Translation

A family friend was working in Slovakia for over two years and did not know the language before going over there. He said that it was hard to meet people, and especially date in the beginning of his stay there. After awhile he was able to speak Slovakian more and was able to meet more people. It helped that Slovakians usually know some English too. After hearing his experience I doubt that Maire and Yolland relationship could work out without them learning each others language. In the play it seems like intrique and not love for a new person from a different country that interests them both. However, if they would try to learn each other's languages I think that there could be hope for them.

Beliefs and Knowledge

It was discussed in class the difference between beliefs and knowledge and how Omishto perceives them. Omishto views knowledge is what she sees and feels and beliefs are more factual. I think it is important to put in the context that she is 16 years old. While I'm reading the novel I have to remind myself that she isnt an adult but a teenage. Her age affects her beliefs and like any other teen she is trying to find herself while being torn between two worlds. It is hard enough being a teenage but she has extra pressure to fit into two different forms of society that have different beliefs. I feel bad that Omishto has to go through that experience, luckily she has the support of Ama to help her because she doesn't have the support of her mother and sister. However, Omishto is trying to find herself when most people her age don't have to try to figure out their lives and their place in their community.

Power

In Power, Omishto has a special connection to nature and is comfortable in it. It is the place where she has a sense of identity and feels at home. Nature is her "room of one's own." Her connection to nature reminds me of a man that was a tour guide for my family's tour group in Kauai. He had a special connection to nature and took us on a tour of the rainforests in barefoot and knew the paths by heart. Also, he knew all about the vegetation because he grew up walking in that rainforest. I was better able to understand Omishto's connection to nature because of his connection.

Lucy

The cover of Lucy does a good job of depicting the novel. I am usually not drawn to books that don't have vibrate colors. However, I really like the color green and I found it relaxing. I was intrigued by the chose of art on the front cover. While I was reading I imagined Lucy like the women on the front cover. Througout the book my image of Lucy changed, the women on the cover gave me starting point to image Lucy. The title Lucy font increased my interest because the big cursive "L" is one of the first things I notice along with the orange strip that has the author name. The cover of Lucy represents the book well to foreshadow the storyline.

"This Blessed House"

Is there a pressure to be one identity or another?
Everyone, including Twinkle and Sanjeev, have to deal with the pressure of identifying with different aspects of our lives. I think in different situations and with different people there is pressure for people to identify with certain identities. I feel that when I am with my dad I have to identify with my sports side and talk about sports where as when I am with my mom I feel the need to identify with my more girlie side that enjoys shopping. People adapt to reveal different aspects of themselves when they are with certain people. I think people can do this unconsciously most of the time as a cooping mechanism to blend into their environment. This can seen as a performance by people to change into something that people expect them to be.

O Movie

After viewing, O, the second time I couldn't get the scene where Oden is bouncing the basketball and looking at Dessie during the dunk contestant. In the scene the focus is just on him and then flashes to Dessie and back and forth. A big importance in the scene is that in the beginning all the audience can hear is the sound of the ball hitting the court. I think at that point Dessie knew that Oden made up his mind that she had cheated on him and that there was no one to persuade him. Also, the significance of the ball bouncing as the only noise relates back to the reason that all this drama and deceitfulness started was because of basketball.

We discussed in class, why have basketball be the main sport in the movie. I still am not sure why it was chosen. One reason could be that basketball only has 15 players and that allows for more emphasis on certain characters. Also, it was said in class that in basketball there is generally a superstar and that is why it was chosen. However, after playing a successfull basketball team in high school who didn't have a superstar I don't necessarily agree with it. Other sports have superstars or people feel the need to have them. Yet, more than half through the movie and I am still not sure the significance of basketball.

Othello Films

Aftering viewing two very different clips of Othello I was amazed on how much people can interpret Shakespeare differently. The 1965 film was staged more like a play, which I liked less than the one that was viewed in class. The creative differences used in Othello films and plays is very diverse and adds new dimensions to the play that I might have overlooked. It was interesting to see the final scenes of Othello played out after having the preconceived notion of what the characters looked like and what they were doing while I was reading it. After watching the films how I now imagine the final scene has changed and gotten more detailed. However, the bed is still significant to the imagery that I have of the final scene, just like the films.

Reputation in Othello

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." John Wooden

When reputation as discussed I couldn't help but remember this quote that was used consistently by my basketball coach in high school. He was always talk about how our character is really important and our reputation was insignificant. Our actions would make or break other peoples view of the team. However, Cassio realizes that even if he does have good character his reputation as a drinker effects his life by making him lose his job position. He sees his self and reputation as the same. Also, Iago has bad characteristics but his reputation as honest hinders people from seeing his true self. He does not thing that reputation is important and that can be seen in the John Wooden quote. It makes me question if reputation is important or not important depending on the situation. In basketball the teams reputation as less important than it was for Cassie whose job was his identity.

Girl, Interrupted

"Have you ever confused a dream with life? Or stolen something when you have the cash? Have you ever been blue? Or thought your train moving while sitting still? Maybe I was just crazy. Maybe it was the 60's. Or maybe I was just a girl... interrupted."

In class the question was proposed why was the movie titled Girl, Interrupted? I think it was titled to describe Susanna's life interrupted by her time within the mental hospital and the change within herself that resulted from it. Before entering the mental hospital she lead life without taking responsibilities and she was not in control of her life. Susanna led her life like a child without thinking of the consequences of her actions and not admitting and dealing with the repercussions of them. During her stay at the mental hospital Susanna was confronted with fact that she needed to take charge of her life and decide what she was going to do with it. Susanna was forced to deal with her issues and decide if she was going to keep neglecting them if they didn't exist or overcome them. Her time there allowed her to grow into an adult and let her take control of her life.

Gilman "The Yellow Wallpaper"

Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" made me a reader feel like I was going through a nervous breakdown. I felt "crazy" when her thoughts would shift within the text. It was like I had the disorder and I knew how she felt, which was one of her goals in reading the short story. It made me uneasy and I had to stop and remind myself that I am not going through a nervous breakdown. Also, after discussion in class I realized how "the rest-cure" actually made her worse and affected this book. The rest cure allowed Gilman to be alone with her thoughts and not with people that could have brought sanity into her life. Therefore the doctor's cure for her could have made her worse. I think that her treatment should have included being outside in nature and with family and friends, experiencing life in a positive "normal' way.

Woolf "A Room of One's Own"

Woolf states that "a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction." I can see if that in the context of the time that a woman would need some sort of fixed income in order to spend her time writing or thinking about writing free from the worry of money. Also, I agree that a woman would need a place of her own because unless a woman lived and was left alone from the inhibits there would be no place and time to write. However, in the context of today's time I don't think a woman needs to have money to write fiction. As discussed in class, money does provide more freedom, time, and opportunities so it can make writing easier but it is not necessary. Also, I don't think a woman needs a room of her own to write. A woman can write where she choices and can be successful doing it. I do believe that a woman needs a place "mentality" where she can go and get into the mode of writing.

Writing Process

The writing process for me is very difficult and time consuming. It is hard for me to start writing even when I make an outline, but when I'm halfway done I can easily finish. I dislike writing papers because it is hard to organize my thoughts into a well-written paper. A metaphor to my writing process would be would be running a 5k. It is hard get in shape for the race and prepare myself for the 5k. Also, the first two miles of the 5k race are hard but the last 1.2 miles are easier because I know I'm close to finishing.