness and liberty shared that day was not equally shared at all:
“The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not me. The sunlight that brought light and healing to you has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn" (Douglass 337)
This is where Douglass uses reality to make his point clear and also makes this speech a piece of Realism. While his white audience was enchanted by the notions of liberty and joy throughout America on that Fourth of July celebration, he tells them that really, not everyone was able to enjoy and share in such riches and prosperity that day (Douglass 337). He goes on to say:
“What, to the American slave, is your fourth of July? I answer, a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery" (Douglass 337)In this section, Douglass shows the plight of his protagonist, who is an everyday man, just as a Realist protagonist should be, the slave, who is large in number but little in power. He aims to disillusion the crowd he speaks to, and in this way, he tries to make social change, another factor common to Realist literature. He also speaks of reality when he says these things, as many slaves were indeed embittered due to their plight and found the reality of the white man’s freedom very harshly unjust when juxtaposed to their own position. The last line of the excerpt is as follows: “There is not a nation on earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States, at this very hour. (Douglass 337)”
While this may seem an exaggeration at first, it must be thought about. Other countries at this time that own slaves do not lie and boast that they have freedom for all on their shores. Only America does this, and that is the most shocking and horrendous thing of all.
Works Cited
Douglass, Frederick. "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro." GlencoeLiterature. Ed. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 337. Print.
1.25.2011
Regionalism
Regionalism can be defined by Dictionary.com as such: “The theory or practice of emphasizing the regional characteristics of locale or setting, as by stressing local speech.” Dictionary.com defines it well, as this is the essence of Regionalism.
Regionalism was a movement found within the Realism movement. Since Realism was all about portraying life as it appeared in everyday situations, Regionalist writers realized that their local culture was their everyday life and something to be celebrated, so they began to write with the dialect of their region and all the settings and unique quirks that were specific to that region (Werlock). Because of this, Regionalist works vary by large degrees, but they end up providing colorful pictures of the particular regions that they represent.
As well as using the local dialect to provide a piece of their local color, Regionalist writers also drew from the history of the region, using such things as the Civil War and the immigrant settlers of the West to add even more local color to their fiction (Werlock).
However, they did not use such specific locales and the like specifically for the sake of adding local color to their works; they did it for the sake of exposing universal themes often found in such locales (Werlock). For example, Anderson suggests, “Cather’s Scandinavian immigrants, for example, suggest the difficult yet durable quality of American pioneers. The American West embodies the American myth of the self-made man, the loner, and the adventurer heading out for new territory and exploring the frontier.” This way, the Regionalism serves a double purpose of exploring the local dialect, mannerisms, and history of an area while at the same time exploring the great ideas it can show the rest of the world (Anderson).
Strangely, though, not all Regionalist writers were in fact from the region that they wrote about (Anderson). Many of them became enamored with locales far different from the ones they had known all their lives, so they immersed themselves in them in order to write about them and let the rest of the world revel in their local riches (Anderson). Either way, Regionalism became the ultimate form of Realism in that it gave away universal truths while celebrating the heritage of average Americans at the same time.
Works Cited
Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds. "regionalism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, vol. 3, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. 16 Feb. 2011. http://www.fofweb.com.
Werlock, Abby H. P. "regionalism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. 16 Feb. 2011. http://www.fofweb.com.
“Regionalism.” Dictionary.com. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. www.dictionary.com
Regionalism was a movement found within the Realism movement. Since Realism was all about portraying life as it appeared in everyday situations, Regionalist writers realized that their local culture was their everyday life and something to be celebrated, so they began to write with the dialect of their region and all the settings and unique quirks that were specific to that region (Werlock). Because of this, Regionalist works vary by large degrees, but they end up providing colorful pictures of the particular regions that they represent.
As well as using the local dialect to provide a piece of their local color, Regionalist writers also drew from the history of the region, using such things as the Civil War and the immigrant settlers of the West to add even more local color to their fiction (Werlock).
However, they did not use such specific locales and the like specifically for the sake of adding local color to their works; they did it for the sake of exposing universal themes often found in such locales (Werlock). For example, Anderson suggests, “Cather’s Scandinavian immigrants, for example, suggest the difficult yet durable quality of American pioneers. The American West embodies the American myth of the self-made man, the loner, and the adventurer heading out for new territory and exploring the frontier.” This way, the Regionalism serves a double purpose of exploring the local dialect, mannerisms, and history of an area while at the same time exploring the great ideas it can show the rest of the world (Anderson).
