Thursday, November 19, 2009
Americans vs Jews
This movie that we are watching at the moment is very interesting. The whole incident that happened between the Jew and the little black boy is very unfortunate. I believe that it was the Jewish persons fault because he was the one that went through the stop light and that hit the boy. Once the ambulances came the Jew was able to leave right away and the little black boy didn't have much assistance. People were yelling in the street saying how it was unfair and that the black boy should've been helped immediately. I completely agree with this and I am with the Americans (blacks) on this whole situation. I understand why there was a huge riot because many people wanted to prove a point about this. It wasn't just a simple accident, it involved much more. The Jewish person had more money and was regarded as higher than the black boy and he therefore got the advantage when the ambulance came. Overall I am for the African Americans and it was good that they rioted. Although many people were arrested and people died at least they were able to show what they were fighting for. The movie that we have been watching at the moment is great because we are able to really understand how certain people talk and react to certain subjects such as racism and discrimination.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Sonny's blues
What does the brother realize about Sonny as he plays the piano? What does the music allow Sonny to do?
Sonny has had a challenging life and his use of drugs to help him relax has caused him to make some bad choices. Throughout the story Sonny is in the need for heroin which is the drug he is addicted to but when he starts playing the piano more and more some things start changing. Sonny is able to put his past and emotions on the side and then express it in his music. When Sonny's brother sees him play the piano at the end he is able to tell that Sonny has found something to do where he can relax without taking drugs. When Sonny plays the piano he feels happy and he doesn't want to be using drugs. Playing the piano is his new "drug" in a way and the brother finally notices that at the end of "Sonny's Blues". Playing the piano didn't only help Sonny overcome his drug issues and let his brother know that he found a new path, but it also showed the rest of the world how some people can overcome their problems and start something new in life. This is what happens to Sonny and it is a good ending to the story. Producing music finally allowed Sonny to have a future and realize that he doesn't need drugs in his life and that he can be a successful person. This inspired many others that were around Sonny.
Sonny has had a challenging life and his use of drugs to help him relax has caused him to make some bad choices. Throughout the story Sonny is in the need for heroin which is the drug he is addicted to but when he starts playing the piano more and more some things start changing. Sonny is able to put his past and emotions on the side and then express it in his music. When Sonny's brother sees him play the piano at the end he is able to tell that Sonny has found something to do where he can relax without taking drugs. When Sonny plays the piano he feels happy and he doesn't want to be using drugs. Playing the piano is his new "drug" in a way and the brother finally notices that at the end of "Sonny's Blues". Playing the piano didn't only help Sonny overcome his drug issues and let his brother know that he found a new path, but it also showed the rest of the world how some people can overcome their problems and start something new in life. This is what happens to Sonny and it is a good ending to the story. Producing music finally allowed Sonny to have a future and realize that he doesn't need drugs in his life and that he can be a successful person. This inspired many others that were around Sonny.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Ethics
Family values and the ethics of my life are extremely important. I was always taught by my parents to be polite, respectful and to give back to others. Many people in this world take everything they are given for granted and don’t fully appreciate things in their lives. The people that surround you on a day-to-day basis such as your friends at school can greatly impact and influence how you should be. Usually the students that have respect for others and that are nice will attract other students of the same personality type.
As I was taught many things by my parents on life and how you are supposed to interact and communicate with others at such a young age, today I tend to be with people who were behave the same way as me. I also have some personal ethics that I can consider are crucial for me to have as an individual. I want to make sure that I try to be the best person I can and that I always work hard and put in effort into what I do.
The main thing is to feel happy and to be well respected in and out of the family. If you have that respect then you will be surrounded with those people who will therefore have a positive influence on your attitude and overall behavior. In the end of the day this is how it works, well mannered and polite people will spend time with the same people as them and people with less manners/respect towards others will be together. This is why choosing who you want to spend time with is more important than you can think. It influences you in ways that sometimes you can't realize.
As I was taught many things by my parents on life and how you are supposed to interact and communicate with others at such a young age, today I tend to be with people who were behave the same way as me. I also have some personal ethics that I can consider are crucial for me to have as an individual. I want to make sure that I try to be the best person I can and that I always work hard and put in effort into what I do.
