The Tell-Tale Heart

When I first read this story I thought it was interesting, weird and a little creepy. After hearing about what others thought of this story and their analysis on it I learned some really good points.

All throughout out the story the narrator refers to themselves as I. I like many other people just thought the narrator was a man but since the story doesn't say that the narrator could possibly be a woman. In the second paragraph the narrator say, " I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult." The more I think about those couple of lines the more it sounds like the narrator could be a woman.

The narrator obviously goes crazy and has mental problems. Towards the end of the story killing the old man was starting to get to him as he imagines the sound of the old man's heart beat under the floor boards. Throughout the story the narrator says they were nervous which makes it possible the heart beat they hear coming from the floor is just their own.

In the story the narrator's reason for killing the old man was his eye. Although while reading the story I thought the narrator was crazy there was also something that didn't seem bad about them. For a moment I was caught asking myself what did the old man do to make the narrator want to kill him and what does the eye have to do with anything? The narrator states "...for it was not the old man who vexed me but his Evil Eye." This makes since because in many cultures the Evil Eye is real. A person with the evil eye can cause misfortune to people just by looking at them. Maybe the narrator had good reason for killing the old man. Maybe the narrator's mental problems were caused by the old man's evil eye.

Good-Bye is always hard

  

She stood, just staring. She wondered how weird she looked just standing there. She took a break from her fascination to check for any critics. But there were none. There was just the same deserted street she had come into a few moments ago. The sun was setting and the sky was painted with the most beautiful blend of pink and orange she ever saw. The air smelled sweet from the ongoing cookie factory not too far from her. She inhaled the deepest breath she could through her nose and let the sugary scent come into her senses. Once her nose decided it was pleased she turned back to her preoccupation. Her old elementary stood before her.

She imagined what it must look like for preschool and kindergarten students. She imagined it seemed enormous and a little scary. Her mind raced back to when she was in kindergarten, as if it happened yesterday. Weaving her way through all the upper grade kids that seemed to tower her in height, never looking happy to be there.  But now she only saw a familiar sight that felt like her second home. She missed it.

Noise off in the distance caught her attention. Thinking she was hearing things she ignored it. Then she heard the noise again but closer. Knowing now that her ears were not deceiving her she turned in the direction of the noise. A girl who looked to be around her age was walking in her direction. She was short and plump and her short black hair moved with the breeze. At first she thought the girl would walk passed her but as the girl got closer she knew that the girl was walking to her. She didn’t know who this girl was. She tried to pay close attention and try to identify her by her facial features but her memory failed her. Maybe this was a stranger asking for help or some crazy person ……. Or a dangerous person. She forced herself not to come to that conclusion. She decided she was just being crazy because of the stranger danger lessons she got fed as a child. As the girl became within four feet of her she asked

“Sylvia is that you. Do you remember me?”  

I stood there not saying anything. A puzzled look on my face must have informed her of my memory block.

“You seriously didn’t forget me did you? I’m Elizabeth I used to be your best friend..ringing any bells?”

Memories of her old school days with her companion started flooding her brain. She wondered where those memories were a few seconds ago.

“Hey Elizabeth. Wow you look really different.”

She did indeed look different. Her now short black hair was long and brown. Although it was the only thing that changed about her appearance it played as a master of disguise, masking was once used to identify her.

“I know. You would know what I looked like if you kept in touch with me like we said we were going to do.”

“Yeah, everything has just been crazy. Have you visited any of our old teachers?”

“Yeah. I usually come and see them when I’m picking up my little brother or have time to. How about you?”

“I saw them once but only for a few minutes.”

“Well did you just forget about everybody?”

“ NO. I…..”

There goes the question. The one Slyvia wished wasn’t asked. She tossed possible answers around in her head and then decided to really think about the question. It’s not that she forgot. She thought about her past often. There was something that she just didn’t want to revisit. Graduation was the end. Nothing would be the same. She had other things to move on to. So once it was the end she was gone.

“Saying good-bye was just easier I guess.”

The Traveling Song by WILL I AM

I've been around the world in the pouring rain,
Feeling out of place, really felling strange,
Take me to a place where the know my name,
Cuz I ain't met nobody that looks the same,
I'm a fish out of water, Lion out of the jungle,
I need my peoples, my peoples, take me to my peoples,
Just gotta have someone, gotta have someone, to relate to, to relate to,
Just gotta have someone, gotta have someone, to relate to, to relate to,

Chorus
See I been travelin,
Been travelin forever,
But now that I found a home feels like I'm in heaven,
See I been traveling,
Been travelin forever,
But now that I'm home feels like I'm in heaven,
See I been travelin,
Been travelin forever,
But now that I found a home feels like I'm in heaven,
Feels like I'm in heaven, feels like I'm in heaven,
Feels like I'm in heaven, feels like I'm in heaven, heaven,

