Monday, February 28, 2011
Journal #37
I thought that parts of the article relating to Whitman and his works were very interesting. At some points, Mark Bauerlein brought up some interesting and valid points regarding some of Whitman's stories, and Bauerlein had a mindset that must be much different than my own. Some of his thoughts I never would have dreamed up; although, to be honest, I would not ever really want to waste my time dreaming about Whitman and his poetry. While I did find some of Mark Bauerlein's points and remarks to be fascinating and eye opening, it was also incredibly boring. He could have said a lot of his opinions in much shorter, simpler terms; for a common reader in our century and in our culture, big long articles such as that are extremely boring to read, and, frankly, no one really wants to read them if they can help it. That is just my opinion; maybe there are high school students that find that sort of stuff fascinating. I, obviously, do not find it very joyous to read and therefore struggled through the article. Also, I do not really like Whitman in general. While Bauerlein did do a great job expressing what Whitman might have been thinking or referring to in some of his poems, it would have been a whole lot more enjoyable for me to read if I actually liked Whitman's poems. I find Whitman to be a self centered writer who focuses on his viewpoint and his viewpoint only, and he blatantly declares that any other mindset is wrong. I think this is incredibly annoying, and biased authors are just not pleasurable to read. Bauerlein also did what I find annoying in literary critics. He analyzed Whitman to death. He took a simple sentence and broke it down into kind of absurd meanings that may have been true; however, he did this quite often. I feel that poetry should be written so that the listener, viewer, or reader can enjoy it and interpret it in their own way, and when poetry is over analyzed, I believe its whole purpose has been destoryed. Bauerlein's article did indeed serve as a useful tool in understanding Whitman's works; however, I do not care much in general about Whitman and therefore found this article much too drawn on and boring.
Whitman and His Sense of Self
Walt Whitman is a poet who changed the course of American poetry forever. His blunt, straightforward way of writing was a shock to some people, and it definitely is what allowed him to become so famous. Whitman, throughout his poetry, was said to search for his own definition of “self.” When reading his poems, I definitely got an idea of what his opinion of his own self was; he was very self-centered and conceited about his accomplishments and his ideas relating to the society and other people around him. By reading his poems “Myself and Mine” and “One Song, America, Before I Go” I was able to kind of pick up a sense of pride he held in his work and his own self, and it was a pride that almost seemed too overwhelming and over exaggerated. Although he may have been trying to explain to his readers how he viewed his own self, I personally thought it came off as much too showy and conceited.
In his poem “Myself and Mine,” Whitman writes about how he feels about certain subjects and people and how others might feel and react (Whitman “Myself”). When reading this, I got the sense that Whitman was extremely conceited. He wrote about situations in which he believed the society was flawed; however, instead of doing this in a respectable way, he was extremely rude and biased (Whitman “Myself”). For example, he wrote, “And who are you-blabbing by rote, years, pages, languages, reminiscences, Unwitting to-day that you do not know how to speak a single word?” (Whitman “Myself”). While I do appreciate people simply expressing their own opinions, I think he did so in a completely unnecessary manner. Most likely referring to people who were thought of highly in the society, he tore their image to pieces by basically saying they spoke nonsense (Whitman “Myself”). I really think he could have done that in way that was not as biased, and, as a result, he would have most likely gained the respect and interest of readers instead of the disgust and conflicts that instead were the reactions of many readers during his time. Whitman was trying to explore the definition of self and wanted to express his own “self,” and through “Myself and Mine” I think he did a pretty terrible job at expressing his own opinions and showing the world what he was about. Unless, however, he wanted to be shown as a selfish, stuck up poet; in that case, he would have succeeded.
