The Affects from Writing Down the Bones

     As we crawl closer to the semester, there are so many stories, poetry, and creative essays that we've gone through and dissected. There were also some great books that we sifted its depths to find the meaning of the story/stories. From all of what we read, the book, Writing Down the Bones, will always be my favorite. From the day we started reading it, I was hooked. Goldberg's words inspired me and opened the door wide open to write. I have never really wrote freely, so her advice really helped me with my work and the class. The author writes her quirky sentences that make you laugh while it hypnotizes you to read more pages. I devoured this book! Each chapter individually tells you a flowing story with a moral that can be used for writing, as well as other obstacles that are thrown into our lives.

     This book was a great pick me up and inspiration to read. It really helped me get relaxed and comfortable with writing. During high school, I never felt that I could freely write. The work always had to have a type of strict strict structure. This book opened my eyes that my writing can be structured and sound creative at the same time. I just have to let it flow into something great. I started to follow her advice and write everyday. This extremely helped me formed better sentences and become more creative with details and descriptions. At the end of the book, my desire of writing increased greatly. I feel more confident in my work, as well as enjoy writing more. 

     The Girl with the Blackened Eye is another writing piece that was interesting and somewhat inspired me. The raw details in the fiction blew my mind, especially how they were extremely attention grabbing. Although the story is very dark, it increased the drive in me to try showing more detail into my story. It was a goal of mine to create a story that was just as deep and suspenseful as this one. It's so cryptic, the fiction story makes you read it over again and closer to figure out the meanings that are hidden throughout it. If I was able to make a fiction as close as that one, I felt golden.
     With these two pieces that we read during this semester, I think it really opened my eyes on how to improve my own work in this class and in other classes. They also helped me create a better connection with my writing, to the point where I can actually be proud of what stories I made. I will continue throughout my schooling to look back on these pieces of work to make sure I strive to improve my writing. Goldberg's book will continue to be an inspiration in my life, as well as in my writing outside of this class. Taking this class has helped me in many ways and I truly enjoyed reading every piece of work, from the packets to other classmates' work. 

Opinions on "Horseradish"

     While reading the book, "Maps to Anywhere," I've read a few essays that I truly enjoyed. One of them that stands out the most is the essay, "Horseradish." This essay calls to me more than the others because I can relate with it. The essay shows the satisfying, bittersweet moment of pleasure and pain. This dynamic duo is the sensations someone feels when they eat something super spicy. I am a big fan of this and so is the majority of my family. If I could replace the essay with my own words, the essays would be almost the same. The "moral" or main point of the story is relate-able as well as interesting.
      One of my favorite things about this creative essay is the details. The details of the steps that the father is going through as he took a tiny bite of horseradish was so realistic, I could taste the bittersweet satisfaction in my own mouth. Even at the part where he tries to suck on the ice cube was relate-able, and it is even more when he knows that the solution was futile. My mother and I are like that too. We absolutely love to eat spice things, even if it makes our heads go through the roof because of the heat. Tasting something that is super hot and good is almost like an addiction. Once you've tried it and had the big dopamine dump, your taste buds crave more. Then the part of your mind that is susceptible to addiction craves more and sends you on a search for more spicy foods and condiments. Once you're hooked, you don't care what the consequences are. The part where the father's doctor even tells him to avoid spicy foods, but he still occasionally breaks that rule with eating a dollop of horseradish. Then as a consequence, he is buckling over in pain and the son has to take him to the emergency room.
      The father realizes that he cannot live on the edge and bend his doctor's rules anymore, so he fulfills the rush with pranking others, such as the waitress. I think that's where the main point comes in. You can only bend the rules so much before it comes back to hurt you. So you have to settle with something that gives you the same satisfaction, but it has to be less harmful. The best pleasure can come back with worse pain. The combination can be bittersweet in different ways, and we must see that and be cautious of it. If there is continuation of the combo, there can be some consequences. So once that happens, a new combination must be found and to be used instead. In the end, it was bittersweet for the father to experience the sensations from the horseradish and it was bittersweet for him to stop eating it for his sake.
      Overall, I really enjoyed this creative essay and the message behind it. The author made the content very relate-able, as well as like-able. I think any reader who falls upon this story will enjoy it as much as I did. We all have something that is bittersweet to us. Whether it is a small amount of horseradish or something else. It is a great essay to share with others, as well as a good example for writers who are having trouble with composing their creative essay. The details is so descriptive that it makes the content very realistic. We all have some type of addiction, whether it is good or bad, and we must be able to know when it is unhealthy for us and need to let it go.