Strangely, though, not all Regionalist writers were in fact from the region that they wrote about (Anderson). Many of them became enamored with locales far different from the ones they had known all their lives, so they immersed themselves in them in order to write about them and let the rest of the world revel in their local riches (Anderson). Either way, Regionalism became the ultimate form of Realism in that it gave away universal truths while celebrating the heritage of average Americans at the same time.
Works Cited
Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds. "regionalism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, vol. 3, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. 16 Feb. 2011. http://www.fofweb.com.
Werlock, Abby H. P. "regionalism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. 16 Feb. 2011. http://www.fofweb.com.
“Regionalism.” Dictionary.com. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. www.dictionary.com
Naturalism
The definition of Naturalism, according to Dictionary.com, is this: “A manner or technique of treating subject matter that presents, through volume of detail, a deterministic view of human life and actions.” This is a basic definition, of course, so here is a more in-depth description.
Naturalism was a movement that was a reaction against both Realism and Romanticism and can be seen as Romanticism’s polar opposite (Diamond). It stemmed from dissatisfaction with the Realist works; writers of Naturalism thought that Realism was too much tailored to the bourgeoisie class and that it did not portray correctly how harsh life was for a majority of people (Diamond).
Instead of the average members of the middle class often featured in the works of the Realist writers and artists, the Naturalists made their protagonists the beaten and downtrodden, men and women of the streets who were often uneducated and who had no chance at anything better due to the natural forces that had placed them in their positions in the first place (Diamond). They also strove to show how unimportant and miniscule humanity was to the universe as a whole through yarns spun in harsh environments in which man was completely at the mercy of nature (Werlock). These often showed the egotism of man, showing him as thinking himself too important for nature to brush aside and too smart and intelligent to be best by the natural forces around him (Werlock). However, in the end, he is always shown to be nothing better than an animal as nature often takes his oh-so important life away from him (Werlock).
Along with this very bleak stance, the writers also followed the scientific method in their observations of life. For example, they observed the motivations of those protagonists who were the scum of society in relation to the need to fulfill the basic needs of survival, such as food, water, and shelter (Diamond). They also took great pains to describe everything in such great detail, leading many people to the analogy that Realist writings were like a painting, choosing some details to exhibit, while Naturalist writings were like a photograph, using all details (Werlock). In this way, you can also say Naturalism was an extreme version of Realism.
Works Cited
Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "naturalism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. 16 Feb. 2011. http://www.fofweb.com.
Werlock, Abby H. P. "naturalism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. 16 Feb. 2011. http://www.fofweb.com.
“Naturalism.” Dictionary.com. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. www.dictionary.com.
Naturalism was a movement that was a reaction against both Realism and Romanticism and can be seen as Romanticism’s polar opposite (Diamond). It stemmed from dissatisfaction with the Realist works; writers of Naturalism thought that Realism was too much tailored to the bourgeoisie class and that it did not portray correctly how harsh life was for a majority of people (Diamond).
Instead of the average members of the middle class often featured in the works of the Realist writers and artists, the Naturalists made their protagonists the beaten and downtrodden, men and women of the streets who were often uneducated and who had no chance at anything better due to the natural forces that had placed them in their positions in the first place (Diamond). They also strove to show how unimportant and miniscule humanity was to the universe as a whole through yarns spun in harsh environments in which man was completely at the mercy of nature (Werlock). These often showed the egotism of man, showing him as thinking himself too important for nature to brush aside and too smart and intelligent to be best by the natural forces around him (Werlock). However, in the end, he is always shown to be nothing better than an animal as nature often takes his oh-so important life away from him (Werlock).
Along with this very bleak stance, the writers also followed the scientific method in their observations of life. For example, they observed the motivations of those protagonists who were the scum of society in relation to the need to fulfill the basic needs of survival, such as food, water, and shelter (Diamond). They also took great pains to describe everything in such great detail, leading many people to the analogy that Realist writings were like a painting, choosing some details to exhibit, while Naturalist writings were like a photograph, using all details (Werlock). In this way, you can also say Naturalism was an extreme version of Realism.
Works Cited
Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "naturalism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. 16 Feb. 2011. http://www.fofweb.com.
Werlock, Abby H. P. "naturalism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. 16 Feb. 2011. http://www.fofweb.com.
“Naturalism.” Dictionary.com. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. www.dictionary.com.
Realism
Dictionary.com provides the definition of realism as this: “The tendency to view or represent things as they really are.” This is, of course, the bare-bones definition of the word, but it is a good basis from which to start.
Realism was an era of art and literature that spawned from a backlash to its predecessor, Romanticism. While Romanticism took pains to portray the ideal of life, to show perfection and beauty, Realism wanted to portray what life really was like (Werlock). This often involved writings or art about the middle and lower classes, rather than the rodomontading upper class with its recherché (Diamond). Realists wanted their work to be relatable and pertinent to the problems of average people. They strove more for truth in their work than the idle fantasies of Romanticism.