The trend continues with his poem “One Song, America, Before I Go.” The title itself, in my opinion, is a brief reflection of the work itself. The title is so self centered, as if Whitman must make one last contribution to America before he can finally leave the earth; he acts like it is his duty to grant America one last song so that we can rest in peace with him gone (Whitman “One”). After inferring this from the title and then reading the poem itself, I realized that my assumption was right. The whole poem is about how he would do all of these great accomplishments before his death so that America can rest happily after his death; we will have been granted the knowledge and opinion of Walt Whitman and, therefore, have nothing left to ask for (Whitman “One”). Whitman displays his sense of “self” by proposing that he has all the right mindsets and facts regarding the government, the nation, and society in general (Whitman “One”). He says that he has the right “formula” to how America should be run, and people just need to see things how he does; then all of our problems would be solved (Whitman “One”). As previously mentioned, if Whitman was trying to display his own “self” as conceited, biased, selfish, and arrogant, he did a wonderful job portraying that. If not, his meaning of “self” may have been lost or misinterpreted on the readers of his poetry.
WORKS CITED
Whitman, Walt. "Myself and Mine." Leaves of Grass. 1990. Web. 24 Feb. 2011..
Whitman, Walt. "One Song, America, Before I Go." Leaves of Grass. 1990. Web. 24 Feb. 2011..
In his poem “Myself and Mine,” Whitman writes about how he feels about certain subjects and people and how others might feel and react (Whitman “Myself”). When reading this, I got the sense that Whitman was extremely conceited. He wrote about situations in which he believed the society was flawed; however, instead of doing this in a respectable way, he was extremely rude and biased (Whitman “Myself”). For example, he wrote, “And who are you-blabbing by rote, years, pages, languages, reminiscences, Unwitting to-day that you do not know how to speak a single word?” (Whitman “Myself”). While I do appreciate people simply expressing their own opinions, I think he did so in a completely unnecessary manner. Most likely referring to people who were thought of highly in the society, he tore their image to pieces by basically saying they spoke nonsense (Whitman “Myself”). I really think he could have done that in way that was not as biased, and, as a result, he would have most likely gained the respect and interest of readers instead of the disgust and conflicts that instead were the reactions of many readers during his time. Whitman was trying to explore the definition of self and wanted to express his own “self,” and through “Myself and Mine” I think he did a pretty terrible job at expressing his own opinions and showing the world what he was about. Unless, however, he wanted to be shown as a selfish, stuck up poet; in that case, he would have succeeded.
The trend continues with his poem “One Song, America, Before I Go.” The title itself, in my opinion, is a brief reflection of the work itself. The title is so self centered, as if Whitman must make one last contribution to America before he can finally leave the earth; he acts like it is his duty to grant America one last song so that we can rest in peace with him gone (Whitman “One”). After inferring this from the title and then reading the poem itself, I realized that my assumption was right. The whole poem is about how he would do all of these great accomplishments before his death so that America can rest happily after his death; we will have been granted the knowledge and opinion of Walt Whitman and, therefore, have nothing left to ask for (Whitman “One”). Whitman displays his sense of “self” by proposing that he has all the right mindsets and facts regarding the government, the nation, and society in general (Whitman “One”). He says that he has the right “formula” to how America should be run, and people just need to see things how he does; then all of our problems would be solved (Whitman “One”). As previously mentioned, if Whitman was trying to display his own “self” as conceited, biased, selfish, and arrogant, he did a wonderful job portraying that. If not, his meaning of “self” may have been lost or misinterpreted on the readers of his poetry.
WORKS CITED
Whitman, Walt. "Myself and Mine." Leaves of Grass. 1990. Web. 24 Feb. 2011.
