Oedipus complex.

Although written a long time ago, Oedipus the King turned out to be more relevant in my life than I thought. For those of you more recent with a psychology class my discovery I'm about to share might not be a discovery at all. But hopefully, some of you will find it as interesting as I did. While doing some research online I came across a psychological term "Oedipus complex" that has been inspired by the famous tragedy. First used by Freud in his theory of psychoanalysis, it represents a child's(usually a boy) unconscious desire for the exclusive love of the parent of the opposite sex. This desire includes jealousy toward the parent of the same sex and the unconscious wish for that parent's death. This complex tends to manifest itself in children between 3 and 5 and is considered to be a part of normal development. Fascinating! All of a sudden, bizarre behavior of my toddler becomes so understandable, thanks to Oedipus.

Submitted by Aksana Norman

Ladies and Gents… the King has left the building

Drama Oedipus the King is an intriguing story of a man solving a riddle to find out the solution was something he wished he never knew. I thought the story was interesting because Oedipus never knew his “real” parents, only the ones who raised him, and I don’t think he ever imagined his queen would be his mother as well. His fate had already been determined by the gods long before he knew any of this, that why he as originally sent away. Everyone has a path in life that’s already been chosen and ultimately fate determines everything. I couldn’t imagine finding all of that out and being able to deal with it. He could have just lived on searching for the killer, but no he had to be persistent and pushy and need to find out right then and right there. The Glass Menagerie can compare to this because the narrator, Tom, is not so much selfish but he thinks of himself a lot, but come on who can blame him with him having to be in charge of everything, and take care of the house and his sister and his mother. I think I might get a tad selfish to if I were the only provider working so hard and getting no appreciation from anyone. All in all I liked both plays, but Oedipus the King was much better than the glass menagerie.

Submitted by Jennifer Morgan

Baggage

We all have memories; they may be loving, painful or troublesome. Some memories are easy to recall, while others are difficult to remember. How we deal with these memories defines our life. Tom Wingfield from the play, The Glass Menagerie wants to escape his memories. He hopes to master the trick the magician performed with the coffin. He’s desperate to remove himself from his life, without harming his family. The responsibility of being the only worker and caretaker in the family is smothering him; it prevents him from expressing himself. His baggage is heavy and it contains a father who abandoned his family, a domineering mother, and a disable sister. In the end, he checks his baggage and moves forward with his life

I understood Tom’s perception of feeling trapped after reading the play, The Glass Menagerie. The play contains many references of abandonment and the family’s difficulty of accepting the truth. This play could represent any family from any culture. Unfortunately, the family dynamics and problems of the Wingfields seem all to commonplace now a days.

Submitted by Kate Misler

The Glass Menagerie

Tennessee Williams play the Glass Menagerie was interesting to say the least. I did not dislike it,yet it was strange. I found it funny that a women abandoned by her husband,to raise 2 children alone, kept his picture above her mantle. Amanda.."the mother", could drive the patience of a saint. I found myself saying,no wonder her husband left. Tom,her son seemed to get the brunt for the father not being around. Laura,the daughter seemed more like the mother...the apple does not fall far from the tree. My favorite Character was Jim O'connor. He was a very nice man who came for dinner and to meet the family. He went with flow throughout his visit with them. His plans for the evening were not the same as Amanda's for her daughter Laura!

In the end things did not end up the way Amanda wanted,for herself,or her daughter. The Women plans and ideas differed from the men's...Obviously!!!

Submitted by Alyssa Rutherford

The way NOT to Parent

I enjoyed reading the Glass Menagerie, it was a really interesting story and I felt as though I could see a similar scenario happening in real life today. Amanda is an overbearing parent who has made her daughter such a needy young women that although she acts as if she would like to find her a husband, I suspect she likes the fact that Laura is so dependent on her and Tom, her older brother. I believe that deep down Amanda realizes that Tom stays around out of his devotion to Laura, not her, and that if she keeps Laura dependent, she keeps Tom around to support her and Laura. Amanda is really a lazy overbearing mother who does not want to have to support herself and Laura, she wants Tom to support them forever. She plays on Toms sympathies by reminding him how much of a louse his father was, she even keeps a picture of him hanging which is odd, being she constantly reminds Tom she does not want him to become like his dad. I suspect she keeps the picture there to keep Tom feeling guilty enough to stay and continue to support them. Ironically, her actions are what is actually driving Tom away and he feels so guilty about leaving Laura that he cannot even enjoy his life once he breaks free of Amanda.

Amanda is the epitome of what a parent should strive NOT to be, she is self centered and does not put her children above herself. She releys on guilt and trickery to get her children to behave as she wants, and she does not move them toward independence, she actually stifles their independence and keeps them dependent on each other and her. The story was really very sad and interesting but not something you would strive to emulate.

Submitted by Margaret Russo

Movies Are Bad Influences?

At first it was hard for me to get into The Glass Menagerie, and I thought I was not going to like it. But during scene three I did become interested in it, and from then on enjoyed it. The play didn’t really have a special meaning to me, I just liked reading it. I also liked the characters, Tom being my favorite. I feel badly for Laura, being stuck with her Amanda and her crazy ambitions to marry her off. Amanda was off in her own world in the visions she had for her daughter, and she also didn’t seem to have any censor in what she said to Laura. (“This is the prettiest you’ll ever be!” when getting ready for Jim to come over for dinner. [1637]) It seemed strange of Jim to mention Betty so late, not to mention kiss Laura prior to doing so. I know he said ‘somebody ought to kiss you’, but he had just said all the things about Laura having no self confidence, so I’m not sure how he thought kissing her when he has a girlfriend would help her self esteem. I do think that it was a bit wrong of Tom to use the bill money to pay for the Union, but on the other hand I understand his intent and his desire/need to get away. Overall I don’t think he’s a selfish character, he just doesn’t know how to get where he wants to be.

Submitted by Jessica Rais

Oedipus the King!

I'm not sure if anyone is with me on this but I could not stand the play Oedipus the King. I found it extremely difficult to read which made it really hard to understand what was even going on in the play. Every time I started to read it I had to keep putting it down. It was a good story base but the language that was used was making it hard for me. I would love to hear what someone else thought of the play.