A big reason as to why this switch probably happened is the Civil War. After such a reality-wrenching war in which everyone was affected in some way, dreams of something better were more often than not shattered for most people. They began to be drawn back into reality so that they could survive the hard times during the war and rebuild after the war was finished, and this reflected in the writing of the post-war period.
The hero of this literary movement, as a result of this outlook on life, was the everyday, average man. He or she was probably a member of the middle or working class and experienced problems that normal people would often experience, such as losing a job or dealing with emotions such as regret or nostalgia. In this way, the hero of Realism would reach out to the common masses of people faced with reunited the country and keeping their sanity in the fast-paced footsteps of industrialism, and often, this hero would help those ordinary people find solutions to their own problems or even excite social change. While Romanticism may have been art for art’s sake, Realism became art for life’s sake (Diamond).
Works Cited
Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. 16 Feb. 2011. http://www.fofweb.com/.
Werlock, Abby H. P. "realism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. 16 Feb. 2011. http://www.fofweb.com/.
"Realism." Dictionary.com. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. http://www.dictionary.com/.
Realism was an era of art and literature that spawned from a backlash to its predecessor, Romanticism. While Romanticism took pains to portray the ideal of life, to show perfection and beauty, Realism wanted to portray what life really was like (Werlock). This often involved writings or art about the middle and lower classes, rather than the rodomontading upper class with its recherché (Diamond). Realists wanted their work to be relatable and pertinent to the problems of average people. They strove more for truth in their work than the idle fantasies of Romanticism.
A big reason as to why this switch probably happened is the Civil War. After such a reality-wrenching war in which everyone was affected in some way, dreams of something better were more often than not shattered for most people. They began to be drawn back into reality so that they could survive the hard times during the war and rebuild after the war was finished, and this reflected in the writing of the post-war period.
The hero of this literary movement, as a result of this outlook on life, was the everyday, average man. He or she was probably a member of the middle or working class and experienced problems that normal people would often experience, such as losing a job or dealing with emotions such as regret or nostalgia. In this way, the hero of Realism would reach out to the common masses of people faced with reunited the country and keeping their sanity in the fast-paced footsteps of industrialism, and often, this hero would help those ordinary people find solutions to their own problems or even excite social change. While Romanticism may have been art for art’s sake, Realism became art for life’s sake (Diamond).
Works Cited
Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. 16 Feb. 2011. http://www.fofweb.com/
Werlock, Abby H. P. "realism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. 16 Feb. 2011. http://www.fofweb.com/
"Realism." Dictionary.com. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. http://www.dictionary.com/
Sweet Home Alabama
Okay, so I know we do not live in Alabama, but I could not think of any other lyrics, and I am determined to keep this up. However, there are a couple of things that are pretty local to our area and not Alabama, and some of them have gotten pretty famous, considering the area where they came from. I do not know about you, but rural America isn't really known for consistently producing the next big thing.
Here's something: Ferris wheels. There's a little town called Jacksonville in central Illinois, and that happens to be the birthplace of the Ferris wheel. I am not quiet sure who exactly (I am assuming it was Ferris...) invented and built it or why exactly they did, but look how popular they have become. There is even one in London, the world's largest. I'd say that is pretty impressive, and it comes from sweet old Illinois, home of Lincoln and lots of corn.
Of course, there is the thing that everybody recognizes - horseshoes. The infamous, calorie-laden horseshoe. For those of you who do not know what this cousin of obesity is, it happens to be a piece of bread or toast (the hoof) with a hamburger patty (shoe) on top that is smothered in fries (nails) and cheese sauce (no comment), only it is traditionally a really, really big sandwich. Those started in the capital, Springfield, though I am not quite sure where or who or when or why, though today you can get a variety of them at Fritz's.
I think that something else, or rather someone else who is rather particular to this area is our great president of old, Abraham Lincoln. While I do recognize that he was born in Kentucky, central Illinois takes much of the credit for him. After all, he did live in Springfield for a long time, and he did start his political career in Springfield. Long live Lincoln and all the tourism he brings!
Here's something: Ferris wheels. There's a little town called Jacksonville in central Illinois, and that happens to be the birthplace of the Ferris wheel. I am not quiet sure who exactly (I am assuming it was Ferris...) invented and built it or why exactly they did, but look how popular they have become. There is even one in London, the world's largest. I'd say that is pretty impressive, and it comes from sweet old Illinois, home of Lincoln and lots of corn.
