Final Blog Post :(

* What strikes you as important in all the discussions we have had? What have these texts made you think about, reconsider, or wonder?


This semester in Women's Literature has forced me to read a lot of books that I would not have normally picked out. But surprisingly, I enjoyed and truly learned a lot from the selection of books. Initially in this course, I was not as interested in the themes of women because the first two books we read were not as interesting or influencing. Krik Krak and 19 Varieties of Gazelle were good general books about women's stories and challenges, but it wasn't until we got further into the reading list that the books began to inspire me and really hit home for me. Many of the stories that we have read in class are about women's struggles that are not identified or directed on a daily basis or even heard about once in a while, so reading these repeated themes drive them into your heart and show their significance in society. Some themes that I found were important in these books and important as a young woman to read, were being oneself, the importance of a support system, and taking charge of ones own life. These themes and their role in each book has caused to rethink and wonder about my own life: whether or not I am living up to my fullest potential and what I would do in these characters' situations. Reading these books has also caused me to be thankful for my own life and all of the people I am surrounded by. Whenever I feel that I am falling off course of my own life, I should reconsider how I can get back on track by looking back to these stories. Although realistically I know these books aren't going to be the first things that pop into my head, I know that what they have instilled in me will help guide me subconsciously. 
Some of the books that I found most helpful in leading me towards finding my womanhood and sense of self security and path were: The Vagina Monologues, I am an Emotional Creature, Push, and Two or three things I know for sure. These books were most influential to me personally, although I found other books to be just as interesting. The Vagina Monologues, and I am an Emotional Creature were the first round of books that initially threw me off guard for their bluntness, but once I got past that reaction, I realized how helpful they are.  Reading books such as these force you to hear stories about women and girls that may make you cringe, but by reading them, I felt empowered through them. The characters who went through rape, incest, sexual discovery, and family problems are just like any other person but what they went through made them stronger and if they can be that strong, then why can't I? I know that many of my peers did not like I am an Emotional Creature, but I found that it doesn't hurt to hear stories of younger girls, especially when you went through all of that and felt the same. It's always good to know that other people have the same thoughts or feelings than you: we're all related in a sense. Push was an extraordinary book that every possible theme and horrible situation combined in one book and one character. This book showed me the importance of courage and dedication, but also the importance or influence of a support group. Precious was in the worst possible situation that I could have ever imagined, but she took the initiative and went to this special school where she met incredible women who helped her find her true potential and path in life. I would like to think that an epilogue for this book would be a happy ending for Precious, maybe it is my optimism or that her self esteem would continue to grow with her support group and take her to new levels.  Two or three things I know for sure is a book that I was really into. The little quotes of advice she game before telling a new anecdote really cause me to reconsider their advice in my own life. I have learned to appreciate these books in unique ways, and overall this course. A women's literature course was empowering for me. It taught me to listen to other stories of women and learn from them and each of their experiences. These books were all very helpful and caused me to wonder a lot about life and women and their rights, I really enjoyed this class!

Two or three things I know for sure

As I was reading this book, I found myself asking the question, "What is her purpose in writing an autobiography?" My answers for this question changes as I get deeper into the book and still, after finishing the book, I find this question really debatable. To begin, I thought her purpose was to prove to the readers that she found a new way of life for herself, different from her own family's and that she was not stuck in that horrible cycle like most women in her family. The women in her family were subject to abuse, mentally and probably physically, and left accepting themselves as the stereotype of "white trash." Growing up, Dorothy knew she did not want to be like her mother or her aunt, and she hated how people in her town thought so low of her as to call her a "not virgin" even at a young age. However, further into the book, as Dorothy is now grown, we see her slowly turning into her mother. Her mother and other female relatives seemed to have lost their femininity, and Dorothy seems to have done the same. One picture shows her with a "boy" haircut holding a gun, about to fire, and some could say that this shows how she strayed away from feminism, just like her mother. But once again she seems to have found her own self, when she started doing karate. She began to love her body and herself, thus again straying away from all that symbolized her mother and family. What I found as a conclusion to this blog and this book, is that Dorothy Allison's purpose to writing this book is just to tell a story: her story of her own personal experiences in finding herself within all her family stereotypes and difficulties. Growing up she longed to hear more about stories of her mother, grandmother, and other family members, yet never got the full story. Now this is her own chance to tell a story and retell the stories of her family members so that her son and even others can read it and possible learn a little bit from her experiences.



Since this is the last blog for the whole class, I decided to try and be a little creative and create my own "two or three things I know for sure." So here goes, two or three things I know for sure is to always trust your first, gut instinct. Whether you are answering questions on a test, or deciding what to eat for lunch, always go with your first instinctive decision because it usually right and best fitting for you. I have found that throughout my time at Southern, I have make decisions purely on my instincts and what kind of vibes I get. If I have to question something, then I should not do it and thus, my advice like Dorothy Allison's is to be an independent thinker and follow my own instincts.

Family Ties

Two or three things I know for Sure has been my second favorite book we have read all semester. Suprisingly enough, Push has been my favorite book we have read, partially because I was so incredibly moved by this book in a way that other books haven't moved me. And now, I am pleasantly shocked to say that the last book of the semester is my other favorite book, and I even have motivation to read it when I don't have motivation to read much other class readings. Anyways, the reason I feel that this book has sparked my interest is mainly the writing style. Dorothy Allison's writing style is similar to most of my favorite authors' styles in that I feel as though the author is directly talking to me. It is as though she is telling the story to me on a Sunday afternoon and I love how personable she is in her stories.