Submitted by Lauren Pike

Books Are Always Better!

Before reading “The Glass Menagerie” we were instructed to read a few pages at the beginning of the book dealing with reading plays. In the reading it says that plays are meant to be acted out, obviously, but that it can also be beneficial to read them. This got me thinking about how reading is often more entertaining. Sure, a play is always entertaining to go see but when you read something you can picture it in your own imagination. I personally love to read to books and always find the books to better than movies based on them. I think this is because, as I mentioned, when you read something you are able to picture in your own mind how it plays out. The descriptions the author gives leads you to imagine what they scenery looks like, how the characters look and what their personality is like. When you go see a play or a movie what you are viewing is the directors depiction of the book or play. Sometimes scenes are cut out of the original work to allot for time and that can change the whole dynamic of the story. When you read something you can do it at your own pace and truly understand and experience the story. Great authors have a way of writing and bringing the words to life without having to visually see what is happening. I often feel let down after seeing a movie when I have read the book first because I have this image of how everything should go. However, the director and I have very different imaginations and that is why it can very different. I think “Oedipus the King” and “The Glass Menagerie” were both great reads and I wouldn’t mind seeing them acted out but it sure doesn’t beat reading it for myself.

Submitted by Christina Carbone

LOST

I liked this play because everyone can relate to family dynamics. Everyone has a different story of how they grew up and who took care of them. Many people are faced with pressure from their elders to live up to expectations because when someone cares about you they want you to have the best. However, it is better to just let them discover who they are and make their own choices even if it is not the level of success you envisioned for them. In this play the drunken father was out of the picture, the mother was an overbearing woman who worried too much about what she wanted for her children rather than just accepting them, the daughter is physically crippled and shy which caused her family to try to push her into social and work situations rather than embracing her reserved mannerisms, and despite the son’s hardworking career path he still has selfish issues that need to be addressed. Each member of the Wingfields family had a different focus in life and it seemed to me that they all had a hard time facing reality. Laura’s introvert personality and physical state held her back from exploring and this was hard for her mother to understand since she and her son are both very extroverted. It is the human condition to work towards familiarity which is why I think the mother worked so hard to find Laura a man and career because that is what she felt was important and doesn’t understand living in solitude. Black Irish was a movie that reminds me of this short story. It was a movie with a son who hated his dad for coming home drunk all the time.

Submitted by Ryan Bent

A Mother's Misinterpreted Love

When I was reading The Glass Menagerie, I had a recurring thought of how nagging Amanda, the mother was. How silly she was with her preaching of chewing food, brushing out cowlicks and her lack of imagination. She was constantly confused on why her children were dreamers. Tom seemed caged in by her, resented her for having to "take care" of them. But I tool the time to dive deeper into my thoughts of Amanda and I decided she is misunderstood. I reread and part of the play that created a light of her that was not shown in other parts.

"Try and you will succeed...why, you are just full of natural endowments! Both of my children-they're unusual children..dont you think I know? I'm so...Proud..Happy and - feel I've so much to be thankful for....."

As a mother, this particular quote gave me the feeling that she just loves them. She knows that they are individuals with self containing souls,, but she wants to do them right. The problem with being a parent is you want your children to make all the right decisions. You want them to never feel pain, or loss or disappointment. To you, it is your job, your duty to guide them to make all the right choices and what you believe to be the right choices. Amanda has a full heart and she just wanted to guide her children to make the right choices that would create happiness. Where Amanda went wrong is the fact that she remains open to the idea that what is or was right for her may not be right for Tom or Laura. Tom looks at his mother as an obstacle but she really just grew up in a different time in a different way and cannot understand Tom's reasoning. Through the play you wonder if history will repeat and Tom will leave, but as he walks away his Laura is there, and he doesnt stray far. Amanda's character was betrayed as forceful reins that were holding Tom back, but really I think she was who raised her children(alone) gave them the spirit and wings to fly but in the end fell short out of misunderstanding. She just wanted to hold together a broken family tree... how can you ask for anything more or less?

Submitted by Monica Baker

Oedipus' Oblivious Origin Lead to Overwhelming and Outrageous Outcome

To be honest when I first heard that we were going to be working on drama and reading plays, I was quite intimidated. I stepped out of my comfort zone and overcame my fear (not by choice - lol), and now have become a big fan and love Drama! I really enjoyed reading the play Oedipus. I think the best part was the dramatic irony in the play. It was really cool how the audience already knew the truth and to see how it all unfolded at the end. In a way, you almost felt like you were part of the story. I truly was sympathetic for Oedipus because while he swore to revenge his father's killer, he had no idea that when the truth finally became known, he would have to punish himself. I would definitely recommend others to read this play.

Submitted by CindyLou Lyons

Broken Unicorn, Broken Dreams

I absolutely loved “The Glass Menagerie.” It made me realize how a young person with a disability can feel so different, having an inferiority complex. I also felt the pain Laura endured being so painfully shy. I loved Laura, even though she was a young woman, she had a real innocence about her. Her mother was a bit overbearing for me. She clearly loved her children, but she put down Tom a bit too much, and overprotected Laura. Initially I felt bad for Tom, but when he used the money to pay his union dues rather than paying the light bill, it angered me.

The symbolism of the broken unicorn touched me. I thought Laura identified with the unicorn, and looked at its broken horn in an optimistic way which was touching. The unicorn was now like the other horses and didn’t feel different anymore. I felt sad for Laura and wished there was some way she could “break her own horn,” and feel good about herself. I felt so bad after Jim kissed her and then told her he was engaged. She seemed brokenhearted, but then gave Jim the broken Unicorn as a present. I listened to the audio recording with Helen Haze, and watched some video clips of the 1973 movie with Katherine Hepburn. Both of these were outstanding performances, which added to the experience for me.

Click here to view a video of Laura and Jim

Submitted by Kesley Hynes

Tom, Mr. Selfish?