Of course, there is the thing that everybody recognizes - horseshoes. The infamous, calorie-laden horseshoe. For those of you who do not know what this cousin of obesity is, it happens to be a piece of bread or toast (the hoof) with a hamburger patty (shoe) on top that is smothered in fries (nails) and cheese sauce (no comment), only it is traditionally a really, really big sandwich. Those started in the capital, Springfield, though I am not quite sure where or who or when or why, though today you can get a variety of them at Fritz's.
I think that something else, or rather someone else who is rather particular to this area is our great president of old, Abraham Lincoln. While I do recognize that he was born in Kentucky, central Illinois takes much of the credit for him. After all, he did live in Springfield for a long time, and he did start his political career in Springfield. Long live Lincoln and all the tourism he brings!
Did You Realize
For once, actually, the title of this blog is not just indirectly related to the topic by lyrics, but it is specifically the set of lyrics that helped with my epiphany over winter break.
You see, I'm a Christian. However, before winter break, I was not being the best Christian I could be. I was skipping Bible study and youth group because I just didn't want to go or I convinced myself that I didn't have time. I hadn't talked with anyone from my church for a long while, and when I did end up going, I felt alienated from everything I believed in. I felt terrible.
Then, one day over winter break, I was at home in my room listening to music and browsing the Internet as I usually do on school vacations. One of my favorite Christian bands, Relient K, came on. With my recent alienation from religion, I almost decided to skip to something else, but something held me back, and I ended up listening to their Christmas album.
The first few songs were good, as I would expect from Relient K. Two were old carols instrumentated with guitar, bass, and drums along with vocals, one was a pop-rock version of "Sleigh Ride," and the other was an original song. However, after "Silent Night," another original song came on.
It was titled "I Celebrate the Day," and as I listened, I cried as it sang:
"And the first time that you opened your eyes,
Did you realize that you would be my Saviour?
And the first breath that left your lips,
Did you know that it would change this world forever?
And I, I celebrate the day,
That you were born to die,
So I could one day pray for you to save my life."
Since then, I've felt much more assured of things. With the help of my faith, I'm slowly dealing with all of the problems that weighed me down in first semester. Thanks, Jesus.
You see, I'm a Christian. However, before winter break, I was not being the best Christian I could be. I was skipping Bible study and youth group because I just didn't want to go or I convinced myself that I didn't have time. I hadn't talked with anyone from my church for a long while, and when I did end up going, I felt alienated from everything I believed in. I felt terrible.
Then, one day over winter break, I was at home in my room listening to music and browsing the Internet as I usually do on school vacations. One of my favorite Christian bands, Relient K, came on. With my recent alienation from religion, I almost decided to skip to something else, but something held me back, and I ended up listening to their Christmas album.
The first few songs were good, as I would expect from Relient K. Two were old carols instrumentated with guitar, bass, and drums along with vocals, one was a pop-rock version of "Sleigh Ride," and the other was an original song. However, after "Silent Night," another original song came on.
It was titled "I Celebrate the Day," and as I listened, I cried as it sang:
"And the first time that you opened your eyes,
Did you realize that you would be my Saviour?
And the first breath that left your lips,
Did you know that it would change this world forever?
And I, I celebrate the day,
That you were born to die,
So I could one day pray for you to save my life."
Since then, I've felt much more assured of things. With the help of my faith, I'm slowly dealing with all of the problems that weighed me down in first semester. Thanks, Jesus.
1.24.2011
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," while it was most definitely a piece of the American Realism era, surprisingly had an unexpected touch of suspended belief for a brief amount of time. I found Fahrquhar's daydream escape rather hard to believe, that he might have his rope break, free his hands, untie his noose, swim to the surface, and avoid a volley of gunfire, then survive the long trip back to his home. Truthfully, the ending did not seem that much of a surprise if you were reading and watching close enough. Even this literary criticism by Abby Werlock agrees with me in saying, "Although some readers protest that Bierce uses this ending to trick them, most agree that, to the contrary, the author includes ample cues for the attentive reader to see that the condemned protagonist, Peyton Fahrquhar, escapes the reality of death only in his imagination." However, this slightly unbelievable tale of escape is one thing that Realism did do, and that is attempt to say, "Is this actually possible?" In all reality, yes, that scenario would be possible, albeit highly improbable. However, it is the possibility of it being real that makes this short story a member of the Realism family tree.
Another aspect that provides the familial link between Realism and "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is the manner in which the story itself was written, that is, the speech. While it has style and does not leave want for entertainment, the speech with which "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is plainer than its Romantic counterparts, which tend to have flair and emotion to top the words. This aspect is rather obvious throughout the story. Instead of embellishment, excepting some portions of the daydream where the exaggeration is meant to indicate something less than real, Bierce makes sure it is clear what is going on and leaves no room for doubt, something Realism writers are notorious for. This practice of not leaving room makes sense, however, since Realism is a counter movement against Romanticism, which often leaves the meaning and details of a literary piece up to the imagination of the reader, leaving the stories sometimes ambiguous. Since Realism is about clarity and reality, it is the opposite of this ambiguity.