Whitman, Walt. "One Song, America, Before I Go." Leaves of Grass. 1990. Web. 24 Feb. 2011.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Journal #36
Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal is the delectable, crunchy breakfast food that one's mouth waters for when they just hear its mere name. Cinnamon Toast Crunch is described as "The taste you can see!" It is true; the cinnamon swirls truly are present on every delicious bite that is taken. The little crumbles of sugar that melt in one's mouth are truly sent from heaven. When I wake up in the morning and see that bowl of glittering Cinnamon Toast Crunch sitting there in the bowl full for two percent milk, my brain fills with all of these thoughts of happiness and all of my unhappy mindsets are shattered and thrown away. I make my way quickly to the breakfast table, almost running in joy just so that I can reach my Cinnamon Toast Crunch quicker. I throw myself down into the wooden char, which kind of hurts but it does not even matter because I am one step closer to my glorious meal. I reach down on to the table and pick up the silver spoon, glistening and cool in my hand. Taking a deep breath of excitement, I dip the shiny spoon into the creamy, white milk and fill the trough of the spoon with the golden brown Cinnamon Toast Crunch covered in the milk and slowly lift it to my mouth. As I do so, I am able to smell the cinnamon, the sugar, and the milk; this makes my mouth water even more than it already had been. Rejoicing silently inside my mind, I take the first bite, and I feel as if I am floating around in the ideal heaven. My head swirls with happiness, and my taste buds are singing hallelujah. Every ounce of my body is tingling with pure joy thanks to the splendid taste of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I thank the Lord for creating this wonderful breakfast food; I now know that I can begin my day with the happiest of hearts. Cinnamon Toast Crunch truly is a delectable meal that makes me jump with joy every time I consume that deliciousness.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Journal #35
I do not think I would enjoy being a reporter in a war at all. First of all, I do not enjoy fighting or war in general. I would be absolutely terrified, even though I would obviously not be fighting. I mean, if I was right there in the trenches with the soldiers, the likelihood of something happening or maybe even having to fight myself would probably be kind of logical and probable. I would obviously not enjoy that, and, without prior training as a soldier, I would probably be in some deep trouble if the opposing soldiers attacked. Also, I really do not think I would enjoy the general war environment; like I said, I do not like fighting and I would really hate being in the middle of a war.
It might be kind of cool to be a reporter in the war because you would get to see all the action without necessarily participating in the fighting. However, if I was in the trenches with them, then there is always the chance I could get involved in the fighting, and, like I said, that would definitely be an issue. While it would be cool to be able to show people back home what was going on and experience a life changing experience, I think the terror and the anxiousness of the war itself would be way too overwhelming for me. I would not enjoy it at all.
Another reason why I would not like it is because in the war, you always hear of soldiers who meet people and become good friends with them, but then tragedy strikes and their friend is killed. This seems to be a kind of common trend; I mean, it is the war, and it is sadly not uncommon for people to die. I would not like to see people I had bonded with fight in bloody battles and potentially be killed. Obviously, most people probably feel like that, but let's be honest, it would be an awful thing. If I can prevent it from happening, then I obviously would. Therefore, I just would not want to be a reporter in war; it would be extremely dangerous, not really fun in general, and people I had gotten to know and love would be put in danger and possibly be killed.
It might be kind of cool to be a reporter in the war because you would get to see all the action without necessarily participating in the fighting. However, if I was in the trenches with them, then there is always the chance I could get involved in the fighting, and, like I said, that would definitely be an issue. While it would be cool to be able to show people back home what was going on and experience a life changing experience, I think the terror and the anxiousness of the war itself would be way too overwhelming for me. I would not enjoy it at all.
Another reason why I would not like it is because in the war, you always hear of soldiers who meet people and become good friends with them, but then tragedy strikes and their friend is killed. This seems to be a kind of common trend; I mean, it is the war, and it is sadly not uncommon for people to die. I would not like to see people I had bonded with fight in bloody battles and potentially be killed. Obviously, most people probably feel like that, but let's be honest, it would be an awful thing. If I can prevent it from happening, then I obviously would. Therefore, I just would not want to be a reporter in war; it would be extremely dangerous, not really fun in general, and people I had gotten to know and love would be put in danger and possibly be killed.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Realism Project- "To Build a Fire"
Jack London was an individual from a poor family who did not let any of his family's weaknesses get the best of him ("Meet" 601). An incredibly bright child, London graduated from high school in just one year and set off to college. Although he did not attend four full years of schooling, his knowledge and ability to write stories was incredible. After his first year of college when London traveled to the Yukon to join the Klondike Gold Rush, he experienced many adventures that allowed for even more creativity and ideas to be introduced in his future stories ("Meet" 601).