Tom Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie represents many individuals through the world dealing with an absent father. Tom was forced to step up into his father’s role in order to keep his family together. Tom was forced to continue working at the Continental Shoemaker to provide for his family. In high school, Tom had hopes of pursuing a career in poetry. He had to post-pone his dreams for his family. I feel that there are many men and women who are stuck in this situation. Many people have to put aside their own dreams, goals, in order to help out. They may feel obligated to do so since it’s their family, their blood. Tom felt obligated to help his mother and his sister, Laura. His mother seems disillusioned and stuck in her own past. His sister seems too shy, and so far off from society. Tom feels that he should do what he can help them both. I think it’s great that Tom finally decides to move. He’s finally taking charge and doing something for himself. I feel that it’s important for people in the same situation to do things for themselves. It doesn’t necessarily have to be as drastic as Tom. It can be easy to get sucked into trying to please and help other and neglect ourselves. It’s hard to be entirely self-less. As human beings, we are all selfish to a certain degree. Some more than others and it’s important not to lose ourselves when trying to help others.

Submitted by Shelley Hun

Men are what their mothers made them." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

So, at the beginning of this unit, I had no idea what to expect from the “Glass Menagerie.” I have never heard of Tennessee Williams prior to this assignment, so I was completely in the dark as to his writing style. I was kind of bummed at first at unit six, simply because I did not want to read another Shakespearean style type of play, which I thought “Glass Menagerie” was. Luckily for me “Glass Menagerie” was nothing like “Oedipus the King.”

I absolutely loved, loved, loved, loved, this play! I thought this play had everything a great play (well a great play in my opinion) is supposed to have, tragedy, comedy and a crazy mother! I loved the characters and the plot of this play. My favorite character was probably Amanda. That woman was completely oblivious to her behavior, I loved it. She is completely nuts and loving at the same time. I think the different personalities of all three main characters went very well together.

Laura was the vulnerable, weak character. She was petrified of life and believed that her “disability” was more conspicuous than it actually was. She also was scared of disapproving her mother. This was clear when she quit school and had failed to tell her mother. Amanda on the other hand likes to make it a point to tell Laura how different Laura is from her. Amanda would go on and on about her male callers, knowing very well Laura has none. Laura depended greatly on Tom for survival, which added great pressure on Tom. Tom disapproved very much of his mother and thought she was a few threads short of a sweater…

Tom was the “rebel” of the family, who completely ignored his mother’s concerns completely. He had the weight of caring for the whole family on his shoulders, but that did not seem to bother him as much as working in a warehouse. Some say Tom was selfish, which can be an accurate statement. However, Tom has given up his dreams to care for his mother and sister. Is he selfish or just desperate to follow his dreams? Tom and Amanda certainly bump heads. Amanda has a way of yelling at Tom for everything he does. He is like a fifteen year old girl arguing with his mommy. Amanda doesn’t realize the anger and resentment Tom has for her and she keeps pushing, and pushing, constantly finding something bad in everything he does. No matter how ashamed, angry, or disapproving Amanda is, she needs to realize that “men are what their mothers made them.”…

"No matter how old a mother is, she watches her middle-aged children for signs of improvement." -Florida Scott-Maxwell

Submitted by Samantha Graziano

Drama

After reading different plays in the drama unit I most liked the story of Oedipus for a story that was written 2500 years ago it was pretty well written and thought out. At first glance of the story I looked at it like I have to read this story and answer questions but after a few pages I subconsciously kept reading until my neck hurt and realized I was only a handful of pages away from finishing the story. As far as this play having a special meaning to me it most closely reminded me of playing Zelda once you started playing that game day could turn to night, this story was the same way for me once I started reading it I really couldn't put it down it has sparked an interest in reading for me recently I read Treasure Island I know it's no Othello but it's going in the right direction as far as reading more. This story did have a lot of human condition it had deceit, cheating,lying, murder, the story evolved and changed with the turn of every page, it really was able to get the reader involved to a point where you legitimately couldn't put it down.

Submitted by Robert Fisk

It Can Be Done

I enjoyed reading the Glass Menagerie and have read it before in high school and have seen the play in Boston a few years ago. I like that the main female character of the play is different from typical characters because many times they have characters who are outgoing and strong willed, but Laura is the opposite because she is very shy and reclusive. It is nice to see that a story can be written about a handicapped character like Laura because I am sure many people could relate to her in the fact the fact that I think that there are many people in the world with small handicaps like Laura and this story shows these people that they should not let their handicaps take over their lives. Many people who are handicapped have learned to cope and have done some amazing things. President Theodore Roosevelt is a strong example of this because he had a severe case of polio and he was unable to walk and doctors told him he was going to be bed ridden for the rest of his life. He decided that he would overcome this handicap and he accomplished many great things in his life time. The moral of his story and Laura's story is that it can be done as long as you try and put yourself out there.

Submitted by Laura Farley

Not a Drama Queen

I am somebody who has never been a big fan of drama. Not in a book and not in real life. Although I do have to admit that I did enjoy reading The Glass Menagerie I would still prefer to read something else.

For a drama The Glass Menagerie was an easy read there are some drama's that are difficult for me to understand. I liked the different nicknames Jim had for Tom and Laura, I thought they were cute. I also liked the idea that the glass unicorn represented how Laura was different from other people. What I took from the animal being a unicorn was that unicorn's are not real and so therefore her difference are not "real." When the unicorn is broken that symbolized "breaking out of her shell."

I think that even today people are labeled as different and not popular but in reality we are all sort of the same. These people who label others by what they wear or what they look like are just starting drama.

Submitted by Stepahnie Corbett

Shakespeare, move over!

I always suspected that despite its visual complexity and ability to intimidate, poetry could be extremely appealing genre. It has something for everyone, we'll just have to find it. I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked Neruda's "We Are Many" when I red it for the first time. Little did I know, that soon afterwards, while surfing the web, I'd come across a stunning discovery - love sonnets by Pablo Neruda. I have to confess to having a preconceived idea about Neruda due to his political and communist background.(Born and raised in Soviet Union, I'm well aware of how communist poetry sounds like.) Was I wrong... Amazing, unforgettable, one of a kind poetry! And just to think that it was dedicated to his wife - love of his life! With all due respect, Mr. Shakespeare, you lost this round!

So, please, enjoy!

Submitted by Aksana Norman

Love Sonnet XVII by Pablo Neruda

I do not love you as if you were a salt rose, or topaz
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
So I love you because I know no other way

than this: where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.

