Everyone likes Shakespeare!

It is interesting to know the opinions of others when talking about Shakespeare. I, for one, enjoy his works while not many other I know do. I think it is important to society today or why else would it still be around. Yes, that’s right! Shakespeare is still taught today; however it is told in a way that is more appealing to today’s society, children in particular. Yesterday’s Hamlet is today’s Lion King. This is seen clearly through the actions and meaning of the different characters.

Hamlet Jr. is seen in Simba. Both of their parents, who are the rulers of the land, have died and now the princes are looking for a way out. Simba runs away, and Hamlet doesn’t take the responsibility of his father. Mufasa is seen clearly in the character of Hamlet Sr. Both kings are killed and come to their sons in a clear ghostly vision. They are both evoked to seek revenge for their father’s. Not only are the protagonists shown, but the antagonist are represented as well. Scar is seen in the actions of Claudius. Scar kills Mufasa as Claudius kills Hamlet Sr. Also, as Claudius takes the original queen as his wife, it is assumed that Scar takes Sarabi as his wife.

I find it interesting that a play such as Hamlet is undervalued while something such as The Lion King can take cartoons and bring the whole meaning of the play back to life in the present.

WORD COUNT: 246

Oedipus, The King ~ The Complete Play

Iterations

When i got finished reading "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been", and watching Smooth Talking I saw a lot of similarities. One thing about the short story is that it starts to be very repetitive and seemed to drag along in the end, Smooth Talk also did that at the end whe A. Friend was trying to get the girl. Repetitiveness is one thing that I really do not care for I just get tired of reading something that seems like it is taking forever to read. The three nonfiction stories were similar but there were certain differences within each article. You could see how different people tell the same story but in a different way. Reading the nonfiction articles of Charles Schmid gives us an idea of Arnold Friend. I really liked reading the nonfiction articles about the story because it gave the real hard truth and facts about where the real idea for "Where are you going, Where have you been". The video was way off and I didn’t really like it at all, maybe because it was a horrible depiction of what we just saw and read. The movie was the best description of the short story because you could actually see the story being played out in front of you. Writing the same story in different iterations is creative and impressive but i find it easier to understand when i see the movie first then reading the short story.

Jonathan May and Emily Thrash will be reading from their respective oeuvres.

Expect sex and laughter and ballroom dancing.

In addition, it's Jonathan's birthday, so you might have to sing. But he hates that so maybe not.

Henry James says of Emily's work: "Thrilling, orgasmic, like a female Turgenev of the American South."

Sappho, of Lesbos, says of Jonathan's poems: "Rhapsodic."


Otherlands Coffee Bar
641 S. Cooper
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
6:30pm - 8:00pm

For Thursday

Please read pages 1277 through 1322. Answer all questions in the text. Bring in, typed . . . . blah blah blah.

Lost Literature Book

If anyone finds a blue English literature book, know someone who has found one, or has turned in a found one please let me know. I left it in class Thursday and did not notice it was gone till this Monday. I would really appreciate it. (Tarlisha Crutcher English 2201 t/th 11:20)

We are Part Monster!

"Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from you - and summons them to your recall with a will of its own. You think you have a memory; but it has you!"

~John Irving

It is sometimes hard to come up with something to write about own my own; however it has taught me to become interested in finding things out for myself. This quote, for example, I found by googling "monster quotes." It is something I have never thought of before, but it is so true. The human mind is such an incredible thing. It stores so much information that we don't even know we are retaining. In my human development class we learned about human cognitive development. I learned that once we know how to do something, like riding a bike, we never forget it. Sometimes we can't find it where we stored it in our brains, but it is there. This quote makes me think of all those times that I'm standing around randomly and I suddenly remember a dream I had or a past memory. This happens even when we aren't trying to remember things. In this way, our mind is in control. We don't try to remember somethings, but the littlest thing makes memories rush back. I find it funny and ironic because when we aren't trying to remember things we do but when it comes to a test...God forbid our memory works on it's own then.