From what I have read so far, and I have gotten halfway, I noticed that the main theme of her stories is her family ties, but mostly the dysfunctionality of her family. When the substitute teacher first assigns the project of a family tree, I thought nothing of it mostly because I've even gotten that assignment while I was in elementary school. For her family though, this was a big to-do and I felt like a huge family secret. Her mother was reluctant to go into further detail about her family tree and it seems that she is insensitive to those that are dead or that are not on speaking terms with her. For Dorothy, her mother's reluctance causes her to be more suspicious of her family background and curious to push to investigate even more. What I also like about this book is that all of her family questions and possibilities makes you wonder about your own family ties and trees, causing the audience to feel relatable to her as a character and person. Her family's relationships with one another are also one to note and something I find interesting. In class we discussed how the family was harsh towards one another with the men calling the wives or sisters or daughters ugly bitches. I cannot even imagine how this family dynamic would have effected Dorothy growing up, but it is clear in how her mother acts that she has been effected it. Those cold and distant family ties seem to be a factor in the book and will follow Dorothy even after her mother's death.

 I am excited to keep reading to see if she ever finds out more on her past family ties and if she ever recovers this information, if it does it change her opinion of her family at all.

Dr. Tree and The Shawl

What is the significance of Dr. Tree and his study? Why does Rosa reject his version of reality? What does she object to? Can you make any connections between her attitude toward Tree and her attitude toward Stella?


Dr. Tree has an interestingly signifiant role in Rosa's life for many different reasons. She hears about Dr. Tree from Stella, so her immediate reaction to first meeting him is negative because of his connection with Stella. Anything that relates back to Stella causes Rosa to cringe inside and have a poor attitude about, and you can see this clearly in her relationship with Dr. Tree. This doctor is making a case study on people who "survived" the Holocaust and their direct connection to it. His extrinsic way of working for the money and the recognition is what makes Rosa so mad. Many people she has met in her antique shop do not care about the personal story behind the object and I think that Rosa feels as though she is an object in Dr. Tree's study, in which he does not care about her personal Holocaust story or about how she has been affected by it: just that she survived. All that Dr. Tree represents brings Rosa to hate him and all of those people in her store who pretend to care when they really just want it for "show." Dr. Tree thinks that because Rosa was released from the concentration camps, her reality is that she survived safely. But Rosa never has accepted her life after the camps as reality because without Magda she has no future or a past. Her time spent in the camps was her reality, as she even told Mr. Persky. Rosa does not like Dr. Tree for forcing this survivor reality on her and she does not like him even more because now Stella's reality is that she was a survivor and must move on with her life. Rosa hates that Stella has moved on because she feels as though she's forgotten about it. So she has rejected Stella and Dr. Tree all together because they stand for this modern idea of Holocaust survivors and she is not part of those who moved on with their lives, she still is in camp reality and is still holding onto her personal story.

What makes a survivor?

In class today, the question was asked if The Shawl is a story about a survivor and what makes Rosa a survivor. Most stories that you hear about the Holocaust is about people who have lived and tell their story about how much stronger they are because of their experience in the camps. At least I have never heard a story about a person from the concentration camps who thirty years after the experience is still tragically traumatized like it was yesterday. Rosa, one of the main characters and focus of this book, seems to be that unique case where she is still in victim mode once she is released from the concentration camps.

Once Rosa is released, she then moves to the United States with Stella, in hopes of making a better and safer life for themselves. Rosa then becomes a successful antique businesswoman and is living a quite comfortable life compared to back in Europe and especially in the concentration camps. However, Rosa's mind is telling her that she does not deserve this wealthy life and here begins her act of punishment unto herself. She destroys her store, for many reasons such as her offensive customers, but a main reason to point out is that she feels unworthy of what she has made for herself. She cannot bring herself to move on and make a new life, because as a victim she begins to hate herself for even beginning to forget about what happened at the camps and what happened to her daughter, Magda. This is an interesting perspective read about because most survivor stories do not have their main characters relapsing into the camp mindset, like you can see in Rosa. While in her store, she begins to hear voices and is having flashbacks, which is another trigger towards her reaction of smashing her store. Rosa's replication of camp life is opposite of Stella, who is moving on and becoming Americanized and finding opportunities to take and better herself. Even when she is almost sixty, living in Florida, she reverts to victim mode so much that she is so helpless that she cannot even take care of herself. She sleeps in a shabby hotel and lives in poverty, much like the conditions of a concentration camp, but obviously not as harsh. She loathes herself for having tried to move on from her camp experience and her daughter, so she is purposely putting herself into victim mode by punishing herself. Rosa's story is a very unique tale of one woman's battle to live in the present while still clinging onto her past experiences. She punishes herself because she feels that she does not deserve a future if her daughter, her family, and so many others did not have that opportunity.

The Shawl Part One

  

The symbolism that I have found in this book so far is the significance of the shawl. Rosa starts talking about her shawl right from the beginning of the book, which shows that the shawl is a key component to her life and a significant material symbol in her life as well as this story. The shawl seems to me Rosa’s security blanket and is representative of protection and hope. The shawl is always wrapped around the little baby Magda, who Rosa says should have been dead already if she had not been wrapped up in the “magic shawl.” No matter how hungry or tired Rosa and Stella are, the magic shawl tucking Magda in and keeping her safe and alive, is also what keeps them alive. Of course one may be thinking this idea of hope is farfetched because Magda eventually is killed because of her howling, and Rosa does not even flee to her body but rather went to Magda’s shawl. Although Magda died, her shawl allows Rosa to remember her and want to keep pushing on so to not end up with a fate like Magda’s. Rosa’s personality from what I have figured is that her environment easily influences her. From living in those concentration camps, she became dumb to death, even the death of her own kin, Magda. From living in Florida, she learned to linger on her regrets like the rest of the old folk she was surrounded by. And by hanging out Stella so much, she began to fill up with hatred towards Stella who is so cold, selfish, and the angel of death. All of these situations make Rosa develop even more into her “madwoman” status you see in the book.

I thought that the last few books were racially controversial, but this book to me is by far the hardest hitting than any book we have read so far. It is most obvious that the main reason is the topic for this book; Jewish concentration camps. This topic is one that I always tip toe around because it is so emotionally charged; I'm not even Jewish and I find this so heart wrenching.  I have not finished the book yet, but I am anxious to read the ending of the book and see how this character’s finale is. 

