Fun Home is an interesting book, and it is very different from the books that we had been reading thus far into the semester. Before even opening it I noticed it was a graphic novel, which instantly gave me a larger connection to it considering that I am a fan of graphic novels. I feel that having the pictures there with the story helps the reader to see what the author is trying to portray. Sometimes it is difficult to feel the author through words but with the help of her illustrations I have found that any novel is easier to dissect.
One thing I noticed about the beginning of the novel was that Alison used many historical references to help describe and portray her father. I thought that it was very important that she used metaphors such as Deadalus and Icarus and Sparta vs Athens. Using Deadalus to help describe Rus is beneficial because there are different ways of interpreting how Deadalus dealt with the death of his son, Icarus. Some say that he was terribly bitter for the loss of his son as he flew too close to the sky and the wax that held his wings together melted allowing him to plunge into the sea. Others say that as he watched his son die, he did not feel any remorse but instead only saw the tragedy as a failure on his part to create a functional set of wings for his son. In a way this describes Rus in how he does not seem to care for his children at all, like when Alison was trying to play with him in the opening of the book and then again when she tried to say good night. His lack of care, or his way of caring rubs off on his kids the wrong way and in turn has created a life for his kids in which they missed out on a real family and relationship with their father.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Timeline for Mate
Maria Teresa – Mate
Born: October 15, 1935
1943
• Age 8, she wishes to be just like her older sister Minerva. She wants to be a lawyer too
1945
• She begins to keep a journal, which extends to 1946
• She is very protective of her diary
• She has her First Communion and has brand new shoes that her mother bought for her.
• Her father does not show up to her First Communion because he has to take care of the work with the “cacao harvest”(is actually busy with his second family)
• She is still very innocent and materialistic at this point
• She and Minerva are sent off to boarding school for three months and this was very important for Mate because she was able to grow and mature while being away from her family
• This separation from her family helps her to face reality
• Witnesses the ordeal with Minerva and the man on the train→ finding her own sexuality as a growing girl but still she doesn’t fully understand it yet
1946
• She is called to the principal’s office and it is about Minerva’s sneaking off so go visit their “sick uncle”→ this is the beginning of Mate losing her innocence since she is finally seeing the world for what it is
• She begins to talk back to Minerva and stand up for herself which is important
• She now has a different outlook on their president who is always watching them in their home and now has the suspicion of being watched by spies
1953
• She attends Papa’s funeral
Born: October 15, 1935
1943
• Age 8, she wishes to be just like her older sister Minerva. She wants to be a lawyer too
1945
• She begins to keep a journal, which extends to 1946
• She is very protective of her diary
• She has her First Communion and has brand new shoes that her mother bought for her.
• Her father does not show up to her First Communion because he has to take care of the work with the “cacao harvest”(is actually busy with his second family)
• She is still very innocent and materialistic at this point
• She and Minerva are sent off to boarding school for three months and this was very important for Mate because she was able to grow and mature while being away from her family
• This separation from her family helps her to face reality
• Witnesses the ordeal with Minerva and the man on the train→ finding her own sexuality as a growing girl but still she doesn’t fully understand it yet
1946
• She is called to the principal’s office and it is about Minerva’s sneaking off so go visit their “sick uncle”→ this is the beginning of Mate losing her innocence since she is finally seeing the world for what it is
• She begins to talk back to Minerva and stand up for herself which is important
• She now has a different outlook on their president who is always watching them in their home and now has the suspicion of being watched by spies
1953
• She attends Papa’s funeral
Thursday, March 10, 2011
purpose of butterflies
I have not yet finished reading Alvarez’s book In the Time of the Butterflies, but thus far into the book I have began to see why she wrote this book. Knowing that Alvarez did thorough research before writing this gives the reader confidence that her words in this book are truthful and hold the memories of once living people.
It is interesting, too, to see that the interviewee in In the Time of the Butterflies is actually Alvarez. I think that is important to note that since she is of Dominican heritage but was raised in the United States. It creates a connection that was not established with the tragedy on November 25, 1960 and with the Spanish people of the United States. This was a huge event when it happened and is still commemorated every year as Alvarez writes in her book. Dede is stuck every year with the reporters, setting up the house for guests, and the exhibit in the museum she works at. But that aside, the people of the United States did not pay much attention to this awful tragedy, that is, assuming that the majority of the people even heard about what had happen on that day.
So Alvarez has a purpose in writing this book, which is to teach and educate people through her words and through history so that there is a better understanding of life in countries other than the United States. It is also more personal for Alvarez because she shares a common point with the characters, which is the heritage and culture, even though she was raised in a different country. And being of a similar decent, she can use her dual heritage to bring a different cultural history to a new country to be recognized.