WORD COUNT: 258

A Worn Path Reflection

I always enjoy a visual representation of literature because you can take words and then deliver them in your own particular desired way. It’s always interesting to see how someone takes literature and transfers them to film, or stage, or even to art. When I read “A Worn Path” for the first time, I was slightly confused about Phoenix’s hallucinations. For me, it was not very clear in the text what was going on. When I saw the video of the story, it was easier for me to understand. Therefore, I believe I gained more understanding while watching the movie versus the actual story. Not saying, that I am the type of person who always would rather choose the movie over the book, but in this case I enjoyed the movie.
When it comes to the subject of perspective, I really didn’t see much of a change between the story and video. When reading, it was understood that Phoenix was the main character and that we, as the readers, were not able to know her every thought. The movie did take the audience slightly deeper into the world of Phoenix, just because there was more dialogue from Phoenix. She constantly talked to herself and we were able to see the facial expressions of her character. I was able to notice physical traits that created Phoenix.
In the movie, there was more emphasis put on the minor characters. The characters would be the hunter, lady who ties Phoenix’s shoes, and the nurse. Out of all these characters, I felt that the nurse had the most important role. Throughout the entire story, this is the only character that really understands and knows Phoenix. She is knowledgeable of her situation and life style. During the scene in the doctor’s office, the film maker concentrated on their relationship. The film magnifies how the nurse took time to help Phoenix and how she had sympathy for her.
I really enjoyed being able to watch this story come to life on film. I also really was glad to view the interview of the author. It really gave me more background on the story and how it came to exist. It is always very interesting to listen to the author’s insight about their own story.
WORD COUNT: 378

Questions for 11-12-09

2. My mother is the biggest nag in the whole world. It's like she doesn't even care about who I am or what I'm about. All she cares about is me making a success of myself.

5. "Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid is told in second and first-person points of view. This colors the meaning of the story by showing how her mother always told her what to do and she never talked back even though her thoughts contradicted her mother's words.

8. I was getting my groceries when I noticed the manager of the place chewing out one of his employees in an unprofessional manner. I obviously could not let this continue, so I stabbed the manager in the back alley.

Reminder: Outside Event Reflection Guidelines

Outside Events

Make sure you're putting your reflections in the Outside Events dropboxes, so that you can get credit for going. The reflections must go far beyond a recitation of what happened and into an exploration of the experience. HERE is a rubric (guide) for writing these.

A Worn Path

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Reflect on the way Point of View is changed, or reinforced, in the movie version of this story. Also think about what is gained and/or lost in the translation of the text into a movie.

Y'all, I'm so sorry for the late notice, but I need to cancel class today. Carry over the assignment that was due today (the Baldwin and Wealty stories and the questions that follow them). Also answer questions 2, 5, and 8 on page 72 of your text. Bring those in - typed - on Thursday.

Get outside and enjoy the day!

Whats up with the Weather

Okay after moving down here from Pennsylvania I have noticed that it never gets cold. Ever. I have always wondered why that does that, i had a conversation with my father the other day and he said that it was 30 degrees. I wish it could get this cold here but i doubt it becuase i am still wearing shorts in November. Last Christmas, if i recall correctly, the weather was particulary warm. It is wierd how just because of a view hundred miles the weather changes so much. This has always been on my mind.

Thursday

Can anyone tell me the assingment that was givin on Thursday please???

Writers on the Road Series

Sponsored by Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Graduate Writers
Forum and University of Memphis’ Creative Writing Club
Burke’s Bookstore, 936 S. Cooper St. (map)
Friday, Nov. 13, at 6 p.m.

Mark Jay Brewin Jr. is a second year graduate candidate at the MFA
program of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. His poems
have been published in numerous journals including Corradi Summer
Journal and New Delta Review, and are forthcoming in Packingtown
Review, Iron Horse Literary Review and Southern Poetry Review.
They have also placed as finalist in the Guy Owen Poetry Prize and
the New Letters Literary Award Contest, as well as been featured on
Saxifrage Press’s website highlighting up and coming poets."