When the Emperor was Divine

Now that we have finished reading the book I wanted to reflect on the ending of the book and how it reflects on the characters and all that they have gone through. Towards the end of the book, the family finally leaves the internment camps and returns to their home. This outcome seems like it would be a happy ending, but like the rest of book, it is just a bleak ending to their already sad story. Their house has clearly been lived in for the past few years, but not by respectful renters but most like by homeless people or drug dealers. The mother was on the ground scrubbing the filth off the ground left by those people. Although they all were excited to go home and finally have the freedom and protection from their own home, but once they get home they don't seem as happy as they had anticipated. They all still sleep in the same room, and the mother doesn't even go looking for her homemade wine bottles; it is as though they are desensitized to feeling any happiness for being back. It doesn't help that their neighbors and the rest of the community are still looking at them as criminals and shunning them to continue the feeling of isolation that they felt back at the camps. And then at last, things seem to turn around when the father comes home, but once again Otsuka turns that little moment of hope into more despair when the father is completely different and traumatized from his experiences in the camps. He is not the same loving, fun, and active father that his children remember him as, but rather he is paranoid and nervous most of the time. Throughout the whole book I felt so sorry and horrible for this family and all those generalized families who went through that same experience of the internment camps. I felt that this family never got a break, and that their future is not hopeful from how Otsuka writes the book. This family will always remember their experience, as will all the families who went through the same thing, Otsuka wants us to have that same haunting memory as those families did, as dreadful and unhopeful the ending is.

Divine Emperor Questions Answered

Why do you think the main characters are unnamed in the book? How does that detail add to the author's project? Compare the lack of names to people and places that are named in the book and see what is emphasized in this comparison.

I think that Julie Otsuka's choice to unname the characters was a brilliant idea and really has a significant reason. The situation that the characters have found themselves in is a huge reason for their lack of names. The treatment and situation of these internment camps are so degrading towards the Japanese people. It almost seems that if they take their identity away from themselves, de-root themselves from their heritage, and in every way depersonalize their lives, then maybe they wouldn’t be in those camps. When the mother and children leave their house, they only take the basics and leave things such as the homemade wine behind. The mother detaches herself from her past identity because look where it has taken her...into these internment camps. Although I think the family was never ashamed of their identities, I think that because of the situation they are forced into, they feel that to better their futures they must leave anything personal behind them, such as the mother's homemade wine. She leaves a part of her behind, so that if she ever returns, she has a piece of her old self still in existence, but she knows that for now she must move on and leaves her identity behind her. Also, I feel as though the lack of names to these characters makes their story more generalized to the whole population. Many Japanese families were sent to these camps, with fathers already taken away for questioning, and without really knowing what the future holds for them. Otsuka talks about his one family, but because they are so impersonal they represent this bigger movement and situation for their people. And although the main characters are without names, there are random characters that do have names. I have been wondering why Otsuka would include their names at all, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that it is their impact on the characters that make them memorable. These characters that interact with the main characters have some kind of impact on the story and the main characters. “White Dog” was their beloved family pet that the mother had to kill before they left for these camps. This dog is significant in showing the mothers’ lack of affection and the beginning of her desensitization during the whole camp predicament. The family also had a deep connection with this dog and when he dies or “runs away”, the family seems to begin to fall apart and lie to one another.

When the Emperor was Divine

I thought that this book is very different from any others that we have read, but maybe that is because for me, as I have read through the first two chapters, all that I can think about is history and my history classes. My second major is history, although its focus is in European History, but whenever history pops up, my first reaction is focusing on those historical parts. 

This book fascinates me in two distinct and very different ways. The first, is that this historical focus is on the Japanese families in America during World War II and this perspective is rarely talked or heard about from the public. I am not the biggest fan of American history, but how Otsuka displays this historical view in the eyes of a family, but especially in the eyes of this mother figure is what makes the book that much more enjoyable and suspenseful. When I was younger, I used to read the "Dear America" series of books that were essentially historical novels and diaries of young girls. What made those books so entertaining was that they are relatable. My second reason that I like this book is that I feel as though I am living through the mother’s eyes.  The mother is a character that, as another woman, is sympathetic and relatable. When she is deciding whether or not to tell her children about what is going on with the Japanese people and the camps. You really feel as though you are making those decisions with her, and I enjoy a book that is not lecturing you or telling a specific lesson that you should realize after. I am looking forward to finishing this book and seeing how the rest of this novel plays out. I am interested to see how Otsuka describes the families journeys as a Japanese person living in America and living in those camps.

Push

I think that this book deals with many difficult and controversial topics, and that is what makes is such a moving and influential book. As I was describing this book to my mother the other day, she was shocked that I was reading this in an English class or in school at all. But, I disagree with that and think that this book needs to be read in school because people try to elude topics that are addressed in this book and no one is ever informed of such things. Students never hear of sexual abuse, rape, illiteracy, or homosexuality on the daily or read books with issues such as these. As a college student, of course I have heard and am aware of such occurrences, but this book really opened my eyes to all that goes on outside my little college life bubble. After just reading Fun Home, I think it is interesting to see that sexuality also occurs in Push. Bechdel tells her own story that includes the topic of homosexuality, but somehow I feel that homosexuality in Sapphire's book is almost more influential because it gives the perspectives of both heterosexuals like Precious, and homosexuals like Ms. Rain.
Precious' initial thoughts about homosexuals are that they are butch, weird, and gross. There is a girl in her class who she immediately dismisses because she is butch, without even trying to get to know her. She even makes comments about lesbians or "fags" when she finds out she is HIV positive. Her mother even assumes that Precious has HIV because she did it with her father the way those "gays do it" or in the butt. Basically, her reaction to homosexuality is a negative view, UNTIL she finds out that Ms. Rain is a lesbian. Then she starts to have a different view. She likes Ms. Rain, she even loves Ms. Rain and the feeling is mutual. Precious was shocked to hear that Ms. Rain was a homosexual. A very good point that Ms. Rain makes is that why does she not like homosexuals? Homos never raped her or made her go 16 years without knowing her ABC's or beat her. By knowing someone who was homosexual, she was able to change her mind and react differently, which is a very good turning point for her and others.
This is how I feel that many people think, too. Many people have tunnel vision and just assume that all homosexuals are the same and based on what they hear from the media or other people, they put them down without really getting to know their real story or see who they really are. That is why touching this topic in this book is so important, because this book already is influential for other topics that it can really be a legitimate influence for those who have preconceived ideas on homosexuality.