"The Biggest, Most Beautiful Balcony in the World" Reflections

     The book we transitioned to this week was, "Maps to Anywhere." A variety of creative essays are combined into this book. Some are from the same author, while other essays are from different writers. Each individual essay has it's own unique message. Some of the messages are very easy to find and others need a little time for analyzing before seeing the message. The essay, "The Biggest, Most Beautiful Balcony in the World" is one of those stories you have to read over and over again to grasp the main point or message.

     The essay starts off by having the narrator share a memory with his niece when she was little. They would play a game where he would ask her a question like, "What's the funniest thing in the world?" Although the narrator never remembers what his niece's answers were, he specifically remembered her facial expressions as she searches for an answer in her mind. The little girl would take a minute or two and search through each horizon in her brain to formulate the perfect answer. The way how the narrator describes her ways of thinking was marvelous. Each sentence is attention grabbing. It scoops you up and takes you on a journey to see what it would be like to be inside a little girl's head. That's the thing with little kids, they can search big and wide for a simple answer, but yet they give you the most unique answer that no adult could never think of. Which does make me wonder why the narrator never remembered his niece's answers, because if I was him, I certainly would.

     The next part of the essay indicates that the narrator's niece has grown up. It is clear that she is not the same little girl anymore and that she is more conserved about her thoughts. She attains the "American Dream" idea of being married and having a big house. I think that the narrator is a little sad about this. He loved playing that silly game with her and seeing her explore her imagination. Now the imagination that she has is no longer big and wild. This is where I can see a possible message. When we are little, nothing stops our imagination. We used to think about so many things and when we are going into adolescence and then adulthood, we lose that sense of imagination. I think the narrator feels like he still has that part of his imagination and he wished others still had it too, like his niece. As he looks at the saddest balcony in the world, everything that was in the balcony made it feel sad. I think he is reflecting on people, instead of the balcony. We are taught in order to survive, we must get a job and follow these rules. When people do that, some aren't necessarily happy or do not have anything exciting in their life. The narrator doesn't want to be a part of that. He wants an exciting life that is full of fun and imagination, or in his words, "A more ornate balcony to gaze up at." We only have one life and it is a shame on how much we get rid of our imagination, or beauty, in order to conform into the ideas of someone else that thinks that way is survival.

      Although this may not be the exact message the author is trying to show, the message I saw made me really like this story. When I first read it, I was a little confused on what the key point was. Then, when I thought and read more, I came to the message that I felt from the story. This makes the essay truly inspiring. It puts a perspective that it's so easy to forget how much excitement and imagination we had as a child. Also its the fact that we are to give up so much of that, "In order to survive." There is so much good we can do with the same imagination as we had when we were little. Some of the youngest kids have the brightest ideas that can make the world a better place. This essay has a really unique message and I think it is one of my favorites so far into this book. I look forward into reading more essays that can give me a inspiring message, like this one. 

