Reflective Post: The Road (2)

The father and son finally make it to the coast, and there is nothing there. My mind new this would happen, but my heart hoped for some secret society down in the south or that the south would be functioning wonderfully and the father and son would have a happily ever after. I guess I have watched one too many Disney movies. Not every book has a happily ever after, because not every real story does. Anyways, once they reach the coast and the boy swims in the ocean (a moment that any Floridian or anyone who has ever been to the beach with a child can relate to) and he cried. I think he was crying in excitement and disappointment. I wouldn’t want to swim in those conditions, but after all he has gone through it was probably exciting. When they returned to their campsite to see everything gone, my heart sank. I was so incredibly angry. How dare someone steal from them! Do they not know what this father/son duo has gone through? Only later when the son pointed out that the thief was just hungry, did I realize that he did know what they had gone through because he was going through it himself. He just didn’t have anyone to keep him on the straight and narrow path. After that I was a little upset with how the father left the thief but I understand. When the father died, I cried. I cried for the little boy. I can not imagine loosing both of my parents and being so young as well as living in such an evil and vile world. His father told him he had to keep carrying the fire and that it was inside of him. I think that is something everyone who reads this book can learn from. It may be incredibly hard and painful things will happen, but the fire (as Christians) is inside of us and we must continue carrying it even when we don’t feel that its there. It is there and others can see it, just as the father saw it in his son.

Literary Analysis: Apple in The Road

The apple has many symbolic meanings; one of the biggest is that of temptation and original sin. In the Garden of Eden, Eve was tempted by the serpent and ate the fruit (which over time has been deemed to be an apple). In the Road, the father finds an apple in an old orchard and immediately eats it. He does this without bringing it to his son, and the act could be considered selfish. Only after he eats it does he find more apples which he brings to the child. So, he shows his humanity by being selfish and sinning with an apple. In baroque art, there are paintings of skeletons with apples; which means that the temptation will lead to death.
This brings me to my next point. The father ends up dying, and he was also the first to eat an apple. Is that a coincidence? He has been coughing up blood throughout the book and blood is red; an apple is traditionally thought of as red (although there are green and yellow).
The apple has American meanings to it as well, such as “The Big Apple”, apple pie, and Johnny Appleseed. By the father finding an apple, it’s almost as if the author is trying to say that they are in America. It could, however, be the author showing what America has become. The father describes the apple as dry and tasteless. The apple is barely even an apple at this point, so what could that be saying about America? America is nothing like what it was, but it is still around, just in a very poor state.
An apple can be a symbol of luxury. Apple/Macintosh is a computer and software company that is very successful, so an apple can be and is representative of that.
Apples are also a symbol of a woman’s breasts. This is because in the Middle Ages, a woman wanted to have breasts like apples. It was what was considered beautiful at that time. Even Sigmund Freud viewed apples (and other fruits) as a symbol of woman’s breasts. In the Road, the father keeps thinking back to his wife and missing her, could the dried up apple be a symbol of her dried up body? The reader knows she is dead so she is no longer like she once was, and neither is the apple, but it is an apple nonetheless.
The apple is also a symbol of fertility since it has seeds inside of it which can spring forth new life under the right conditions. This symbol mainly comes from the Greek myth where Gaea, goddess of the earth, gives Hera an apple as a symbol of fertility when she becomes engaged to Zeus. Also in Greek mythology, Eris threw a golden apple to earth telling Paris to give it to the most beautiful. He ended up giving it to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and she gave him Helen of Troy, which in turn, started the Trojan War.
An apple tends to give the situation an appearance of hope, which is a false hope, and then the entire situation comes crumbling down later on. This is seen in the Garden of Eden, the Trojan War story, and the Road. For a moment, the son and the father have food and nourishment to keep them going, but the father will never finish the journey.


Source: http://www.scootermydaisyheads.com/fine_art/symbol_dictionary/apple.html

Reflective Post: The Road

The world that the father and son are living in scares me; it makes me question whether or not society will eventually come to this. I can not imagine what it would be like walking miles and miles every day, not sure where I am going, with barely anything. As an American, it is very difficult for me to relate to having only what is in a shopping cart and a small knapsack but it makes me feel bad for them. In our society there is a big emphasis on the things you have and people are always striving to get what they don’t have, but in this world finding things like shoes, blankets, tin cans of food, and plastic tarps are matters of life and death. At school alone I have 11 pairs of shoes, at home its much, much more, so to imagine that this father and son are walking around in ripped up, destroyed, and tattered shoes while searching desperately for a new pair to keep their feet covered. I don’t think I own a tarp at all. I can not recall one being at my house at all, so I can not imagine having to rely on one to stay alive. In the book, the father realizes if they get wet from the rain, then they will freeze to death; so the tarp keeps them safe from the rain. Can you imagine a sheet of plastic being the only thing keeping you from death? I can’t. The father is so selfless when it comes to his little boy. They sit in the freezing cold, and the father holds his son’s ice cold feet against his stomach to keep the child warm. When they find the can of Coca Cola, he gives it to his son; and when they are in the woods he gives his son the last of the hot chocolate, but his son insists on sharing it with him. Clearly the son is learning the right things from his father, even if they are living in a dead and decrepit world.