Another thing that Realism features that was novel at the beginning of the movement was the idea of tying fictional literature specifically to current events, which is another thing that Ambrose Bierce does. Although the story was written two decades after the Civil War, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" does feature its events in the wartime setting of the South. This setting is important to Realism because the author could have easily come up with a different situation in which to place the main character which could have yielded the same result, but Bierce specifically chose something more recent to his own time period, which is one of the key factors which makes "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" a piece of Realism literature.
Another aspect that provides the familial link between Realism and "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is the manner in which the story itself was written, that is, the speech. While it has style and does not leave want for entertainment, the speech with which "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is plainer than its Romantic counterparts, which tend to have flair and emotion to top the words. This aspect is rather obvious throughout the story. Instead of embellishment, excepting some portions of the daydream where the exaggeration is meant to indicate something less than real, Bierce makes sure it is clear what is going on and leaves no room for doubt, something Realism writers are notorious for. This practice of not leaving room makes sense, however, since Realism is a counter movement against Romanticism, which often leaves the meaning and details of a literary piece up to the imagination of the reader, leaving the stories sometimes ambiguous. Since Realism is about clarity and reality, it is the opposite of this ambiguity.
Another thing that Realism features that was novel at the beginning of the movement was the idea of tying fictional literature specifically to current events, which is another thing that Ambrose Bierce does. Although the story was written two decades after the Civil War, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" does feature its events in the wartime setting of the South. This setting is important to Realism because the author could have easily come up with a different situation in which to place the main character which could have yielded the same result, but Bierce specifically chose something more recent to his own time period, which is one of the key factors which makes "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" a piece of Realism literature.
1.14.2011
Place Your Hand on Mine, Untie Your Mind
Actually, I have had times before when daydreaming about something actually helped me to tackle a problem in real life. I just can't really remember them all the time.
Actually, shouldn't "daydream" be defined? I mean, do passing thoughts like moths count as daydreams? Is a daydream strictly something where you imagine specifically something? Are all thoughts just daydreams?
Either way, yes, I have had daydreams that have gotten me out of situations. Often times, when I forget about large projects due within 24 hours, I "daydream" on how to conclude such reports in a timely and punctual fashion.
In fact, I am doing this right now, as I forgot about a paper due in my AP US History class. I "daydream" and plan how to finish in time for school tomorrow. My mind makes all the calculations and figures what I will write in the paper so that when the time comes for me to write it, I am ready to complete the work in one swift session.
I must say right now, though, that this definition of "daydream" irritates me. It seems more like mental organization and planning than daydreaming. I always saw daydreaming as something you did when you were bored or in love, as something enjoying. This definition only reminds me of bad and desparate straits of old.
I suppose I have also had this type of daydream during awkward social situations. There are some people I would rather not talk to but find myself conversing with against my will on a regular basis. As they talk to me, I daydream about how to get them to stop talking to me so that I might socialize with my closest friends, and this has saved me many a time from a lunch period spent being pulled away from the attentions of my boon companions.
In short, daydreaming is a useful technique in this definition, and even in what I consider its true definition, it is useful for making dreams come true and relieving stress. Now excuse me as I go relieve some of that stress.
Actually, shouldn't "daydream" be defined? I mean, do passing thoughts like moths count as daydreams? Is a daydream strictly something where you imagine specifically something? Are all thoughts just daydreams?
Either way, yes, I have had daydreams that have gotten me out of situations. Often times, when I forget about large projects due within 24 hours, I "daydream" on how to conclude such reports in a timely and punctual fashion.
In fact, I am doing this right now, as I forgot about a paper due in my AP US History class. I "daydream" and plan how to finish in time for school tomorrow. My mind makes all the calculations and figures what I will write in the paper so that when the time comes for me to write it, I am ready to complete the work in one swift session.
I must say right now, though, that this definition of "daydream" irritates me. It seems more like mental organization and planning than daydreaming. I always saw daydreaming as something you did when you were bored or in love, as something enjoying. This definition only reminds me of bad and desparate straits of old.
I suppose I have also had this type of daydream during awkward social situations. There are some people I would rather not talk to but find myself conversing with against my will on a regular basis. As they talk to me, I daydream about how to get them to stop talking to me so that I might socialize with my closest friends, and this has saved me many a time from a lunch period spent being pulled away from the attentions of my boon companions.