The main thing is to feel happy and to be well respected in and out of the family. If you have that respect then you will be surrounded with those people who will therefore have a positive influence on your attitude and overall behavior. In the end of the day this is how it works, well mannered and polite people will spend time with the same people as them and people with less manners/respect towards others will be together. This is why choosing who you want to spend time with is more important than you can think. It influences you in ways that sometimes you can't realize.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Langston Hughes/Claude McKay
Langston Hughes and Claude McKay both are quite different poets but they do still share some similar ideas. Claud McKay doesn't have the exact same style of writing as Hughes, he uses a specific style (sonnets) of writing that he is known for. McKay wrote to show the white people that African Americans can actually be smart and educated people. McKay's writing style resembled that of Shakespeare which earned him a lot of reputation at the time. Langston Hughes, on the other hand, is a much more traditional kind of writer that speaks to his people. His writing isn't as sophisticated and precise as McKay's.
Overall both of these poets are writing about the same thing which is about the white and black race and how the whites have the wrong idea on blacks. Their main difference comes down to the writing style. For example, in "Theme for English B" by Langston Hughes, he talks about how he wants to be different from the whites, and that whites want nothing to do with blacks as well. This makes him realize that in America there are two races and that it has to be accepted. In McKay's "To My White Friends", she talks about blacks and how they can be just as evil as whites but instead they are trying to be civilized and they just want peace. The whites have in some way gone "crazy" with racial issues and McKay is reminding the whites that blacks can be as well.
The final thing that the two poets have in common is that both poets write about Africa at some point. Hughes writes about it in "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" and McKay in "Africa".
Overall both of these poets are writing about the same thing which is about the white and black race and how the whites have the wrong idea on blacks. Their main difference comes down to the writing style. For example, in "Theme for English B" by Langston Hughes, he talks about how he wants to be different from the whites, and that whites want nothing to do with blacks as well. This makes him realize that in America there are two races and that it has to be accepted. In McKay's "To My White Friends", she talks about blacks and how they can be just as evil as whites but instead they are trying to be civilized and they just want peace. The whites have in some way gone "crazy" with racial issues and McKay is reminding the whites that blacks can be as well.
The final thing that the two poets have in common is that both poets write about Africa at some point. Hughes writes about it in "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" and McKay in "Africa".
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Booker T. Washington
Blog – How is Washington providing an answer to the ‘go North’ or ‘stay South’ debate we looked at in Frederick Douglass’s Life and Times?
Washington provides many ideas and backup to confirm that he believes that African Americans should stay down South and not go up North. Many African Americans wanted to go up North but Washington thought that this wasn't the right move.
Booker T Washington believed that there was no point of going up North because so many African Americans were going up there at once already. African Americans thought they could have a better life up North and get a good job but so many of them had already gotten there that a lot less opportunities were present for the rest of the people still in the South.
Washington also believes that in the end there are still many opportunities down in the South that can also be found in the North. African Americans have for the most part grown up in the South and they have their own lifestyle there. Going up North wouldn't necessarily be that beneficial for an African American and this is what Washington is trying to tell the people. African Americans think that their jobs aren't good enough and that their life is really bad down in the South and this is why they want to go up North so bad. Washington said that he didn't think this was true as working in the field for example is still a normal job. The people down South would have a tough time adapting to life in the North and it makes sense for them to stay where they are from.
Overall Washington would like things to stay traditional with the African Americans staying in the South. This is what he pushed for in his debate and most of the ideas he brought up.
Washington provides many ideas and backup to confirm that he believes that African Americans should stay down South and not go up North. Many African Americans wanted to go up North but Washington thought that this wasn't the right move.
Booker T Washington believed that there was no point of going up North because so many African Americans were going up there at once already. African Americans thought they could have a better life up North and get a good job but so many of them had already gotten there that a lot less opportunities were present for the rest of the people still in the South.
Washington also believes that in the end there are still many opportunities down in the South that can also be found in the North. African Americans have for the most part grown up in the South and they have their own lifestyle there. Going up North wouldn't necessarily be that beneficial for an African American and this is what Washington is trying to tell the people. African Americans think that their jobs aren't good enough and that their life is really bad down in the South and this is why they want to go up North so bad. Washington said that he didn't think this was true as working in the field for example is still a normal job. The people down South would have a tough time adapting to life in the North and it makes sense for them to stay where they are from.
Overall Washington would like things to stay traditional with the African Americans staying in the South. This is what he pushed for in his debate and most of the ideas he brought up.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Equiano and Smith
Compare Equiano to Venture Smith. Both are Africans brought over to America to be slaves. Do they share the same views? How do they differ?