Jack London's "To Build a Fire" is based on his own experience through the Yukon. This story exhibits both Realism and Naturalism. From just the title alone, one can make the assumption that Naturalism is going to be involved. Naturalism is usually focused around a lower class individual who undergoes many trials in which his own natural strengths are tested as well as his intelligence in order to see if, without luxuries and money, one is really capable of surviving the task set out in front of them (Giles). Based off of solely the title of the story, "To Build a Fire," one can infer that the main character is going to have to face some sort of challenge with nature in order to survive.
As the story begins, the reader finds that, indeed, there is a struggle with nature. As the main character sets out on his journey to find gold, he is faced with many challenges, such as the intense cold weather that is common to the Yukon (Twain 604). The man knew that it was going to be cold and had prepared for it; however, he found that sometimes thinking one can make it through a difficult task is a little bit more challenging than actually acting on it. The man had to plan his trip out carefully, taking note of the sun's positioning and when and where he would have to set up camp each night (Twain 604). Thankfully, he had his husky dog alongside him, which allowed them to share body heat in the night and probably kept them alive through those first few blustering nights (Twain 605). Throughout the story, the man and his dog had to fight through the intense cold, proving that they were indeed using all of their natural skills to "fight" the depths of nature. This portrays Naturalism within the story (Giles).
Realism is also prominent throughout the story. Instead of acting like "superheroes" or relying on God for strength, the man simply did what he believed were the smart things to do at the time, and he would factually note the freezing of his spit and the frost in his mustache (Twain 607). These realistic portrayals throughout the story proved that it was indeed Realism (Diamond). One could say that the man was a hero, another characteristic of Realism, since he was so strong and never gave up in order to accomplish his dream (Diamond). A strong aspect of Realism is also shown at the end of the story, as the man dies and the dog is left alone (Twain 515). This sad and tragic ending after so much hard work and dedication had been put into survival is typical for Realism; things in life do not always work out as they had been planned (Diamond). This also showed the hardships people went through during the Gold Rush; during this time period, many people died while trying to become rich. Although this is extremely sad, it is very realistic; sometimes, nature does defeat the strength of even the most determined human. Jack London's "To Build a Fire" portrayed both Realism and Naturalism as the main character struggled through the Yukon to reach his dream.
WORKS CITED
Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2011).
Giles, James R. "naturalism." In Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds. Encyclopedia of American Literature, Revised Edition: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, Volume 3. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1255&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 9, 2011).
London, Jack. “To Build a Fire.” American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 603-615. Print.
"Meet Jack London." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 601. Print.
Jack London's "To Build a Fire" is based on his own experience through the Yukon. This story exhibits both Realism and Naturalism. From just the title alone, one can make the assumption that Naturalism is going to be involved. Naturalism is usually focused around a lower class individual who undergoes many trials in which his own natural strengths are tested as well as his intelligence in order to see if, without luxuries and money, one is really capable of surviving the task set out in front of them (Giles). Based off of solely the title of the story, "To Build a Fire," one can infer that the main character is going to have to face some sort of challenge with nature in order to survive.
As the story begins, the reader finds that, indeed, there is a struggle with nature. As the main character sets out on his journey to find gold, he is faced with many challenges, such as the intense cold weather that is common to the Yukon (Twain 604). The man knew that it was going to be cold and had prepared for it; however, he found that sometimes thinking one can make it through a difficult task is a little bit more challenging than actually acting on it. The man had to plan his trip out carefully, taking note of the sun's positioning and when and where he would have to set up camp each night (Twain 604). Thankfully, he had his husky dog alongside him, which allowed them to share body heat in the night and probably kept them alive through those first few blustering nights (Twain 605). Throughout the story, the man and his dog had to fight through the intense cold, proving that they were indeed using all of their natural skills to "fight" the depths of nature. This portrays Naturalism within the story (Giles).
