Yin and Yang

 This is a Yin Yang sign.  This symbol symbolizes the understands of how everything works. This symbol is also known as the Tai-Chi symbol. One of the reasons why the symbol was created was to show how the world needs both positivity and masculine and negativity and feminine to survive. It shows that both are balanced and neither one has more then the other. Yin and Yang are opposites but the circle shows how they get along.

This is important in Joy Luck Club because it shows how everything should be balanced and that you need one to go with the other meaning the American and Chinese different ways. It shows mostly through the younger generation because of the gap.

Othello Character

I was the narrator in my group but I had original plans to be Othello. I feel like Othello's character should be blinded, basis really. And I thought he would be young and very rash. In the scene that we have Othello smothers Desdemona because he is blinded by lies from Iago.

Othello Post

One thing I notice while reading Othello is that when the women are talking to the men they have only one or two sentences. They do not speak as much when they are with each other. And I think it shows that men are suppose to have a higher authority in Othello. Another thing I've noticed is when there is a conversation going between two characters, one character is usually ranting about something and the other character is just saying little spotters for main character to keep going. Another thing I've noticed that is Shakespeare's vocabulary isn't the best in this book, he uses lots of bad words, and I just wouldn't think that he would use such words.

Othello Quote

"It is not honesty in me to speak what I have seen and known. You shall observe him, and his own courses will denote him so that i may save my speech. Do but go after and mark how he continues" (105).
I chose this quote because it shows how Iago plan really is working to its full ability. I think that because you usually he has to tell Othello or whom ever what this person is doing but know all he has to do is say go watch his actions and then you can see how this person really is.

Madison Said...
"I think this quote is also important throughout the book because its sums up the jealousy Othello gets and how Desdemona is treated."

Casting Othello

If I was going to a produce Othello in to a movie these are the people I would put as the characters:

Othello: "Send for the lady to the Sagittary And let her speak of me before her father. If you do find me fol in her report...Not only take away, but let your sentence even fall upon my life" (20) "My life upon her faith - Honest Iago, My Desdemona must I leave to thee." (27) The actor I would cast for this role would be Taye Diggs, I think he would portray this character very well and he has strong facial feature that's I imagined Othello would.

Iago: "I am one, sir, that co mes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are making the beast with two backs"(8) "Thus do I ever make my fool my purse; For I mine own gained knowledge should profane If I would time expend with such a snipe"(30) I think the actor I would choose to play Iago would be Adam Pascal because he can play a sorta of bad boy, and he has a soft face but can seem very hard at times.

Desdemona: "I am hitherto your daughter. But here's my husband" (23) "That I did love the Moor to live with him," (26) The actress I would choose to play Desdemona would be Emma Watson because she has a very pure face and I think she could play her very well.

Emilia: "I will bestow you where you shall have time To speak your bosom freely." (62) "I am glad I have found this napkin; This was her first remembrance form the Moor." (75) I think the actress I would have play Emilia would be Keira Knightley because she has strong features and she can look deceiving.

Othello #2

While I was reading Act 2 Scene 1 the plot was reminding me of the one in Eclipse. In Eclipse Victoria uses a person to hide behind while she is coming up with her plan. It is the same thing that Iago is doing with Roderigo. While I was also reading it kind of seemed like this book was like high school little bit. It's like high school because you have all the different emotions and so many people trying to get what they want. One thing that stood out to me in the scene was when Iago was talking and said that if the grapes and wine had been blessed she wouldn't have married the moor, I just thought that was interesting. I got a little confused on the plot and I'm not quite sure if Iago works for Othello or do they both work the Duke?

Cyprus

Cyprus is said to be a island in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, and is South of Turkey. In the Middles Ages when the Roman Empires spilt into West and East, Cyprus became a piece of the East Roman, Byzantine Empire. After the next couple hundred years had passed Cypriants were getting attacked for the Levant. In Othello Cyprus is where the Montano senator is.

Madison Said:
On Moors. "I think its interesting that moor meant dark and was used to refer to more then just black people."

On Epilepsy.  "I think its interesting that they said a blessed metal ring to help with such a severe sickness. "

On Turks. "I wonder why the other countries went to war with the Turks?"

Othello

First off it took me while to find the start of Act 1, Scene 1. There was a lot of notes and the introduction was very long. I am very excited to start reading and getting into Othello I have only read one other Shakespeare play and that was Romeo and Juliet, and I can already tell the I'm comparing them when I read. I think Roderigo is going to be a very strong character and it looks like he really knows how to stir things up. It seems like a fairly easy book to read just that there will be  a lot of analyzing. One thing I did that help me read it was for fun and i tried reading it backward, and some of it actually made some sense. I really like how quick the plot is getting started. I think that's a pro to reading plays is that they have to start interesting to keep the watcher or reader involved.

