Response to Amanda Hightower's Journal #15

     Amanda had some very agreeable thoughts on Silko's "Border Patrol State".  I, myself, do not believe to have any Native American blood, but I could be wrong.  Amanda brought up a very obvious realization that most Americans are descendants of Native Americans.  How then is it possible that so many Americans are acting this way towards their own brothers and sisters?  It is completely inhumane and so hypocritical to act this way here since in our Constitution it states that we are all free.
     With that being said, I also found it very disturbing from the reading and Amanda's opinions that Border Patrol roams from state to state in America, a FREE country that is supposed to have ample opportunities for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  Why are cars being stopped in the states?  I was so saddened when I read that Silko and her friend were stopped and the officers (obviously) had no reason to search their car except for the fact that they were Native Americans.  I really didn't think our country was like this, and apparently from reading Amanda's blog, she didn't either.  Through the readings that we've completed so far in this class, I can honestly say that sometimes I feel embarrassed to be an American.  No wonder Hispanics have these drug wars in Mexico and close to the border...they are full of anger at how our country is so prejudice still after hundreds of years!
     I agree with Amanda as well at how sad it was to read about the dog part of the story.  It is amazing that this dog could just almost read Silko's mind and know that she was a good person who was simply just trying to get to her destination.  It was incredible that the dog didn't sniff her at all.  Through this, it made the Border Patrol look more idiotic than they already were because the dog even knew that Silko wasn't trying to get away with anything.  This reading taught me a lot about the way we currently treat immigrants in America.  I don't like it one bit.

Bonus Blog #3

     From Mary Antin’s story, “The Promised Land” and Sui Sin Far’s “In the Land of the Free”, there is a similar feel that, as immigrants, the characters in the story were not warmly welcomed by the Americans.  W.E.B. DuBois calls this the “double-consciousness”, where these immigrants see themselves as how the Americans see them.  It is almost as if they are the American, looking at an immigrant, or themselves.  In this time, it was an unfair depiction of immigrants.  Only one culture could be superior in this time period, and that was the Americans.  Far and Antin do a wonderful job illustrating what this prejudice was like for the characters in their stories.

     When Far’s characters arrived in America, the officers looked at the little boy like he was a criminal.  Lae Choo and Hom Hing could see the unfairness in the officer’s eyes when he stated, “Seeing that the boy has no certificate entitiling him to admission to this country you will have to leave him with us” (299).  The parents knew that they had done nothing wrong.  Their child was not a criminal.  He had just lived only about a year!  Unfortunately, Far’s description of the officer correctly portrayed the view many American’s had about Asian immigrants.

     In Antin’s story, we see a young girl recall her first memories of coming to America.  She was so excited about starting this new life, but little did she know that she would face a huge amount of discrimination.  She writes a wonderful paragraph about this “double-consciousness”.  She might not have seen it clearly as a child, but looking back, she can see it fully now.  She writes, “Dozens of these men pass under your eyes every day...too absorbed in their honest affairs to notice the looks of suspicion which you cast at them, the repugnance...” (488).  This statement is almost a slap in the face to any American who ever thought a bad thing about an immigrant.  The narrator is simply saying that immigrants just wanted a new life.  They meant no harm when they arrived to this new country.  They were struggling just like many others and they wished, as did everyone else, to succeed in embarking on the American Dream.  

Journal #14: What I Would Carry

     Reading O’Brien’s story inspired my thinking on the question, “What would I carry?”  And the answer is: a list of my dad’s instructions on survival skills, my Bible, wasp repellant, photographs and my favorite snacks.  It was so heartbreaking to hear the objects men carried and how much value they thought that they had.  These things to me would be a necessity and a comfort, but I know that just having them would not make a difference.  I would rather have the comfort of my father and my friends in the photographs around me than to be stuck in a war zone where all I had was the memory.

