Extended Blog- Peace Like A River

Peace is a word defined as “Freedom from quarrels or dissension between individuals (or, esp. in early use, between an individual and God); a state of friendliness; amity, concord” (Oxford). In the book “Peace Like a River” the word peace is one of the words in the title that stands out to me. Peace is one of the key targets that the family in the story is striving towards throughout the book. I feel that this family goes through so much and has to continue to go through trials to be able to experience peace in life. The word peace is so significant in this book because at one point in time each character encounters a test on having peace whether it is with themselves or someone else. Reuben who is the narrator as well as one of the main characters in the story is born a severe asthmatic. He is the young brother of Davy and is there to witness him killing the two bullies Israel Finch and Tommy Basco. Reuben struggles in the story to accept and be at peace with the decision the court makes about his brother being guilty. Reuben feels that when his brother killed the bullies that this was an action of self-defense. On the other hand Davy struggles with coming to peace because he has just murdered two boys and is now on the run. Not only does he has to deal with the result of murder but the outcome of not being able to be with his family that he only thought that he was trying to protect. How can you be at peace when you have just taken two people lives? How can you find peace within yourself when you must live on the run away from the people that you love the most? I believe that Davy is the major character who struggles to find peace the most in this story. Then there is the father Jeremiah who also deals with a lot in this story. He experiences a child born with asthma, loss of his job, and the abandonment of his wife who leaves him with the children all alone. However, the biggest struggle to find peace was between him and God. Throughout the book Jeremiah is the only person who actually talks to God. It is times in the book where he questions why all of this is happening to his family. The result of being a father of a murder and how he has to deal with the authorities and court. Jeremiah is a strong character who stays strong for his family in the entire book. This characteristic of Jeremiah is especially shown as a father who has to raises his daughter alone. Swede seems to deal with a lot of her pain by writing it down on paper, being the intelligent young girl that she is she even writes a poem about the events that happen to her family. Swede is brought to peace in the story by the mother figure piece that she is missing. This piece is filled by Roxanne as you can seem the connection throughout the story with Swede’s literary love connection that occurs with Roxanne.

 Peace is not something that happens or “pops up” just because you want it to. I believe that all people go through test in life that leads to having peace in life. I think that peace comes with a lot of aspects like guilt, forgiveness, pain, and regret. Although there are a variety of viewpoints that you can examine the idea of peace from these are a few that were dealt with in the book. All of the Land family experience pain from losing a brother to a situation like that. I can truly relate to this situation because I have two brothers. I know that my brothers are pretty much willing to do anything to protect me from the world that we are living in today. I can truly imagine losing my brother in situation like this how much pain it would bring to my parents and even more to me as the youngest sister that they were trying to protect. I honestly don’t feel that I would ever be at peace with my brother’s actions of killing the bullies or the courts actions for finding him guilty. Then there is the guilt that can come before you reach peace in your life. I know at some point in time Davy felt so much guilt about killing Basco and Finch. Even though Davy expresses in the book that it wasn’t an accident and he meant it I am sure he eventually after much thought he understood that they were people too who have families. This idea of guilt also relates to how Reuben was feeling when he say the families of Finch and Basco in court. This checkpoint in the story made him stop and actually view both sides of the situation at hand. The thought that these two boys had families who cared about them just as the Land family cared for Davy. Another that helps a person seek peace is the thought of forgiveness. The situation that the Land family experiences with the bullies could have been handled with forgiveness which would have led to the peace between the two families. Jeremiah tries to express to Davy that the situation with the bullies is only going to escalate if we continue to be angry. If only Davy would have taken in these words and not continue to store the thoughts of retaliation in his head. I feel that peace would have been an earlier outcome with the Land family. They would have been at peace with Davy still being at home and a part of the family or even at peace with the two bullies still alive not murdered.

