sdryan

The definition of a trickster is someone who breaks normal rules and norms for own personal satisfaction. Sadie and Victor are most definitely the tricksters by the definition. They find Dirty Joe in the amusement park drunk and get him the ride the roller coaster. They laugh at him even though he could be hurt on the ride. A crowd gathers and also starts to poke fun of their passed out buddy. As the crowd gets bigger the security comes and blames everything on Victor who then flees into the house of mirrors. Of all places he runs into if has to be a house of mirrors…what better place for a trickster to run into. Kind of reminds me of a bugs bunny cartoon with him making fun of yosemite sam.

SR

The obvious hero in the novel is McMurphy and how he exploits the nurse. He comes to the ward smiling from day one and slowly gains the confidence of the patients and changes them. I believe that Kesey has some other underlying goal in this novel other than telling a good story. If you look back in history you can find many people that have come into a situation and changed it forever. Take Martin Luther King for instance. He was the one strong enough to speak up for what he believed in for the civil rights movement and gained many supporters for it. Tragically he died in an assassination much like McMurphy was with the lobotomy. They had to kill him because he gained to much power for a cause that was frowned upon at that time. It was too late in both cases. McMurphy was brain dead but his point got across mych like Mr. King’s dream of a free nation. Another historical figure that comes to mind is Jesus Christ. He gained his followers (the apostles to the patients), created a disturbance, and died for what he believed in. I also think that it is funny how the Electro Shock table is is shaped like a cross and McMurphy was lobotomized on that table. Kinda, refers to the crucifixion Jesus, huh? Died for a reason.

SR

When the Faith flash poem was being played in class I found myself not really reading the actual poem. I rather found myself attracted to the flashing words, disappearing words, and addition of words not realizing what the hell the actual poem was about. I don’t know if this was the intention on the author or what, but really caught my attention and disallowed me from reading the final text.

SR

Marriage as seen today is matrimony and the union of two souls in love for whatever reason. Social class plays some to little part in marriage today. Of course, its not too often you see a homeless person and a millionaire getting married but it isn’t out of the question for a poorer person getting married into the upper or middle class. In Blood Wedding, social class in marriage seems to take a major theme. The bride in the story seems to be forced into the marriage and doesn’t unnecessarily hate the fact that she is getting married to the groom but seems unsure. The union is based more off of social class than the love in the relationship. These types of marriages were not uncommon in the fact that the two family’s wanted to keep a good name and blood line in the family tree. The father doesn’t seem to mind giving up his wealth if it is to the proper suiter. For me this seems odd maybe because I come from a middle class family and it’s not as important for my family to marry rich and keep rich blood lines. Instead of the women’s family giving the wealth to the groom it is shared between the wedded couple. This also provides a sample of the gender roles of women in the story. Women do not seem to get much respect from the men in the play. The are expected not to talk back to the husband and with arranged marriages doesn’t seem like they have too much say in that aspect either.

SR

The only thing that I am getting from Chapter 4 is that Estaban has made Tres Marias more modernized in the fact that nature wasn’t used as much. Kind of ironic though that Nature beats out the new ways by getting rid of the ants just by singing to them.

SR

Good article on if Digital Literature will go mainstream. Here

SR

Ok, so the asteroids game totaly creeped me out…not going to talk about that one! I found myself attracted to the the “lie” flash poem clicking on the lies for a good thirty minutes. I think that it is a great concept in literature in that there isnt one author. The mutiple author does give a chaotic and random approach to making it an actual “poem” but it is something that gets your brain thinking outside the box a bit. I found myself wondering if any of the “lies” were true or not and if the author was a male or female, kind of changes the perspective of the lie thinking about those details. Great conecpt that the built-in interactivity makes for a soo much better but intriguing way of enjoying literature.

SR

The corridos are a interesting topic in literature I believe. Since, the Cortez story wasn’t in writing for quite some time after it was told there really is no way of telling what story was/is right or wrong. They all have the same general plot in each story, but some little details that add certain character to each story. This I believe makes for a great genre of literature in the fact that each story can be told and different everytime, there is no set/deffinate author to the tales. In this specific corrido it gave me a certian sense of propaganda for the spanish during the time. Since, the corrido was made during the spanish/american war I am sure that it was used in motivating the ones involved fighting it.

SR

From day one Tayo and to prove himself becuase of his mixed race. He has to put up with his siblings and mother always feeling that he isnt good enough to be american indian because of the white blood he has. Although he catchs alot of greef from these people you never really get the sense from the older, wiser people in the community of his almost insignificance. After he returns from the war things are just the same for a little while but then he begins his ceremony with the elders. He now he has a story to offer to the tribe, something that none of the elders know about….the war. So, now Tayo has something of importance to offer to the community other than hard work around the community. I belive that the elders also see that though the enitre war and tayos life that he has kept to the indian tradition and faith, this also helped him complete his ceremony.

SR

In class we touched on the fairy tales and blues lyrics. I really didn’t think of the blues song as a type of formal literature, it seemed to repetitive and simple to me. However, i do think that the fairy tales are a direct opposite of the blues that we heard in class. The fairy tales have a sort of basis to them and a direct motive to the audience. There is a structure to the fairly tales and seems to me a moral to all of the writings, because of this it gives me more of a sense of solid literature. If someone is looking for a type of literature in song writing, listen to any of maynard keenan’s songs from tool or a perfect circle and let me know what you think.

SR