Blog Post 2 (semester 2)- Fences Socratic Seminar Items

Fences Socratic Seminar items

Part 1: 3x3 matrix

Troy is Closedminded

Decisions hurt family

Troy is dead

Part 2: Fences Questions

• This description establishes Troy as an almost overwhelming character, somewhat arrogant, in a way. I Imagine a figure with his arms spread out, looking over everything as if they own it, looking down on everything. The imagery almost reminds me of how a ‘godlike statue’ or something of the sort would be described. This being said, I do think Troy believes he’s above other people, but I think he’s risen above. He still isn’t where he wants to be, therefore he still is striving to fill out his hands with accommodation.

• Bono seems to act as Troy’s conscience for the most part. For example, Bono is the one to confront Troy about his affair with Alberta, saying “You been doing more than eyeing her” (1.1.45). He consistently reminds him of his responsibilities, saying, “She loves you, Troy. Rose loves you” (2.1.72). Bono is also the one Troy always seems to be trying to prove something to. Troy is telling Bono to listen to Lyons, to see and to recognize that, in Troy’s eyes, all Lyons wants is money. He does this in the same way one might try to rationalize with their conscience.

• I think the climax of Fences is when Troy finally tells Rose about his affair with Alberta, and they had a massive argument. A lot of the action leading up to that point, particularly having to do with Bono, had dealt with handling the issue of Troy’s cheating, and after that argument, everything in the play that happened, especially in terms of Rose, dealt with how to take care of Raynell.

• The blues as a musical genre is usually a style where one sings about their hardships, and that the struggle just keeps on going. I see blues in the overall themes of the play; not only that Lyons wants to be a Jazz musician—another style of music that has roots in the African American culture—but also in that there is constant misfortune after misfortune. Not only the music and themes, but also even the dialect coming from all of the speakers was somewhat representative of some of the slurring in blues music.

• I think that Gabriel s kind of useless in terms of this play. I understand his function earlier on, but toward the end, his blowing on his ‘trumpet’ makes absolutely no sense, other than the obvious ‘Gabriel the angel blows a horn’ symbolism aspect. Overall I think that it’s out of place and serves no real purpose.

• It’s no secret that there are a multitude of allusions throughout Fences. As far as Biblical Allusions go, Gabriel is the strongest example. Gabriel is the name of an angel, and at the end of the play, after he blows his horn, the heavens explode. Rose isn’t a biblical name, but a rose is a delicate, pure flower. Troy is Greek, as in the location of the Trojan war.

Part 3: Essential Questions

1. What makes a house is a structure that people can live in. But a home is much more than that. ‘Home’ exceeds the structure, and refers much more to the sense of comfort and familiarity associated with the place where you live. A home has history, memories. It’s where someone grows up, makes their life. But most importantly, it’s where a person feels secure, both physically and emotionally. A home is somewhere you’re happy to be, and with people you love
2. The success of one family member can either inspire the others to do better, or incite jealousy in them. In Fences, and example of both reactions can be seen in response to Cory’s wishes to be a football star. Rose is supportive, but Troy seems to be almost bitter about it. Failure has similar effects. It makes the family want to improve, or it makes them feel hopeless. Troy usually gives up whenever things aren’t a ‘success,’ but in a general sense, I don’t think that’s the best way to deal with failure.
3. Traditions give a family a unique something special to just them. But overall, American tradition defines the family as the “nuclear family.” Breadwinner dad, homemaker mom, and their perfect however-many children. Of course, this is wildly unrealistic. When people grew up and realized that they weren’t living a “perfect” life, it made everything far less exciting. So, they added their own traditions—customs, even, and that’s what makes a family truly their own.