Miracles are another way in this book that brings peace to Land family in the story. The first miracle is when Reuben is born. The doctor says that he isn’t breathing and is not going to survive since he has not taken any breathes in minutes. Yet, his father comes in and miraculously gets Reuben to breathe. If he would have died that day his father would not have been at peace with the doctor not being able to keep him alive, but instead he is brought peace by the miracle of his son making it though. Additionally, the last miracle of the story is an example of peace. Jeremiah bartering with God to save Reuben’s life by taking his place, although Reuben might not have been at peace with losing his father but Jeremiah was at peace for saving his son.

The major line in this book that seem to represent peace states “In heaven, Reuben and his father arrive at a city, and as they look together from a hill down on it, they see rivers of people streaming along, singing a hymn, and “it is as though they march in preparation for some imminent and joyous and sanctified war” (120). This quote literally expresses the title of the book and gives great imagery on what “Peace like a River” means in the authors eyes. In other words the author helps you envision heaven how he pictures it. He gives this detailed description to help the audience understand the serenity of heaven. After reading this quote it made me feel as if I was there with that peaceful river that was running in heaven, along with all of the heavenly people.

I feel that peace was one of the concepts that grasped the full complexity of the story because if the Land family wasn’t at peace then they were definitely working hard to get to it.

References

Enger, Leif. Peace like a river. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press; 2001. Print.

"Home: Oxford English Dictionary." N.P., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2011. <http://www.oed.com/>.

Dealing with the World-Creative Post

“We and the world, my children, will always be at war. Retreat is impossible. Arm yourselves.”

O what the world brings to us

Whether the temptation of lust

Or the gossip and fuss.

A woman who experiences a tragic cancer

Questions the man above for all the answers

Why… Why … Why… her thoughts go a stray

The chemo and radiation all a part of her everyday

Or a man who wants to distribute love

But the seed planted by him, grown to be a weeping willow tree

As the reality sets in he lifts his head above

To wonder about his child and the father he should be

In the words of Enger “Retreat is impossible”

The world places evil on our doorsteps so we stay in survival mode

For we now live in the present and make decisions on the possible

Will there always be so much to accept in life on this obstacle course of a road?

The quote at the top of the page inspired me to write this poem. In this quote the father seems to be telling the child that in the world that we live in today you should always be ready for what life throws at you on a daily basis. I really liked this quote so I decided to try and write a poem describing the ways that I can relate or situations that I have viewed throughout my lifetime. The reason why I think that this quote is interesting is because I find myself always thinks about life compared to war. I think that life always leaves you with the thought of not knowing what to expect next or when you will be attacked just like in a war. So growing up my mom always told me to stay ready for what life has to offer you and to be strong through the things that the world surrounds you with. In the first stanza I kind of wanted to represent the college life surrounds many people daily. The second stanza I thought “pink” in representation of the breast cancer awareness month. The third part of my poem was more focus on the fathers that fall short and regret not being in their children’s life. Lastly I wanted to represent my perspective on life. I don’t like living in the past or dwelling on old situations so in this quote there is a part use to express not going backwards in life. Also, this last stanza is represented by  my viewpoint on how many people experience obstacles on their path in life.

The Road- Problematize Post

I started off really fascinated with fact that this book was based upon a survival of the fittest mentality and a loving relationship between father and son. Now I have reached a point in reading to where I feel like the characters need to finally receive that final break. I have a problem with the constant reading of devastation and loss of hope. The tone, structure, and constant ideas of death are really starting to make me feel depressed as I read this novel. I know that McCarthy’s tone and structure of this book goes along with the events of destruction and end of the world position but sometimes I feel like this horror is never ending. In the beginning I enjoyed the reading so much because I always felt that the two main characters in the book would eventually catch that break that you expect for them as the audience. However, as I continue to read this novel it is like they find food but not long from this they are back to starving and near death. Additionally, McCarthy uses fire to symbolize the hope and survival that they carry along the journey but so far this fire has continued to be put out.     McCarthy illustrates their human strength by the man and the boy trying to carry the fire on but it appears as they get weaker. Basically, my obstacle when reading this book is that the destruction that occurs in the book rubs off on me and I actually feel sad reading this novel compared to accepting the tragic event and wanting that happy ending.