     Most of these items are self explanatory, however two are not.  The first is my father’s instructions.  My dad is a walking encyclopedia on many topics.  His father was in the Navy, so he learned much from him.  It is always so amazing to hear what comes out of my dad’s mouth sometimes and to see how much he knows about our world.  He would give me strict guidelines on what to eat, how to sleep, how to hide and what to look out for.  Without this list, I know I wouldn’t survive.  Therefore, it is one thing I couldn’t live without if I were in the war.

     Secondly, I would bring wasp repellant as one of my weapons.  Although a gun or a knife is much more powerful, I could never see myself operating that.  With the repellant, I could shoot it towards an enemy who was fairly close to me and damage their sense of sight.  Being a woman in a war, it is possible that I could get raped.  I would need this repellant to ward off predators and predict myself and others around me.  It is important to take these precautions because protecting myself and my troop is so important.

Journal #13: Zitkala's Loss of Freedom

In this class, I have learned a lot about how the Americans treated the Native Americans so unfairly.  However, through Zitkala-Sa’s story, “The School Days of An Indian Girl”, I now can see and resent the Americans living at that time for treating these natives as they did.  Zitkala’s memoir does not reflect the ideal American Dream to me.  She was imprisoned in a culture that was not her’s and was prohibited from being herself.  I have fully realized her sorrow and hurt from chapter two, the last paragraph when she states, “...and [I] heard them gnaw off one of my thick braids.  Then I lost my spirit.”  This reaffirms my belief that Zitkala-Sa did not experience the American Dream.

     Anyone that moves to America and desires the American life usually does not “lose their spirit” like Zitkala claims she did.  Anyone living in America should and can be free to be themselves.  However, Zitkala was not.  When she was in school, they cut off her long beautiful hair to be conformed to every other student in the school.  She was not free to be of her culture or herself.  That day, they took a part of Zitkala and officially ripped her sense of freedom out of her soul.  I am deeply disappointed in America for the way they treated people “different” from themselves.  I am glad I read this story to learn about our past and to sympathize with the Indians.

Bonus Blog #2

  I have always been told about imperialism in school, but its actual definition never really made sense to me.  I did not understand the definition nor its background.  However, I definitely understand it now by being in this class.  Just last week, we read a remarkable story about the Queen of Hawai’i, and how she was overthrown by the United States so they could annex the state.  “Why haven’t I heard of this before,” is what I thought, and then the next day when we were discussing in class, I realized that I was not the only one who had never heard of this story.  The United States’s history of imperialism disturbs me and, what disturbs me more is that they kept the real history of the annexation of Hawai’i a secret from many people, especially its own citizens. 

     I believe the element of imperialism in the United States towards Hawai’i that disturbs me the most is that the United States believed Queen Liliuokalani was imprisoning her people in a ruthless empire.  However, that could not have been more false.  The people of Hawai’i loved their queen and, as she states in her story, “My people constitute four-fifths of the legally qualified voters of Hawaii,” (Chapter LV) furthermore proving that she valued their opinion and valued Hawai’i making decisions together.  She was not an overruling monarch that made all the decisions.  She did not oppress her people; her people loved her and valued her.  Unfortunately, her rule did not last her whole life.

     The United States came to Hawai’i and removed Queen Liliuokalani from her throne.  What disappoints me about the United States even more is that she states in Chapter LV, “I yielded my authority to the forces of the United States in order to avoid bloodshed, and because I recognized the futility of a conflict with so formidable a power.”  The Queen was scared of the United States and did not want to put up a fight.  Even though one would think you would fight for your country’s well-being, she saw the United States so intimidating and threatening that she simply complied with their orders.  Hawai’i’s people were devastated and the country they had had for many years was no longer its own.  It was the United States’s.  

     I understand that imperialism occurs all over this world.  I don’t believe it is an act that can be abolished.  However, I do believe it should be abolished in the United States.  Being a country that practices imperialism seems hypocritical to me because imperialism goes against our belief of freedom and the pursuit of happiness.  The people of Hawai’i were completely content with their Queen.  We took that happiness away.  I am so glad I read this story so that I can be aware of our country’s past and hopefully look for change from this in our country’s future. 