It is interesting, too, to see that the interviewee in In the Time of the Butterflies is actually Alvarez. I think that is important to note that since she is of Dominican heritage but was raised in the United States. It creates a connection that was not established with the tragedy on November 25, 1960 and with the Spanish people of the United States. This was a huge event when it happened and is still commemorated every year as Alvarez writes in her book. Dede is stuck every year with the reporters, setting up the house for guests, and the exhibit in the museum she works at. But that aside, the people of the United States did not pay much attention to this awful tragedy, that is, assuming that the majority of the people even heard about what had happen on that day.
So Alvarez has a purpose in writing this book, which is to teach and educate people through her words and through history so that there is a better understanding of life in countries other than the United States. It is also more personal for Alvarez because she shares a common point with the characters, which is the heritage and culture, even though she was raised in a different country. And being of a similar decent, she can use her dual heritage to bring a different cultural history to a new country to be recognized.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Sex Ed: Is it working?
It seems, from my personal experience and from reading Eve’s books is that the kids who are younger than I am just don’t seem to have any common sense at all. I wouldn’t put them in a different generation that myself but with the way that society is changing these kids just don’t understand things that should be common sense.
I have heard stories about kids how are trying to have sex in grades as early as 5th grade! They are just so curious and they haven’t been prepared the correct way so they are going about it their own way to discover sex for themselves. This, I believe is the parents fault for not talking to their children but at the same time parents have to make the decision of whether they want their kid to be the first to be educated or they could wait for the kids to ask questions and then respond accordingly. This is just a very tough thing for both parties to do without having any awkward moments.
The Sex Ed in schools obviously is not doing enough because the kids still don’t listen or cannot relate. I think the biggest problem is that these young kids need to be able to relate in order to grasp the severity of sex. I remember having to take sex ed and thinking this so stupid, and how it was all common sense because I obviously did not want to have a baby or to get some terrible infection that would cause terrible things to happen to my penis. Sex ed was scary for me and for my friends as I remember it. I don’t know if fear is the right strategy for these kids nowadays but a new strategy definitely must be used if we plan to properly educate the kids so they can make the right decisions on their own.
I have heard stories about kids how are trying to have sex in grades as early as 5th grade! They are just so curious and they haven’t been prepared the correct way so they are going about it their own way to discover sex for themselves. This, I believe is the parents fault for not talking to their children but at the same time parents have to make the decision of whether they want their kid to be the first to be educated or they could wait for the kids to ask questions and then respond accordingly. This is just a very tough thing for both parties to do without having any awkward moments.
The Sex Ed in schools obviously is not doing enough because the kids still don’t listen or cannot relate. I think the biggest problem is that these young kids need to be able to relate in order to grasp the severity of sex. I remember having to take sex ed and thinking this so stupid, and how it was all common sense because I obviously did not want to have a baby or to get some terrible infection that would cause terrible things to happen to my penis. Sex ed was scary for me and for my friends as I remember it. I don’t know if fear is the right strategy for these kids nowadays but a new strategy definitely must be used if we plan to properly educate the kids so they can make the right decisions on their own.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Comparing Ensler's Work
After finishing The Vagina Monologues, and now I have begun to read I am an Emotional Creature, both written by Eve Ensler, I definitely do not enjoy the later as much as I had the former. Before coming into class today, I had already made up my mind that Enlser seemed to be trying too hard with I am an Emotional Creature because it was so similar to The Vagina Monologues but it didn’t give off the same vibe. Being a male reading these books, I can’t fully understand what the women in her writings are going through but I can get a glimpse into the world from a woman’s perspective.
The Vagina Monologues appeared to be more for adult audience or more mature readers considering it is looked upon as a more raw and erotic piece as compared to I am an Emotional Creature, which seems to be written for a different audience. From what I understood, it was aimed towards a younger group of people, mainly girls. This second piece almost seems to try to guide young women through a tough time in their lives through fiction that Ensler thinks is appropriate. She uses actual monologues for The Vagina Monologues but changes, what seems to be a continuation of that, into a piece of fiction. I feel that she should have used more interviews for the meat of her writing because the thought that other people enduring similar situations helps people to understand that they are not alone. That was a mistake that I think Ensler made when writing I am an Emotional Creature. Since she seems to be writing for a younger audience it would have been beneficial for her to be able to relate more closely with the people reading her work, and she could have achieved this more successfully by interviewing different teenage girls to give the impression that the audience can relate to her writing.
The Vagina Monologues appeared to be more for adult audience or more mature readers considering it is looked upon as a more raw and erotic piece as compared to I am an Emotional Creature, which seems to be written for a different audience. From what I understood, it was aimed towards a younger group of people, mainly girls. This second piece almost seems to try to guide young women through a tough time in their lives through fiction that Ensler thinks is appropriate. She uses actual monologues for The Vagina Monologues but changes, what seems to be a continuation of that, into a piece of fiction. I feel that she should have used more interviews for the meat of her writing because the thought that other people enduring similar situations helps people to understand that they are not alone. That was a mistake that I think Ensler made when writing I am an Emotional Creature. Since she seems to be writing for a younger audience it would have been beneficial for her to be able to relate more closely with the people reading her work, and she could have achieved this more successfully by interviewing different teenage girls to give the impression that the audience can relate to her writing.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Men's Eyes
After class on Wednesday, I decided that since there were only three males in this women’s literature class that I would use one of the questions that were brought up in class as the backbone to my blog this week. The question was, “what do men think of The Vagina Monologues?” and I feel that the males response and opinion is just as important as one from a female.