The change in Precious

At what points do we see change in Precious? At what point do we see Precious owning her identity and her destiny rather than accepting what others have forced on her? What influences her change?

 In class we started to discuss who changes Precious and what specific events lead to change within Precious. It is clear that without the help of certain people, the life that Precious lives may have never changed. Was it luck that Precious met these encouraging and supportive people who changed her life? Or was it really just Precious who got her to where she needed to be to change her own life? I think that Precious finally started to make the decisions to begin to better her own life and these important people helped make that transition a little more smooth.
  From the beginning Mrs. Lichenstein, her principal from her public middle school, was the first influential person in Precious' life. By getting Precious suspended for being pregnant, she then found an alternative school that she felt would be a much better fit for Precious. She even took the time to go to Precious' apartment to tell her about this alternative school close by to her home. In this particular situation, I think that it was Precious, herself, who made the decision to go to this alternative school and see what it is like, and that Mrs. Lichenstein was just there to help her find her path but never forced her to do anything. It was all Precious, which goes back to the incredible strength and courage she had to start to take control of her own life. Ms. Rain, her teacher, was then the first teacher who ever showed her encouragement, expectations, care, and concern for the growth of Precious. Precious always seems to find something wrong in everybody, but the relationship with Ms. Rain is different. For the first time, I feel that Precious is excited to go to school and learn from Ms. Rain, and Ms. Rain is excited to teach Precious and watch her grow intellectually. Ms. Rain raises the bar for Precious and pushes her to do her best, but in the end it is once again, Precious who pushes herself towards a higher education despite the negativity she receives at home. Lastly, I think that the birth of her second child and her motherly instincts are what really change her the most and help bring her out of this identity of her own mother and upbringing. Precious sees her own identity and upbringing and knows that she does not want that for her kids, and that she wants her children to be able to know their abc's. Precious makes the decision to leave her mother and tell the social worker about her mother and father.
The decision of going to school and working her hardest, lead Precious to finding support groups and making friends for once, and learning how to read and write. These important things happen in her life because of Precious and these people make her journey that much easier. Precious makes her own identity and destiny because of changes and decisions that SHE made!

The final stretch of Fun Home by AB

As I have come to the end of Fun Home, I have been thinking of a few of the topics we discussed about in the classroom. One in particular stuck to me and has been invading my thoughts as I finished this book, and the thought that keeps popping into my head is her mother. Was her mother and influence on her life? how? What did she do or did she not do in Alison's life that may have effected her nowadays? My answer to that is that I don't think the mother was as influential as her father, especially for the reasoning that her mother seems like a less important character in her autobiography. Neither her mother or father seemed to have shown affection towards Alison or her two siblings, but her mother still insisted on her "normal role" in the sense that she always bathed them or made dinner for them. When Alison tries to tell her mother that she got her period, her mother doesn't even look up from her reading and just asked if she had cramps. That role model figure is what Alison was lacking as she was growing up and that structure may have really affected her. Her mother was always there physically it seems, but never there completely intellectually because she was constantly writing her thesis. She strived for her fathers' attention as a child because he was the more aloof parent of the family, although you can tell especially from the pictures that their mother was drained, dull, and unhappy. A couple times their friends who were professors just took the kids away for a day or so to give the parents a break. At first I thought this gesture was nice, but looking at it I realize that the parents were both trying to escape the life they lead. I think that her mother and her father never wanted or expected the life that they had, and for different reasons are still in the marriage. Her mother was not mentioned a whole lot in this book, so I don't think she had a huge life impact on her, mostly because her father's influence outshines what her mother has done. Her mother is still alive and around, and communicative, as her father is the opposite so Alison may take advantage of that aspect of her mother's relationship.

Sexuality in Fun Home

It appears that the author and the main character in this book, Alison, struggles with finding her calling to sexual preference and coming into her own. She is different than the other girls in the neighborhood because she just wants to be one of the guys. Alison is even different from her family, especially, her father, because as he is searching for the newest fashion or flower bulb for the perfect garden, she is busy trying to work on her sports and muscles. Alison is almost compensating for everything that she thinks her father is lacking. However, her father's actions and behaviors signify and possibly foreshadow who Alison grows up to be and her ideals. Where I am in the book, Alison is always angry with her father for making her dress girly by putting a barrette in her hair or making her wear pearls. She also gets upset when her father is out in the yard working on his flower garden while most of the other fathers stick to playing baseball with their children. All of Alison's actions seem to be an act of rebellion against her father, her mother always seems to be out of the picture or uninvolved in her life, and this act of rebellion shapes her into who she becomes. She is called butch at times, and wants to get a boy "crewcut" hairstyle. However, I think that as much as Alison is trying to escape her father and avoiding all that he tries to do for her, maybe her father is acting the way he does because of his own parents. It could be a vicious cycle of attention and sexual confusion that starts with a strange or lack of connection between parent and child. This unusual relationship between Alison and her father seems to be growing, even though her father is dead. This book is going into detail about specific events in their relationship so that we as an audience can try to figure out what is going on between the two of them and even deeper, within themselves.

