The Tell-Tale Heart, by Edgar Allan Poe, is a short story about a man who kills an older man because of his "Evil Eye", then brags about his 'sanity'. He says he is completely sane because of his careful actions and thorough disposal of the body; this could definitely spark controversy. Was he legitimately insane? Sane? Was he hallucinating the whole thing? Is it a dream?
It's interesting how the narrator says that the old man has never wronged him before the story takes place. This poses the question: "Is it really that necessary to kill someone because of their eye?" (Well, things that annoy you enough COULD make you want to do something about it...) But I'm not saying that killing him was the right thing to do. Also, the killer waits eight days until he takes action, signifying that he might have had some form of conscience, but when the old man wakes up and our killer sees the eye, it puts him over the top and he loses control.
Ok, so in the text Mr. McCarthy gave us, the part where the storyteller dismembers the body is cut out. This is HUGE because it tells us a whole bunch about him, that he would take his time out to cut off the head and limbs of the old man.
The next morning, the killer "hears" (or hallucinates) a beating heart, forcing him to confess to the police (I think out of guilt).
According to wikipedia.com and other superstitions, death watch beetles bang their heads against a wall to make a sound similar to a heartbeat when death is near.
"I kept quite still and said nothing. For a whole hour I did not move a muscle, and in the meantime I did not hear him lie down. He was still sitting up in the bed listening;—just as I have done, night after night, hearkening to the death watches in the wall."
May 14, 2011
May 2, 2011
A Possiblly Disappointing Story
A mild September wind blew over Chicago. The air was cool and crisp. The afternoon sun's life was dwindling. Four sixteen year-olds wandered through the Marquette Park playground looking for anything to occupy their time.
"So... whaddya guys wanna do?" questioned Sam. He was tall, peachy in complexion, and had deep blue eyes.
"I don't know, something. If you haven't noticed, tomorrow's the last day of summer vacation." snapped Lewis, an African American with caramel skin. He was stocky in figure from two years of playing football.
"I can't believe it's almost the last day already." Lyle said. "It went by WAY too fast. It's ridiculous."
The fourth teenager, Rainn, was Lyle's twin sister. They looked similar; both were slender in figure and bore emerald eyes, and both acted similar; Lyle was a boy version of Rainn and Rainn was a girl version of Lyle.
As the rest of the sun hid behind the horizon, and the streetlights began to light up, the gang of teenagers spotted a woman quickly walking down the sidewalk. She looked as if she were out of breath. At the corner from which she came, a suspicious man now revealed himself from behind the building. He appeared to be chasing her...
The teenagers knew the man was up to no good. As the four students continued to watch the stranger, he moved in closer on the woman. Common sense told Sam to call the police. *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* Busy. He tried again. *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* Busy again.
“Typical Chicago…” he thought. “Nothing,” he said aloud.
“What should we do? Just forget it or… what?” asked Rainn.
“Nah, can’t let that happen” Lewis said, sounding heroic. “Let’s go see what he’s up to. Rainn, you go talk to the lady. We’ll confront this creep… He walked off towards the man and the lady, and the rest of us reluctantly followed.
Rainn approached the woman cautiously. “Ma’am? Are you alright?”
“Just gotta get away…” she mumbled.
“Is he causing you trouble?”
Her answer stunned Rainn and even made her laugh.
Meanwhile, the guys closed in on the ‘creep’ and Sam asked,
“Sir?” Ignore. “Sir!” he tried again.
“What? What do you want, kid?”
“May I ask what you are doing?”
“Tryin’ to catch this lady…” he said.
“And why?”
“Gotta ask her a question.”
“Something’s wrong,” Lyle told his friends. It was the twin telepathy thing. Having been walking backwards, he turned around and saw his twin sister flailing both of her arms at him, as if it was some kind of signal.
“Keep an eye on this guy,” he said as he changed direction. He ran up to talk to converse with his sister.