Reflective Post: Peace Like a River

When Jeremiah Land was shot, I was so confused. I thought for sure it was going to be Davy who died. Then I remembered that Jeremiah is the Christ figure in this book, which is clear through the miracles he does. When he and the kids are staying at Roxanna’s and he is wrestling with God, it reminded me of Jesus in Gethsemane. He wrestled with God over what was coming but in the end he submitted because that is what a Son does for his Father. Jeremiah also submitted to the Father. Jeremiah was practically perfect-if not totally perfect. Jesus was the perfect human. Neither of them deserved to die if you really think about it. Jesus was killed due to false claims and bribery. It was God’s will for him to die but he did not deserve to. Jeremiah did not deserve to die especially not at the hands of Jape Waltzer. This would be like the devil himself killing Jesus instead of the Jews/Romans. When Reuben has his “dream” and he and his father are both about to go to heaven, Jeremiah keeps Reuben from going. He loves his son so much that he is willing to give up everything for him. I mean, he just found the love of his life and they have been married for 3 months but he still dies so that is child can live. It makes me really think about the sacrifice Jesus made. He loves us so much that he died for us and we really do not deserve it. In the end it helps me to understand God’s love for us and the gravity of having his Son die to save us, in a new light. This is definitely something I want to keep in mind as the Easter season quickly approaches. It makes me sad to think that His major sacrifice, His GREATEST act of love for His people, is reduced to the Easter bunny and candy. As Christians, we should be deeply grieved by this and not encouraging it. The father died so his son could have life, and the Father sent the Son to die so that we could have everlasting life. What candy or bunny could do something so selfless or loving?

Analytic Post- Fire and Ice

Fire is a symbol for passion and desire. Passion and desire are emotions that can overtake a person and can drive them to do things that they would have never done before. They cloud a person’s judgment easily. It is no wonder that Robert Frost believes the world can end in “fire”. People driven by passion and desire will do anything and everything to get what they want. In such a place, no morals exist so anything goes. The mere thought of that brings chaos and terror to my mind. Fire is not the only plausible cause for the destruction of the world; ice is quite possible as well. Ice symbolizes hatred. Hate is a very powerful emotion which causes nothing good. Hate can eat away at a person until they are nothing more then a hollow shell. With the hollow shell of a person walking around, what good can come of them? Hate is an emotion that can be passed on as quickly as the flu or another virus. So, is it not possible that hate can be just as destructive as its counterpart of passion/desire? “I think I know enough of hate to say that for destruction ice is also great…” Hatred destroys people and the people around them. With enough hate, it is logical to think that the world (as we know it) will end. *It is interesting to note that at the time of this poem, scientists were debating whether the world would end by burning from the inside out, due to its firey core, or whether there would be a second ice age that would destroy everything.

Peace Like a River- Creative Post

A letter to Davy Land, Dr. Davy Land, I read about what you did to those two boys in the Minneapolis Star. I think its horrible how you are in jail for protecting your family. I like to think that if two men came into our home in the middle of the night, that my dad or big brother would stop them in their tracks before they could hurt us. I read you have a little sister, Swede? She must be worried about you, being in jail and all, and a little brother too? Reuben? He must think you are a real hero. Were you scared when it happened? What was going through your mind? Protecting your family I bet. I don’t think you will be in jail long. Any jury will see you are innocent and those Finch and Basca characters were up to no good. The word around town is that you are a hunter, what do you like to hunt? My dad and brothers hunt turkey and geese. I help clean them off and prepare them for dinner. What is the town of Roofing like? I have never been. I live in the big city of Minneapolis. I imagine it to be a small farm town with a lot of horses and grand pastures. I love riding horses, they are such majestic creatures. Do you ride? Do you have any horses? I hope to hear back from you Davy, but I want you to know that I am cheering for you. You’re being in jail is a great injustice that must be fixed. Good luck Davy Land. I hope you are out hunting geese, riding horses, and playing with your siblings soon. Yours truly, Kellie Pickler

