Tabria: Beyond Class Activity- What's Funny About School?

On November 19, 2013, I went to go see a comedy show that featured three African American comics named Joe Torry, Arvin Mitchell, and Alex Scott. It lasted about two hours. Of course since it was a comedy show, they based most of their jokes on the college life and making fun of campus living. What I wanted to know was, what was their reason for making fun of college, why is campus living funny? The last guy Alex Scott, asked each person in the audience about their major and where they lived, only to make a joke about it. Some people think that college life is funny and a waste of time, but what they don't know is that it's totally worth it, when looking for a job. If a person is currently in college or has a college degree, it looks better on a resume'. If someone went to prestigious college or university that really looks good too. People say all around that college isn't for everyone, but everyone has a talent deep within them.

TSA: Essay #3

Essay three was very different than the others. This time we get to choose our own topic. I chose to use the story, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven." The actual topic I'm comparing the story to is sleep disorder. I felt that sleep disorder compares to it exactly. The protagonist has in fact expressed sleep problems/sleep disorders. We all know relationships have their problems, but why does the character experience bad dreams? Is his sleep being affected by his relationship or is his dreams trying to tell him something? This is how I came up to use sleep disorder as the main topic; he is losing sleep because of his violent and horrible dreams.

Tabria A: Elizabeth Bishop's Fish

Fish written by Elizabeth Bishop, who actually became an inspired poet since she was young. This particular poem reflected on survival and sympathy. The fish as a survivor symbolizes strength. His sympathy for the fish was some what strong; seeing the fish's weak expression. Somehow there was a line that was broken, and the fish attempted to get away from that. The fisherman realized that the fish wanted to get away, when he hesitated and eventually the fish escaped from the line. A sudden rainbow appeared and the fisherman realized that the rainbow might of symbolized the fish escaping from his problems or maybe the fish's life will end in another certain way.

TSA: William Wordsworth's Lines

William Wordsworth who was named poet laureate, also a worshiper of nature. His poem Lines  was described in various ways, in this case it's described in his perception. The way he puts the words has a relaxing quality to them. Wordsworth expresses his emotions through his description of nature. His love for meadows, woods and mountains are all so special. Through his eyes everything around him has a certain meaning to him. He travels around and observes that many things are in unique forms. By reading this poem, I've learned that admiring and thinking positively about the special things put on earth is better than thinking about all the  negative things revolving around else.

TSA: Poetry

Poetry has been the main topic in English for the past week. Before we started to read the poems, the professor and students created a list on the board. Anything that comes to mind when it comes to poems. Poetry has many genres: romance, horror, humor, and etc. A poem can be short or long, lines can consist of two words or more. Most poems have rhythm and few may not. Some poems may have a general understanding, and others may be a little confusing. There are many different authors out there that created many types of poems. List of authors: Emily Dickinson, John Donne, Robert Frost, Wilfred Owen and Dylan Thomas. One of Emily Dickinson's poems is called "After great pain, a formal feeling comes."  Death, be not proud," was one of John Donne's famous work. Unlike the others, I've realized that Robert Frost has three poems, After Apple-Picking, The Road Not Taken, & Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. A different type of poem written by Wilfred Owen focuses on violent side, war. Another poet named Dylan Thomas was best known for his poem called Do not go gentle into that good night. All these poems are described differently in perspectives seen by these poets. These poems are viewed differently to readers and their meanings could have an effect on many readers.  

TSA Week 7: Understanding of the Characters

The Glass Menagerie is a memory play about the Wingfield family. This play is told through one of its own character,

• Tom Wingfield(the hard worker in the family.) The narrator
• Amanda---> mom of Tom and Laura; bitter from her husband's early leaving from the family and no friends to keep her company. Expectations for her children ate too high
• Laura---> older sibling, no confidence, very shy, and devotes herself to old records and her collection of glass figures. Keeps away from the outside world, in other words less acquainted 
• Tom---> pressured from being the supporter of the family. Works at shoe warehouse, frustrated with his mother; tries to escape all his worries and troubles by drinking and going out; ends up making a hasty decision
• Jim---> old friend of Tom and Laura, works with Tom in the warehouse too, devoted to goals of success.
• Mr. Wingfield---> husband of Amanda; father of Tom and Laura. Abandoned his family earlier. A piece of him is still left behind in Wingfield home. He never appears on stage in scene

This is just a small outline to help me know a little about each character in this play. 