Therefore I am having this big problem with them not making it to the coast or not receiving that big miracle of them finding new civilization somewhere. Why can’t they receive this final outcome of happiness? I don’t like reading sad and depressing stories. I really hope that this entire story isn’t just about this end of civilization. I am hoping for this happy ending compared to an entire read of depressing thoughts of the world ending. Can they please just catch that final break?

The Road- Reflection Post

“The Road” by Cormac McCarthy has been the most fascinating read that we have read so far. This novel really has my mind wondering due to the circumstances that these two have to deal with. The thought and sense of no time, days, or months just the darkness is crazy. I really don’t think that I would be able to handle not eating and drinking, just to walk with no sense of direction. These two characters really inspire me and take the words hope and survival to a different level.

One of the major ideas that I liked about this book so far is the fact that the dad would do anything to keep his son alive longer than him. I feel that if I had a child and I was in this situation I would do the same.  I think that any good parent would put their child before themselves in a case like this. However, I do believe that there are the parents who would have the idea that their children were either slowing them down on the journey or the idea that they wouldn’t make it so why should they suffer being dragged along. I think this goes back to the idea of survival and hope because any good parent would keep that hope alive so that their child won’t be afraid and have hope that they won’t die.  

Another thing that I liked was the way that the father and son both had different viewpoints of the devastation that was around them now. The little boy in the story was kind-hearted and innocent one that would always want to help others on the way. While the father took in the reality that they had to only take care of them and only them if they really wanted to survive the journey south.  I really understood both perspectives but honestly I don’t think that I would be able to just turn my back on someone who is truly hurt or in need. For example the man who was struck by lightning or the people in the basement that they left. I know that if there is every a time when people turn towards cannibalism or the world is full of darkness with no food I wouldn’t be able to handle a situation like that.  

“Everyday Use”- Annotation Post

Heritage is defined as “that which has been or may be inherited; any property, and esp. land, which devolves by right of inheritance”. This term plays a major role in the discussion between the mother and two daughters in the short story of “Everyday Use”. Throughout the entire play there is a debate between the true heritage of their family and the constructed idea of the oldest daughter Dee. Heritage is something that can’t be made up, it is “the fact of inheriting; inheritance, hereditary succession” from the family that you have come from. In this short story Dee does two major things that appear to be slightly disrespectful to her ancestor’s tradition. The first example is the language used by Dee which is supposed to be educated compared to Maggie and Mama. Although she is more highly educated than them she still carries herself with sort of an ignorant and superior persona. Dee truly misinterprets her heritage by embarrassing these new concepts that she has learned in school about African and Muslim culture which only disconnects her from her true family heritage. On the other hand Mama teaches Maggie the traditional upbringings, where she knows only where she comes from. Additionally when Dee announces to her mom about her changing her name and uses African language to communicate it to her. She states that “I couldn’t bare it being named after the people that oppressed me” (p.149). In other words she feels that her name was passed down to her wasn’t important enough to keep. This is a major time in the story that demonstrates that she has not only lost heritage but her herself as well. She totally forgets about the long line of women where her name comes from and picks up this African name that her mom can barely pronounce.

The second example was when the quilts came into the discussion. A large piece of their heritage goes along with those quilts that Mama wanted to give to them. These quilts were made from generations ago and passed down to them. Dee’s confusion of heritage shows when she says that the quilts shouldn’t be put into use every day while Maggie who knows how to quilt would respect the items that were passed down to her to be used. However I feel that the family heritage that was passed along within the quilts ended up in the right person hand in the end.

Works Cited

Oxford English Dictionary." Home: Oxford English Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2011. <http://www.oed.com/>.