Reflections on Mute Dancers: How to Watch a Hummingbird

     This week we are transitioning from fiction writing to creative essay writing. At first, I was a little confused on how to write a creative essay. Ever since high school, I've written a lot of essays, but they were not like this. They were often full of information, but often bland. From what I understand, creative essays are a more detailed version of an essay. A topic is needed, as well as a flow of what the content is talking about. It needs to be informational enough to have a point, but it's laid out more loosely than a typical essay. It's almost like fiction and essays melt together to make a combined masterpiece. For some, this can be challenging. For others, creating an essay like this is a walk in a park. Still, I have been having trouble with learning how to create these unique essays and I think this story, Mute Dancers: How to Watch a Hummingbird, is a great example of a creative essay.
     This story is has a pretty simple topic. The author talks about hummingbirds and her experiences and knowledge about them. When I first read this, I thought that it was amazing that she was able to put enough information and detail that made the topic brighten and bloom. If hummingbirds were a subject for a regular essay, there is a great chance that the content would be bland and have a lack of interest. Through each paragraph, the author reveals different facts about hummingbirds and shares her stories that back up and create fluffy details. She describes the fast, little birds in such a way that it perfectly creates a beautiful image in the brain. I thought that the way she was able to combine imagery details with facts was brilliant. An example of this is, "In the dark night of the hummingbird, it can sink into a zombie-like state of torpor; its breathing grows shallow and its wild heart slows to only 36 beats a minute," When she talks about her and a friend's personal experiences, it flows really nicely and compliments with the topic. That is something that I know I need to work on. I can put information down and I can talk about my personal experiences, but I cannot flow them together well.
     What's unique about this story and the author is the fact that she is able to put enough detail to make it believable. The content could be nothing but pure imagination, because how the story flows is what makes everything believable. I think that is key for these type of stories. Although they should be truthful, the story needs to feel like it is real. So some writers might put little white lies in their work, however if they form it right, no one will know if what they are saying is right or wrong. Like the example in the previous paragraph. The author talks about the fact that hummingbirds slow their heartbeat down to 36 beats per minute while they sleep. Since she writes this in such a descriptive sentence, we are to believe that she is telling the truth. Whereas she could merely guessed a number that sounded right. That;s the thing though, I believe that stories should be true and are mostly, but a story with so much detail can have many made up facts. For me, this keeps me thinking about the story even after reading it. I often wonder if that fact was true, so I looked it up, and it is possible that she is right. I think that is key to create a story where it questions the reader if it is true or false, because it leaves a memorable mark on them. This goes the same with stories that have extraordinary detail, or ones that are very relate-able to the readers.
     Overall, this story is very interesting in a simple way. It is all about one single, tiny bird and because of the great detail, it keeps the reader entertained to read to the end. The combination of facts and details really make the topic and content intriguing. The way how the details are described is really unique to the point where it is imaginable to picture in your head. This creative essay is a great example on how to write one, especially because the whole story flows very well. When writing future creative essays, I will look back onto this story to help guide me to create one a good as this.

Thoughts about Dawn Lundy Martin's Poems

     Dawn Lundy Martin's poems are quite fascinating. They are simply descriptive and that's the best part. The two poems we are given to read are a little tricky to decipher. Martin is an activist and some of her work involves history, domestic violence and activism. Knowing this, it can help figure out what the poems mean. Although we are in the fiction portion of the class now, her work can still be a tool on how to show readers and writers how to "Show versus Tell" when writing a story or poem. The details are so mysterious and straight forward that it can gives us a sense on how to do something similar with our own work. 

     The first poem that is given is called Violent Rooms. It is very short, but greatly descriptive. It is almost cryptic. There can be multiple meanings from this poem. One idea that can be found is that the character in the story is talking about her father's life. By reading the page before the poem, it discusses that a character wants to talk about her father's life and what he was like before he was dead. When reading the poem, You don't get the feeling on who she is talking about until you start reading the second part. The character describes a bar stool, which with the page before, the character looks at a picture of her father and he is at a bar. The question is that is this poem showing what the father did to someone else, killing that person, or is it showing what someone did towards him? Overall, there is some display of some sort of violence. When I read this poem, the thought of maybe this was a odd way to describe a child. I say this because in the beginning, the character is describing someone else slowly pronouncing the words girl and suck, something a small child often does when they learn how to talk. The pronunciation can also be a way to show emotion from the other character. Like all other poetry pieces, this one can be deciphered in different ways and scenarios.

     The second poem is called The Morning Hour. This one is a little longer than the first poem, as well as a little more detailed. This poem can also have different meanings. The first thing that came to my head was that this was about a mother and her daughter, doing their daily routines. The more I read the story, the more I felt like these two women were slaves. The mother has "infinite lines of welt." Which was a form of wrongful discipline. It seems like the mother tries to do everything to protect her daughter and make sure she isn't harmed, but the mother gets harmed instead. The only care in her world is Olivia. The more the story goes on, the more it sounds like the two are in a ship or a wagon, traveling where to we do not know, The sentence, "And Olivia, what no memory can recall lost eternally inside covered wagons." shows this. The narrator, who may be the mother, has hope that these ways in that era will change and that her daughter will no longer live in that kind of life. This poem can also have meaning behind how it can be a struggle to others to get over hard times and hope and want to make sure that their children do not suffer like they did. 

     Overall, Martin's work is very intriguing and eye catching. Her work pulls the reader in and does not let go. She paints the images really well, even if the poem is short. Not a lot of people can do that, nor can they show so much power with only few words. Martin is a really good poet/writer and I would love to dive into more of her work. It would be very interesting to learn what her meaning is behind the two poems. 