The Amazing Disaster

As I was reading the poems, O captain my captain really hit me. I love american history, and I was really into it in high school. But reading this poem brought back memories of losing my dad. Walt Whitman really expressed his deep sorrow of losing his president, and losing a my dad made me lose a large part of me. I know its not related to the poem of losing the president, but losing someone so important to you that made your whole world turn; all of a sudden your world just crashes down before you. The immense feelings that are shown through this poem really and truly show how important it was to Whitman that people understood how much it affected people. And losing someone of such importance really can take a deep toll into someones heart. This poem gets an A+ in my blog.

Submitted by Jennifer Morgan

Dental Fear

I don’t know how many people experience white knuckles when they are in the dentist’s chair. I have never had a painful experience at the dentist, yet my fear is real so I have the death grip on the armrest. From the moment I open my mouth till the moment I leave I can’t relax. There is probably a term or phobia that can explain my fear of the Dentist. The reason I’m bringing this up is I have the same reaction to Shakespeare.

Our reading assignment this week was Shakespeare’s sonnet; Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds. I was pleasantly surprised how ordinary this poem was written, there was no Shakespearean language that needed to be deciphered. The theme of the poem is obvious. The metaphors were uncomplicated and somewhat easy to figure out. So maybe my exposure to Shakespeare in High School was a misrepresentation of his works. Being called upon to read poetry randomly in front of a classroom from a textbook is cruel and usually punishment. I now know the person needs to be prepared and understand the words and context of the poem. There is hope; I’m not scarred for life, poetry can be enjoyable. Thanks

Submitted by Kate Misler

Enjoyed the Poems

In this unit I really enjoyed the poems that we had to read. One of the poem i specifically like what Edgar Allen Poe's Anabell Lee. I liked the structure of the poem and the overall story.

Submitted by Kelly mays

Golf Links Litte Ones

I really loved the poem The Golf Links by Sarah Cleghorn. Even though it is such a short poem, the irony in this poem is huge. Obviously now with child labor laws, this is not realistic. But if you look beyond this fact, you just have to chuckle a little. It is so crazy to visualize the children peeking out the mill windows while they are working to watch the men playing golf. In reality, it is totally the opposite, and the children should be playing while the men are working. Especially, today when golf is so popular and the children start playing as soon as they can walk.

Submitted by Cindylou Lyons

Poetry Not For Me

I have not enjoyed this poetry unit very much. I have never been a big fan of poetry. I did give it a chance and I really tried to make the best of it. I must say when I logged in after break and saw "more poetry" I was like AHHHH. I have been putting off the homework and having trouble with the writing assignments because I first off don't really want to do it and secondly have trouble understanding it. I have been getting help from my friends who make music because poetry and music coincide. Meter, feet and rhyming are all pertinent to music as well. I understand poetry is part of literature and why we have done it, I just haven't enjoyed it. I have trouble with metaphor, irony, determining meter, etc. I am happy that I read some of the works of Whitman, Dickinson and Poe as I have heard very much about them but never read much of their work. I did like reading "O Captain, My Captain" and "Annabel Lee" but that was about it. I think they were fairly easy poems to read and I see why they are classics. I think if poetry is a way of people expressing themselves then that is great I just don't think it's for me or my of expressing myself. As I said I am happy to have been exposed to some of the classics because I most likely would not have done it on my own. However, I am even more happy that the poetry unit now over!

Submitted by Christina Carbone

Poe's Eerie Obsession

Poe's obsession with death was clearly displayed in his writing. "Annabel Lee" was a prime example. Perhaps it was the cause behind all of his writing. Although Annabel Lee was his beloved wife, he had an eerie love obsession for her. He states in his poem that although she has departed this world physically, he knows their souls are still entwined. It gets strange when he starts to get slightly delusional. He states that he continuously relives their memories in his head and also lays by her tombstone at night. Poe believed that everyone he loved died because of him. He thought he walked around with the touch of death. All that he cares for and care for him die, but not of old age. I can understand why Poe wrote many of his works. Although he is still a strange writer to me, I do admire his work.

Submitted by Diane Caimares

Childhoods Presence in Poetry

Although it was the shortest and most childish of all the poems we have read, I thoroughly enjoyed Ogden Nash's "The Panther", along with all of the other poems by Nash that Professor Accardi posted in the discussion board. I liked to write poetry when I was much younger, however have a lack of interest in it now. Nash's playful writing style intrigued me regarding poetry for the first time since my early childhood, something I miss more than anything. I love the words he makes up at the end of his poems as I find them to be the most witty and clever aspect to his writing. Creativity is something I cherish, and I love the fact that Nash's poems are not only directed to children but to adults as well.

Submitted by Justine Budesky

Push

The poem I decided to blog about is “We are Many” by Neruda because I found this poem to be very inspirational. Although the stanzas were not about achievements they expressed desired to react differently for the future instead of settling for less. Its not just about pushing yourself or finding out who you are as a person but it’s also about doing the right thing. Sometimes when I’m in a rush I skip out on little things I wish I had done. Below is a commercial that reminded me it is important to do the right thing and learn to take extra time to make decisions based on what I want. The Quote on the picture explains pushing youself to the next level.

Submitted by Ryan Bent

The Road Frost Took

Of all the poems’ I’ve read, Robert Frost is by far my favorite poet. “The Road Not Taken,” is one of my all time favorites. I loved the symbolism he used, and the decisions in life being represented by a fork in the road.

It brought to mind how important the decisions we make can be. Although we might not know where a road or decision will lead us, our decisions have long-lasting effects sometimes. I found the diversity of students’ interpretations on this poem very interesting. When I first read the poem I thought Frost must have been thinking about his life as a poet and author when he wrote this. This made me think how lucky we were that he chose the road he did. If he chose another road, we wouldn’t have all the marvelous works he wrote. I was, however, very surprised when I read a passage of his from the Bread Loaf Writer’s Conference in 1953. He was thinking of a friend who had gone off to war, when he finished the poem. He said he had written one stanza and found it three or four years later and couldn’t bear not to finish it. It made me realize that our perceptions are often incorrect. What we think about a particular poem may be impacted by our own beliefs and views. So, I guess it doesn’t really matter why he wrote the poem, it just matters that he did, and I LOVE IT.