Moments later, he, Rainn and the woman returned. Lyle bore a stupid look on his face and asked the man,
“Uh… hehe… so what was the question you were gonna ask?”
“I was going to ask… ” he started with a deep, gruff voice. “Would you like to buy some cookies to help my daughter’s school pay for new sports equipment?” His voice lightened up to relieve the tension. He pulled out a booklet with all kinds of delicious goodies on it. Sam and Lewis stood with jaws on the floor.
“I told you we shouldn’t have done anything,” bragged Rainn.
“Yeah… see, sir, we thought you were gonna do something bad to this woman.” Lewis said, regretfully.
“Oh, I would never!” he exclaimed. “So, ma’am,” he continued, “would you like to buy something?” he questioned.
“No, thank you.” she said politely.
“Thank you for your time.” the man responded. The complete strangers walked opposite ways.
“Well, this has been an absolute misfire.” Sam commented.
“Well, at least the police didn’t answer…” Lyle said as the last streetlight illuminated on the busy Chicago street.
"So... whaddya guys wanna do?" questioned Sam. He was tall, peachy in complexion, and had deep blue eyes.
"I don't know, something. If you haven't noticed, tomorrow's the last day of summer vacation." snapped Lewis, an African American with caramel skin. He was stocky in figure from two years of playing football.
"I can't believe it's almost the last day already." Lyle said. "It went by WAY too fast. It's ridiculous."
The fourth teenager, Rainn, was Lyle's twin sister. They looked similar; both were slender in figure and bore emerald eyes, and both acted similar; Lyle was a boy version of Rainn and Rainn was a girl version of Lyle.
As the rest of the sun hid behind the horizon, and the streetlights began to light up, the gang of teenagers spotted a woman quickly walking down the sidewalk. She looked as if she were out of breath. At the corner from which she came, a suspicious man now revealed himself from behind the building. He appeared to be chasing her...
The teenagers knew the man was up to no good. As the four students continued to watch the stranger, he moved in closer on the woman. Common sense told Sam to call the police. *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* Busy. He tried again. *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* Busy again.
“Typical Chicago…” he thought. “Nothing,” he said aloud.
“What should we do? Just forget it or… what?” asked Rainn.
“Nah, can’t let that happen” Lewis said, sounding heroic. “Let’s go see what he’s up to. Rainn, you go talk to the lady. We’ll confront this creep… He walked off towards the man and the lady, and the rest of us reluctantly followed.
Rainn approached the woman cautiously. “Ma’am? Are you alright?”
“Just gotta get away…” she mumbled.
“Is he causing you trouble?”
Her answer stunned Rainn and even made her laugh.
Meanwhile, the guys closed in on the ‘creep’ and Sam asked,
“Sir?” Ignore. “Sir!” he tried again.
“What? What do you want, kid?”
“May I ask what you are doing?”
“Tryin’ to catch this lady…” he said.
“And why?”
“Gotta ask her a question.”
“Something’s wrong,” Lyle told his friends. It was the twin telepathy thing. Having been walking backwards, he turned around and saw his twin sister flailing both of her arms at him, as if it was some kind of signal.
“Keep an eye on this guy,” he said as he changed direction. He ran up to talk to converse with his sister.
Moments later, he, Rainn and the woman returned. Lyle bore a stupid look on his face and asked the man,
“Uh… hehe… so what was the question you were gonna ask?”
“I was going to ask… ” he started with a deep, gruff voice. “Would you like to buy some cookies to help my daughter’s school pay for new sports equipment?” His voice lightened up to relieve the tension. He pulled out a booklet with all kinds of delicious goodies on it. Sam and Lewis stood with jaws on the floor.
“I told you we shouldn’t have done anything,” bragged Rainn.
“Yeah… see, sir, we thought you were gonna do something bad to this woman.” Lewis said, regretfully.
“Oh, I would never!” he exclaimed. “So, ma’am,” he continued, “would you like to buy something?” he questioned.
“No, thank you.” she said politely.