Travelin the world like a torren man,
Been around the planet in a foreign land,
I've seen things that I thought I'd never see,
Take me to a place where they look like me,
I'm a lion out the jungle, fish out of the ocean,
I need my peoples, my peoples, take me to my peoples,
Just gotta have someone, gotta have someone, to relate to, to relate to,
Just gotta have someone, gotta have someone, to relate to, to relate to,

Chorus
See I been travelin,
Been travelin forever,
But now that I found a home feels like I'm in heaven,
See I been traveling,
Been travelin forever,
But now that I'm home feels like I'm in heaven,
See I been travelin,
Been travelin forever,
But now that I found a home feels like I'm in heaven,
Feels like I'm in heaven, feels like I'm in heaven,
Feels like I'm in heaven, feels like I'm in heaven, heaven,
Feels like I'm in heaven, feels like I'm in heaven

The physical part of the lyrics is about a traveler that wants to go home where he doesn't feel out of place.
The lyrics is about a person feeling out of place and wanting to be with people like them. The traveler is the speaker. The emotion is one of homesickness or not feeling like you belong.

"I've been around the world in the pouring rain,
Feeling out of place, really felling strange,
Take me to a place where the know my name,
Cuz I ain't met nobody that looks the same,"

The song uses metaphors to show that he feel out of place.
"I'm a fish out of water, Lion out of the jungle,"
"I'm a lion out the jungle, fish out of the ocean,"

The fact that the person has been traveling means that they have been trying to find a place where they belong but have been unsucessful

On the Reservation....

In my mind I picture the mouths of Native Americans moving in slow motion
Their heads shaking and their fingers pointing to something in the distance
fear, anxiety, worry deep in their eyes, spreading across their faces


Their voices are silenced
I'm not sure why I can't hear them
I turn my head to get a glimpse of what is causing them grief


Frank Hayden stands in the distance
War hero, successful doctor, a well breed American
harmless... right?

Except... except the dark look in his eyes
there's something there, menacing and deceiving
I cannot point out what it is although its the closest to pure evil I think I've ever seen

The intuition stirring deep in my gut has unhesitatingly placed the Native American's pain with Frank.
But there's a problem

He's a Hayden
You don't question a Hayden
and you certainly don't make accusations against them

Its a rule
unspoken but possessing power so unimaginable
it is never broken 

I look back at the Native Americans
Their faces still showing the embedded pain that has scared their hearts 

Although I am sure that Frank has caused mischief on the reservation
I turn my head as the world turns their head and walk away
and as I did I passed a sign

WELCOME TO MONTANA'S RESERVATION
...... where silence is golden

Thoughts on the Reading

Figuring out what it means to be American has been very interesting. I've been trying to get the most out of the stories that I've read and piecing together all the stories to come up with some type of idea of how I would describe on American is hard.

After reading On being a Mexican American and Young gifted and Black I thought that maybe America is just not into accepting of other people's differences, but that not really true, because America is home to so many diverse people. Zora in How it feels to be colored me was fine with her differences. By calling myself an African American am I just giving in the segregation of America or am I keeping some type of connection with my ancestors like the Native American in Sacred Soil said it was so important to do? What about the boy in There Was a Child Went Forth he became everything he saw. Does this mean that if you experience American culture you become an American? Should we all just become immigrants within our own country letting our differences carry us father then blending in to society ever will as suggested by How Being an Immigrant shaped my life and follow our own drummer like Walden advised.


There's various elements to all of these stories and so many ideas floating around in my head right now. My brain is on 'What is an American?' OVERLOAD.


So here is my Definition.
An American is a person who is in America or comes to America and embraces America's unique culture while also staying true to their differences that allows them to flourish and achieve success, whatever that is for them, in a place of unlimited chance and possibility even in the face of adversity unlike other places in the world.

Reflection on Reading

In the story There Was a Child Went Forth by Whitman is talking about a childs journey through the day and how what he sees becomes a part of. So in terms of what does being American mean from this story being American would mean becoming embracing American culture and really becoming an American even if you were not born here.
Being American is not just being born here its more of a culture. If a person does embrace the culture then they should be considered American.

I've been thinking about the other stories like the story Young Gifted and Black by Hansberry and This Sacred Soil by Seattle and I 'm still thinking about those stories. I feel like what I have to say about them is on the tip of my tongue but I haven't gotten there yet. It's like the term American was coined so long ago when things were separated.......You know what I will definitely get back to you on the next blog.