Creative Post- Barbie Doll

To a Barbie Doll, Dear Barbie Doll, Where do I begin? Do I talk about you’re perfect looks or you’re perfect attitude? Do I start by telling you that you are what little girls aspire to be? Do I tell you that you are what the men of the world want their wives to look and act like? You are a celebrity in every way. Never once is you’re hair not perfect. Never once is you’re make up smudged. Never once do you need to complain of having big fat legs or a big nose. No. You are Barbie. You are perfection. I can’t help but wonder what you are feeling on the inside. What does it feel like to be so perfect Barbie? Other girls have to go around apologizing for how they look but not you. Other girls may be as healthy as they get but what does that matter if they do not look as beautiful and sexy as you? Even the girls who are intelligent come to realize that they will never be much unless they look and act like you. What is your secret Barbie? How can you just smile and act perfect while Ken controls you? How do you act perfect when you do not feel that way? How did you become so perfect? Barbie, will any other girl ever grow to be as perfect as you? Is there any hope? No. I don’t think those girls should even try to be like you Barbie. I think that if they are having a bad hair day, they should smile. If they are told that they are ugly they should tell themselves how beautiful they truly are. Not everyone has to look like you Barbie. Perfection is highly over rated. I think those girls should know that their husbands don’t control them. They are free to act and think as they choose. You see Barbie, we are not like you. We have the power to walk away from the negativity but you will always be in the midst of it. The reason you show no emotions is that you are plastic. That is why you are perfect. Just as you’re creator made you, so did our Creator make us. So thank you Barbie for the fun we had when I was young. Thank you for the lessons you have taught me. I hope you learn to stand up for yourself but if not, at least you will still be perfect.

Lanyard- Reflective post

The poem Lanyard is about a man remembering when he made a lanyard for his mother. This is something I can relate to since I used to love doing arts and crafts. I would make pot holders, little vases, beaded animals, necklaces, and so much more for my mom. Even though it was nothing special, my mom loved each of them and a lot of them she still has. In the poem, the man acknowledges all his mother has done for him and compares that to the significance of his lanyard. Mothers have given us so much. They bring us into the world, give us life, teach us to walk, swim, talk, enjoy life, and so much more. They work hard to provide everything for us and even though the lanyard is something small, it is a cherished gift for them. Mothers love when their kids take time and make something for them. It shows that we love them enough to actually think of them. My step mom has so many crafts from when I was younger and now that my sister is 6 she is getting into making things for her and for me as well. Even though I am just her big sister, Abby gets so excited to give me a homework paper she got an A on, or a paper she drew on just for me. It may be small but the meaning behind it is so much more. A small lanyard can not adequately thank my mother for bringing me into this world, but it is enough to show her that I am grateful and I love her.

Problematize Post- Cathedrals

Cathedrals demonstrate how difficult it can be to use words. When the narrator tries to explain to Robert, a blind man, what a cathedral looks like he gets frustrated because he can not find enough accurate words to describe the buildings. Words are funny tools. We use so many of the same words for such different things, but when trying to describe something to someone we often times lack the “right” words.

I once heard that Eskimos have at least 50 words for snow. When I think of snow, I come up with: white, fluffy, flakes, cold, wet, crunchy. That is only about six words. I am sitting here trying to think of more ways to describe snow but I am coming up blank. How would I describe snow to a blind man? For one thing, a blind man has no sense of color, so by saying snow is white it will do no good. How does one describe color to someone who is color blind? Is it possible? Not really.

I am going to pretend that I am talking to a blind man and attempting to describe a dog to him. The dog has four legs, a tail, a snout, a wet nose, two eyes, paws on each foot, floppy ears, and a fluffy coat. As you read this, you may be picturing a dog but that is because you have seen a dog before so you know what a dog generally looks like. I am willing to bet anything that from that description (which I think is fairly accurate for a dog) that you are not picturing the same dog I am. The chances of that happening are rare. So, even when I explain what a dog looks like to a blind man, and he touches the dog and plays with it, it is likely that he will not see the same dog I am seeing/describing. Everyone is unique and everyone sees things in a unique fashion.

In American culture we use the word “love” as an ambiguous term. A husband may say “I love you” to his wife but he may also say, “I love chips”. Does he love chips as much as he loves his wife? Or does he love his wife in the way that he loves chips? I certainly hope not. So then why do we use the same word for such different objects? I believe that is just easier that way and as Americans we like everything to be quick and easy. It is sad when you think about it.