Piano Lesson Body Paragraph

In The Piano Lesson Boy Willie really wants Berniece to give him the piano and he wants the piano because he is thinking ahead. Boy Willie is thinking that if he buys Sutter’s land then he can make lots of money and live a nice simple life, but he can only do that if Berniece gives him the piano but she won’t because she is holding on to the past. August Wilson describes this theme when Boy Willie and Berniece are talking about selling it, “Get something under your feet. Land the only thing God ain’t making no more of. You can always get another piano (50).” I chose this quote because it shows that something’s that are in your past you have to get rid of, if you want to prosper in the future. Boy Willie explains that when he tells us that “Land the only thing God ain’t making no more of.” Another reason why you need to get rid of things in your past is  because they usually just sit there and cause problems: like the piano. The piano just sits there and does not prophet anyone or any money, unlike the money it would get if Berniece let Boy Willie sell it for land. The piano also hold bad memories and possibly why Sutter’s ghost there. If you get rid of the piano, take away your past, life can be easier to live and you won’t have to look at the past everyday and be reminded of what was and what happened.

Piano Lesson 7

In Act Two Scene Three, I thought it was very interesting that Boy Willie brought a girl home, Grace. I thought it was very rude of him to do that because it was not his house and Berniece is mad at him anyway. Another thing I thought that was interesting was how much the author brought Grace's ex-boyfriend in. He was only mentioned twice but he had a story that I think the author would have liked to elaborated on but couldn't. Another thing that shocked me was when Lymon kissed Berniece and she kissed him back. I saw it coming but I was hoping it wasn't so, but it was. I think if they get into a relationship its gonna cause some type of bad trouble. I don't know with who, but with a not so good someone.

Madison said...
"I also thought it was kind of funny when Boy Willie brought a girl into the house. I also had the same question about Lymon and Berniece."

Piano Lesson 6

In Act 2 Scene 2 I thought it was very interesting that Avery liked Berniece. I didn't think anything of it until Avery said "You know how I feel about you, Berniece" (66). I honestly didn't see that coming and I think its kind of weird, its adding more to the story but I think its getting more complicated. I think its important that we take in consideration that Berniece is very independent, and I don't think she needs a man in the house. I think she thinks that too. I think the author wants us to keep thinking about who pushed Sutter down the well, because he constantly has Berniece bringing it up. I think its more then just a simple death, I think it has a lot of significance in it.

Madison Said....
"I mentioned the same thing in my blog and but I didn't compare it to today society and I think its interesting that people would think like that. And I agree with that I think it will come up later in the book."

Piano Lesson 5

On part the really striked me was when Wining Boy was trying to sell Lymon his suit and shoes. "You can look at my feet and see we wear the same size. Man, you put on that suit and them shoes and you got something there"(62). I underlined those snippets of the sentences because I thought it showed how much Wining Boy was desperate for money. And I was a little shocked that he sold those to Lymon. This passage tells us that Lymon probably isn't the smartest person, or he gives into his wants easily or that he is easily convinced.


Madison  said...

I had the same feeling when Wining Boy was selling the suit too Lymon, it just didn't seem right. I think I will see if Wining Boy will do anything else too.

Piano Lesson 4

One thing that stood out to me while reading  The Piano Lesson was when Doaker is talking about how they got the piano there and about the train. Towards the end of his speech he says that "the train stays on the track...its going to get where it's going. It might bit be where you going. If it ain't then all you got to do is sit and wait..."(19). And I feel its important because its saying you don't have to do what everyone else is doing. You can stop going with the flow and wait for something else to come and pick you up. I think the author puts that in to hint at Boy Willie, that you don't have to buy land because its there for sale or you don't have to buy all of it.


Madison! said...

So do you think Boy Willie killed him? It sounds like you are on the fence about saying yes and no. And I didn't think about the Sutter's Ghost might be showing up because of the piano, thats a good thought!

Piano Lesson 3

In the Piano Lesson I made a connection because of how they all fought about the piano and who it belongs to. The same thing happened in my family when my Grandpa couldn't decide which kid got the Indian head the my great grandpa carved. It turned into a big fuss, and my Aunt Laurie ended getting it, because we ended up getting the chest. To me I think Lymon is kind of like Kumalo for Cry, the Beloved Country  because  they are both very silent and don't really speak their mind and ask more questions about what they're doing. They always want to find out more.