In short, daydreaming is a useful technique in this definition, and even in what I consider its true definition, it is useful for making dreams come true and relieving stress. Now excuse me as I go relieve some of that stress.
1.13.2011
This Week the Trend
School uniform arguments have been going on for quite a long time. Both sides have argued back and forth, and while I do agree that they do increase focus in some students and seemingly put students at an equal level, I must say that I believe in what I would say are far more important things than those things.
Specifically, I am talking about expression of individualism. While there are certainly other ways besides clothing and fashion to express the unique traits of an individual, such as through writing, art, and sports, school uniforms do not allow complete individualism. Instead of being able to stand out from the sea of students in an additionally visual way, students are forced to conform to what everyone else is doing. Some people have even found that uniforms tend to inhibit creative thought. This result conflicts with the working world's wishes for the next generation of working adults. This world of work expects people who are able to come up with new ideas and think outside the box, but how can students learn to do so without the ability to fully express themselves? And while some might argue that curriculums could be made to stimulate outside-the-box and creative thinking, would public school districts really be willing to change curriculums that have been around for so long? Would public schools be able to handle such a drastic change in focus on the learning process? I do not know what you might think about it, but I know that I believe that it would be very difficult for the schools to make that change any time soon.
Some lesser arguments against uniforms have been reports of insubordination due to resentment from being told what to wear. Teenagers tend to be rebellious thinkers, so being told that they have to wear something that might go against their comfort zone and their fashion sense would set them off and make them more likely to rebel against teachers and other forms of authority. Also, the argument has been made that clothing is clothing and it really has nothing to do with learning.
So, there are a few ways of looking at this issue. I have stated my opinions, and now it's time for you to make your own.
Specifically, I am talking about expression of individualism. While there are certainly other ways besides clothing and fashion to express the unique traits of an individual, such as through writing, art, and sports, school uniforms do not allow complete individualism. Instead of being able to stand out from the sea of students in an additionally visual way, students are forced to conform to what everyone else is doing. Some people have even found that uniforms tend to inhibit creative thought. This result conflicts with the working world's wishes for the next generation of working adults. This world of work expects people who are able to come up with new ideas and think outside the box, but how can students learn to do so without the ability to fully express themselves? And while some might argue that curriculums could be made to stimulate outside-the-box and creative thinking, would public school districts really be willing to change curriculums that have been around for so long? Would public schools be able to handle such a drastic change in focus on the learning process? I do not know what you might think about it, but I know that I believe that it would be very difficult for the schools to make that change any time soon.
Some lesser arguments against uniforms have been reports of insubordination due to resentment from being told what to wear. Teenagers tend to be rebellious thinkers, so being told that they have to wear something that might go against their comfort zone and their fashion sense would set them off and make them more likely to rebel against teachers and other forms of authority. Also, the argument has been made that clothing is clothing and it really has nothing to do with learning.
So, there are a few ways of looking at this issue. I have stated my opinions, and now it's time for you to make your own.
1.10.2011
Open All Our Eyes
So there's this album and it has recently massacred its way up to my favorite album of all time in a very short period, by which I mean I listened to the first song for thirty seconds and fell in love. Hard. The album's title is Razia's Shadow: A Musical, and the group that did it is called Forgive Durden. I had never heard of them before, but wow.
This album is a very interesting concept. It is a musical, but it doesn't officially have a staged production. There is only the music and some character art. However, the band strongly urges people to make their own live productions of it. This abstractness makes it so that Razia's Shadow is a blank canvas for the theatre to let their creativity flow freely.
So, like I said, Razia's Shadow is indeed a musical. It uses a variety of instruments throughout - traditional rock band instruments, strings, synthesizer, low brass, and a few instruments that I couldn't even recognize. It has a very refreshing sound, in my opinion.
Like most musicals, it has certain lines and musical phrases that it repeats and reprises throughout the show. While some people might not like this repetitive nature, it helps to make the songs catchy and gets the main points of the songs through to the audience.
Another thing that is nice about this album is the fact that it has a sense of optimism about it and ends with a good message. In today's world, we have so many bad things happening all around us, and so many reasons to feel down and to give up. However, the message this album sends, when heeded, offers some hope in the bleak realities of today.
The last point I'd like to make is the uniqueness of this musical. As I said, not only was it not made for stage, but its characters and world are amazingly fantastical. For example, instead of a god or series of gods and goddesses who create the world, the world of Razia's Shadow is created by a scientist, O the Scientist. And as a gift to the world, one of his angels, Ahrima, create the ambiguous "Lamps." What could possibly be so special about them that everyone adores them? That is all left up to the reader, and that's the beauty of it.