A.K. Thompson is a fiction writer who lives in a cabin on a pond in Makanda,
Illinois where vultures descend each fall. She holds a Master's Degree from the
now-defunct New College of California in San Francisco, where she nearly went
crazy, but arguably might have actually gone crazy, which may be why she is
now a writer. She has two smelly dogs, spends most of her time in the woods
stalking squirrels, sings hillbilly songs while picking her guitar and watches Hee-
Haw.

James Scoles’ most recent story— The Electricity of Crime—is featured in
the current issue of Prairie Fire Magazine (Canada). He recently returned from a writing fellowship at the National University of Ireland-Galway, where he worked on a novel based on his family history and a game of cards. His fiction and non-fiction have been nominated for National and Western Magazine Awards, as well as The Journey Prize (Canada), and twice for the Pushcart Prize.

Katie Zapoluch was born and raised in Pinconning, Michigan--not far from Madonna's birthplace. Unlike Madonna, Katie is quite fond of her hometown, and hopes to move back to Michigan once she's out of school. Katie studied English, Classical Studies, and American Studies at Kalamazoo College, and earned an MA in English Language and Literature at Central Michigan University. Her work has appeared in Kalamazoo College's literary magazine, The Cauldron, for which she served as poetry editor, as well as Central Michigan University's graduate literary
magazine, Temenos. She also won a sestina contest in Trellis magazine.

Long-distance relationships

I am currently in this relationship with another tennis girl; however she attends a different college in Birmingham, Alabama. When you think about Birmingham is not that far from Memphis, maybe just a three or four drive. Which is great and all, because I am not that far away from her. And we can visit each other whenever we have an off weekend. But, because it is somewhat close, it is kind of an obligation that we see each other. Meaning that one of us has to get in the car and make one of the most boring drives in the history of the universe. I realize that is an over-reaction, but then again you do not understand my pain because you have never made that drive.

The Great Weather

I thought it was so wonderful to finally wake up to a sunny cloudless morning yesterday. I started to believe that global warming have finally caught on and we were doomed. It is definitely better late than never, because we are in November and I can walk around in shorts and maybe a pull-over. I think everyone is happier when they are around good weather like this. Yesterday i sat next to the water fountain on campus and just took it all in; the sun, the beautiful day, and all the people experiencing my same joy. It was the best day that I had all semester, hopefully today will be the same.

School

I have just entered the last full month of the semester, and I do not have to continue to juggle my sport and school anymore. During the fall, my season only lasts about two months of September and October. We're forced to practice shorter hours in November, which means we spend less time on court or doing conditioning. Originally I thought the change of hours was a burden, because it would damper with my performance. However, it is actually a good thing because I can spend more time focusing on my classes and regain ground in all my classes. In a way, I am allowed to be a regular student for two months.

Outside Event: Memphis Matters

It’s a very serious relationship, intense even. You’re committed, but it’s complicated.It’s MEMPHIS!

Playback Memphis invites you to an evening of stories about life and work in our beloved city. In a Playback performance, audience members tell stories from their lives, then watch as actors and musician bring them to life on the spot without script, score, or rehearsal. Playback creates ample opportunity for laughter, reflection, and dialogue. It’s compelling and entertaining theater—as well as an outstanding tool for community building.

All proceeds go towards bringing the Playback experience to communities in need. We are currently partnering with local non-profits MIFA, Porter Leath, and Victims to Victory.

Two shows ONLY. This Friday, November 6th & Saturday, November 7th at 8pm. General admission $15. Students and Seniors with ID $12. TheatreSouth (1000 South Cooper).

FOR RESERVATIONS AND TICKET INFORMATION
264-0841 / INFO@PLAYBACKMEMPHIS.COM
LIMITED SEATS AVAILABLE
RESERVATIONS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED

Playback Memphis is generously supported by Arts Memphis and the Tennessee Arts Commission and lots of amazing Memphians.