The Significance of Women - Problematize Post

As a strong independent young woman I think I speak for many women when I say that women aren’t appreciated how we should be. In my opinion we are way more important than men. I also believe that without us men may not be able to survive too long. All of the readings so far in class have express at some point that women aren’t really a significant factor of life; however I have a major problem and strongly disagreeing perspective against that. First off in the play “A Death of a Salesman” the wife, Linda in the play is truly disrespected when her husband goes off and spends time with another woman. I have a problem with Linda standing by her husband, given him two sons, tending to their house and in return gets disrespected with an affair. Not only is this affair negative towards the wife but “The Woman” is placed at an inferior role due to the fact that she doesn’t even receive a name in the play.

I also have a problem with the second play “A Raisin in the Sun” and how the women are treated throughout the story. All three of the women Beneatha, Ruth, and Mama all have a variety of times in the play where there is no respect shown whether it is in support of their dreams, physical appearance, or just as a woman in general. For example, Beneatha has this major dream of becoming a doctor but there are male characters like her brother and George who doubt her just because of her gender. Another time that Beneatha is not rewarded with her significance is when she decides that she wants to embrace her African heritage. Although Asagai is supporting her discussions and ideas her brother still comes along and makes fun of her by dancing and singing. This goes back to the lack of respect that women have to face in this world that we live in. Another instance in the play is when Ruth was trying to confess to her husband that she was pregnant. Walter just brushes her off like the news that she has to explain is not of huge importance. I feel as if Walter places Ruth and her unborn child in a category where they don’t even matter at this point in the story. Ruth has to be on the edge of giving an abortion for her own husband to take time to realize that her news is of significance. She practically set her own dreams aside just to support him and back him up as a husband. Then there is Mama who in my opinion Walter Lee disregards when he still goes through with the investment knowing that his mom trusted him. As his mother she trusted him to do the right thing.

One of the last readings also included different aspects of down grading women. Basically the author compares woman to trees whether it is how we grow, our physical strength, as well as our minds. Throughout the poem we are considered to be weak, dwarf in growth, and intellectually crippled. I definitely oppose these characteristics and argue that women stand for so much more than this stereotype that they have us labeled as. I am tired of being compared to the weaker things in life. Why can’t women have the strength of an ox or a bull? Why can’t women grow without the superior control of a man right next to them? Why are we labeled the weak links in life? Why do women continue to accept this idea thrown at us daily in life?

A Raisin in the Sun- Reflection Post

After reading “A Raisin in the Sun” I found that there were a lot of things in the play that I could personally relate to. One of the example from the story that I had a connection with was the conversation between Travis and Walter in Act II. Basically this conversation is a father to son discussion on what Travis plans on doing for a career in the future. I’m sure that many people have had this special talk with a parent but personally I feel that this was one of the biggest turning points of my life the first time that I experienced this. Not only did I get the lecture on college but I received the most devastating news of my life. I was about fifteen when I was sat down in my living room with my mom and she told that she had found out that she had breast cancer. She went on to give me this entire speech on how she was not always going to be in my life to help me make decisions so it was time to start considering what I wanted to do in life. Of course many other thoughts and emotions began to rush through my mind but my response to her was that I wanted to help people like her and those who were in desperate need of care. However, I am currently a biology major who is considering attending pharmacy school. So in relation to Travis and his sit down conversation with his father I can image the thoughts that were going through his head when his father randomly sits him down to talk about his future. I think that these types of discussions are needed sometimes just to open a child’s eyes and inspire them to work towards becoming successful. For example, when Travis states that “I can’t make up my mind. Sometimes Mama asks me that too. And sometimes when I tell you I just want to be like you-she says she don’t want me to be like that and sometimes she says she does….”(p.1659). In other words there is confusion with Travis about what he wants to do in life and about his father as a role model. Therefore I believe that this talk was much needed for both Travis and Walter. Especially, Walter who needed help not only finding himself but changing some of his ways knowing that his son is following his lead.