It is interesting to read a piece such as this, simply for the fact that I do not have a vagina, but that shouldn’t stop me from reading this. As many people in class pointed out, the title of the book gives a first impression that is not can turn heads, but I think that is a good thing. Ensler is right about the fact that the world vagina is kept hidden from everyday conversation and is a difficult word to muster when speaking but nonetheless we need to be conditioned, if we haven’t already, so that it is not a “dirty” word. I didn’t feel awkward in class, though I didn’t speak once today but even reading this book, I felt comfortable with most of it. Although there were certain chapters that made me cringe, but they did what Ensler wanted it to do to me.
Men should read The Vagina Monologues considering that one of the main points of her writing is to raise awareness on violence against women, and for the most part the abuse comes from a male. Ensler is not assuming that all men treat women the way they were portrayed in her writing but it is good for men to see the way women think and feel about how they are treated. It sheds light to many men about the woman’s insight. Aside from the messages she is trying to convey, The Vagina Monologues are very interesting and personally I found many of them to be humorous. I mean this in no offense but she is a great writer and has the capability of making me laugh. My hat goes of to Ensler, and to her Vagina Monologues.
It is interesting to read a piece such as this, simply for the fact that I do not have a vagina, but that shouldn’t stop me from reading this. As many people in class pointed out, the title of the book gives a first impression that is not can turn heads, but I think that is a good thing. Ensler is right about the fact that the world vagina is kept hidden from everyday conversation and is a difficult word to muster when speaking but nonetheless we need to be conditioned, if we haven’t already, so that it is not a “dirty” word. I didn’t feel awkward in class, though I didn’t speak once today but even reading this book, I felt comfortable with most of it. Although there were certain chapters that made me cringe, but they did what Ensler wanted it to do to me.
Men should read The Vagina Monologues considering that one of the main points of her writing is to raise awareness on violence against women, and for the most part the abuse comes from a male. Ensler is not assuming that all men treat women the way they were portrayed in her writing but it is good for men to see the way women think and feel about how they are treated. It sheds light to many men about the woman’s insight. Aside from the messages she is trying to convey, The Vagina Monologues are very interesting and personally I found many of them to be humorous. I mean this in no offense but she is a great writer and has the capability of making me laugh. My hat goes of to Ensler, and to her Vagina Monologues.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Where art thou?
Ensler wrote The Vagina Monologues as a drama, and with that in mind she saw that she wanted people to perform and represent the vagina with the essence of a person, giving the vagina a more tangible appearance. And by doing so it allows the member of the audience to either see the vagina from a different perspective or allow the audience to remember that their vagina is as unique as any other.
The most important part of The Vagina Monologues is that is it performed by many different women all over the world just to raise awareness of its existence. Obviously everyone knows what a vagina is but as many of the pages of Ensler’s book say, not all women have fully discovered their vagina’s personality. Having a person performs the character of a vagina helps to see and understand that one particular personality and its characteristics and that is very crucial considering that Ensler says that all vaginas are unique. Each vagina has individual characteristics that are particular to the person they belong to. Those characteristics and that personality is part of every woman and until each woman finds what truly lies between their legs then they will never fully understand themselves.
I am a guy so it is a little harder to for me to understand exactly what the women in this book are talking about and what they have gone through but at the same time I do feel that after reading and getting into the minds of these women that I see what Ensler is doing. To me it makes perfect sense. I know many girls and they are all different, some more than others, but being conscious of their vagina definitely has helped the women I know to better understand themselves. You cannot hid or shun ones vagina but you must accept it as part of you and know that every other woman in the world has one as well, but yours may just be unique to you.
The most important part of The Vagina Monologues is that is it performed by many different women all over the world just to raise awareness of its existence. Obviously everyone knows what a vagina is but as many of the pages of Ensler’s book say, not all women have fully discovered their vagina’s personality. Having a person performs the character of a vagina helps to see and understand that one particular personality and its characteristics and that is very crucial considering that Ensler says that all vaginas are unique. Each vagina has individual characteristics that are particular to the person they belong to. Those characteristics and that personality is part of every woman and until each woman finds what truly lies between their legs then they will never fully understand themselves.
I am a guy so it is a little harder to for me to understand exactly what the women in this book are talking about and what they have gone through but at the same time I do feel that after reading and getting into the minds of these women that I see what Ensler is doing. To me it makes perfect sense. I know many girls and they are all different, some more than others, but being conscious of their vagina definitely has helped the women I know to better understand themselves. You cannot hid or shun ones vagina but you must accept it as part of you and know that every other woman in the world has one as well, but yours may just be unique to you.
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