Reflecting on the Chapter "Blue Lipstick and a Cigarette Hanging out of Your Mouth"

     As we are progressing in Fiction section of this class, this week we reconnect with the book, Writing Down the Bones. In previous posts, I've said that I loved some chapters from this book and again I am confirming that opinion. This week we are reading the last third of the book and I found many chapters to be interesting and helpful for getting better at the art of writing, however, these tips are also great to help us give a better outlook on our lives. There are multiple chapters in this book that are truly inspiring. One chapter, however really spoke to me.  This chapter is called "Blue Lipstick and a Cigarette Hanging out of Your Mouth." It's only one page, but just the way how Goldberg gives advice in this chapter really opened my eyes in the writing life and in life generally.

     In this chapter, the author explains that there may be times while we write material, that we may get sick of writing the same stuff over and over again. Whatever we do that helps us get into the writing may even get boring. She writes that once this happens, you must find something else that can help. You have to find something out of the box, something that you don't do regularly. Let's face it, doing the same things or the same rituals over and over again, can be a bit boring. Our human brains often get bored and we get stuck thinking, "What am I doing with my life? This is so boring." Eventually, we get so tired that we stop doing what we were doing or we get unmotivated to do it anymore. Like writing or other hobbies that we do every day. I do this all the time. I'll write everyday or listen to music and then I am bored. I get sick of writing the same stuff or listening to the same song. Soon, I just stop doing them all together. After reading this chapter, if this sort of thing happens again, I will listen to a new genre of music or maybe write in a different place or in a different state. 

     Another piece of advice Goldberg gives is that this out of box thing that we do should be able to do these things in a different angle. That's what you have to do to make things everything, you have to see/ be in a different angle. A different light or scenery. In writing or in our lives, having the same cycle continuously can make us feel like there is no excitement anymore. So we get the urge to dye our hair a different color or get a tattoo. And Goldberg encourages that. Do something that reminds you that there is substance in writing or in life. If it just takes a small prop that gives you another place to write, use that prop for a while. For example, when I write, I always have a cup of milk to drink. Milk usually makes me feel relax and I always write better when I'm relaxed. Sometimes I get sick of drink milk, so I'll drink hot tea instead. I especially like to write while I am drinking tea because I write all the flavors I taste as an exercise. This usually helps me think of a more descriptive language/ detail and that really gets me into the mood to write. 

       For some people, it is hard to get motivated when it comes to writing a story, poem, etc. When they are motivated, repetitiveness is always one of the factors that makes them quit. A simple fix is to just do something out or their comfort zone, something that gives them material that can be written. Or it can help if they change their setting when they write, This goes for other things that we do in our lives. If your not motivated to do house chores, then maybe start with outside chores first. Plant a garden, then do the dishes. Or simply put favorite song while you do the dishes, to make doing the chore fun. There are many things out there that are unique and can help you motivate yourself to do your every day list of things to do or the story you need to write. One simple change can make a hobby or life more exciting.

Thoughts on Oate's The Girl with the Blackened Eye

    This week in class, we are reading the fiction story, The Girl with the Blackened Eye. This story is really intriguing once you read the first couple of paragraphs. The language and the details pulled me in and I did not stop reading it until the story was at its end. It truly was fascinating on how the author could write such an emotional story. Reading it, two things popped into my mind. The first thought was that I wondered if this story was based on a true story. The second, was that I wondered how she was able to put her words together, because it seems like she had a personal situation that she was able to put into the story? Or maybe she's just a great writer that can make stories very personal. That's the cool thing about writing stories. With the right words and language. you can make it seem like the story was your own personal experience, when in fact that has never happened to you. It's amazing. There are somethings about the story that I really liked.
    I thought that it was really interesting of the fact that the kidnapper of the narrator kept her alive the whole time she was abducted. He always killed his victims, but there had to be something special about her for him to dismiss his repeated actions. Was it because it was the away she obeyed him? Was it because he had a gut feeling that made him keep her alive? We will never know. The readers are just happy she was found and the killer was eliminated. Or at least, I was. Reading this, I felt horrible for her. She was just a girl, halfway through high school, and this event changed her whole life. I can't help but wonder, would her life still change if this trauma didn't happened? Would she still be married and have kids? Regardless, she was able to get over the trauma and was able to live her life almost normal again. Since she was a parent, I would feel very protective of my children, in fear that there might be some invisible cycle and they would be abducted too.
    Another thing that I thought was interesting about the story was the fact that the main character was so traumatized, she obeyed her abductor and seemed like she had Stockholm Syndrome. She knew she wanted to leave her captor, she even had an opportunity to escape, however she didn't. She obeyed him and would've never left or have been found if it wasn't for eye witnesses identifying him. I also thought it was a little weird that he would kidnap women in public places, but no one ever saw him until the end. I feel like nowadays that would be different and kidnappers would be caught earlier. Regardless, being kidnapped is terrifying and I can see why at first the girl obeyed him, so she could stay alive. Another thing I found a little odd, was the fact that she never remembered his actual face. To her, his face was always blurry. If I was in her shoes, I would do anything to get a good description of him so I could figure out away to get him exposed and caught.
      Overall, this story was chilling and great. The language and details draw you in to keep reading until the end. This is probably one of my favorite fictions we have read so far. Since the scenario is a little different than typical kidnap stories, I thought it was nice and not a cliche. I hope that we have more stories like this. This story also gives a good example on how to show and not tell in your work. The details put you right into the story, as if you were the one being kidnapped and tortured.