TSA Week 6: Beginning Process

Last week in English, the class watched a movie called, "The Glass Menagerie." Also written as a play, but with slight differences. Students were assigned to do an analytical paper on this story, and are required to include a thesis/claim with supporting examples. Since the audience is quite different and broader from the last essay, we have to think harder and research or resources have to be credible. After observing the provided ideas, I've decided to do a thematic or character comparison with a story we have already read. I chose to use Laura from The Glass Menagerie, and Elisa- the wife from The Chrysanthemums. They both seem to have a hard time with relationships in general. Even though Elisa is already married, she still has a difficult time staying happy. In Laura's situation, she isn't married, but hopes to find someone. She ends up with an old crush for a short period of time, but realizes it doesn't go as she expected. They both kind of have no confidence except that Elisa may be a little stronger than Laura is. With her mother always down her back about everything, may be the reason why Laura feels the way she does or is used to her mother doing things for her all the time. Elisa knows that her one true talent is planting flowers, but that's all she really is good at. Laura on the other hand, was enrolled in school for short period time, but ends up dropping out because of her shyness.

Week 5: Beyond Class Activity

Part of English 102, students are required to complete a beyond class activity of some sort. We have the choice to visit a museum, watch a play, or hear an author read. I think I'd be more interested in watching a play. So I chose to go see Othello, a romantic play written by William Shakespeare directed by Chris Abraham. Othello is a little similar to Romeo and Juliet also written by William Shakespeare. In Othello, the man and woman struggle to fall in love from others opinions and comments, but end up finding a way to love each other no matter what. Even if people planned to destroy his love. This play is  also known for unexpected conflicts along with their outcomes.

Week 4: Idea of my Character Analysis

Character Analysis

Last week which was week 4, Professor Sweeney assigned for his students to write a character analysis. The purpose was to compare any character out of any stories that were read so far, to ourselves. I decided to write my paper on the story, "The Chrysanthemums." I felt like both characters, Elisa and Henry's relationship with each other had some relations to my past relationship. Elisa's behavior may have determined why her behavior changed constantly. She felt like her husband wasn't giving her the proper attention like he should have. Her husband was applauding her for certain things, but then turns around and says something to make her angry. The only thing that Elisa knew that she had a strong talent for was growing the chrysanthemums. The question that makes us readers wonder was what did the chrysanthemums symbolize? Why was the title called, "The Chrysanthemums?" It's likely they made Elisa feel sad, furious, or unloved. She compares herself to the chrysanthemums, saying that she becomes one with the plants when she tends to them. Maybe her side of emotions explains why the relationship doesn't seem to be working well like she hoped it would of been.

A Good Man Is Hard to Find Week 3

"A Good Man Is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor was kind of weird story to me. An old saying once said, don't judge a book by its cover or title. The reason why I mentioned this saying is because when you first look at the title, you'll think that this story is about some relationship that isn't going right, or someone looking for a male partner. When really it's the complete opposite of what you think. This story is actually about a family going on a road trip. The grandmother and the children's mother had an argument about where they should go to vacation; the grandmother thought visiting Tennessee was better than going to a place they have already been. As I was reading, the grandmother seemed like a real stubborn and bad-tempered person that just complains about everything. The children are smart-mouthed and their mother doesn't pay much attention to her children. Reaching Tennessee, the family stops at this restaurant called The Tower, where fear is upon many of the people there; a criminal named "The Misfit." Being the way she is, the grandmother always has some sort of story to tell from her younger years. Surprisingly the grandmother recognizes the Misfit when she sees him, and claims that his a good man.  

The Chrysanthemums

I know that many readers would ask what does the title mean when they first look at the word. By the context throughout the story, this sentence gives you some sort of clue as to what the word chrysanthemum means: "The chrysanthemum stems seemed too small and easy for her energy." (34) Chrysanthemums, or mums for short is actually a flower. For the first part of this story the author, John Steinbeck describes in great detail the setting, the Salinas California. The characters are Elisa, her husband Henry and a caravan(stranger to Elisa). Elisa, an underappreciated women that has a talent for using tools such as scissors and growing things especially flowers. She also had what was called 'planters' hands that knew how to grow things well. She just knew that her usage of tools were great and wasn't necessary to be fixed; she refused the stranger's assistance. I guess the guy thought since she was a woman, she knows less than what he knows. This leads to the main point of the story. How the wife gets judged of what she can and cannot do. They also are underestimated for what they really can do. Years and years ago, women usually stayed home and did house chores while the men would work. At this point, the husband thought that's what his wife was good for.

This message is for Issac Sweeney ...