I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings: Post 2

After finishing Maya Angelou's memoir I now feel like I have an understanding of what her life was like, although I can't personally relate to it. I thought it was interesting how she wrote the memoir. It was in a point of view of herself as a child as well as her point of view as an adult. There were points where she would recount an experience, but seemed to add her new found reaction or understanding of it at present. She told about her time living in the junkyard and the people she met there. She talked about the determination she felt to get the job on the streetcars "to break the restricting tradition," and become the first Negro on the San Francisco streetcars (269). I was also struck by how honest she was, talking about her insecurities about her womanhood and the fear that she might be a lesbian. She also told exactly how her son was conceived and how she felt about this new being which was completely hers. I was a little disappointed in the abrupt ending. I felt there was more to be told about her life, I wanted to know what led her to write this memoir.

What's Your Passion?

Great question! I have yet to be able to answer this question. I honestly do not know what I want to do when I grow up and what my passion is. I haven't really found anything that keeps me interesting and what I want to do. What am I good at? Another good question. I don't know and I also don't think that you have to necessarily have to be good at something to make a career out of it if you are hard working, determined and you love it. I have always just seen myself becoming a mother and raising a family, not so much a business woman or career person. However, I do want to be successful at something and be an independent person after college. I want to be able to make my own money and maybe even have my own business. I like to bake and to be creative making things, so I've always kept that idea of opening my own shop. That is why I am currently taking business classes but keeping an open mind for new possibilities. The video seemed to me a little unrealistic because yes it is important for people to do what they love and love what they do but sometimes that is not enough to get by financially. If people want to be financially stable and not have to worry about bills, especially in an economy where the unemployment rate is so high, they may need to take a job they don't care for. I do think everyone would be happier if they loved their work, but I don't think that is always realistic.

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

Stories like these, of such hardships, make me realize how blessed I am and how easy I have it. Reading about Maya's childhood and how she was raped at the age of eight makes me so appreciative of my childhood. It makes me realize how much I have been blessed with and how little I have struggled with in comparison. I have grown up with two parents and have had a very stable family life unlike Maya. One of Maya's first memories is being shipped to her grandmother at the age of three. She doesn't feel like she has a place to call home and is always thinking, "I didn't come to stay (1)." She never had an easy life but Momma tries to raise her to be a strong, smart, religious woman. It is after she is raped and testifies at trial when she loses her voice. She lies and therefore believes she is responsible for Mr. Freeman's death. She believed the only thing she could do to protect others was to stop talking. However, she meets Mrs. Flowers would takes personal interest in Maya's silence and helps her regain her voice. Maya says, "It is safe to say that she made me feel proud to be Negro, just by being myself (95)."

Mary Gordon: Christian Culture Lecture

At first, I was really not looking forward to going to the Mary Gordon presentation. I knew she was a renowned author, memoirist, poet and essayists but I was not sure as to what she would be talking about for a Christian Culture Lecture. As she began talking about different artists and their works, I was still confused about how they related to religion and faith. However, as I focused in I realized that her reactions to these artworks expressed how they dealt with suffering either personal or of their time period. There was a theme of pain and turmoil but these artists used their sense of faith and strength to express hope through all of the suffering. She also mentioned the differences in their gender could be seen how they reacted to the suffering. The visualizations of the artwork helped to understood her argument and I thought the question and answer session was helpful. People asked more direct questions about faith and religion which helped relate the art to the "Christian Culture Lecture."

Circling My Mother

Reading this piece of work first off really made me miss my mom! It also made me dread the inevitability of my mom, and dad, getting older and aging. I thought about how one day I will be in her place and will be the caretaker of my dying parents. Mary Gordon boldly talked about her strong feelings of hate and disgust towards her mother's rotting body. She did not intend to betray her mother in her writing, but did in a way because she revealed so much about her and talked harshly about her. It was interesting to me how Mary Gordon admitted that her mother's death was somewhat of a relief and I was initially appalled. How could someone be relieved that their mother, who was strong, independent and loving, finally died. This emotional reaction to her mother's death made me think of my relationship with my mother. How will I come to feel about her in her dying days? Will I dread going to visit her and feel repulsed every time I see her? I know that she had these feelings because her mother's body was literally rotting and the dementia she suffered from took all of her memories, but I expected some sort of sympathy. Her mother did not choose to end the way she did. She had lived a very independent successful life despite her disability and hardships. It is not ideal for anyone to lose all sense of independence and not be able to take care of themselves. The thought of death and especially such decay as described in this memoir gave me a feeling of helplessness. I know death is inevitable but why does it have to be so agonizing for some?