Journal #12: Hawaii's Queen

"I used to climb up on the knees of Paki, put my arms around his neck, kiss him, and he caressed me as a father would his child; while on the contrary, when I met my own parents, it was with perhaps more of interest, yet always with the demeanor I would have shown to any strangers who noticed me." -Chapter 1, Paragraph 4

I really enjoy reading that she put her arms around Paki's neck because it exemplifies her love that she has for him and the love that he reciprocates back to her.  She is more than satisfied with her adopted parents because they love her so much and care for her.  The fact that Paki caresses her as his own child is so beautifully pictured and, since I want to adopt one day, is how I will hopefully act around my adopted child.

Journal #11: "They said what?!?!"

     None has done quite so well than McKay and Hopkins in portraying white people as evil.  Through Hopkins’ short story and McKay’s poem “If We Must Die”, it is obvious that these authors were not afraid of speaking up about the horrific, unjust time of our nation.  So, did McKay and Hopkins receive prolific persecution and criticism for speaking the explicit truth about their treatment as African Americans?

     In Hopkins’ story, Jones, an honest and good man, dies at the end to save a train full of white people.  Furthermore, the police find the real murderer and realize that it was never Jones, although they were in search of this man for quite some while, believing he was ruthless and evil.  The people at his funeral were repentful, knowing that they had made a mistake in judging him for something he never did.  Jones is portrayed almost as a Christ-like figure at the end of this story, dying for many guilty, racist and unclean people so they could live and be saved through this train wreck.  It is completely possible that there was harsh criticism towards this story, since a black man was portrayed to be like Christ.  Many people back then were not even keen on having black people know about Christ and especially not having a black person portrayed as Christ.  

     In McKay’s poem, he tells his fellow members of his race that “round [them] bark the mad and hungry dogs” (line 3) who are obviously the white persecutors.  He also calls them “the monsters” and “the common foe”, which I am sure stirred up anger among the white population.  Whites were so used to being in control and the dominating race.  It was uncommon to be called something so cruel when these were the words that whites thought of about blacks.  I can only imagine what was said to McKay for encouraging his race to stand up to these “monsters”.  

     Through these authors, it is obvious that they were not afraid to speak their mind or get criticized for doing so.  It is wonderful that they wrote these works, so that we may look back upon them today and realize just how cruel parts of society were to people who never deserved that behavior at all.

Journal 10: The Realization

 In Harper’s poem, “Learning to Read” and Chesnutt’s story, “The Wife of His Youth”, there is a sense of astonishment.  As one is narrated by a black woman and another by a black man, it is evident that this is their point of view, which made it so much more real to me.  In these two readings, it is evident of just how imprisoning slavery was toward women.  

     Harper’s poem speaks of a girl named Chloe, who is now an elderly woman speaking of her life in slavery.  Even though she was a slave, society was starting to open up to the idea of schools for African Americans.  Chloe spoke of how “the Rebs did hate it” (line 3).  Throughout the poem, I felt this sense of pity and despair for Chloe, since she was robbed of some of the simple joys in life, for example, reading her Bible.  She desired to so badly, but as she says in the poem, “But when I begun to learn it, Folks just shook their heads” (lines 31-32).  What a shame and discomforting thought it is that blacks were not even allowed to read their own Bibles!  Most slave holders called themselves “Christians”, so it is unfathomable to me how Christians would not want their brothers and sisters to know about the Lord.  Religion was not so much involved in the next story as was love.

     Chesnutt’s story, “The Wife of His Youth” was very predictable.  Once the little old black lady had left his porch and Mr. Ryder, “...stood for a long time before the mirror of his dressing-case, gazing thoughtfully at the reflection of his own face” (59), I knew that she had, unbeknownst to her, found her long lost husband.  I was disgusted at the fact that Mr. Ryder never once looked for her, or never appeared interested, and that he had never, “wish[ed] to change his condition to that of a married man” (56).  This woman was in deep agony over her lost lover, and Mr. Ryder never seemed to blink an eye.  