“Thank you for your time.” the man responded. The complete strangers walked opposite ways.
“Well, this has been an absolute misfire.” Sam commented.
“Well, at least the police didn’t answer…” Lyle said as the last streetlight illuminated on the busy Chicago street.
March 26, 2011
On The Reservation
Montana 1948...
I cannot lie, by the cover (and) the title, I honestly thought the book would be boring, (and I'm pretty sure others did as well) but I was wrong. I did not think there would be so much 'drama', if you will.
As read in the beginning of the first part, life sometimes was not easy due to the harsh conditions of the reservation. According to wikipedia.com, average daily temperature can reach as high as about 85 ºF in July and as low as about 28 ºF in January. Not too bad, I guess. But then again, the hottest recorded temperature was 117 °F on July 20, 1893, and the coldest was on January 20, 1954, at -70 °F.
Specifically, on the reservations, one climatic factor affected large areas. The dryness of the soil made it extremely difficult to farm, because the economy is largely based on agriculture, and the hot, dry winds made it worse.
I think I would have the same view on the Uncle Frank thing as David. (At the time of this post I am beginning Part Three) He doesn't know whether to put it in the back of his mind or deal with it forwardly. In the book, when he visits his grandparents, David goes out hunting and sees his father and Uncle Frank arguing. He says he could have shot Frank then and there (I definitely would not have gone to this extreme, nor even thought about it), but when he sees Wes and Frank shaking hands and walking off together, he abandons the thought.
(Just a little fun fact-Bentrock is fictional. Recently figured this out. Don't remember if they explained in the book; hope nobody knew this already, hehe) Here's a picture of real Indian Reservations in Montana-
(Just a little fun fact-Bentrock is fictional. Recently figured this out. Don't remember if they explained in the book; hope nobody knew this already, hehe) Here's a picture of real Indian Reservations in Montana-
February 19, 2011
Propaganda 2011
Propaganda
–noun
–noun
1.
information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc. (dictionary.com)
When I think propaganda, I almost instantly think back the World History class I took at my old high school. Around April or May we began to talk about Europe and World War 2. In the textbook there were all kinds of pictures aiming to influence people to back for a certain country or whether or not to let women fight in the war. A common picture-
When I think propaganda, I almost instantly think back the World History class I took at my old high school. Around April or May we began to talk about Europe and World War 2. In the textbook there were all kinds of pictures aiming to influence people to back for a certain country or whether or not to let women fight in the war. A common picture-
Dictionary.com's second definition of propaganda-
–noun
2.
the deliberate spreading of such information, rumors, etc.
Keyword- "RUMORS"!
I couldn't find any obvious propaganda on Google images that I knew was CERTAINLY false, and i didn't want to put anything that I wasn't sure about, then get targeted by the police or something, so I chose not to.
As for propaganda in 2011, Election Day is Tuesday, and we are seeing all kinds of mayoral "propaganda". An important question someone might ask is "Do you think propaganda now and then is still pretty much the same?" And my answer to that would be Somewhat yes. I think some quality things about the posters, radio advertisements, and now T.V. commercials have changed, but the main point of the actual things has stayed exactly the same.
Another Famous picture-
As for propaganda in 2011, Election Day is Tuesday, and we are seeing all kinds of mayoral "propaganda". An important question someone might ask is "Do you think propaganda now and then is still pretty much the same?" And my answer to that would be Somewhat yes. I think some quality things about the posters, radio advertisements, and now T.V. commercials have changed, but the main point of the actual things has stayed exactly the same.
Another Famous picture-
February 14, 2011
Black Boy Review
At the time of this posting, we are currently through the end of Chapter 4 of one of Richard Wright's books, "Black Boy". Having read the book last year, I know what happens throughout the rest of the novel. Many people would take this as an opportunity to do nothing for the time we are reading it, but I would never. Our recent class discussions have dealt a great deal about getting attention, having it being stolen mostly from his sick grandmother and his now-sick mother.