Fun Home

This book was definitely not what I had expected it would be like; I thought perhaps it would be a comic and then turn into a regular book after a few chapters of comics, but it did no such thing. Bechdel's style of writing and going about her topic is very interesting and original, which is probably why I kept wanting to read more of the comic. I've never read anything at all like this before, so this is a refreshing break from a plain old book.
The beginning of the book reveals that the author is the actual main character in this book and is retelling a story of her youth by using some comic relief to tragedies that have happened to her. In the first chapter, she describes the relationship between her and her father. Through the pictures you can tell that her father is similar to a dictator in her home, and it is fair to say that she is unhappy with her home life. It is her father's way or the highway and her whole family must take a step back out of his way or lend a hand to help him get to his goal. Her and her siblings often have to do "chores" or work that he needs done around their mansion. These quotes on page 15 really stuck out to me that sum up how Alison feels about her father and his treatment of her and her family, "I was spartan to my father's Athenian. Modern to his victorian. Butch to his nelly. Utilitarian to his aesthete."Her father had a skill of making even garbage turn into something beautiful, and she even goes to say that her father could make their dysfunctional family seem "normal." The theme in this chapter seems to be that her family was dysfunctional and relatively strange, but tried hiding all of their secrets to just inside the house. Their family wasn't "real" and not entirely whole; Alison felt that they were missing something that she thought every other family had. But to me, it seems that every kid wants what other kids' have and in Alison's case it was the affection that her cold father and mother lacked. But when her father died or committed suicide, whatever one wants to believe, one would think that things would change for her. Things in the story still go into detail about her her life, although we begin to see a few more stories about her father's family that maybe foreshadows his behavior towards his own family. I know that this book is supposed to be at tragicomedy, but this story is really a depressing story of family. However, reading this book reminds one that no matter how strange you think your family is, there are other families just as strange or worse off than yours.

Dede's own story

3) In the epilogue, Dede’s perspective is presented from a first person point of view,

unlike her previous chapters which were in third person. Why? Has she finally

found her “I”? What has she learned about herself by this time? Who is she and

how has her view of herself changed? Why does Alvarez dedicate the novel to

Dede?

Throughout the book and her own life, Dede has had to tell the story of her three brave sisters and all that they did for the resistance and for the history of the Dominican Republic. Dede has interviewers, family, and the community residents all coming to her asking her to retell the stories of her sisters. But, not once has anyone asked her to tell her story, or given appreciation to what she has also done. In the beginning of the story when Alvarez first comes to her, Dede seems to be a bitter, mean old lady who has no time for such people but is forced to tell the story to all who ask. Dede is haunted by her sisters' memories, footsteps, and accomplishments even years after their times. When Alvarez first arrived, Dede expected her visit and interview to be just the usual routine, but Alvarez was different and asked different questions, some that included Dede in the story of her 3 sisters. 

Alvarez sets up her interview questions and the book in such a way that Dede is able to be seen as a contributor to the story. Dede was the sister who took care of the money when their father died, the children when her sisters were in prison, and her own mother while her sisters were off being martyrs. All of the behind the scenes work was done by Dede, so it was no surprise when she was against the movement that took her sisters away from her and brought her into this life of always helping her family out. Alvarez is able to bring Dede to see herself as significant and an asset to her family. She was the backbone of her family the whole time period, but because she never went out to the action physically, she was never recognized or appreciated. But, Alvarez helps her reach this conclusion of self importance and acceptance towards the end of the book when she starts to use "I" instead of a "we" or "they".

Alvarez dedicates this book to Dede to final show to the world and to Dede, that she is important in this life and in the lives of her sisters. This dedication to Dede is a way of giving her the recognition for all she contributed towards the story after all of these long years since her sisters' deceased. This book is a way of freeing Dede and her inner butterfly that has yet to be realeased like her sister's. 

Minerva's Timeline

1938

- smack's her pet rabbit to leave her pen (Symbolizes her desire for freedom)

-goes to boarding school at Immaculada Concepcion

-becomes close friends with Sinita at school who tells her about Trujillo and the bad things he has done

1941

-schoolmate Lina, also her role model, becomes pregnant with Trujillo's baby, and is sent away to Miami as one of his many mistresses

1944

-performs a skit for Trujillo at his celebration where Sinita points a bow and arrow at Trujillo and gets them in trouble

-Minerva starts to believe in the movement and resistance against Trujillo

1949

-Graduated from boarding school and wants to go to law school but family wants her at home

-Meets Lio and finds letters he has written her in her father's pocket

-discovered that her father has been cheating on her mother and has a separate family

-At the Discovery Day Dance, she dances with Trujillo who asks her about Lio which she denies and also is inappropriate, so she slaps him and leaves without her purse containing Lio's letters

-her father is arrested because of her actions and Minerva goes in for questioning

-makes a bet with Trujillo, wins, and Trujillo allows her to attend law school

1954-57

-her father dies as a result of being tortured while in imprison

-gets married to Manolo

-finishes law school but Trujillo denies her license to practice

1960

-Minerva is on house arrest from recently being in prison for the past 7 months

-sisters want to write a letter to Trujillo and show the public of his wrongdoings but Minerva says no

-her and her sisters (minus Dede who is strongly against it all) go to try and save the men but die trying

In the Time of the Butterflies

As I am reading this book, the theme that sinks in and hits home for me is the sisterly bond that the four girls have, but in particular the bond between Minerva and Maria Teresa. Why I chose to write about this particular topic is because it reminds me of my own relationship with my sister. Although I have other siblings, similarly to Minerva and Maria Teresa, my sister and I have created this connection between the two of us that is almost inexplainable until I saw a little bit of each of us in these two sisters. Although my younger sister fits the character Minerva and I fit Maria Teresa more even though I am older. The particular quote that gave me the idea to talk about their relationship was when Minerva told Maria Teresa one of the most important secrets she had. 

"She took both my hands in hers as if we were getting ready to jump together into a deep spot in the lagoon of Ojo de Agua. Breathe slowly and deeply, she intoned, slowly and deeply. I pictured myself on a hot day falling, slowly and deeply, into those cold layers of water. I held on tight to my sister's hands, no longer afraid of anything but that she might let go."