Madison said...
"I have also been wondering the same thing about how music will fit in to the story. I also think that it was kind of weird the Doaker wanted to be paid, but now that I think about it, I guess he could've been joking."

Piano Lesson 2

A question that popped in my head a lot today was if Boy Willie was the only one who used the n-word? And I think he might be the only one because he isn't very respectful, and I he may not have a very good education. The next thing I noticed that i thought was kind of weird was when Berniece say the ghost and then later Avery had the dream that told him to become a priest. I thought those two things are kind of superstitious and it seemed weird that they both happened in the same scene. I just thought it was weird that there were two of the same type of things. Another question  I had was about the train being called Yellow Dog. The Sutter was supposedly killed because he was pushed into the well by the Yellow Dog. I want to know if they're related or if that was just on accident.

Madison said....
"I thought it was interesting that you noticed that they stayed on the same subject for a couple pages. I hadn't noticed that but you are right, they really do. I agree with the word narcissistic for Boy Willie."

Piano Lesson 1

When I first heard the tittle of the book, I couldn't wait to start it because I was hoping to find a lot about music in it. And once I saw the cover I thought about how this book is gonna be more about just a wide variety of art. When we first started reading my first impression was how different the characters are. All the characters seem to be at different places with there lives and really don't know where there going. But I like that they are all family and it seems like that one way there connected. I really also like the writing style of the book. I think reading stage plays are really fun. One thing I'm concerned about is how the n-word is used in the novel. I feel that if the author wasn't afraid to use it then there will be bad minor words.

Madison said...

I agree with you about the use of the word "nigger". And I like the way you said it was off-putting. You wouldn't think that a novel called /The Piano Lesson/ would have that word.

Tabs in Chapter 32

    In chapter 32 one of the things I tabbed was the rain. "..saw the great heavy cloud,...it will rain"(275), I thought this quote was important because it was answer to one of their problems of not having water. If they would have put buckets out they could be gotten fresh water for the animals and the children. I think it also shows that positive things can be found in the most negative times: hope can be found in the worst of times. I think Alan Paton was also trying to convey the thought the everything is not always bad, it can look bad and scary but actually be good and helpful.
   Another thing I tabbed was the mystery about the sticks, "The white men brought our more sticks and flags from the care and one of them set up a box on three legs"(276). I think this is foreshadowing for another city to be built because when you start a project of building a  store or a building you usually mark out the size and where to dig and everything. I think Alan puts this in the story because he is bringing everything the Kumalo knows to his town, and i think Kumalo will fight for his town.

Comparing the Land To the Families

In Cry, the Beloved Country, Alan Paton compares Kumalo to the land. He does this by showing us how much the people and miss him when he came back and what was happening. For example the children dying, "They die, my child, he said. Some of them are dying now" (270) This shows how when he left the other Umfundisi didn't take care of them there and how they land was horrible when he wasn't there. The parallel between Kumalo and  the land is that wherever Kumalo goes the place he just left turns bad, and nothing goes right and he is kinda a mess too. But when he gets back everything is getting better including the land.

Ashoka Blog

Lesley Ann Foster, is working for the help of the Women and girls that have fallen to domestic violence and abuse. She has created a system of counseling and made an organized support group.  She is also helping women to get job skills and back on their feet. 1997

Jackie Branfield is working to help the children that have been sexually abused. To do this she has made a teddy bear called the "boobi bear". The Boobi Bear is filled with counseling methods and ways to help express themselves. 2004

Lynne Brown is part of the Women Leadership. She is working for girls to improve the education. Her program teaches women technical skills and leadership development.  Her main goal is to link different groups of Women all across Africa. 1990

I think i will like to write about what Lynne Brown is doing. It goes along with the girl effect the Nike is currently doing. I think it will have a very good point and will have a strong voice that i could help speak.

Cry Journal 5 (names)

In Alan Paton's novel, Cry, the Beloved Country some of his characters don't have names. My first thought on why they don't have names is because he wants to keep the focus on the main characters. He wants the reader to know they are important but no so important that they get a name. I also think that some characters have names because its puts emphasis on their character or their personality. For example, the girl, Absalom wife and now Kumalo's daughter. I think Alan Paton calls her only "the girl" to emphasize that she is just a child, and should not be in the position that she is in, pregnant. I think this decision to call her "the girl" was a good decision, because it doesn't really giver her a big character and she isn't so it fits that roll but also because he  is letting us know that she is just a girl that needs help.