Music Review

Were we supposed to be writing about a current song? I'm pretty sure we were supposed to be finding something current... oh well. There were so many songs to choose from but the song I chose was 'Just Friends' by Musiq Soulchild. The song has good melody.  It's a r&b song and its just one of those songs I've never really gotten tired of listening to. Being the hopeless romantic that I am, I like the song. Even though it's titled 'Just Friends' its a song about the beginnings of a relationship.

I am still a little blogspot challenged so I wasn't sure how to but the music on the blog so you have to go to this link sorry but its youtube so it won't play in school : (
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK7W679Onok

Jay and Nick

Before I wrote this I had to think about what defines friendship. A friend is a companion, someone you like and trust, can share things with and is there for you.

 Nick and Gatsby have a strange relationship. They probably wouldn't be talking to each other if Gatsby didn't want to meet Daisy. Towards  the end of chapter five I almost feel like Gatsby forgot about Nick. In some ways I understand since this is the first time in a long time that Gatsby gets to see Daisy but at the same time it's like Nick is forgotten because his help isn't needed any more. Nick doesn't seem to necessarily like Gatsby. It just seems like he's interested in Gatsby's mysterious ways.

 There is however something between them that feels like their going to become close friends. Nick is willing to help Gatsby and kind of supports him when he gets nervous about meeting Daisy. Gatsby tells Nick about himself and his past which he doesn't do for most people. In some ways they fit my definition of friendship. For now though I say they're more on the verge of becoming friends but haven't made it there yet.

winter poem

The feet that walk the ground they cringe
with what's left of their numb limbs
the grumble of the shovel holders and the rage of the drivers
how mother nature has taken revenge at last
putting her wrath upon us.
But wait!!!
The children they frolic in the bus passenger's devastation
as lovers curl up in the shovel's pain
when cocoa drinkers sip to the drivers rant
and is that joy spread across the caroler's faces
Is. That. Joy........
It is joy..... it is trouble
It is winter

I'm Thankful For....

In our class there are a ton a great people. I think the person I'm most thankful for is Azia. I just met her this year and she sits in front of me in the class. Azia is a really nice person. When I see her she is usually happy or full of energy and talking to someone that seems so cheerful makes you happy. I'm a quite person and someone like who can get people to talk is great. She seems like a really fun person to hang out with. We usually work together when there is group work assigned which I'm grateful for. Azia if your reading this right now thanks for being my  American lit. buddy. 

I am a plow

On the set , shooting a commercial about "The Amazing Plow"

Take one

Plow: Hi, My name is plow and I...... Wait, what's my purpose again?

Director: Cut! Your supposed to be a tool used in agriculture to cut lift turn and pulverize soil. You help plants grow.

Producer: Isn't he the guy that cleared the snow off roads.

Cameraman: I thought plowing was like investing or something.

Producer: No, that definitely not what we're talking about.

Plow: Well what the heck I'm I !!

Director: I don't know, just make it sound good. We're trying to sell it to the people.

Take two

Plow: Hi, my name is plow. I'm your old forgotten friend. I clear the path for you while creating a path for new life. Please support plows in helping make a contribution to your society. Call now to support the National Association of Plows. Help us help you.

Director: Cut! That was good, inspirational. Alright that's it for today everybody.

Puritan ways in our society

One interesting fact about Nathaniel Hawthorne is that his great grad father was a judge in the Salem witch trials and cried witchery among many people. Also, his name was originally spelled hathorne and that he added the w to his name. Some people say that he did that to have the spelling of his name to match more closely to the pronunciation. Others say that he altered his last name to symbolize him breaking away from the history of past generations in his family. I found this interesting especially since one of the themes of The House of the Seven Gables is the affect of past generations on current generations.

(Nathaniel Hawthorne)

I think there are many ways that puritan times still affects our society today. In Puritan times the government was a theocracy. I think that a lot of laws they had were based upon religion. In today's society laws are not supposed to be based upon religion, but it is clear that there's a lot of things based on religion. Some of the biggest debates that happen in America are because of things that go against a religion. An example is abortion.

I personally think that in terms of religion playing a part in the government I don't know if America will ever fully get rid of that Puritan way and if it does happen it will not be happening for a long time. The reason why I say this is because our country was based off these ideas. This idea of theocracy has been embedded into the country.



The Moment I knew I was an American

I don't know if I have ever had one of those moments in which I truly felt like an American. I think the reason why that was is because it can be hard to define what being an American is supposed to feel like and I guess I never  gave it any thought. The other day the class discussed what defined an American. It was kind of tricky but some good points came up. Some things that were said was that an American is a person who has the freedom and opportunity to become whoever he or she desires no matter how they start off.