Submitted by Kelsey Hynes

Whitman’s Admiration for Abe

Walt Whitman’s poem “O Captain! My Captain!” is about a captain who falls dead on the deck of a ship after a victorious journey. In the poem, Whitman encourages the people to continue rejoicing while Whitman continues to mourn the death of the captain. The captain represents Abraham Lincoln who was assassinated after winning the American Civil War and the election for president for a second term.
Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 14 1865. The nation was in complete shock. The American Civil War and the murder of the president was a huge blow for the nation. Grief engulfed the country. Many mourned his death, especially poets, authors, and song writers. A well-known poet, Walt Whitman wrote, “O Captain! My Captain!” after President Abraham Lincoln’s death. This poem became one of his most famous poems.
Whitman greatly admired Lincoln. A fun fact: Whitman was very particular about the appearance of his poems and paid attention to detail of spelling and punctuation. He even went as far as tearing out the page of an edition of his poem and mailed it back to the publishers with his corrections!

Submitted by Shelley Hun

Who Am I? For I Am Many…

I just read Pablo Neruda’s poem We Are Many and I absolutely love this poem. I, like many others, I believe, can relate to this poem. Neruda explores how we all have different sides of us. After reading the poem and reflecting on it I thought of different times in my life where I wanted to be one way and acted another just like Neruda writes about in lines 5-8 “when everything seems to be set to show me off as intelligent, the fool I always keep hidden takes over all that I say”.

I also think Neruda captured pure self dissection. In the lines 21-24 where he writes “all the books I read are full of dazzling heroes, always sure of themselves, I die with envy of the” Neruda captured the feelings of admiration's of those who are great. I don’t know about anyone else but, I often envy those “heroes” of the world, the super and the every day. All in all the message I perceived from this poem is “who am I, for I am many”…

After reading this poem I decided to Google some other works by Neruda and here is a poem I found that I believe is probably one of the best poems I have ever read.

Tonight I can Write

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.

Write, for example, 'The night is shattered,
and the blue stars shiver in the distance.'

The night wind revolves in the sky and sings.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.

Through nights like this one I held her in my arms.
I kissed her again and again under the endless sky.

She loved me, and sometimes I loved her too.
How could one not have loved her great still eyes?

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
To think that I do not have her. To feel that I have lost her.

To hear the immense night, still more immense without her,
And the verse falls to the soul like dew to the pasture.

What does it matter that my love could not keep her.
That night is shattered and she is not with me.

This is all. In the distance someone is singing. In the distance.
My soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.

My sight searches for her as though to go to her.
My heart looks for her, and she is not with me.

The same night whitening the same trees.
We, of that time, are no longer the same.

I no longer love her, that is certain, but how I loved her.
My voice tried to find the wind to touch her hearing.

Another's. She will be another's. Like my kisses before.
Her voice. Her bright body. Her infinite eyes,

I no longer love her, that is certain, but maybe I love her.
Love is so short, forgetting is so long.

Because through nights like this one I held her in my arms
my soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.

Though this be the last pain that she makes me suffer,
and these the last verses that I write for her.

Submitted by Samantha Graziano

Everyone is different

I really liked the poem by Pablo Neruda entitled We Are Many which is about how everyone has different faces and how everyone is different. It also shows how different people have different outlooks on certain situations based on previous experiences. For example if someone goes on a cruise and it rains the entire time, you might say the cruise was horrible not true the cruise wasn't horrible the weather was. This goes to show you that you can have the same identical situation and one person has a good experience and the other has a bad experience now the person who had the bad experience will handle those future situations differently than the person who had a good experience.

Submitted by Robert Fisk

A Different Side of Edgar Allen Poe

I enjoyed reading Edgar Allen Poe's "Annabel Lee" because I saw a softer and more human side to Edgar Allen Poe who supposedly wrote this poem in memory of his wife who had died. I like this poem because it showed the readers how much he missed his wife and that his love for her still remains after death. I have read other works of Edgar Allen Poe such as The Tell Tale Heart, The Raven, and The Cask of Amontillado which were all short stories. All of these works that I had read from Edgar Allen Poe were stories that were disturbing and borderline grotesque. That is why I was surprised when I read the poem "Annabel Lee" because it was different and I think poetry helped Edgar Allen Poe show readers a more humane and relatable side to him.

Submitted by Laura Farley

The Road Not Taken

My favorite poem I have read so far was Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken." This poem got me really thinking about how many choices I have taken in life that have changed the road my life is going down. I realized that a decision I make may seem like a good idea at the time but in the long run it may not end up being so good. When I read this poem I visualized two roads and me standing there thinking of where they will end up. Usually when you look down a path it bends somewhere so you cannot see where it will end but you can see a short amount of what it looks like. This is true for when it comes to life decisions you make. I may not have made all of the best decisions throughout my life but the road must end somewhere, even if there are a few more splits along the way, you inevitably choose where it ends.

Submitted by Stephanie Corbett

This Unit I really enjoyed Poe's "Anabel Lee".

There were such strong lyrics of love and lost that created a vivid image of the strong bond that love and love lost experiences. Poe speaks of how he knows it was the jealousy of the universe that they would have such an envious love, he had it taken, stolen in the "chilling" night. My favorite part of the poem is:

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

The reason I love these lyrics of the poem are his ability to make me feel that he genuinely does not experience life the way he did with her. The moon will never represent the same thing as it once did, for not it brings him dreams of what he once had. He states the stars never rise and shine on him anymore, not the way they did before, he remembers Anabel lee and her bright eyes which were brighter to him then any set of stars in the universe. His devotion to her makes me feel the love and pain that he experienced as he lost her. His pain creates the idea of needing to blame the loss on someone, SOMETHING, and he chooses the heavens above, how having such love on earth made the heavens jealous as well as the demons below. Something that precious is not allowed to be enjoyed on earth, not on this realm.

Poe's words show not only his fascination with death as he does in other poems of his, but the magnitude of loss he experienced. He has the ability to show how strong love feels but how devastating losing love is too. That is impressive to convey two extremely strong emotions clearly in text.