Another section in the play that I wanted to reflect on was the part where Bennie and Walter were arguing about her wanting to become a doctor. I have two brothers that act just like Walter who love to throw their negative comments at me daily. I am also a student- athlete who plays basketball here at Southeastern University and my brothers have been telling me for years that I need to stop playing and at more like a lady by just going to school to learn something. They also use to tease me about how I’m not smart enough to be trying to do a major like biology. So I definitely feel Beneatha’s anger when Walter states things like “Who the hell told you you had to be a doctor? If you are so crazy ‘bout messing ‘round with sick people-then go be a nurse like other women-or just get married and be quiet…”(p.1629). As a sister of two brothers I definitely understand her emotions when it comes to negativity and arguments around the house.

Death of a Salesmen- Problematize Post

After reading the play “Death of a Salesmen” and viewing a clip of the end I feel that there were a few puzzling aspects of the play. First off I feel that the setting of the play was challenging at times because of all of the flashbacks and memories that were brought up in and out of the play. For example, the clip in class showed when Willy Lowman was having a discussion with Biff where at first he was talking bad about him but as soon as he realizes that he son actually loves him he contradicts himself and starts to talk about how successful he is going to be. After the discussion he flashes back to as if he were at a football game. The entire time his wife was in the bedroom calling him to come in the room. I think that this play is much easier to understand when performed instead of read due to all of the delusional flashbacks and memories throughout the play. Majority of the time when I was reading the play I would find myself rereading to determine exactly where and what was going in the play. So I would definitely say that the setting and situation of the play was the most challenging for me while reading.

Additionally I feel that some of the content that was displayed conflicts with the Southeastern University culture. For example, the curse words, “The Women”, and Happy’s affairs that he kept on having with his bosses wives. All three of these examples were just some of the content that I feel would clash with the rules and culture of what is expected at school here. Another idea that I do not remember the Lowman’s trying was praying about their situations. At Southeastern University prayer and devotion to the Lord is one of the key ideas expressed and done daily. I believe that during all of their struggles financial, socially, and physically could have been fixed with faith and prayer to the Lord. I honestly live my life thinking that “God never gives you more than you can handle”. I don’t think that Willy had to commit suicide or become so deep in denial and repression that he was no longer living life. Also I don’t agree with how Willy is dishonest in his marriage and has a mistress on the side. In comparison to the culture here at school where growth, authentic spirituality, and ethics of life are just a few of the things that are followed daily. Therefore, although I had a problem with the flashbacks and select content throughout the play it was definitely an interesting read for me.

The American Dream- Reflective Post

The American Dream was one of the topics discuss in class that I learned more about due to the fact that my view of this topic was slightly one-sided. When the vision of the American Dream was brought up I only thought in the present time about how people want to be millionaires and successful in life. My mind also wondered towards my own American Dreams and the major things that I am working towards in life to accomplish.  For example, I am one of those people that want to become a millionaire after pursuing my career of pharmacy. However, the past never entered my mind that they too wanted a better life for themselves. I think it was interesting in class how we discuss the poem “Those Winter Sundays” and analyzed it bringing out more than just the father of the poem working on winter Sundays. After reading this poem like six times and discussing it in class, I know now that the father was working so hard not only for himself but for the son’s American Dream to be fulfilled. I believe that this poem represents more than the family being discussed in it. This reading help me shape my understanding that this American Dream is more than now. In fact many people believe highly in this concept. I think that there are multiple parents that fight daily for their children’s American Dream.

In relation to that the American Dream in the eyes of Willy Lowman was all about financial stability. In class we discuss the overview on how Lowman was not successful with this American Dream and his emotions in result of this. However, although he was in denial and repression about it, he still worked towards this dream to provide a better life for his family. In my opinion giving up on a dream that is supposed to support your family is hard to accept being the man of the house. In the past it was non-debatable that the man of the household was suppose to bring home the money to take care of the entire family while the women just clean and take care of the children. This belief kind of supports the understanding of Lowman response to failure.