Realism is also prominent throughout the story. Instead of acting like "superheroes" or relying on God for strength, the man simply did what he believed were the smart things to do at the time, and he would factually note the freezing of his spit and the frost in his mustache (Twain 607). These realistic portrayals throughout the story proved that it was indeed Realism (Diamond). One could say that the man was a hero, another characteristic of Realism, since he was so strong and never gave up in order to accomplish his dream (Diamond). A strong aspect of Realism is also shown at the end of the story, as the man dies and the dog is left alone (Twain 515). This sad and tragic ending after so much hard work and dedication had been put into survival is typical for Realism; things in life do not always work out as they had been planned (Diamond). This also showed the hardships people went through during the Gold Rush; during this time period, many people died while trying to become rich. Although this is extremely sad, it is very realistic; sometimes, nature does defeat the strength of even the most determined human. Jack London's "To Build a Fire" portrayed both Realism and Naturalism as the main character struggled through the Yukon to reach his dream.
WORKS CITED
Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2011).
Giles, James R. "naturalism." In Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds. Encyclopedia of American Literature, Revised Edition: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, Volume 3. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1255&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 9, 2011).
London, Jack. “To Build a Fire.” American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 603-615. Print.
"Meet Jack London." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 601. Print.
Realism Project- "Richard Cory" and "Miniver Cheevy"
Edwin Arlington Robinson is an incredible Realism author. Born into a family that certainly had many problems, Robinson grew up as a troubled child, wondering by age six why he had even been born ("Meet" 573). As he grew older, he was forced out of college because his family did not have enough money, and this caused him to have to return to a house in which his parents were troubled, one brother was a drug addict, and the other was an alcoholic. All of these factors contributed to Robinson's general overall dislike of life; he was an unhappy man. He felt that poetry was all he had ever been destined to do, and he certainly was talented at it ("Meet" 573).
Robinson's poem "Richard Cory" tells the story of a man who was always well dressed, well mannered, and well liked in general ("Richard" 575). This man seemed happy and content; he was one of those people that seemed to have everything going for him. Then the reader reaches the last line two lines of the poem, "And Richard Cory, one calm sunny night, Went home and put a bullet through his head" ("Richard" 575). This shocking ending is one that is apparently not uncommon for Robinson; often he will tell the tale of someone who seems to have their life so put together that ends up dying or revealing a nasty habit ("Meet" 573). "Richard Cory" is an exemplary form of Realism. Although it might seem a little dramatic or extremely pessimistic, the story it tells is actually is not a rare occurrence. In the newspapers in present day, one always reads about the Valedictorian that commits suicide, or the star football player that pops pills in order to just forget about his unhappiness. While Robinson definitely portrays this hidden unhappiness in an extremely and surprising way, it is realistic, and therefore, a trait of Realism (Diamond). The irony in which the story ends really does apply to situations like this in an everyday environment, classifying it as Realism (Diamond).
"Miniver Cheevy" tells a story similar to "Richard Cory" as a man who appears happy but longing solves his mental conflict by drinking it away ("Miniver" 576). Longing so much for material things and a life he could be proud of, Miniver Cheevy finds himself becoming more and more dissatisfied with his own life, even though it is not awful by any means. He feels that if he wants to forget about his own dull life, he should just drink until the pain is all gone ("Miniver" 576). Unfortunately, this poem, too, presents the Realism writings style; although many do not want to admit it, it is not uncommon for one to drink away their problems. Many middle class individuals look at their lives and see what they could have been as opposed to what they really are, just like the man in the story, and this similarity proves that the poem is definitely a form of Realism (Diamond). Although it may be hard to admit, drinking, suicide, and other forms of ridding oneself of pain and disappointment do not just happen in sad poems, books, or movies. In today's world and in Robinson's time period, people were unhappy with their lives and felt they needed some way to fix it. Robinson did a terrific job of describing the pain and real life situations that many people endure their throughout entire lives, therefore producing two wonderful examples of Realism (Diamond).