Submitted by M

Flip of A Coin...Which Side Will You Get???

I really liked Neruda's Poem We are Many. It was easy to relate too. I believe we all have multiple faces. Depending on life circumstances depends on who someone may see. As the reader I understood and could relate to Neruda's question of self,and who he really was,within?!?! My favorite line of the poem is" I would like to know if others go through the same things that I do,have as many selves as I have,and see themselves similarly". I think we can all relate to this poem at many points in our lives. We are all made with a common thread:)

Submitted by Alyssa Rutherford

The Case of the Bursting Bubble

So I read the poem by William Shakespeare as assigned, it was entitled "Let me not to the marriage of true minds". I really liked the poem. I am happily married, have been for 28 years this year, I believe my husband is my solemate, I know he is my best friend. I was so pleased with the poem of how everlasting true love is. A poem about marriage and fidelity, it was moving and beautiful. Sometimes the younger couples forget that a marriage is a commitment, its a throw away society, true love everlasting is rare, multiple marriages are common. "Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom, If this be error and upon me proved, I never writ, nor no man ever loved." What conviction, what a beautiful poem, how strong must good old Will feel about his true love to write such a poem, how strong is the commitment he feels for his wife? "I never writ, nor no man ever loved", NOW THAT IS CONVICTION.......I bet you can tell that the bubble part is coming soon can't you? So I write on the black board how impressed I am in the strength of old Wills love, how beautiful was the poem I read.......Then the bubble.....Professor says, its a great poem, amazing it was written by a man who was said to have cheated on his wife..WHAT????? duped again...how many times do we believe these public outbursts of love and fidelity? Why do they feel they need to post that which is not true, I guess it starts from the top....the assurances of innocence."I did not have sex with that women"....A certain golfer who did not cheat on his wife...a vice president candidate who "DID NOT" father a child while his wife was dying......oh sad sad sad...et tu William???

Submitted by Margaret Russo

Poe Annabel Lee

"Annabel Lee" by Edgar Allen Poe was one of my favorite poems we have read by far. I love how the poem flows so seamlessly with the meter and rhyming. Poe is one of my favorite writers he is very to the point with his writing. He doesn't beat around to bush so to speak using tons of similes and metaphors that need to be decoded. Male poets from the 18 and 1900s know how to express their feeling about love and despair as opposed to men in this day and age. The poets make it seem that true love actually existed at one point in time. I can not stand when a poem has no rhyme or reason, literally and figuratively speaking.

Submitted by Lauren Pike

How I Met My Husband

I really enjoyed Alice Munro's short story How I Met My Husband. I would Definitely recommend it to someone else. I felt like I could relate to the main character Edie. I feel as though many women would relate to Edie as well. When you are younger,you are naive. You have hope for love and when you think you have it,you believe it will never end. I know when I was younger I wasted too much time and energy on the wrong "men",much like Chris Watters. "Men" who never followed through on their promises. Like Edie I lost faith in the idea love.

Much to my surprise...I met my husband when I least expected it. I wasn't looking for love,but it sure found me. My husband restored my faith in men,and made me realize they are not all the same.

Looking back it is funny how things turn out. We now have 2 children. Clayton 4 years old and Lauren 6 months old. I hope to teach my son and daughter respect,not only for themselves but for people throughout their lives.

"Treat others the way you want to be treated"

Submitted by Alyssa Rutherford

Sonny's Blues & Fire

Baldwins story Sonny"s Blues was really interesting to me. It reminded me of a book I read entitled "The Corner", the story was a year in the life of an inner city neighborhood, the corner was in Baltimore. The story was similar to that of Sonny trying to escape from the streets of Harlem, without addiction or a record. Like Sonny, most of the characters in The Corner did not escape unscathed from Baltimore, they did not escape at all. Just attempt after attempt to clean up their act, only to fall victim to the drug and street life once again. I find reading about these people sad yet captivating. I found I could not put the textbook down until I finished the story of Sonny and his brother and I found that I actually wanted to read more and find out what happened next. It was sort of a tease, did Sonny straighten up? Did his music provide him an out? Did he remain a victim of Harlem forever? What about his relationship with his brother? Many unanswered questions.......

The story "To Build A Fire" was also another one to captivate me, I was suprized how much I was rooting for the dog in the story and how little sympathy I felt for the man. Does that make me a bad human being or a huge animal fan? I actually think if the man was a nicer person and was not so mean to the dog I would have felt sorry for him, however, it is hard to feel compassion for an arrogant animal abuser. I do hate that he froze to death, a horrible price to pay for anyone, but I was relieved that the dog survived.

Submitted by Margaret Russo

Pilots and Pianos

I enjoyed reading Alice Munro’s How I Met My Husband. I liked how she portrayed the characters in the story, even the annoying, nosy Loretta Bird. It was easy to get into the story and follow Edie’s memories. I felt sympathetic towards Edie, up until she comes to the conclusion about the letter. I don’t think you can blame her for what happens. She’s young and mostly naïve, which gets her into even worse trouble back at the house when Alice finds out. She’s asked if they were intimate, and Edie answers yes, thinking it just means kissing. Edie does come out of the situation for the better, though. Although at first she waits for the letter, she doesn't wait forever, and she meets her husband because of it.

I would probably recommend this to someone to read, and I wouldn’t mind reading other stories by Alice Munro.
Sonny’s Blues, on the other hand, I had trouble getting into. I am not quite sure why, but it took me a bit. At first I didn’t like it, and put the book down for a few days, then came back to it and started over. In the end I did enjoy it, especially the last part (from where Sonny and his brother are in the apartment, to the end). I would try reading something else by James Baldwin.

Submitted by Jessica Rais

Sonny's Blues

My favorite short story so far was "Sonny's Blues." I loved how the brother told the story from his point of view but in the end we got to see it a bit more from Sonny's point of view. I had a cousin who died of a heroine overdose so this story put her story into perspective for me. Everyone has a reason for the things they do, its just that we don't always know or understand what the reasoning is. People struggle with addictions everyday but I could never fully understand why my cousin did what she did. Addicts have a hard time seeing their lives without their addiction, which is probably the hardest thing to overcome. So this story was extremely enlightening for me in that respect.