Reflection Post

Listening to President Mooney brought great comfort and assurance to me even though I had already come to feel at home here at Saint Mary's. She expressed her struggles as a freshman, not feeling comfortable and not knowing anyone. I could relate to her in that sense of going to a school where you don't know anyone. But it was reassuring that she clearly survived and said it was a time she will never forget. She talked a lot about wanting Saint Mary's students to be in awe of the beauty of the world and have an intellectual appetite. This caught my attention because I don't think I have had that curiosity or thirst to learn more in school. I've always done my work that was assigned and was happy to get it over with. I do hope, however, that my time at Saint Mary's will change that. I hope to find a passion and purpose as President Mooney mentioned. It was a little overwhelming to hear all of the accomplishments of the seniors on the panel, but it was also inspiring and encouraging to know that such successful, driven women go to the same school as me. Attending a school that really cares about each and every student really does help in shaping us into well rounded women. We gain a deeper understanding of all kinds of people and gain experience that we may miss out on at other schools.

Normal?

What is normal? Who decides what normal is? I don't think human beings can ever be narrowed down to a classification of whether they are "normal" or not. People are just too complex and different that it is not possible. Not only could someone narrow down characteristics that people should attain to be "normal" but who would be given that authority to determine that. Is someone not normal because they have a different opinion than others? Is someone not normal because they express them selves in a unique way? Is someone not normal because they were raised in a very strict home? Is someone not normal because they like a certain TV show? Is someone not normal because they don't own a TV?
I could go on and on and on about what things are considered "normal" and abnormal, but I won't. Mostly because I wouldn't be making a point. Normal does have a technical definition, but I don't think it can be used as an adjective. Was Susanna from Girl, Interrupted not normal because she wished to become a writer and did not go to college? Maybe she wasn't considered "normal" by those around her but she was not mentally insane. She may have overdosed on drugs because she was trying to escape her life where she was constantly being told she was not "normal." Normality was not what she needed to achieve, but the realization that nothing is "normal" and that she was fine just the way she is. By the end of the movie I think she came to terms with who she was and that is how she could move on with her life.

Close Reading of Young Mother Sewing

Young Mother Sewing

By Mary Cassatt

Step One: When I first looked at this picture, I obviously picked out the two characters depicted. A young mother who is sewing, as described in the name of the painting, and a young girl leaning on her lap. The artist makes these two characters the main focus in the picture, but also includes a background with a forest scene outside the window and a flower pot on the table. 
Step Two: Things that stuck out when I viewed this painting were the bright colors of the flowers, the bold stripes of the woman's dress, the child's expression and the window in the background. The woman is depicted as concentrating on her sewing, not paying any attention to the child. The child looks impatient or bored, waiting for the mother to give her the attention she needs. 
Step Three: The bold stripes on the woman's dress and the angles that seem to focus attention to the center of the painting have an important purpose. They were used to draw the viewer to the focus point, the two people in the painting. It is as if you are being shielded off from looking at the background. The soft colors of the mother and child are contrasted by the bold flowers and the strong green of beyond the window. The child's eyes seem to be speaking in a way, looking into the viewer's eyes. 
Step Four: I believe the artist chose the bold stripes to draw in the viewer, pointing out the woman sitting inside doing women's work. I believe she is celebrating or displaying the fact that women are worth while and deserve to be given recognition. She does not want people focused on the background, because that is outside and women were meant to stay inside. She doesn't want to focus on the fact that they are stuck inside, but on the positive things they accomplish while inside. The bright flowers seem to show that life indoors can be joyful and colorful. It doesn't have to be gloomy and seem like a prison. I think the child is looking into the viewer's eyes because she is wanting someone to talk to or play with. She is curious about the outside world but her mother makes her stay indoors with her.