Analytic Post: The Woman on the 13th Floor

Why is the woman on the 13th floor? It is mentioned in the title but then again in almost every stanza of the poem. The number 13 must have some significance in the poem. The number 13 is traditionally thought of as an unlucky number that will cause a person misfortune. Could that be why she is hanging off a 13th story window? This woman has a family so we know she is not alone. She has a place to live so she is not homeless. I also find it a bit ironic that she is on the 13th floor when a lot of buildings do not have a 13th floor, and if they do it is given a different number.
A symbolic definition of the number 13 is that it marks uncertainty, hesitation, fickleness, the end of something (like death), a renewal, and a very important change. I can see all of these in the poem. The future of the woman is uncertain through out the entire poem as well as in the ending. There is a hesitation in her decision as well as fickleness. Should she let go or should she climb back in the window? Will there be an ending of her life? That is something the reader will never know. The reader will also never know if there will be a renewal in her life. It is clear though that there is going to be a very important change. If she lets go then her life is over and this will affect her children as well as her parents and anyone who knew her. If she climbs back in the window, I would hope that the change would be her getting help.
The number 13 also has a Biblical symbolism. There were 13 guests at the Last Supper. The Last Supper falls in John chapter 13; this is also where it is the betrayal of Jesus was announced as well as Peter’s denials. Jacob and his 12 sons is another example. In Revelation, chapter 13 is reserved for the Antichrist and the Beast. The number is also supposedly tied to the Virgin Mother Mary in multiple ways.

*http://www.ridingthebeast.com/numbers/nu13.php
**Professor DeBorde: you allowe dme to post this late due to personal reasons

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Benjamin Button is born as an old man. At the hospital where he was born, he is just thrown aside in the back of the room in basically a box. In the time period when this story was written it was common to just cast aside people society deemed useless. Back in that time, they often sent people, more specifically women and the elderly, to asylums. Before depression was well known and understood like it is today, people with it (once again mostly women) were put into asylums never to be released. Even now in modern times, the elderly are just dropped off at a nursing home and left there until they die. Why do we treat our elderly like this?
In the middle of the story when Benjamin is actually a “younger” man, he is well respected and admired. He does well in society. I think that this shows the emphasis American culture puts on the youth. As Benjamin became younger, the people took care of him without asking questions. His son was not happy about it but Benjamin was taken care of by a nanny and went to kindergarten and it was ok for him to be helpless, as we think it is for all babies. Yet, we do not think it ok for the elderly to be so helpless. I think of the part in the story where Benjamin receives a letter asking him to go back into the war, but when he goes he is rejected because he appears too young. It is devastating to him. The youth are looked upon with such an emphasis because they still have a future and things to experience, but the elderly are looked upon less appreciatively because they have already gone through their “best days” and reached all that they could be so now they are just living what is left of their lives. Its really sad to think about.
Reputation is a big part of the story as well. Benjamin’s father and his son are both embarrassed by him and do not want Benjamin to ruin the family reputation. I think there is a connection between this and how the elderly are viewed. A person’s reputation could be damaged if someone in the family is seen as useless by society. So, by being burdened by the elderly family member rather then going out and socializing with your peers could be viewed negatively by those peers in society. Appearance was very important in the time periods in which this was written and supposedly took place.

Ice in Sonny's Blues

In the beginning of the story Sonny’s Blues, the narrator says that he feels like he has an ice block in his stomach. “A great block of ice got settled in my belly and kept melting slowly all day long…it was a special kind of ice. It kept melting, sending trickles of ice water all up and down my veins, but it never got less.” (Baldwin) Ice is symbolic for coldness, rigidity, and the absence of love among other. In the story, the narrator had not talked to his brother for a while and he was a very rigid character. I do not think that there was an absence of love between him and Sonny but he was definitely hurt and disappointed in and by his brother. I think the “ice” in his stomach is a result of that. He is cold towards his brother and does not seem to show any signs of remorse for what is happening to his brother. He tries to remain indifferent and uncaring. It is as if the ice or the coldness is running through his veins. It reminds me of the expression “you are so cold you have ice water running through your veins.”
I think the narrator is so cold because he chooses not to show emotion. Even in the story when his daughter dies, he shows no emotion. It is not until the very end that he shows any emotion other then anger. It seems as though he learned to hide emotion, possibly from his father, so that is how he has dealt with everything, but Sonny needed him to show emotion-most likely compassion or love. That probably contributes to the gap between the two brothers and Sonny’s drug habits make it worse. It appears that the narrator wants everyone to cope with suffering as he does and Sonny can not do that. I think the ice is also a representative of his holding his emotions in and unexpressed.

What Do I Want to be Remembered For?

I want to be remembered for being a loving person. I care a lot about other people and I love being there for my friends when they need me. I have been told by many close friends and acquaintances that I am a trustworthy person who is good at listening. My best friend Ashley became my best friend during our freshman year of a high school as we walked from the library building to the main building on our high school campus. We had talked a little before then but not much, when she suddenly turned to me and asked if I would keep a secret. She then told me about this crush she had on a guy a few years older then us and she also told me that she had not even told her best friend Leesha about this crush. I was the only one. I asked her years later why she told me this and she replied that she could see in my eyes that I was trustworthy and she noticed that I was a good listener. Those were two qualities she respected and wanted in a best friend. If I am remembered for nothing else, then I just want to be remembered as the one my friends could go to in their times of need to just talk or to find support.