WORKS CITED
Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2011).
"Meet Edwin Arlington Robinson." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 573. Print.
Robinson, Edwin A. “Miniver Cheevy.” American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 576. Print.
Robinson, Edwin A. “Richard Cory.” American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 575. Print.
Robinson's poem "Richard Cory" tells the story of a man who was always well dressed, well mannered, and well liked in general ("Richard" 575). This man seemed happy and content; he was one of those people that seemed to have everything going for him. Then the reader reaches the last line two lines of the poem, "And Richard Cory, one calm sunny night, Went home and put a bullet through his head" ("Richard" 575). This shocking ending is one that is apparently not uncommon for Robinson; often he will tell the tale of someone who seems to have their life so put together that ends up dying or revealing a nasty habit ("Meet" 573). "Richard Cory" is an exemplary form of Realism. Although it might seem a little dramatic or extremely pessimistic, the story it tells is actually is not a rare occurrence. In the newspapers in present day, one always reads about the Valedictorian that commits suicide, or the star football player that pops pills in order to just forget about his unhappiness. While Robinson definitely portrays this hidden unhappiness in an extremely and surprising way, it is realistic, and therefore, a trait of Realism (Diamond). The irony in which the story ends really does apply to situations like this in an everyday environment, classifying it as Realism (Diamond).
"Miniver Cheevy" tells a story similar to "Richard Cory" as a man who appears happy but longing solves his mental conflict by drinking it away ("Miniver" 576). Longing so much for material things and a life he could be proud of, Miniver Cheevy finds himself becoming more and more dissatisfied with his own life, even though it is not awful by any means. He feels that if he wants to forget about his own dull life, he should just drink until the pain is all gone ("Miniver" 576). Unfortunately, this poem, too, presents the Realism writings style; although many do not want to admit it, it is not uncommon for one to drink away their problems. Many middle class individuals look at their lives and see what they could have been as opposed to what they really are, just like the man in the story, and this similarity proves that the poem is definitely a form of Realism (Diamond). Although it may be hard to admit, drinking, suicide, and other forms of ridding oneself of pain and disappointment do not just happen in sad poems, books, or movies. In today's world and in Robinson's time period, people were unhappy with their lives and felt they needed some way to fix it. Robinson did a terrific job of describing the pain and real life situations that many people endure their throughout entire lives, therefore producing two wonderful examples of Realism (Diamond).
WORKS CITED
Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2011).
"Meet Edwin Arlington Robinson." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 573. Print.
Robinson, Edwin A. “Miniver Cheevy.” American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 576. Print.
Robinson, Edwin A. “Richard Cory.” American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 575. Print.
Realism Project- "Douglass" and "We Wear the Mask"
Paul Dunbar portrays both Realism and Naturalism through his two poems, "Douglass" and "We Wear the Mask." Born of parents who had been enslaved themselves, Dunbar found himself hearing stories of the hardships of slavery as he grew up ("Meet" 568). He went through a hard time of his own when his father died, Dunbar himself at a young age ("Meet" 568). Dunbar seemed to have continued to hold on to his sorrows for the rest of his life, for in the two poems "Douglass" and "We Wear the Mask," a dark, gloomy, and pessimistic viewpoint seems to be consistently prominent. "Douglass," written about Frederick Douglass, is about the two of them, both African American men to whom slavery had effected quite a bit ("Meet" 568). Douglass and Dunbar traveled together occasionally, since they were both African American poets dealing with common subjects ("Meet" 568). "Douglass," specifically though, is about the hardships they both grew up with and how it seems that the rest of the country seems to be pretending it just did not happen; the white men want to pretend they never treated African Americans so terribly when it obviously took place ("Douglass" 570). Dunbar is disgusted by this, and he feels that everybody is almost faking that everything is okay when really everything could collapse right back down again ("Douglass" 570). "We Wear the Mask" is actually a very interesting poem because it could be related to almost anyone, not just African Americans, although obviously Dunbar intended it to be referring to the African Americans. In it he wrote of the "mask" that he, as well as others like him, put on to make others believe that everything is okay when really things are awful ("We" 571). However, Dunbar feels that the rest of the world does not even necessarily deserve to see the true side of him or anyone else; they obviously do not care enough to really want to see what lies underneath the mask ("We" 571).