     Through these readings, I have seen how badly women were treated during slavery through the lack of promises and the revocation of the right to learn.  It makes me disgusted at the men of this time and I pity the many righteous, innocent women of this era.

Journal #9: America's History of a Lack of Motivation

   I never really thought that history could repeat itself, even though many people have always believed that it can.  However, after reading about literary life in the late 1800s, I now see a resemblance between life then and life now in our society when it comes to entertainment versus education.  As more inventions arose and thoughts grew wider, people forgot about books.  We can see this today in many children all across the United States who have been sucked into the zombie-like state each afternoon after school playing high-tech video games instead of doing schoolwork.  The resemblance between the 1800s and today’s society is that when given a choice between academics or entertainment, entertainment is always the more desired choice.

     Reading pages 1-29, I was surprised to learn that around 1895, “poetry assumed a diminishing role” (23).  Already, in a society that was still growing and learning about itself, people were putting down the books and focusing on the future of technology and entertainment.  William Cullen Bryant said it perfectly, that, “The taste for [poetry] is something old-fashioned; the march of the age is another direction; mankind are occupied with politics, railroads, and steamboats” (24).  Has our lack of attention on academics as a nation gone back this far in our country’s history?  It seems that we value entertainment too much.

     Today, 65% of United States households play video games (Statistics).  In the 12-17 age range, 22% of them are “established gamers”, meaning they have had more than two years of playing experience already (Statistics)!  It seems as if our society today places a greater strain on entertainment and just pleasing our children by giving them what they desire than actually inspiring them to love school and to read!  

     If we could get the excitement back into reading like it was in the 1800s when many up and coming authors made their debut, our education system would prosper and so would the minds of our children.  Instead of parents settling on mediocre children who value entertainment over education, parents should encourage reading and the persistence of knowledge.  

Journal #8: The Most Morbid Time in U.S. History

     The poems “Arlington Heights” by Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt and “The Death of Lincoln” by William Cullen Bryant effectively resonate the morbid atmosphere of slavery in the mid-1800s.  Not only were people saddened by slavery at this time, they also had to learn to cope with the assassination of a fantastic president, a hero in the eyes of many, Abraham Lincoln.  The two poems illustrate current events of the mid-1800s.  However, only one persuades readers more to pursue the antislavery movement, and that is “Arlington Heights”.  This is because in Bryant’s poem, he only speaks about the great president and not the effect slavery had on people. Through its imagery and diction, Piatt successfully persuades readers to have compassion for their darker brothers and sisters. 

     Imagery is so important in a poem because it transmits the message to the reader more vividly than just words.  Piatt illustrates the saddened people effected by slavery in lines 24-25 by expressing, “The mothers, sisters, wives with faded eyes That call still names among their broken talk.”  Since her poem is about the Arlington Memorial Cemetery, this explains to the reader that many families were effected by slavery and the war.  Their lives are forever changed because their loved ones will never come back.  They are gone forever.  And yet, still, they call out their names in desperation, in hope, in faith that they will reappear again.  Readers can feel this desperation through Piatt’s fantastic use of imagery.

     Secondly, Piatt exudes exquisite diction to provoke strong emotions in the reader about how somber this time was for many people.  In the same stanza as above, in lines 22-23, Piatt writes, “The dreadful phantoms of the living walk, And by low moons and darkness, with their cries”.  This poem would not have its success if it did not have this word choice.  Expressing the living members of these deceased as “phantoms” tells the reader that these slavery and war victims are suffering and in a severe state of depression and shock.  “The low moons and darkness” give an eerie feel to the picture, almost one of a horror story or a Halloween night, thus explaining the day after day morbid toll this war has had on slave and war families.