In Thinking About Lamott's Polaroids

     The packet called Polaroids is just as interesting and helpful as Goldberg's book, Writing Down the Bones. The only difference is that Lamott is talking about fiction, not just overall writing or poetry. In this packet, he talks about tips and how to create a fiction story and overall to be a better writer. If someone is having trouble with developing characters, plot and dialogue, this packet is perfect. There are some things I really liked in this set of pages and I thought it was great advice to beginning writers.

     In the beginning, Lamott talks about writing an article on the Special Olympics. He went with great interest, but he didn't know how or what he was going to write about it. Enjoying himself, he took notes all day and had a good time. During the twenty-five yard race, he watched a young girl trying her best to get through it. Once she did, she was stoked that she was able to finish, regardless of how long it took her. This and many other things that happened throughout that day would've been endless details to write, in Lamott's opinion. I think he is right and telling us this story is to show that people who want to write should focus on the event or surroundings that are around them. Everything that's happening can be written into some sort of story or anything, as long as the writer has the right mind or perspective. Something simple that someone else is doing can be written so beautifully, even if they are just reading a book or simply walking across the street.

     Another point that Lamott talked about that I thought was interesting was when he talked about the plot. It was really different reading his advice to not worry about the plot, but worry about the development of the characters. When you get involved with the characters, that creates the plot. I like the quote, "You are not going to be able to give us the plans to the submarine. Life is not a submarine" because in life there are no plans, so in stories, there shouldn't be so much worry or plans in the plot. With any type of story development, you must be patient. Once you are able to see the capability of the characters, you can take more action in developing the plot. He also said that your dreams, or in this case your work, mus be vivid and continuous. The material has got to work on its own, You have to roll with it. It will go smoothly with time. Beginning writers, especially me, have a hard time feeling like the plot is not good enough, or are impatient with how good the story will be. You just have to be patient and everything will fall into place.
    This packet is truly helpful when it comes to the ultimate worries of "Will my story be any good?" Reading this overall helps with letting you calm down and give tips on how to develop stories really well. Characters are the most important thing. They are the parts that reel readers in the story, and what makes the story pleasurable and unique. If a writer needs insight on how to write a story, this packet is perfect. With this, I feel that this packet boosted my confidence in writing, and I hope others felt the same way too.

The Message from "Morning News"