Submitted by Lauren Pike

10 for Sonny

Hello, everyone!

On the scale 1 to 10 "Sonny's Blues" gets 10 plus! It is hard to be very specific about the reasons for it, but it is definitely the story that touched me the most. Feels that it's extremely relevant to the times we live in, and although I personally cannot relate to the drug addiction theme, the pain the older brother feels for Sonny breaks my heart. Maybe because I also have an older brother... Do you think that the narrator had done enough to prevent Sonny from going down the hill? Or there was nothing at all that he could have done and it was bound to happen regardless of all his efforts? I tend to think there wasn't much the older brother could had done. We all have our own journeys to travel and Sonny was so set on his...It must be quite a burden for someone in their early twenties to become a role model and a caregiver to a younger sibling. I would be scared to death...And what about your own expectations, plans, etc.? I think the narrator took his mother's words too literally. All she was asking for was "to hold on to your brother" meaning not to loose the connection with him. By making it his own responsibility not to let anything happen to Sonny, the narrator made his load so much heavier.

The events in the story feel very real to me, as something that could be happening in your own family. Real issues, real fears, real losses.

This is my first reading of James Baldwin...But definitely not the last.

Submitted by Aksana Norman

Short Story of the Month club

My top two picks are definitely the A&P by John Updike, and The Storm by Kate Chopin. First I’ll talk about the A&P, if you like stories based in the 1950s era, this is a story for you. I could almost feel Sammy’s frustrations throughout entire story. The setting was clearly defined by the author even though I never lived in the 1950s reading this story made me feel like I had. The way you know how the town’s people are, president upon president generation after generation centered on conservative and uptight views of life in general. Clearly setting the tone describing the beautiful girls and their mysterious clothing, as for today, if girls were to walk into a store dressed like that no one would even turn around and bat an eye. And the reason its acceptable today are because of more and more Sammy’s in the world. You could completely feel the intolerance of everyone in that store, except for Sammy felt towards the girls. The author did a great job of painting such a clear picture of the story, made me feel like I rooted for Sammy, questioning society and its harsh judgment on individuality. I am already trying to find more stories by John Updike. Another fan favorite for me was The Storm by Kate Chopin. The author in my opinion makes me feel like 2 wrongs make a right. Now generally I am not for adultery, but you feel like the only way Calixta could be happy, and Alcee could feel secure with him with his family being away would be for this growing lust over many years. My favorite line in the whole story, without giving too much away is the very last line, “so the storm passed and everyone was happy.” It sets the tone for the author’s originality to let the weather set the tone for each up and down of this story. I believe that he is referring the author is trying to get across that every character and this story benefited from a usual family wrecking event to something more beautiful and earth shattering.

Submitted by Jennifer Morgan

Normal Appearances

The Storm by Kate Chopin is about the normal appearances of a woman performing her wifely and motherly duties. A raging storm brings an old friend to her doorstep. The sexual tension and conflicts that develops through out the encounter are comparable to the sexual tendencies of adolescence in high school. Passion, lust, and desire are not only part of human sexuality, but are primal. It does not matter what century you live in, human nature is sexually active. Whether you act on your sexuality or suppressed it that is a personal matter. Chopin wrote about females and their sexuality when it was inappropriate in society. I was surprised reading this short story. Chopin was a head of her time and she knew it. Kudos!

Submitted by Kate Misler

Ernest Hemingway, A Clean, Well-Lighted Place

I honestly did not enjoy reading this story. The style of his writing was sort of hard to follow and wasn't very clear as to who was speaking when. I think i would've enjoyed it more if he had used a different style of writing.

Submitted by Keiley Mays

Sonny's Sleepy Story Gives Me The Blues

I actually enjoyed all the short stories that I've read so far except for this one. I didn't care for this story at all. As a matter of fact, I not only lost interest, but it was hard for me to continue reading and to concentrate regarding the theme and important details of the story. I understand how the author was trying to show us the differences between the brothers and that the expression of music is an art in itself, but the story line dragged in many spots. If I didn't have to write about this story, I definitely would not have finished reading it. In general, I love to read so I would like to read something else from this author just to see if maybe this just wasn't his best work.

Submitted by Cindylou Lyons

A&P and Fire

I enjoyed the short stories “A&P” and “To Build a Fire.” One reason I enjoyed “A&P,” was because I identified with Sammy. Although I have not rebelled in this way, I have felt the need to be more independent. I also identified with the phase where teenagers think adults are old fashioned, out of touch with times and don’t “get it.” Even though Sammy lived in the 1960's, teenagers are still going through the same struggles to become independent and grow up. “To Build a Fire,” brought out some anger in me. I was initially angry with the nameless man because he was arrogant and tried to kill the dog. After reading many of post on our discussion forum, I came to understand why the man tried to kill the dog. I also realized that although the man was arrogant, his greatest weakness was probably his naivety. I believe if we are faced with life and death situations we might do something we wouldn’t think we were capable of doing. I once saw a series on Discovery Channel on how people have survived in unbelievable situations. In one episode, a man stranded at sea for more than a month, ate the eyes of fish to survive because he knew he couldn’t drink the sea water. I thought how disgusting that was, but realized he was using his survival instincts. I suppose most of us faced with these kinds of situations would come to the point where we’d do the same thing.

Submitted by Kelsey Hynes

Enjoyed A Clean, Well Lighted Place

I really enjoyed reading A Clean, Well-Lighted Place by Ernest Hemingway. I thought it was interesting how the older waiter had made connections with the old man. He seemed to really understand him and sympathize with him. I agree with the waiter that a clean, pleasant, well-lit café IS a sanctuary for those that want to escape the dark and nothingness. Bars could not possibly help someone in that state of mind. It’s an escape.
I also liked Hemingway’s style of writing. The conversation was short and to the point however had deeper meaning. I had to read the story a few times to realize why people needed the café. I would without a doubt recommend this selection to someone else. It’s a short, interesting story that will give you an insight and understanding to those bums that like to stay late at cafés. I would read another work by Hemingway. His style of writing is short and involves conversations. I enjoy reading short stories that are quite short but still interesting.