     Expressing imagery and diction as successfully as Piatt has explains to the reader exactly how people in the mid-1800s were feeling about the war and slavery and makes the reader feel engulfed in the scene.

Journal #6: The Life of a Female Slave

     In reading Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, I have never felt so sorry for women of slavery before.  Growing up and learning about slavery, my classes never really discussed how women specifically were treated.  However, through reading Jacobs’s memoir, it is clear that life back then for women was no cake walk.  Along from still having no rights, slave women were considered absolutely nothing, basically not even a human being.  Jacobs’s life was affected substantially by being in the lowest of “the lows” in social class and, because of her predicament, her successes were yielded but her failures were many.

     In the beginning of her memoir, Jacobs has a very different view of America than most people.  She describes America as the land of “stripes and scars” (768), because she had no freedom and was restricted and controlled by her slave master.  She was in a constant state of prison and restriction, a life filled with the constant fear of the unknown for what would come next.  She never had feelings of peace or comfort for substantial time periods because her mother was taken from her as a very young child and her caretaker passed along shortly after.  

     Under the imprisonment of her male master, Jacobs never had choices.  As a female slave, her successes were limited, and as she quotes, “...a slave, being property, can hold no property” (770).  During her time with her master, she fell in love with a free black man.  However, because of her status and the fact that she was not free, her master forbade her from ever seeing the man again.  And, as Jacobs states, even if they were to get married, “...the husband of a slave has no power to protect her” (772).  Jacobs would have never been able to enjoy the happiness of a marriage because of her social class.  In her master’s eyes, she was completely his and no one else’s, keeping her from enjoying God’s greatest gift: love.  

     In the middle of her story, Jacobs comes to a point where she warns the reader that this is a part of her life that she feels most ashamed about.  However, she feels, “...that the slave woman ought not to be judged by the same standard as others” (778).  Having a child unwed with a significantly older white male was something she was deeply ashamed of.  Although she felt bad about her choices, she wanted to do this to have the hope that the father of her children would buy her, so she could at least never worry about being near her evil master again.  Sadly, though, that never happened, and instead she had, “...no security for her children” (778), a mother’s biggest fear.

     Near the middle of her life, Jacobs was able to escape slavery.  However, she had to go through tumultuous crossroads to get to that point.  Even with the success of having two healthy children, she felt it was still a failure because of the position she put herself in.  Jacobs clearly states what life was like for a female slave and the state of living she was restricted to.  Through her memoir, I have so much sympathy for female slaves and am thrilled that Jacobs was finally able to escape it.

Journal 5: A Native American Theme

  Discrimination.  Prejudice.  No human rights.  Are these words or pictures you think of when you hear about Native Americans in the 1800s?  This is what comes to my mind, Lydia Sigourney’s and William Apess’ as well.  These two writers in the mid-1800s influenced thousands of Americans with their views in their work about the unfair treatment in America towards Native Americans.  Although written at different times and by different gendered authors, “Indian Names” and “An Indian’s Looking-Glass For the White Man” tells readers explicitly about the unfair treatment of Native Americans and the drastic need of social reform in America. 

     William Apess was a Methodist minister.  A Native American himself but not raised in his own culture, Apess was still deeply interested in Native American history (639).  Stricken by the unfair treatment towards Native Americans by whites, Apess wrote “An Indian’s Looking-Glass For the White Man” to convict whites of mistreating God’s beloved people.  In the beginning of the story, Apess convicts whites, saying that God shows no favor to outward appearances (640), so why should white people?  Because of the way he incorporates God’s book, the Bible, Apess has an easy way of convicting whites.  He does this because it is God’s sovereign law, commands that are true and apply precisely to the issue Apess writes about.  For example, Apess includes one verse (1 John 3:15) that applies specifically to this situation: “Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.”  Apess produces strong feelings from the reader such as conviction and guiltiness.  It would not be surprising if more social reform activists united together in an effort to promote Native American equality after this story was published.