     As we go into the fiction part in class, we are reading the first fiction packet. In this packet, there are a few very interesting short stories, but this one was one of my favorites. This short story, Morning News, is by Jerome Stern. The main character, a husband in North Carolina, gets the news that his wife is sick. Her sickness is unknown, but my guesses are cancer, because the language in it seems to be more accurate to this type of sickness than other sicknesses. As he gets the news, he faints, and is automatically picturing the worse. He thinks about what he would do if he was in his wife's shoes; how he would spend his remaining life before he passes. By the end of the story, he and his wife go to a discount warehouse and buys the biggest television set they have. Although the story doesn't give a message or a moral in plain sight, I think it gives a message that we all need to learn.
     Some readers will say that the meaning of this story is to,"Live your life to the fullest," and that can be true. We only have one life and if we spend it not doing things that can give you complete satisfaction, then you'll pass on without knowing what it would've been like. However, I think that this story is telling more than that. When something goes wrong in a person's life, they either mope in their sorrow and will never get over it. Others will try to do everything that they can to fix it, or make the best of the problem. regardless, they waste their time not looking at the big picture. When something goes wrong in our life, we are so quick to fix it or deny it and it falls apart. Our lives are fragile, and one simple mistake can make everything can go wrong. The message I felt from this story was to stop, and breathe. Look at the big picture. Okay, so there is a bump in the road in my life. I can either, go slowly over the bump, or I can go really fast over it. Most people never think about taking a breather on what has thrown onto them. No one ever thinks about going the "middle" speed, or the" middle" position. I think what this story is trying to say is that, "Yes, something like this can happen in our lives, but it takes us to inhale for a second and look at every side of the situation." Realize what is happening, and try to do the best decision possible that would make you happy.
     The husband realizes that he can either rush his wife to do every glorious thing they can think of, or spend his and her life worrying and trying to not over do it. He should see that he should see how she feels about it and do whatever it takes to make her and him happy. He must take a step at a time. However, we may feel in some way that time is running out, so spontaneous things must happen. This is why he still buys the biggest television set in the store. Although there still is time to do things before they get worse, we are humans and we must act on our impulses.
     When it comes to situations like this, people are quick to go to one side or the other. No one ever thinks about the middle. If we start to think about the middle decisions in situations, I think things will go more pleasantly and no one will regret what they did or didn't do. If the husband thinks about what the middle part is in his situation, he might be able to satisfy his and his wife's wants and needs, thus lessening the chances that they will regret anything. Like I said earlier, we only have one life. If we sit back and think about what we can do to help our problems, there will be a better chance to live our lives in a better way.

Thoughts on "On My Mind" from the book Tocqueville

     Throughout the book, Tocqueville, there are a lot of interesting poems to read. Some are cryptic and some are easier to understand, just like other poems from other authors. Many poems are also a combination of this. Some parts you might understand, whereas the rest is a little more difficult to read. I thought one particular poem from this book was like this. It's called "On My Mind."

     This poem gives me two ideas on what it is about. As I read it several times, it seems like he is talking about someone he knows. Someone who had a whole different life than what he remembers long ago. For some reason, I had an idea that he was referring to his mother. However, at the end of the poem he says, "I think her name was Georgia." After I read that, I felt like it couldn't be his mother anymore. Then to think of it, maybe the narrator in the poem is stating the fact that she is so different now, that he no longer knows who she is. Another reason why it could be the mother he is talking about, is because overall the whole poem talks about a women that he loves, but it doesn't seem like an intimate kind of love. Some of the lines can give the idea that his mother was once around to care for him, but since she is consumed by other things, she is not there for him now. He still loves her and wants to care for her, because he might be the only family member she has.

     Another idea of what could be the meaning of this poem is that the narrator may be talking about women nowadays in America's society. Overall, the poem kind of creates a stereotypical image of a woman who would maybe considered "White Trash." I actually had the image of the mother from the movie Matilda, pop into my head while I read the poem. It seems like the language is saying that long ago she, or women, were not like this. As if maybe because some of the habits that we have in society have made a big impact on what we do or look like. For example, the lady in the story smokes a carton a day. This habit is unhealthy and could of changed the woman in a small way. She is so consumed into smoking, or other habits, that she could lose a part of who she was before all of this. Things like this can change people, making seem like they are not who they used to be anymore. Like how a drug addict can change their personality by using harsh drugs and will eventually lose everything good around them. Maybe with some of the choices we made as a society has changed on what we think on certain subjects, making us different to others.
     Overall, this poem is really interesting. It is a combination of a cryptic message and an easy language we can understand. I think to find the real meaning of this poem, besides asking the author himself, is to read piece by piece and try to figure out what each piece means. Poems are puzzles, with enough effort, you are able to make out which pieces or ideas will click and which ones don't. I would be really interested to see if I was right or somewhat right with the background or meaning of this poem.