Maria Teresa always looked up to Minerva as her role model out of all of her other sisters. Minerva took her under her wing and showed her the reins to her own life. The two of them became a unique duo throughout the book, not in the way that they were a power duo, but in that the two of them needed one another to balance each other. Minerva helped Maria Teresa come into herself as a woman and "find" herself by telling her all she needs to know about girl stuff and by giving her two diaries. These diaries are really helpful to Maria Teresa since they become her best friend and secret keeper as she goes through school life, family struggles, and a time of revolution. Maria Teresa is also an outlet for Minerva to spill her secrets without feeling judged and gaining support. Minerva tells Maria Teresa of her plans in the revolution, law school, her secret marriage to Manolo, when she sneaks out of school at night, and much more. Maria Teresa is able to open her mind to what is really happening outside her naiive bubble at school. I feel as though the two girls are able to grow and learn from one other; Maria Teresa is able to grow up and mature faster while still having someone to look up to and Minerva is able to get grounded and not too carried away with the revolution because she still can look back to her family waiting for her.  Much like these two sisters, my sister and I are quite opposite but we fit together and work off of one another. We both share with each other and give each other insight and advice, whether or not we chose to follow that advice is never judged or scolded for, but supported no matter what because of that sisterly bond.

Through the eyes of the commoners

I think that a main theme that can be seen throughout this book so far is the corruption of the Dominican government and its politics. Like most third world countries, their governments always end up being corrupt and heavily influencing and intimidating to the common people. These sisters strip down the truth about the government through their stories and every day lifestyle viewpoints. As someone living in a country with a dictatorship or harsh government such like the Dominican, then they may have a hard time realizing or taking themselves out of these bad situations. Historically, these sisters were known to stand up for themselves and what they believe in, and that is why their courage and real life story has inspired this novel. The corruption of the government can be shown directly through the dictatorship that the country has, but also in the way they treat the commoners and how they try to cover up any scandal the public might hear about. Minerva’s friend Sinita from school knows all about the Dominican dictator and the horrible things that he has done first hand from losing some of her family members, which she shares with Minerva. The two friends learn about their class mate Lina, who becomes pregnant with the child of Trujillo. Instead of helping her or her family, he sends her to Miami to avoid any public or political scandal with his infidelity and refusal to take responsibility much like anything else politically. This theme of government corruption will be found in much of the book, I anticipate. 

Question 10...I am an Emotional Creature

10. Thinking about one of the facts along with a few other pieces, what do girls need in High School besides "Sex Ed" in order to not get pregnant, etc.?


The fact that really stood out to me was the one talking about girls who play sports after school are less likely to participate in sexual activity or become pregnant, than girls who do not play sports. I have always grown up playing sports after school, and after reading this fact I wondered to myself how different my life would be if I never was active in sports. Would I have been one of those girls participating in sexual activity? I think this fact is true, because the two girls who I know from my high school that have gotten pregnant, did not play sports or participate in clubs after school. So this powerful fact really hit home for me. This also hits home because my sister who is in high school has had a boyfriend all year, but just started to get sexual active with him because she does not play a spring sport, yet she plays a fall sport. I think that this fact is important for everyone to read, understand, and to continue to spread around in hopes of helping other girls. 
The last time that I remember having "Sex Ed" was in middle school and my freshman year of high school. "Sex Ed" should be a mandatory class that one takes every year because students seem to be forgetting or not comprehending the class entirely. I know that I didn't begin to get sexual active until my senior year of high school, and do you think I remembered what I learned back in middle school? Nope. "Sex Ed" should be a constant lesson, because students will become sexual active at different times and stages throughout high school. I also feel that students leaving high school and entering college need "Sex Ed" classes the most because college is where a lot of experimentation occurs sexual and irresponsible choices occur. These classes for students in middle school are teaching but more importantly informing these students of the knowledge about sex. You cannot stop teaching them, you must continue to expand the lessons because the older they get, the more they can relate because they begin to experience sexually. 
However, besides continuing "Sex Ed" classes throughout all of high school, I feel that more schools should be creating after school programs to encourage students to stay after at school rather than participating in sexual activities. Not every student is an athlete, but there are so many other programs such as music, theatre, and art that schools should build up and encourage for their students. I remember a girl in class talking about her professor who worked at a school and created a program like this and saw a dramatic decrease in students becoming sexually active. That is amazing and should be a model for other schools! When students become active within the school and community, they can even begin to form friendships and a support system if anything were to still happen to them. The girl in, "It's not a baby, it's a maybe" did not seem to have anyone she could turn to for advice and support when she got pregnant. If only her school encouraged her to stay after school, she may have found the support she needed to make that important decision. That is why I think that after school programs are effect and important for every school to look into!

I am an Emotional Creature

This book definitely reminds me of The Vagina Monologues, but in a good way. Some people talked about how the did not think that this book was as effective because the stories aren't real from interviews, so thus less raw or hard hitting. However, I think those reasons are perfect for this book because who it is directed to. I am an Emotional Creature is a book created for young girls as a place to look to for comfort, assurance, and guidance, similar to those stories in The Vagina Monologues that have helped women feel less alone in the world. This book reminds me of Enlser's other writing pieces because she seems to be wanting to help other females, but I enjoyed reading this book because I think it is perfect for its intended audience. For young girls reading this book, they may not want to hear actual events from other girls because it could be traumatic at such a young age. These girls are still reading and learning from Ensler's stories that are based off of real events. Ensler may just be creating another story and changing the audience, but I think that it was a wise decision for her since I think it's inappropriate for young girls to read The Vagina Monologues. The information and lessons found in that book are very important for females to read, however young girls should have another book that gives the same messages but written differently. That is why I think I have enjoyed reading this book. I also think that this book would have been helpful as I was growing up, and wish that I could have read it to learn and grow as a young female. A few of her stories I feel that I can relate to and have done with my own friends. There are a few stories called, "Would you Rather," on page 32 and 68. These stories are conversations between two girls asking questions to one another about things sexuality, boys, popularity, and other things. My friends and I have played games like this before, and I could understand when the other girl would feel uncomfortable and not want to answer. That is also how I feel about this book in general; the feelings and stories of these young women is how I felt when I was their age and figuring out who I was.