Richard is often moving from place to place, living with various family members including his mother, aunts, and uncles. He is trying his hardest to adapt to his current living space, when all of a sudden he has to move again. Personally, I don't know of anyone who has moved from place to place or is in and out of foster care, etc., but if I did, I would definitely feel their pain. He is trying to grow up to become as successful and respectful as he can, but the racial tension in this time period set him back a little.
Richard is often moving from place to place, living with various family members including his mother, aunts, and uncles. He is trying his hardest to adapt to his current living space, when all of a sudden he has to move again. Personally, I don't know of anyone who has moved from place to place or is in and out of foster care, etc., but if I did, I would definitely feel their pain. He is trying to grow up to become as successful and respectful as he can, but the racial tension in this time period set him back a little.
January 14, 2011
King Still King?
Ahhh... Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., one of the most important people in the history of America, for his issues with equal rights, integration, and freedom. Of course, we all know that he dealt mostly with the freedom rights of African-Americans, but many people do not know he also fought for other minorities and religious groups that were not treated fairly.
King Still King?
Uh-huh.
Yeah.
Definitely.
Just think- if MLK was born exactly one year later, the world might be an entirely different place right now. One year younger means one more year until college, which means he may have chosen a different path, like science or medicine instead of politics and civil rights. Which means--
Possibly no integration.
Think about it.
King Still King?
Uh-huh.
Yeah.
Definitely.
Just think- if MLK was born exactly one year later, the world might be an entirely different place right now. One year younger means one more year until college, which means he may have chosen a different path, like science or medicine instead of politics and civil rights. Which means--
Possibly no integration.
Think about it.
Interesting Fact- Martin Luther King Jr. led a march in 1966 in Marquette Park, which is literally a block away from my house.
January 10, 2011
Comments on the First Week or Readings
Children of the Sea- This one is probably my favorite so far. I liked how it was an epistolary, a story composed of letters. Since they didn't know they were writing to each other, each passage was almost like a journal entry. The story displays the struggles back in Haiti and on the boat.
We are Ugly, but We are Here- the story of the murdered Queen Anacaona and the generations after. The murders, rapes, and imprisonments are heartbreaking. The story of Jean Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier was sad because it shows how desperate children and families were.
Young, Gifted, and Black- I have many similarities with Hansberry as told in the story. I like riding the train, I live on the south side of Chicago, and also that I have a big age difference between my oldest sister and I.
I Hear America Singing- This story shows how many different people and various different job areas can get through tough times by singing wherever they are. I liked the line, "Each singing what belongs to him or her and to no one else..."
This Sacred Soil- Written by Chief Seattle, "This Sacred Soil" mostly dwells on the idea of the Indian's gods and the "white man's" God, saying that "Your God loves your people and hates mine." and "Our God, the Great Spirit, seems to have forsaken us. Your God makes your people strong every day." and "The white man's God cannot love our people or He would protect them."
So, in conclusion, I liked the first week's passages for the most part. I hope this week's will be better.
We are Ugly, but We are Here- the story of the murdered Queen Anacaona and the generations after. The murders, rapes, and imprisonments are heartbreaking. The story of Jean Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier was sad because it shows how desperate children and families were.
Young, Gifted, and Black- I have many similarities with Hansberry as told in the story. I like riding the train, I live on the south side of Chicago, and also that I have a big age difference between my oldest sister and I.
I Hear America Singing- This story shows how many different people and various different job areas can get through tough times by singing wherever they are. I liked the line, "Each singing what belongs to him or her and to no one else..."
This Sacred Soil- Written by Chief Seattle, "This Sacred Soil" mostly dwells on the idea of the Indian's gods and the "white man's" God, saying that "Your God loves your people and hates mine." and "Our God, the Great Spirit, seems to have forsaken us. Your God makes your people strong every day." and "The white man's God cannot love our people or He would protect them."
So, in conclusion, I liked the first week's passages for the most part. I hope this week's will be better.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)