     Lydia Sigourney traveled a different road in an effort to raise support for Native American equality.  In her poem, “Indian Names”, she mentions different places across America that are named after Indian tribes to prove to Americans that Indians themselves are American.  By saying, “And Rappahannock sweetly sleeps on green Virginia’s breast” (lines 15-16), she successfully produces a feeling of motherhood, gentleness and affection towards Native Americans by connecting an Indian name to the adverb-verb combination of “sweetly sleeps”.  Through her diction, Sigourney reveals a different side of Indians to Americans and calls Americans to support equality for these mistreated people.

Journal #3-Question 1

Reading Irving’s “The Wife”, I found that the author portrayed women as little mice that followed their husbands wherever they took them in life.  Although we hear some stories about abusive husbands and obedient wives, this story about man and wife was just the opposite.  This couple was deeply in love, so smitten with each other that it could make another sick.  

When Leslie found out that he had no more money, the first thing he thought of was his wife, Mary.  He was deeply terrified that she would leave him because she would not want to live a different lifestyle.  Leslie believed that Mary loved him, but loved him especially for his money, therefore portraying women as dependent on men for their financial stability and loving nothing in the world more than money.  However, once Leslie told Mary about his situation, the first thing she did was hug him, proving Irving’s portrayal of women wrong.  Mary was ready to start this new beginning of their life together.  In fact, “...she was only anxious to conform to their altered fortunes (528).”  

It seems that Irving believes that women could not care less about how much money their husbands make.  And to a certain extent for some people, that is true.  However, for others, that is not the case.  Irving portrayed Mary as a supporter and huge lover of her husband no matter what was to happen.  That was acceptable then, but these days, not much of that is seen anymore.

Journal #2: My Reflections

     There is no doubt that America has come a long way in its development physically, culturally, linguistically, and politically.  From reading the introduction to American Literature, I can see dramatic changes in this time period (1750-1830).  However, these changes were not easily made.  America had dramatic events that, looking back, had to happen in order to get us to where we are today as a nation.  As those hard times were going on, a different way of coping was introduced to America in the form of print. 

     Newspapers, magazines and books were gradually making a statement in our new nation, unifying colonials with current events, views and just strengthening their literary skills.  It is interesting to see that, “books were expensive and were regarded as a luxury by most colonists (318).”  These days, a parent is extremely blessed if their child shows an interest in reading.  Books are just not as valued today as they were back when our nation was just getting started; I wish that would change.  Books educate individuals and bring people together on issues.  For example, a magazine brought women together in order to impower them to make a change in their new world called, “Genius of the Ladies Magazine”.  Newspapers also showed “growing political divisions in the United States (329)”, proving that Americans were developing their personal views politically in the New World, a concept that was new to them.  

     We, as a nation today, should show much gratitude for the people of the past who printed and developed these books, newspapers and magazines.  Through their honest declarations of their opinions, they formed our nation and brought us together while at the same time helping us think for ourselves.

Journal #1: What is an American?

An American is a hard-working, non-stopping, dedicated, passionate individual.  Although, lately that view of an American has changed.  For some people, the "American Dream" is still their goal, however, the United States currently is spending $702.7 billion on welfare for its 43.6 million beneficiaries.  Why has the passion and drive for success been washed down the drain?  Do Americans not realize the opportunities they have here?  Why are so many relying on the government when companies need their employment?  Americans need to bring back the drive that our forefathers had many years ago when they founded our country.  The "American Dream" doesn't have to be just a fantasy, everyone can do their part to make it their reality!  

A view some people have on Americans that I disagree with is that we are all one in a big melting pot.  Some can choose to believe that if they wish, but in today's society, that is not true.  For example, look back in 2008 when President Obama ran for election.  Many people still did not agree with having an African American president.  I know many people (my grandparents included) who were very upset when he won the election.  Secondly, women are still not treated equally in today's society.  We still do not receive equivalent pay in the same job as men do.  I still believe that racism and sexism are a large part of society in America today and frankly, I am not sure when or if that will ever change.