Discovering the truth...

1)The genre of this piece of literature is drama, meaning that Ensler wrote these monologues to be performed. Why do you think she wants vaginas to be publicly performed? Why does she want vaginas to be physically embodied? What effect does this have on the way we see and think of vaginas?


I believe that the reason Ensler wrote these monologues was for them to be performed, because as a performance they are even more powerful than they are on paper. When one reads, the emotions that the writing is trying to portray isn't as strong as if it were performed in front of you. I know that when I am reading my voice and tone stays the same no matter what I am reading. 
In a performance, there is a sense of suspense as the actors take a breath or pause for emphasis. Performances are so inspiring because the actors are so good at their jobs; they can show the emotions in a dialogue and make the audience empathize, sympathize, and relate to their character. Audiences pay much more attention to a live performance than if they had to read a couple of chapters. In a performance, you can process what you are hearing so much easier than processing words being read in your mind. Actors also emphasize words, have a different tone of voice for different phrases, and lessen the awkward tension especially on a topic such as vaginas. Being able to have this book performed is brilliant and smart on Ensler's behalf because it really helps with it's purpose. The purpose of this book is to inform the audience of women's struggles, as well as be an outlet for the women in these stories. Ensler makes the reader more aware of what goes on with women, and she seems to be trying to get the audience to break out of their shells by reading about this controversial topic. As an audience, the majority of people do not like to talk about rape, sex, sexual orientation, and vaginas. This book and these performances gives the audience the "OK" to go out and talk about these awkward topics. It helps the audience to break free of their old, conservative, judgmental thoughts to tackle bigger issues such as vaginas. These monologues have helps so many people open up about their own stories, by giving personality to the characters in the book and by showing confidence in the characters and stories, seeming someone play it out for you is very convincing. "My angry vagina," the performance was as captivating and strong as it was, was because the actress poured her soul into the character. The actor felt related to the character and got really into persuading the audience of what the character really was saying. When our classmate put on the performance of "My angry vagina," I was left with the hair on my arms still raises, she was that good. She was loud, proud, moving around, interesting, and convinced us as an author to start thinking what she was thinking. If  I would only have seen the monologues performed, I would be interested to see "They beat the girl out of my boy...or so they tried." There are so many powerful lessons, and emotions in this story that a chapter in a book does not to it justice. These stories relay so much to the audience that is hard to pick up on if you are not just reading the book. I think that performing such a book is a great idea and inspiring.

The Vagina Monologues

5)Audience reaction is crucial to Ensler’s overall project. Why? Why won’t she allow us to simply read without having a reaction, whether positive or negative? Why do you think she wants to push us out of our comfort zones? Which monologues resonate most strongly (positively or negatively) with you and why?

When starting this whole project, Eve Ensler must have known and anticipated that a topic such as vaginas would cause some sort of reaction. Publicly discussing a topic that many people find uncomfortable is going to cause some stir in the audience. I find it impossible for anyone to sit there and read from this book and not have any reaction at all. This project that started off as a few plays based off of interviews with women, became this phenomenon across college campuses, states, and even countries! It could not have progressed so far through our society and so fast, if it were not for the reactions of an audience. I do think that Ensler is pushing her audience and the world outside of our comfort zones to create thought provoking ideas. By making her audience read, silently or aloud, topics that make them feel uncomfortable; maybe after reading or talking about it enough it will become less uncomfortable. Ensler wants us to become informed of topics in this book such as rape and abuse, which are topics that people throw under the bus. Many people avoid talking about certain topics, such as the vaginas or rape or penises, because they find it awkward, inappropriate, and confusing. What I think that she is doing is forcing the public to recognize these topics and become accustomed to them; she doesn't want the audience to feel ashamed or embarrassed at the topic. These stories are sad, funny, sarcastic, informative, and so much more. You can find strong, powerful character voice  and emotion in stories such as My Village Was My Vagina, The Angry Vagina, and The Flood. If anyone asks you why or what about it makes you squirm, you may not be able to articulate an answer. Ensler’s book pulls the audience out of their comfort zone, to inform and challenge themselves to prepare for a better understanding of the topic. Each part of this book is filled with emotion and having a response is vital while reading them. 

New York Day Women

This chapter gives us an insight into the relationship between Suzette and her mother through a series of miniature conversations and scenarios. From the tone of their conversations you can tell that their mother-daughter relationship is not strong or deep. We see Suzette following her mother in one scenario, and she even wonders to her self if she should say "hello" to her mother, or if her mother would stop and say "hi" to her. It seems so strange that a relationship with a family member could become so distant and awkward, like Suzette and her mother. Suzette's mother seems so blunt and straightforward, which seems part of the problem because she says things without thinking of the other person's feelings. She also seems stubborn and judgmental, which is a quality of a lot of cynical old women or mothers, and I can see a little bit of my own mother in Suzette's mother. Suzette's mother refuses to go out to dinner when invited, yet she gives the argument that if they really wanted to eat with her then they would come to her house. These random conversations with her mother that Suzette chooses to share are significant in the fact that they allow us to understand their characters. I do think that Suzette loves her mother in some way, and her mother does love Suzette, although they never say it to one another or allow themselves to share their feelings. Suzette seems to have accepted their relationship for what it is, and it seems that they have a relationship but it is not a deep emotional connection between most mothers and daughters. When Suzette follows her mother into the park, she sees her with a mother and child. Her mother watches the child while their mother goes on a run or possibly does errands. This is where the idea of “New York Day Women” comes from because these women come out during the day and meet up all together in circles. By Suzette following her mother, it seems that she is envious of the child and these other women for seeing a side of her mother she was never able to experience herself. I thought this chapter was interesting because the reader can relate this to some relationship in their life and I found the writing style interesting because you can tell a lot about the relationship through dialogue only.