Equiano and Venture Smith both had a similar background and childhood. Although they were brought over to America to be slaves they were two different people who didn't approach life the same way once they earned (bought) their freedom.
Equiano was a lot more descriptive about his journeys and home town then Venture Smith was. Equiano takes time talking about his village and how he grew up and it seems as if he was very attached to his family and friends back home; this didn't seem as important to Venture Smith. Equiano also explains in great detail the trip from Africa to America where he just like Venture Smith was kidnapped to become a slave.
Equiano's experience as a slave in general was quite different then Venture's because Venture had gone straight to America but Equiano was in parts of Africa before he went to Barbados and N. America.
Equiano's experience as a slave was very different then Venture’s because unlike Venture who went directly to North America, Equiano was in different parts of Africa before he went to North America and Barbados and he spent a good amount of time in England in Europe. Another significant difference between the two was that money was everything to Venture Smith once he was a free man but it wasn't everything for Equiano. He wasn't as obsessed about it as Venture.
Equiano and Venture Smith both had a similar background and childhood. Although they were brought over to America to be slaves they were two different people who didn't approach life the same way once they earned (bought) their freedom.
Equiano was a lot more descriptive about his journeys and home town then Venture Smith was. Equiano takes time talking about his village and how he grew up and it seems as if he was very attached to his family and friends back home; this didn't seem as important to Venture Smith. Equiano also explains in great detail the trip from Africa to America where he just like Venture Smith was kidnapped to become a slave.
Equiano's experience as a slave in general was quite different then Venture's because Venture had gone straight to America but Equiano was in parts of Africa before he went to Barbados and N. America.
Equiano's experience as a slave was very different then Venture’s because unlike Venture who went directly to North America, Equiano was in different parts of Africa before he went to North America and Barbados and he spent a good amount of time in England in Europe. Another significant difference between the two was that money was everything to Venture Smith once he was a free man but it wasn't everything for Equiano. He wasn't as obsessed about it as Venture.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Protest Songs vs. Older work
There were many ideas in these three protest songs that relate back to previous work that we read. Most of these protest songs inspired young black African Americans who were going through their lives. Many black African Americans in the past didn’t have much money and lived in poverty and when they heard these protest songs they could relate to the issues and the rest of the world could in some way place themselves in their shoes.
Even black African American rappers that sang songs like “N.Y State of Mind” or the “The Message” could relate to these protest songs and it inspired their work and helped their own songs make more sense. In the song, “We Shall Overcome” they sing about how one day they will overcome many problems they are facing in the world and that they may be considered as equal one day. Rappers like NAS talk about the same kind of things in their songs. They talk about growing up in the hood and having a hard time doing so and making a name for themselves, mostly due to their skin color.
Even people like John Henry can relate to these protest songs. John Henry is someone who wanted to pound steel stakes with a hammer his whole life and who most likely had a rough and challenging childhood. John Henry and his story can relate to the lyrics present in the song “Ain’t gonna let Nobody Turn me “Round” where the message there is that basically no one will stop you from doing what you are doing if you have a goal. It also says in that song that if you are so determined in doing something you can ultimately ‘build a brand new world” which is what these rappers are trying to do and people like John Henry amongst others.
Another important message of these protest songs is that what Black Americans truly want is to simply be equal to white people and have the same opportunity as anyone else to do something good in the world. That’s what they are all trying to do in a way. ( Black African Americans in the readings and songs)
Even black African American rappers that sang songs like “N.Y State of Mind” or the “The Message” could relate to these protest songs and it inspired their work and helped their own songs make more sense. In the song, “We Shall Overcome” they sing about how one day they will overcome many problems they are facing in the world and that they may be considered as equal one day. Rappers like NAS talk about the same kind of things in their songs. They talk about growing up in the hood and having a hard time doing so and making a name for themselves, mostly due to their skin color.
Even people like John Henry can relate to these protest songs. John Henry is someone who wanted to pound steel stakes with a hammer his whole life and who most likely had a rough and challenging childhood. John Henry and his story can relate to the lyrics present in the song “Ain’t gonna let Nobody Turn me “Round” where the message there is that basically no one will stop you from doing what you are doing if you have a goal. It also says in that song that if you are so determined in doing something you can ultimately ‘build a brand new world” which is what these rappers are trying to do and people like John Henry amongst others.
Another important message of these protest songs is that what Black Americans truly want is to simply be equal to white people and have the same opportunity as anyone else to do something good in the world. That’s what they are all trying to do in a way. ( Black African Americans in the readings and songs)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)