Part 4: Your Questions

1. How do you connect the idea of freedom in this era and the repetition of the word “freedom” in MLK jr.’s Speech to the events in Fences?
1. The repetition of the idea of freedom is almost like Troy’s internal constant of wanting to be happy, and wanting to be free of responsibility and hardship.
2. If you were in Rose’s position, do you think you would’ve handled the situation the same way? What would you have done differently?
1. In Rose’s position, I really don’t think I would’ve been able to handle the situation the way she did. She managed to set Troy in his place, but did not punish the child for it. I have a great deal of respect for Rose throughout the play.
3. Do you think Troy made Cory’s decision for him because Lyons made his own decision and now he’s unemployed?
1. Lyon’s failure may have had a little bit to do with Troy’s unwillingness to support Cory, but I think it really has a lot more to do with Troy’s failures in making a career in baseball.

Blog post 1 (semester 2)- socratic discussion plan

Family structure in the 1950s

Source 1- Washington post thing

• Traditional Male-breadwinner-female-homemaker structure
• 1950s 65% of all children 15 and under were being raised in this ‘traditional’ homes
• today, only 22% are
• Betty Friedan in the 1950s

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/local/wp/2014/09/04/for-the-first-time-since-the-1950s-there-is-no-typical-u-s-family/

Source 2- family in america website

• all about “marriage and children”
• CONFORMITY
• Jacques Barzun’s comment of “An age of Troubles” is one that “fits every age in varying degrees”
• Suburbs
• Men working separated them from really ever being with their families
• Those who got married and remained married are significantly more wealthy than those who never did or got divorced
• “Marriage per se makes men more productive”

http://familyinamerica.org/journals/summer-2012/two-and-half-cheers-1950s-rediscovering-virtues-maligned-decade/#.VK_zxtLF-Sp

Source 3- global post source

• “nuclear family”
• 5.5% medical students were women, today its roughly half
• women usually gave up their jobs when they got married
• married at 22 and 20, now 26 and 25
• 16% of families didn’t have indoor plumbing

http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/1950s-family-dynamics-43976.html

Blog Post #20 Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hamlet, and The Black Walnut Tree

3x3 Matrix
Janie lacks independence
Jodie hurts Janie
Janie kills Teacake

Poetry Comparison: The Black Walnut Tree
In both Their Eyes Were Watching God and "The Black Walnut Tree", there is a tree as a major theme. In both, this tree represents growing up. To Janie, this manifests itself in the form of a pear tree. A pear tree blossoms and bears fruit, which to Janie, represents becoming a woman. And while the girl's age in "The Black Walnut Tree" is not explicitly stated, I interpret her as being within her teenage years. The fact that she has to decide whether she wants to hold on to sentimental value or financial value encourages some experience of maturation, just like Janie. When Jodie dies, the book describes it as "The young girl was gone, but a handsome woman had taken her place" (Hurston.87), but this isn't the only time in the book when a statement along these lines is made. Whenever a significant period of her life ends-- including her realization that she is colored and therefore 'different,' and when she leaves Logan for Joe--  the same type of realization is described.

Hamlet Comparison:
Despite the many major difference between Shakespeare and Hurston's works--including medium, speech patterns, time period, and many more-- there are some parallels to be drawn between Hamlet and Their Eyes Were Watching God. The first is the role and significance of water. In both, water ultimately kills the main character's significant other. In Hamlet, Ophelia drowns herself, and in Their Eyes Were Watching God, Teacake's sickness doesn't allow him to safely drink water, and also drives him to madness after a massive flood. But, this isn't the only reason water is significant. Trees and gardens are also motifs through both, for the kingdom, and also for Janie in the pear tree. If these plants symbolize Hamlet and Janie, and plants need water to survive, then without Ophelia and Teacake, Hamlet and Janie began to wither, leading to their death; literal and metaphorical.

Blog Post #19 Their Eyes Were Watching God Analysis Chart

I turned this chart in, I will be uploading pictures of the things momentarily.