So, after reading all that stuff, you should definitely go and buy this album, or at least check it out. I guarantee that it will not be a waste of your resources.
(The lyrical title today is courtesy of Razia's Shadow. Yay!)
This album is a very interesting concept. It is a musical, but it doesn't officially have a staged production. There is only the music and some character art. However, the band strongly urges people to make their own live productions of it. This abstractness makes it so that Razia's Shadow is a blank canvas for the theatre to let their creativity flow freely.
So, like I said, Razia's Shadow is indeed a musical. It uses a variety of instruments throughout - traditional rock band instruments, strings, synthesizer, low brass, and a few instruments that I couldn't even recognize. It has a very refreshing sound, in my opinion.
Like most musicals, it has certain lines and musical phrases that it repeats and reprises throughout the show. While some people might not like this repetitive nature, it helps to make the songs catchy and gets the main points of the songs through to the audience.
Another thing that is nice about this album is the fact that it has a sense of optimism about it and ends with a good message. In today's world, we have so many bad things happening all around us, and so many reasons to feel down and to give up. However, the message this album sends, when heeded, offers some hope in the bleak realities of today.
The last point I'd like to make is the uniqueness of this musical. As I said, not only was it not made for stage, but its characters and world are amazingly fantastical. For example, instead of a god or series of gods and goddesses who create the world, the world of Razia's Shadow is created by a scientist, O the Scientist. And as a gift to the world, one of his angels, Ahrima, create the ambiguous "Lamps." What could possibly be so special about them that everyone adores them? That is all left up to the reader, and that's the beauty of it.
So, after reading all that stuff, you should definitely go and buy this album, or at least check it out. I guarantee that it will not be a waste of your resources.
(The lyrical title today is courtesy of Razia's Shadow. Yay!)
1.07.2011
Shut Up and Let Me Go
Personally, I can not think of an instance where I had to convince someone to do something that I wanted them to do. `However, I do know that my friends have had to do it to me in the recent history.
Technically, it was last year, but really, it was only a few weeks ago. I did not know it at the time, but my friends were planning a surprise birthday party for me and my friend David, who has his birthday a week after mine. They were going to set it up in my basement, so they needed to give David a reason to come to my house and to get me out of my house long enough to decorate and bring food and games.
This task fell to two of my other friends, Ally and Dalton, who cleverly set up a movie seeing that afternoon before the party. Ally also suggested that afterwards, she should come over so that we could play one of my favorite video games, and Dalton, being Dalton, invited himself and David along on this ride. We got there, and ta da!
That is a pretty positive way of viewing something like that, however, as many times people convince you to do things for them for their own personal gain, not caring if you win alongside them or end up losing. Take for example those sly businessmen and politicians that are often featured as antagonists in modern movies. The top businessmen and politicians know to make important connections with the right people, and they mostly do it entirely for the sake of advancing themselves up the corporate or political ladder. They have complete apathy towards what happens to the pawns they use to achieve these ends.
That being said, there are times when people will be uncooperative with something involving their own good, and having this skill of manipulation is useful then. However, it must be treated with caution because it gives one power, and as the great Peter Parker's uncle said, with great power comes great responsibility.
Technically, it was last year, but really, it was only a few weeks ago. I did not know it at the time, but my friends were planning a surprise birthday party for me and my friend David, who has his birthday a week after mine. They were going to set it up in my basement, so they needed to give David a reason to come to my house and to get me out of my house long enough to decorate and bring food and games.
This task fell to two of my other friends, Ally and Dalton, who cleverly set up a movie seeing that afternoon before the party. Ally also suggested that afterwards, she should come over so that we could play one of my favorite video games, and Dalton, being Dalton, invited himself and David along on this ride. We got there, and ta da!
That is a pretty positive way of viewing something like that, however, as many times people convince you to do things for them for their own personal gain, not caring if you win alongside them or end up losing. Take for example those sly businessmen and politicians that are often featured as antagonists in modern movies. The top businessmen and politicians know to make important connections with the right people, and they mostly do it entirely for the sake of advancing themselves up the corporate or political ladder. They have complete apathy towards what happens to the pawns they use to achieve these ends.
That being said, there are times when people will be uncooperative with something involving their own good, and having this skill of manipulation is useful then. However, it must be treated with caution because it gives one power, and as the great Peter Parker's uncle said, with great power comes great responsibility.
1.04.2011
Keep Tryin'
(I'm attempting to be funny and scholarly at the same time. Watch this epic failure!)
---
Just like the Force, persistence has two sides: a good and a bad. Also like the Force, if you're too persistent, you'll end up breathing through a creepy black iron lung mask thing... I take that back.
