American Literature

Preparing for the small group discussion I made sure to take note of the setting and way the story was presented. The time frame of Sonny's Blues  is extremely important because it sheds light on the race relations of the country as well as why music is so important in the specific neighborhood of Harlem. The way the plot is presented is also vital to the story; moving from the past to present does well to compare the different portrayals of Sonny as well as evoke the sensation one gets from witnessing family change over time. I was also sure to make note of the importance of music and how Baldwin describes a musician as "dealing with the roar rising from the void and imposing order on it as it hits the air." This attempt to control something wild and vivacious reflects Sonny's battle with drug addiction. The sensation of feeling good and the pleasure derived from it can be hard to tame, for it is only human nature. This same view is found when Sonny details his thou

Robert Frost, the famous nature poet, is often considered a member of the modernism movement, but he also exhibits key aspects of realism in his writings that are important to realize. Where modernism generates the barrage of questioning traditions and curiosity of seeking understanding through deep thinking, realism seeks to establish truth in the reality of life as it is presented, creating different interpretations. These realist and modernist ideals are established in multiple works of his such as Mending Wall , The Road Not Taken , as well as Fire and Ice. Robert Frost walks the line along both perspectives as his works often derive a natural truth from the real world such as nature or emotion while also using this natural truth to provoke curiosity discovered through contemplation. Many of his narrators discover a truth of the world through their observation of reality but also find themselves in deeper questioning of these truths or traditions that've been established. Fro

Chad's analysis of Mowing  by Robert Frost reveals a major peculiarity in the Imagism genre. Although the reader is forced to give more thought towards the meaning of each word, the overall message of the poem may become clouded in murky translation. Chad's interpretation of the poem is that it may suggest an individual reaps what they sow; I thought it could be focusing on the simplicity and peace in nature and work, and various sources claim the theme is that hard work is rewarding in itself. The imagism and modernist movements in literature granted great works but many are cloudy to interpret and dreary as well. Frost's other works such as The Road Not Taken  or Mending Wall  utilize more words that convey emotion and thought that issues the reader insight into the mind of the narrator as well as aid in unearthing the meaning. However, this may've been what Frost intended, each reader being able to take away the lessons and emotions they received from the writing.

Robert Frost's Mending Wall  provides insight to the thoughts of a landowner on the stone wall that separates his property from his neighbor's. It is clear the narrator is cognizant of the dividing force of this wall, forcing him to question the validity of the partition. After much circumspect evaluation and consideration, Frost comes to the conclusion that "Something there is that doesn't love a wall." This resolution sprouts from his realization that the physical barrier is useless in this specific scenario and brings about unintended repercussions Close Reading Questions: 1.  How is the title of the poem working? What information is it giving? How would the poem be different with a different title? A: The title of the poem, Mending Wall , provides the reader  with the  focus of the poem, of course being the wall. However, what is also essential about the title is how the narrator and his neighbor engage in mending the wall every spring. The poem would b

I agree with many of Matt's viewpoints on interpreting the differences and similarities between DuBois and Washington especially when considering DuBois's outsider standpoint when looking upon the institution of slavery since the torture was never forced upon him. I also agree with Washington stressing the need for individual changes amongst the newly freed slaves. However, Washington's argument doesn't seem to reverberate with as much power through me because the pride it takes in tilling a field should be placed secondary to securing political power and civil rights. DuBois pushed for these ideals because of the importance they played in everyday life. He was aware that securing these rights would allow that individual tilling a field to eventually rise to owning the land he worked.  It feels as though Washington's docility is what allowed for the encroaching ways of racial repression to return in the south. Constant political pursuit and demand of civil progress

Liberty was an alluring and tantalizing ideal for the enslaved citizens of the United States. This liberty would provide access to the ballot, rights to paid wages, the ability to obtain an education, and a certain legal stature that could never be taken away. However, before all these specificities were established, how to move forward with this new liberty was unclear, allowing two extremely distinguished but different African American men to vocalize their thoughts on moving forward; the fiery and contemptuous W. E. B. Du Bois and the reserved Booker T. Washington.  Washington's assertions throughout his recollections of childhood present his stance as more conservative and passive. This conservative outlook is displayed when he refers to his father, presumably a white male who abandoned his mother, as " simply another unfortunate victim of the institution which the Nation unhappily had engrafted upon it at that time." Washington including his white father with