Realism is very prominent in these two poems. Each poem describes realistic situations in which Dunbar is facing the negative but still realistic obstacles that still seem to stand in his way, such as segregation. Instead of trying to pretend everything is okay or that it is all better, Dunbar is looking his troubles right in the face and admitting that they are all to real, which definitely is a characteristic of Realism as he expresses it in his poems (Diamond). Dunbar does not exaggerate on his viewpoints; while they might seem extremely troubling or a little too over the edge, that is how he truly did feel, and, as a middle class African American, many other probably agreed with that mindset. Because of this, Realism is definitely portrayed within these two poems (Diamond). Naturalism is also evident. Born to a family of slaves, Dunbar pursued his dreams in writing and became the first African American to make a living solely off of his literature ("Meet" 568). That is truly a rags to riches situation, which Naturalism portrays quite often (Giles). This is an incredible achievement, although he does not necessarily seem happy about it in his poems. Relating back to Realism, even though Dunbar achieved so much, he was still incredibly unhappy, which he wrote about. People were able to see that and relate to him: the reality of his words allowed readers to see the honesty and truthfulness through his pain. "Douglass" and "We Wear the Mast" portray both Realism and Naturalism.
WORKS CITED
Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2011).
Dunbar, Paul L. “Douglass.” American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 570. Print.
Dunbar, Paul L. “We Wear the Mask.” American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 571. Print.
Giles, James R. "naturalism." In Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds. Encyclopedia of American Literature, Revised Edition: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, Volume 3. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1255&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 9, 2011).
"Meet Paul Laurence Dunbar." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 568. Print.
Realism is very prominent in these two poems. Each poem describes realistic situations in which Dunbar is facing the negative but still realistic obstacles that still seem to stand in his way, such as segregation. Instead of trying to pretend everything is okay or that it is all better, Dunbar is looking his troubles right in the face and admitting that they are all to real, which definitely is a characteristic of Realism as he expresses it in his poems (Diamond). Dunbar does not exaggerate on his viewpoints; while they might seem extremely troubling or a little too over the edge, that is how he truly did feel, and, as a middle class African American, many other probably agreed with that mindset. Because of this, Realism is definitely portrayed within these two poems (Diamond). Naturalism is also evident. Born to a family of slaves, Dunbar pursued his dreams in writing and became the first African American to make a living solely off of his literature ("Meet" 568). That is truly a rags to riches situation, which Naturalism portrays quite often (Giles). This is an incredible achievement, although he does not necessarily seem happy about it in his poems. Relating back to Realism, even though Dunbar achieved so much, he was still incredibly unhappy, which he wrote about. People were able to see that and relate to him: the reality of his words allowed readers to see the honesty and truthfulness through his pain. "Douglass" and "We Wear the Mast" portray both Realism and Naturalism.
WORKS CITED
Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2011).
Dunbar, Paul L. “Douglass.” American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 570. Print.
Dunbar, Paul L. “We Wear the Mask.” American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 571. Print.
Giles, James R. "naturalism." In Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds. Encyclopedia of American Literature, Revised Edition: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, Volume 3. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1255&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 9, 2011).
"Meet Paul Laurence Dunbar." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 568. Print.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)