I thought about that and about how my life is right now. I realized that I do have lots of opportunities in life that a lot of people in other countries don't. I thought about how in other countries going from the bottom to the top is so hard to do and maybe even impossible at times. In my human geography class last year I learned about a caste system in certain countries that can't be broken. So, I feel grateful to be an American and to be able to achieve whatever dream I have and not really be hindered by anything.

Us vs. Them.. Us and Them

I think sometimes conflict happens when someone misunderstands, misjudge, and are unwilling to be open to something that's different. When people are stubborn about their own ideas and reject others without even considering them that could lead to people to misunderstand and misjudge other views.

One conflict that is going on in the US is the whole debate gay marriage. There are a lot of people who protest against it because it goes against their religious beliefs. I think its fine that people are passionate about their belief but sometimes people take their religious beliefs to extremes. There are people that build this hatred and will do bad things towards others that they don't even know. Just because you think someone else is doing something wrong it doesn't give you the right to do something wrong to them.

I'm not saying that people have to change their religious beliefs. If you don't believe in something don't do it. As long a person is not harming anybody you have to respect what they do.

WHY CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG!!!

John Proctor

      In the book one of the first things we learn about John Proctor is that he cheated on his wife. When I read this I thought wow is anybody in this town acually a good person. Although he may seem bad at first as the story goes along you find out that there is more to him and he turns out to be one of the more likeable characters.
   
       I think so far he's one of the only people that doesn't have some type of angle. He was also willing to tarnish his name to save his wife and others that are being accused of crimes they didn't commit, showing that  he cares about other people and will not throw them under the bus like others. He also forms his own opinion about things and is not afraid to express them and stand up for what he believes in. If there is injustice being done he is the one to speak out about it. He knows when religion stops and common sense begins.


      I think characteristics like these are probably not going to be found in others of this strict village. He has faults and have made mistakes but if you can look pass that compared to majority of the characters in the book he's definitely the good guy.

Oh My God..... He's Going To Do What?!

I just want to say that I completely disagree with what this story says.
People go to church and are taught to love, trust, and obey god and to depend on him when you need help. Could you imagine someone coming out of no where saying "and by the way if you don't do these things its gonna be a ARROW IN THE BACK AND A SHORT RIDE TO HELL FOR YOU!!" Thats got to be over 80% of the population going hell.
   It's crazy. It's loving someone out of fear, which really isn't loving someone. It's like the bully on the playground that you don't mess with because you know that if you do your going end up hanging somewhere by your underwear. If you say that you love God it should be genuine and if you do the right things because you know it's the right thing to to not because if you don't do it Gods going to ruin your life.
   My personal belief is that if you believe in god and you try to live your life the right way to the best of your ability, it's all good. I certainly don't think God has some arrow pointing at my eye waiting for me to mess up so he can destroy my life. Leave the screwing up life to the devil because we certainly don't need two people to worry about.

There goes the neighborhood

    In this blog I'm supposed to talk about culture clashes I've heard of or one's I've experienced. I couldn't really think of a culture clash at first. My mind likes to draw blanks at very odd times. Then I thought about elementary school. There's a lot of hispanics that went to my school. I had a lot of hispanic friends. It was cool and everything but I can't speak spanish. There would be time when they would all be speaking spanish and making jokes. On one hand I understand because that's just the language their used to speaking.On the other hand there were a lot of times when I really felt left out.

About Me :)

     I think if I told you everything about myself this blog post would probably end up being a book. So I'll try to squeeze as much information this blog as possible without it becoming a documentary of my life.
     So, my name is Tyra. I looked up the meaning of my name online. In Scandinavian it mean god of war. I promise you I'm probably one of the most peaceful poeple out there. I don't like conflict and generally try to avoid it.
     I love animals, not really enough to become a vegetarian though. I do have a long term goal of achieveing the perfect healthy diet.
     I am always on the search for answers to life's questions. Do I have a higher purpose? What do I really want out of life? Is Spongebob cooler than Charlie Brown? No was the answer to the last question by the way. I'm always seeking ways to impove myself and learn something new. I rarely think things happen by coincedence. I think a lot of things happen because they're supposed to, like fate.
     Majority of the time I'm shy, softspoken, and just socially ackward. It usually takes me a while to get comfortable with people. Sometimes I can't think of things to say or just don't have anything to say. I view conversation as an art form. It baffles me how people can keep a converstion going on for so long.
     I can be indecisive. I think I just have this fear of making the wrong decision. My current crisis is choosing the college I want to go to. As of now I have a top 18 on my list of colleges. Lets hope I don't go into some type of mental breakdown when it's time to make a final decision.
     When I go to college I want to major in fashion design and business. I've always seen myself working in a career that lets me be creative and possibly start and own a business.
      I care about my family deeply. They are always there to support me and help me to do the best I can. What would I do without them?