American literature - the stories and the adventures

This class is coming to an end and I wanted to post about the overall experience with the stories and the adventures and of course the people I shared this class with. When I realized some of the stories I would have to read for the assignments in this class I was a bit hesitant. Some had my interest piqued and some not so much. Huck Finn, was perhaps my favorite simply because of the nature and the adventure but there were so many other stories I found enthralled by. I like stories that keep me intrigued and always wanting to know why, or what was going to happen next. There are so many stories in this class that did that and yet I did not think any of them would. I am a fantasy reader by heart but now that I have taken this class I can see myself reading some other Genres of authors and titles.
The only area that I felt I was a bit concerned by was the poetry pod. I like poetry when i know exactly what the author is talking about so I can follow along or try and see from the authors view point the words they use and the meanings behind them. In the poetry pod I found myself more lost then anything but I managed to get through the pod alive and well.
The people I shared this class with really helped me understand things from a whole new perspective. Their opinions and their logic really gave the class it's character and backbone. I think many of the students that shared their thoughts with the class allowed the class to be a more fun and educational experience then a dull educational experience. I met some some fantastic people in this class and I wish them all the best in their future endeavors.
In the end, I would like to say My Hats Off to the class, the stories, the adventures and of course the experience of American Literature!

Family ties---

After reading the story "Everyday Use" I felt an odd sense of loathing. Why do we always here of these stories where someone in the family decides to just leave the family behind and then comes home one day so very different they almost seem as though they do not fit or are not part of the family any more. I am a firm believer in a person trying to better themselves and make themselves happy but not at the cost of who you are or where you came from. I think that happens too much. People may become successful and or get ahead in life and they forgot the friends and families they left behind. Don't get me wrong, I think there are times when a person needs to just walk away and never look back depending on the circumstances and the situation.
In this story "Everyday Use" the daughter moves away and comes back trying to takes things as keepsakes for her to remember her heritage. Yet the daughter decides to change her name that her mother had given her and that name was passed down from generation to generation.
At what cost do we try and better ourselves? Are we to forget those that we call friend and family? Are we to try and make such a better life for ourselves that we dare not to look back at the life we had or came from? I think it depends on the situation but one thing is for sure, no matter who we are or who we become we all started out somewhere. I hope there are those that will never forget where they come from.

Books beyond thier covers!

After reading Baldwin's story "Going to meet the Man", I have a whole new outlook on the earlier authors and just what they could or would write about. In this story I must say that I was rather shocked and taken aback at the words, the actions, and the overall outcome of the story. Yes, I know things were different in the earlier days but that is no reason to justify the actions that were taken in this short novel. Perhaps Baldwin had seen displays of anger and or resentment like this but I certainly hope not. The novel gives very vivid details of actions taken by a town of people and this is all brought to the front because of the memories of a man, a sheriff non the less. In some ways I can see why the actions of the towns people and the actions of Jessie's father may have led to his overall inhumane actions later in life. I feel that stories such as this show us just how much society has changed but there is still room for more change.
I can see how a story such as this can bring up a good deal of controversy but I think a person needs to have a very open mind before they think about reading this graphic story. It is not for the weak of heart by any means.

Drama-- A decent engrossing play - A Street Car Named Desire

When I found out i had to read a dram, I was very let down. I do not like drama for the simple fact i have enough hardship and challenges in my everyday life that I feel I would not like to waste my time watching other people with their issues (soap box). When i found out the drama pod was going to be about a play I was even more let down. Then I began to read the play......
Wow, I never had any idea a play, a drama play could have engrossed me like that of the play A Street Car Named Desire. It was brilliant, it had laughs, cries, fights, thrills, mystery, and above all it had passion. I felt bad for the character named Blanche. Everyone may think she was a bad person for doing her actions but i have empathy for her. With all of what she had to endure and go through in her life she could have chose to do so many other things in order to get her miserable life off of her mind. Drugs, gambling, smoking, alcohol, you name it. Instead this lady chose to do the one thing that most people do in a much less fashion. Blanche used people to satisfy her ever desire to feel young, and also to not be alone because of all the people who walked out on her in life.
We all deal with choices and issues on a daily basis and yet look at the things we do to get other things off our minds. I say with all of the events and issues Blanche dealt was she really that horrible of a person, all she needed was someone to love her and make her wake up to the fact that they would not leave her and they were indeed in love with who she is.
Drama, a play called A Street Car Named Desire - was very exciting and in many ways a bit of a wake up call to our own everyday things we may choose to do because of the things in our past or present that bother us. What a great read, I am even going to rent the movie...!

Spring follies

Sure spring is in the air, and almost everyone seems ready for the weather change. I am certainly ready for the warmer weather, the outdoor activities but then i am not ready for the increased work load. Outside chores are an ever fun part of warmer season but the winter Months allow me to catch up on school stuff. I noticed this very weekend about how often i read when I do chores. It may be directions for mixing chemicals, or directions for building things i have just bought but it is still reading. The only issue I have is that by the time I get the outside chores done and I do find the time to relax...I am often so tired that anything i pick up to read or even watch i fall fast asleep. This weekend was just gorgeous weather wise and of course i like to get a jump on many of the things that will need to be done eventually this spring...lawn mower tune up, chainsaw tune up, trimmer tune up, tree ordering, stone ordering, house plans laid out, and vehicle tune up. These may not sound so time consuming or difficult and they really aren't but there is a lot of reading in doing these every year chores.
I am looking forward to the next pod, the drama, simply because it is about the play - A street car named desire. I hope I hope I will enjoy this pod because it does seem promising but then I didn't think the poem pod would be that difficult but I did struggle. So I wish you all a great spring and I hope you all enjoy the next pod.

Sequel to too many books....digitial book

After my blog about having too many books i started thinking about the latest and greatest trend of the electronic book. There are many different kinds out there and they range from fairly cheap to way over priced. The only real issue I have with one of these electronic book readers is that how do you know you will always have your type of books available in the digital format? Instead of regular books upon a shelf does this mean a huge drawer with so many digital books will be placed in there to be lost and never found? For me i also think about this, I have my books now and if i was to go digital i would have to replace all of my books I have now with digital ones and that means more money. Maybe someday I might buy a digital book reader but for me..I think the old school is the simplest form. Technology will eventually catch up and most all books will be digital. maybe that is just another reason that keeps me from jumping to the digital book reader....most of my reads today are school books and I have no clue if many school books are printed in digital form.
So to those of you with a digital book reader or what ever you wish to call it...I ask what your thoughts are on the digital side of reading? Are the books easy to find? Are school books easy to obtain as well? Any advice or input would help me greatly.

Too many books?

I was out shopping the other day and I wanted to get my friend a new book for his birthday. I went to Barnes and Noble and I told myself i would look for anything other then for my friend. Yeah right! After I had found a good book for my friend I decided why not get a nice coffee and sit and read for a bit. Well as I am sitting there in line waiting for my coffee I just had to see the new collectors edition of my favorite author. R.A. Salvatore is my most favorite author. I have nearly every book he has written and I have read them all. Salvatore is a fantasy writer and I have been reading his works for nearly 12 years. As I pick up the collectors edition I ask myself do I need another book? I mean if I have read these stories and have the smaller print paper back why buy the collectors book? Then I told myself that the book isn't really that expensive and the art on the cover is just amazing and if I buy this book I could have a whole series of books in just one book...Needless to say I either lost or won the argument I had with myself about buying the collectors book because I did indeed buy it. I have 3 wall bookshelves all full and one small computer desk bookshelf (for school books) and it is full as well. Does anyone ever ask themselves do I own or have too many books?