Thoughts on "Ecclesiastes"

     The book, Tocqueville, has numerous poems by Khaled Mattawa. They range from big to small in length, as well as portraying different meanings in each of the poems. One poem that caught my eye, was Ecclesiastes. This poem spoke out to me the most, out of all of the other poems. The format, the length, and the constant use of  "the rule" and "the trick" just really attracted me to read it over and over again. As it goes for any poem, what you think it's about, may not be the same as what others will think. Since this book is supposed to bring light about the Iraq war, the effects of technology in the U.S, etc., this poem gave me thought that the meaning was how the society is and how people in the society conform to the rules that are given.

     When reading this poem, I wasn't sure on what the meaning was. I read it over and over again, searching what can be a possible answer that gives an idea on what the poem is trying to say. While reading this for the first couple of times; a strict, woman's voice was saying each line that I read. "The trick is that you're willing to help them. The rule is to sound like you're doing them a favor." With this voice command me to do these "rules and tricks", the scene of the strict woman, teaching young people on behavior, began to play. Then that gave me the idea that maybe this is Mattawa's view on how the society here in the U.S. plays a role on their citizens' behavior or what they think is right and wrong. Some people will say how we think in our society can be good or bad. Some will say that the reason why we act this way (that others around the world would think is weird or wrong) is because of the rules from our government.

     The last few lines in this poem really made me think of this idea. "The rule is everyone is a gypsy now. Everyone is searching for his tribe. The rule is that you don't care if they ever find it. The trick is that they feel they can." This was the kicker on what made me think about this. In our society, almost every person wants to belong somewhere. They want to "fit in." We are always encourage that it is okay if we fit in somewhere and if we don't fit at all, that is okay too. It's okay to not fit it, just be yourself and that's enough. Basically, these lines reminded me of all those people saying, "Hey, this is the new trend now, so try to fit in and become this trend. It's okay if you don't, just be you. However, try your best to fit in." This happens a lot in our society. We go from that it's "cool" to be a "hipster" or get in with the newest trend. If you do not try to conform yourself to this, many things can happen, This ranges from being bullied in school, or feeling like you're not a part in anything. People in today's society are quick to conform to these type of things, especially people that are in the young adult range.

     When I thought about this, I began to analyze the rest of the poem, so I could see if there was anymore evidence that could support my theory. Reading the line, "The trick is that you're providing a service. The rule is to keep the conversation going." When I read this line I thought about how it is easy to tell someone a rule that they might not want to follow, but if you include a "trick", they might be more comfortable with doing it. There are a lot of theories that our society does this to us. From advertisements to simply the authorities we are told to do things that some may not like to do, but with a simple sentence of reassurance, many will conform and will do the rule or task. For example, a new vaccination. This new vaccination has some risks that can harm the patient, but if the doctor reassures that they will be okay, the patient becomes more acceptable to take the risky vaccination. I think that the poem is showing how easy it can be to conform someone to do a task, regardless if it is good or bad. Maybe because there seems to be a lot of conformity in America, it is one reason of how or why we think certain things are good or bad. Or we are okay with some decisions and are appalled with other decisions. 

     Overall, I really liked the poem, Ecclesiastes. There can be many meanings behind this poem, as well as the other poems. I would be interested on seeing if my theory on the meaning was right, and even wrong. If I was wrong on the meaning, it would be intriguing on what it actually means. So far, the poems in Tocqueville are really mysterious and I look forward onto reading the rest of the book. 

Opinions On The Book, "Writing Down the Bones."

     In class, we have started to read the book, "Writing Down the Bones" by Natalie Goldberg. At first I was a little skeptical on this book because some books that are assigned in classes can be somewhat boring. However, I think this book is very intriguing. The author gives some of the most inspiring tips on how to write better and they can apply to other things in life that is hard to do. For example, in the chapter Fighting Tofu, she gives a tip on how to stop the resistance you may have on writing. She says, "I'll wake up in the morning and say, Okay, Natalie, you have until ten A.M to do whatever you want. At ten you must have a pen. I give myself some space and an outside limit." This can apply to more than just writing, like it can apply to homework, or a dreaded chore. She also gives the advice, " When it comes to writing, keep your hand moving, don't cross out or worry about spelling, lose control," etc. Personally, this is a good mindset for me to use because it is hard for me to write something great because I constantly cross, edit, and stop to think about my writing. Her advice of "lose control" can really help me to stop thinking how to write, but just to write in general. 