Submitted by Shelley Hun

THE OTHER ONE’S WHO HURT

Out of all the short stories I have read thus far, “Sonny’s Blues” was the story that I found myself relating to. This short story told the story of heroin addiction from the other side, which ultimately is my side. My side, because I have dealt with having someone in my life who was a heroin addict. My cousin, who is like my sister, was an addict for five years. Reading this story made old emotions arise again. My cousin has been clean for nine months now, but anyone who knows about heroin addiction knows that that can change in an instant.

I have never been one to really understand the whys and the hows of addicts and I have never heard anyone else’s story from my side before reading this short story. Although this was only a story, as I read it, I felt like finally there is someone else out there who knows what it feels like to go through what I have. This story explained the darkness that we, the other ones, feel.

I try like the older brother did, to talk to my cousin about the addiction, but ultimately I like Sonny’s older brother will never truly understand. The only thing we understand that there are other one’s who hurt, other than our addict love ones.

I was thinking of having my cousin read this story. I know she has no idea what it feels like to be in my shoes and maybe this short story would shed some light. I know this story will not “cure” her, but the only thing I can do is hope, just like Sonny’s brother hopes that that piano and that music will somehow “cure” Sonny….

Submitted by Samantha Graziano

The genius of a short story

When I read Jack London's To Build A Fire I knew I would like the story from the first paragraph to the last sentence because it has to do with something I personally find interesting which is Survival. I watch Bear Grylls Man vs Wild and some other survival shows and have learned to respect the elements because unlike people the elements don't care whether you live or die and if you can avoid situations where you could be stranded and possibly die. For example don't jump out of a perfectly good plane only to parachute to the ground because there is always that off chance the parachute won't open. In the story To Build A Fire the title is perfect for the story I couldn't think of a better name for it, the man who is trying to make it to the mining camp fails to build a fire which causes him to die. I would recommend this story to anyone who wants to read about adventure, life, death, irony, this story has a lot of good qualities to it and is strongly written it is truly one of the best short stories I have ever read and should serve as a professional example for anyone studying English. I have read White Fang and Call of the Wild both written by Jack London he seemed to go through a period of writing about adventure I think partially because he was born in California in 1876 which wasn't long after the California Gold Rush of 1848. Even today anything having to do with adventure and money on television does well Gold Rush on Discovery channel which is about Americans who are out of work traveling to Alaska to dig for gold and hopefully strike it rich and Storage Wars which is about people who buy storage units at auction an only hope there are riches to be found within the storage unit.

Submitted by Robert Fisk

Laura's Take on How I Met My Husband

I really like Alice Munroe's, How I Met My Husband. I liked the author's style of writing because she made the story enjoyable and easy to read. I would recommend this story to adolescent teens because I feel that they could relate to the character Edie who is very young, inexperienced and naive about life. At the end of the story the reader is able to see Edie's character start to mature and realize that Chris, the man she thought she was in love with, was not going to send her a letter and he never intended to send one. I think that the readers will be able to learn an important message in this story which is to not let people take advantage of your naivety. I would definitely read more of her stories because iIfeel that she writes things so that the reader such as me can relate.

Submitted by Laura Farley

In(Human)e Survival

My favorite story we have read so far is To Build a Fire by Jack London. The story shows human ignorance at his best. The man made the decision to go off on his own even after he was told by a wiser man who had traveled the trail before not to go. He thought he was indestructible and it was proven that mother nature was able to take him down. I feel that the man in this story represents a lot of people in this world. Also in the story when the man decided he was going to attempt to kill his dog for survival which was his only reasonable choice to beat death. But he had made this decision too late he was already too frozen because he was too stubborn to make multiple stops and build a fire to thaw out. It angered me when he was going to kill the dog because I find that very inhumane but it was a life and death choice. I found the story itself to be a very interesting one.

Submitted by Stephanie Corbett

A Clean, Well Lighted Place

A Clean, Well Lighted Place by Ernest Hemingway is story about an older man who visits a cafe on a daily basis. He sits there alone and drinks brandy until he is so drunk that he passes out. He is a well kept man and isn't much of a bother at all, except to one of the younger waiters. This young waiter believes the man is a nuisance. He is incredibly rude to the man and for no reason other than he is selfish man that wants to go home. I waitressed before and I can most certainly understand the frustration of having a late night customer that ties up your table and keeps you from getting home. Never though, have I ever treated anyone the way this young waiter treated this older man. I was appalled at rude remarks, especially when he said he should have killed himself. The audacity of this young boy to think that he was any better or more important was quite shocking. You never know what another person has been through that gets them to the place they are today. I believe you should treat people the same, if not better, than the way you would like to be treated. I think the young waiters behavior was completely uncalled for. The other waiter, who is older can empathize with the man. He understands that sometimes you need a home away from home. A place to feel comfortable and collect your thoughts. I very much like the fact that he stood up for the man and plead his case, even though the young waiter still didn't care. I enjoyed reading this story by Hemingway. I think that it was well written and makes you think. I have always heard good things about Hemingway and his works, however I haven't read much by him. I remember having to read "The Old Man and the Sea" by Hemingway as a summer reading assignment in high school. I thought it was the most boring book ever and it kind of turned me away from his work. I was less than thrilled when I found out I was reading something else by him but it turns out I enjoyed it. Perhaps I will try reading something by him again, maybe even "The Old Man and the Sea." I'm older now and my perspective on things have changed, I think I might enjoy it. Interesting that I think that, especially since how the way you view things when your older is different from when your younger is one of the themes of the story.

I found an adaption of this story. I think they did a pretty good job with it. I hope everyone enjoys.

Submitted by Christina Carbone

His Pride Killed Him

This traveler creates so many errors. Not only did he disregard the guidance of the old-timer from Sulphur Creek, who cautioned him that "no man must travel alone in the Klondike after fifty below", but he also makes every determination to diminish his probabilities of triumph. He could have decided not to take part in this journey and he could have turned back. His central flaws were not remaining put long enough and not preparing himself adequately for his travel. His downright major blunder was making the journey at all. In the end it was his pride that killed him. He thought he would have nothing to worry about and could do it alone. Instead of bringing a partner alongside him, he decided to bring a husky that didn’t help him when he needed it.

Submitted by Diane Caimares