Anyway, still, being too persistent can get really irritating, especially if you can't take a hint. For example, if you constantly pester someone to talk to you and pay attention only to you, it very quickly will get on the person's nerves. However, you can still be persistent without going to extremes like such. Talking to them every once in a while when they are free to talk, for example, is a good example of good persistence.
However, that is the only situation in which I believe you must be careful how you express your persistence. In all other facets of life however, such as work, school, video games, zombie slaying, flashlight fixing, and Marcus finding, don't hold back! Show a little backbone, be persistent for Jiminy Cricket's sake!
For example, New Year's has come and gone. Have you got a resolution? Being persistent can help you achieve these resolutions instead of letting them come knocking on your door once more in 2012.
Unless we all die...
Yeah...
Anyways, for extra measure, here are a few suggestions for being persistent from the lovely folks over at wikiHow:
Numero Uno! "Set a goal." ("How") This is pretty self-explanatory, and it's also pretty essential to being persistent. If you don't know where you're going, how can you ever hope to keep yourself going long enough to get there? Surprisingly, lots of people forget this part, which leads to their eventual epic failure, so just do it. Write it down - that helps.
Nummer Zwei! "Break it down into smaller pieces." ("How") This is always helpful. If someone was forcing you to eat a cheesecake the side of a dinner table, would you eat it all in one bite? Unless you happen to be a gigantic Amazonian snake, which would explain my blog hits from Brazil, no! Find ways to break down your goal, and you can accomplish it much efficiently.
There's a lot more that you can do to be more persistent, but those are just the basics. Persistence, however, is something I believe everyone should master, all joking aside. If you can learn to pursue your goals confidently and successfully, it will lead to a lifetime of satisfaction and happiness. And with that, I bid you an Italian farewell. Arrivederci!
---
Hey! Read the disclaimer! Especially you, Mr. Langley!
Yes, I realize it's a wiki site, but they have some pretty good articles, and it's very obvious which ones are quality material and which ones aren't. This one happens to be pretty good material. Okay, thank you, bye.
(I find this blog title funny because it's actually a Japanese pop song. Ha ha.)
Works Cited
"How to Be Persistent." WikiHow. MediaWiki, 29 Oct. 2007. Web. 4 Jan. 2011..
---
Just like the Force, persistence has two sides: a good and a bad. Also like the Force, if you're too persistent, you'll end up breathing through a creepy black iron lung mask thing... I take that back.
Anyway, still, being too persistent can get really irritating, especially if you can't take a hint. For example, if you constantly pester someone to talk to you and pay attention only to you, it very quickly will get on the person's nerves. However, you can still be persistent without going to extremes like such. Talking to them every once in a while when they are free to talk, for example, is a good example of good persistence.
However, that is the only situation in which I believe you must be careful how you express your persistence. In all other facets of life however, such as work, school, video games, zombie slaying, flashlight fixing, and Marcus finding, don't hold back! Show a little backbone, be persistent for Jiminy Cricket's sake!
For example, New Year's has come and gone. Have you got a resolution? Being persistent can help you achieve these resolutions instead of letting them come knocking on your door once more in 2012.
Unless we all die...
Yeah...
Anyways, for extra measure, here are a few suggestions for being persistent from the lovely folks over at wikiHow:
Numero Uno! "Set a goal." ("How") This is pretty self-explanatory, and it's also pretty essential to being persistent. If you don't know where you're going, how can you ever hope to keep yourself going long enough to get there? Surprisingly, lots of people forget this part, which leads to their eventual epic failure, so just do it. Write it down - that helps.
Nummer Zwei! "Break it down into smaller pieces." ("How") This is always helpful. If someone was forcing you to eat a cheesecake the side of a dinner table, would you eat it all in one bite? Unless you happen to be a gigantic Amazonian snake, which would explain my blog hits from Brazil, no! Find ways to break down your goal, and you can accomplish it much efficiently.
There's a lot more that you can do to be more persistent, but those are just the basics. Persistence, however, is something I believe everyone should master, all joking aside. If you can learn to pursue your goals confidently and successfully, it will lead to a lifetime of satisfaction and happiness. And with that, I bid you an Italian farewell. Arrivederci!
---
Hey! Read the disclaimer! Especially you, Mr. Langley!
Yes, I realize it's a wiki site, but they have some pretty good articles, and it's very obvious which ones are quality material and which ones aren't. This one happens to be pretty good material. Okay, thank you, bye.
(I find this blog title funny because it's actually a Japanese pop song. Ha ha.)
Works Cited
"How to Be Persistent." WikiHow. MediaWiki, 29 Oct. 2007. Web. 4 Jan. 2011.
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