     The chapter, "Writing as a Practice," can be helpful to many beginning writers. The author explains that if you write everyday, eventually you'll be able to be comfortable with your writing and ideas will come out easier. The more someone practices on their writing, they began to lose control and they will start to get into their writing and making it much smoother. Goldberg often talks about her students in this chapter, pointing out that losing control in your writing becomes a physical thing. People and even yourself will be able to see a looser posture when you or someone is in the zone of writing. Having writing practice everyday can also help you find a voice for anything you write about, whether it's essays or dissertations. "We must continue to open and trust in our own voice and process," is probably one of my favorite lines in this book because that is one big thing that I need to work on as a writer. I spend so much time wondering if what I write sounds good or if it is "correct" and it seems like the words crumble with lack of voice. This totally made me feel empowered to do writing practices because if I do this, I may be able to trust my own voice and will be more comfortable with my own words.

     Another chapter that inspired me to write more, is "Composting." When writing, I always feel like I could write certain topics, and then when I do, it doesn't come out right. My thoughts are always shallow and just the first layer of my thoughts. I never go deeper into my thoughts. This chapter made me realize that regardless, it just takes time and practice. If I want to have deeper thoughts and write them, I must be patient and "work the compost pile." I know that if I follow Goldberg's advice from this chapter, I will hopefully be able to write my deeper thoughts, thus making my writing more rich. The "compost" takes time to nourish, but in the end it will bring out something beautiful.

     This book has taught me a lot of things that will help improve my thoughts on writing and my writing in general. A lot of the advice that is given can be used towards anything, as long as you put your mind to it and be patient. Personally, I really need to take the advice of being patient, because I lack a good portion of being patient. With patience, whatever you create will become something marvelous. I cannot wait to read the rest of this book because I know there will be more amazing advice that could help with my writing. I intend to use this book as a reference as well.

Reading Response #1

     In our class's reading packet, there are a few poems that I found were interesting. One poem that caught my eye was, "The Scent of Verbena" by Hinako Abe. First of all, I thought it was intriguing that the author formed the poem in triangles. The triangles almost seem like they were meant to pop out and want to pull the reader in to read the triangles. The many lines in the poem are so descriptive that I could see the scene play in my mind as I read it. For example, "It was a hot day still time to go before noon the wild roses were so dry they looked like they might burst into flames any minute." That line is probably my favorite line out of the whole poem. I can interpret many things from the line, such as there could be tension with the character in poem and/or that it is describing the mood in the story at the moment, which is hot or angry. 

     Another descriptive line I found interesting, was the line, "His face grew as pale as gorgonzola cheese and as I watched fissures spread across it like it was going to crack apart." I really like that Abe used the cheese to describe how pale the other character was in that part of of the poem. It also described the intense emotion that the character was very frightened of what the main character said towards them. I thought that the use of this word was very unique. Using these types of words can help make the poem more interesting and makes the poem overall stand out to the reader. 

        The most interesting part of the poem is the line, "Meanwhile a cicada caught in a bird's beak cried out like a bell but the sound ceased as it's neck broke." I felt like this line was describing the fact that the main character killed the other character. Instead of stating that, they use this metaphor as another way to describe the killing. This is because a few lines before discusses the second character is trying to run away or escape from the main character. The main character then laughs, showing that no matter what the second character did, they are still doomed. From reading this part of the poem, I will definitely try to describe scenes, like a character being killed, by using a metaphor or descriptive words instead of just plainly saying that someone was killed. 

        This poem is pretty descriptive, however, I had some trouble on what the poem was really about. It seems like the main character was being held captive by an antagonist, but then the story turns around and makes it seem like the main character was the antagonist all along. Another way I interpret the story was that the main character was being led to a trap by someone, then he mustered up some courage to turn his fear around and was able to stand up to what I thought was the antagonist and scared him away. If that isn't what the story was trying to portray, I would love to learn what the poem really means.

First Post/ Introduction

     Since this is my first post, I would like to write a little about me. I am Caitlin, a sophomore in college. I was born in a small town in California. I moved to Michigan with my mom when I was seven years old. From then on, I was raised mostly in Michigan and visited family in California a few times each year. It's kind of cool going back and forth to both states. I get to enjoy different weathers and special places that are in are in one state, but not in the other. I have three dogs and love any types of animals, except for pet tarantulas, or any spiders at all. I enjoy experiencing new things and always look forward to try something new. I was given the opportunity to start blogging by it being a part of my Creative Writing class I am currently taking. I hope posting on this blog will help me become a better writer, as well as a better blogger.