Blog Post #18 Hamlet essay

Blog Post #17 Hamlet Post #5- Never Gonna Give You Up

             While this selection of song may seem odd, based on the lyrics, it relates quite well to King Claudius’ main goals in life. His most prized ‘possessions’ are, as he states, “my crown, mine own ambition, and my queen. (3.3.55)” This refers to his status as king, his overall ego, and Gertrude. He refers to her specifically as meaning a lot to him, saying “she is so conjunctive to my life and soul. (4.7.14)” And why would you, as per the song, ever want to give that up? He also says both “With mirth in funeral and dirge in marriage (1.2.12)” and “The queen, his mother, lives… for myself. (4.7.11-12)” Again, emphasizing Gertrude’s importance to him. At the end of the play, King Claudius also says to her, “Gertrude, do not drink! (5.2.254)” in reference to the cup he had poisoned in order to kill Hamlet. Of course, there’s still the matter of the king’s obsession with the throne. His words, “what’s in prater but this two-fold force? (3.3.48)” refers to both of the two, Gertrude and the kingdom. Although, he knows he’s done wrong—he knows the rules, and so does everyone else in Elsinore, like the song—so he knows that “The primal eldest curse—a brother’s murder, Pray, I cannot (3.3.37-39),” saying he cannot fully confess his sins to the people of the kingdom. For if he does, he will lose “the wicked prize itself, (3.3.59)” again, in reference to his status as king, his ego, and his wife.

                Going back to the original song choice, I do have to explain myself a bit. It seems ironic, given that the song has been given a reputation in more recent years as being a total joke. But, the writer originally intended for the song to be serious. “We've know each other for so long”—like Claudius and Gertrude. Of course, it cannot be overlooked that the word “her” is often used to refer to land, or certain objects, or even a country. Or, to be more accurate, just about any feminine pronouns, she her, etc., can be used for that purpose. So, if you said, Claudius never wants to five “her” up, it could easily be referring to Elsinore as well as Gertrude. So, essentially, the tone of the lyrics is serious, sincere, and genuine. The mood, though, is comedic almost, not really to be taken seriously, as the music is contradictory to the lyrics. It is very ironic, as is the choice of this particular song to be used at King Claudius’ funeral. But, this is cleared up when you think about how the king just thinks everything will work, explaining the cheerful music. However, though he doesn't ever give up, he does lose. Not only his wife and the kingdom, but also his life.

Blog Post #15; Hamlet Post #3 To Be or Not To Be Soliloquy analysis

     The main metaphors are sleeping, which is a reference to death. this is proven when Hamlet says, "For in that sleep of death what dreams may come" (3.1.75). The other prominent metaphor in this soliloquy is the image of a dream, referring to heaven, or the afterlife. "To sleep, perchance, to dream..." (3.1.74). The whole passage is about how Hamlet doesn't know if he should go through with any of his plans, if they're worth it, if completing them will get him where he wants to be. This is reinforeced by camera angles being very close up in the film, as well as that he's talking to himself in a mirror, as a very literal inward reflection. Especially when he pulls out his knife and puints it at his mirror-self's throat: a symbol of his violence toward himself and in general. He also begins to question his own sanity, and has the validity of concience, "Thus concience does not make cowards of us all" (3.1.93).  But even more so, if He and his life are worth it. Considering "to be" is to exist, and to exist is to live, this soliloquy would be better titled "To Live or Not to Live." This offers a far better explanation for the frequency of his references to sleeping, and hopefully, dreaming, or dying, and hopefully going to somewhere better than his life is on earth.

     For the Ethan Hawke adaptation of the scene, the camera basically followed the Hamlet actor around a blockbuster movie-rental store. They only get about medium-far away, or medium-close, there isn't much angle variation. "Hamlet" was wearing darkeveryday clothes, black pants and a black hoodie-- which not only reflect his inner darkness of thoughts, but also may even suggest laziness, in terms of not dressing up. There was no outside noise, and every so often, the screen cut to show a tv with fire on it.  I believe that this was the best adaptation of the scene. After that, I would rank the version we've been watching in class as number  two, due to it's high attention to detail and how that translated into imagery and symbolism. Third, I'd rank the Mel Gibson version, I didn't feel as affected by the catacombs as a setting. While it really emphasized the looming grimness of the words, I thought it was too boring, too minimal. The last, and worst, adaptation, was the Lawrence Oliver scene. Not only did it not convey the message very well due to very little change in speech patterns and the feeling of someone just reading words as opposed to truly acting, the uncomfortable and even awkward positioning of the Hamlet character was highly distracting.