KRIK? KRAK!

This book is definitely not what I had expected it to be like. When I think of Haiti, I think of the earthquake that happened and not of the politics or corruption in the government. What I have enjoyed about this book so far is that there are different anecdotes from separate characters, so that the readers can piece together one whole story, one bit at a time. Being a woman, I enjoy a love story here and there, and this particular story is somewhat subtle but deep. I think that loyalty is a big theme in this story and reoccurs throughout different relationships. There is a loyalty between the man and the woman even though they are far away and may never see one another again. These two lovers write letters to one another, even if they may not get to the other person, they still feel a deep emotional bond, which is remarkable and inspiring. The other place loyalty is found is in the family. The father of the girl sells everything he has for his little girl, even though he may not agree with who his daughter was with. The fact that he did such a significant thing for his family shows his loyalty and protection over his family, especially his daughter. This book reminds me of a few of the poems in Nye's book because of the strong relationship between father and daughter. Her father would do anything to make the best life for his daughter, at any price. The fact that the re-occuring theme is loyalty reminds me of my own family loyalty and my other loyalties.

19 Varieties of Gazelle...another Nye poem

Stain
By Naomi Shihab Nye

She scrubbed as hard as she could with a stone.
Dipping the cloth, twisting the cloth.
She knew the cloth much better than most,
having stitched its vines of delicate birds.

The red, the blue, the purple beaks.
A tiny bird with head held high.
A second bird with fanning wings.
Her fingers felt the folded hem.

The water in her pan was cool.
She stood outside by the lemon tree.
Children chattered around her there.
She told the children, “Take care! Take care!”

What would she think of the world today?
She died when she was one hundred and six.
So many stains would never come out.
She stared at the sky, the darkening rim.

She called out to the children, “Come in! Come in!”
She stood on the roof, tears on her face.
What was the thing she never gave up?
The simple love of her difficult place.

The second poem by Naomi Shihab Nye that I chose was Stain. I reread this poem only a few times before I felt that I grasped what Nye was trying to say, compared to some of her other poems where the meaning is hidden deeper in the poem. The main character in the poem is a woman, although Nye does not give her a name. Nye seems to follow this pattern of using pronouns as characters, possibly so her audience can relate and interpret her poem in many different ways, like in the poem Two Countries where she uses “skin” as a character. This poem is telling a story about a woman washing “stained” clothes outside. The five stanzas go in sequence order of how this woman washes, how she scrubs, twists, and rinses the clothes. The woman tells her children to “take care” when they leave to play and “come in” once the day is done. From first glance at the first few stanzas, it seems that this poem is simplistic and the story is purely about a woman delicately washing stained clothes, but the last two stanzas take the poem to a deeper level. They talk about the stains as never coming out, but what if she wasn’t talking about the stains coming out of the clothes but more of her past? I liked how Nye put a few questions in her poem such as, “What would she think of the world today? What was the thing she never gave up?” As the reader, this leaves you in suspense while also giving you something to think of as you reread and analyze this character. As the character is standing on the roof, it seems as though she is looking out on the stains on her life and what she failed to get out. The last line even says, “the simple love of her difficult place” so maybe her personal stain was never getting out of her country. These are just a few things to think about as you, too, read this poem.

What poem spoke to me?

The poem I chose from Nye's book was "Two Countries." My first reaction to this poem was sadness and loneliness. The tone of this poem is somber; definitely not as upbeat as other poems I have read, but it seems that most of her poems are quite somber. The first line, "Skin remembers how long the years grown when skin is not touched, a gray tunnel of singleness" sends the message of sad years spent alone, almost forgotten it seems. The first stanza is telling a story, almost like a background of what the skin, or person really, has gone through and felt. In a way, the first stanza is the past emotions of this "skin" and as the poem progresses to the second stanza, it takes us to the present emotions. I find that Nye does this often in her poems, how feelings of despair and sorrow often are found in the beginning of the story and have either disappeared or sunk in towards the end. Progression of emotions really seems to be a theme with Nye's poems as well as sorrow. One of my favorite lines from this poem that I really took away after reading this was, "skin had hope, that's what skin does. heals over the scarred place, makes a road." Nye could have been talking about many events that scarred her and have healed over, maybe it was the attack on Septemeber 11th, 2001, but this line makes Nye relatable to her readers. Everyone has scars, physical and emotional, that have affected them but has healed and made them who they are today; it paved the road to a newer life. The two countries that Nye particularly talks about is most likely America and the Middle East, and how her skin misses being touched by each one and remembers each vividly. Towards the end, Nye talks about the places people go that are larger than themselves. Wherever a person goes, it is always remembered in their skin and soul, and once they are touched by something so big, it will stick with them forever.

ee cummings poem

i carry your heart with me i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)i am never without it(anywhere i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing,my darling) i fear no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet) i want no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true) and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide) and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

This poem is by ee cummings and I decided to chose this poem because it is one of my all-time favorites, besides Dr. Seuss. When I read poetry, I first notice if the lines flow together throughout each stanza and the first detection of this flow is through rhyming. This poem doesn't have an exact "ab ab" rhyming pattern, but the lines that do rhyme seem to be more emphasized and more important for the reader to notice. I like how ee cummings created his own rhythmic pattern and not the standard "ab ab" because that standard pattern reminds me of childish poetry like Dr. Seuss would write. However, the main reason why I chose this poem and why it is my favorite is because of the content. This poem is romantic and passionate, but this true love that ee cummings is professing can be interpreted towards anyone. At first glance, one would think that ee cummings wrote this poem for a lover. After I read this poem a few times, I started to think of my sister and of my best friends whom I have strong relationships with. I enjoy this poem because it describes the truest, deepest love that can be found in anyone you are close to. Whenever I think of love, I think of this poem and how it has stuck with me since the first time I read it. I really love this poem and I hope that you find it as nice as I do!