Monday, May 16, 2011
The Tell Tale Heart
In this story the narrator is the only one to really analyze. The big discrepancy is whether or not he is crazy. No matter who you are if you kill someone your mind is not in the right place. In the case of The Tell Tale Heart the narrator is clearly crazy because he has the urge to kill the old man based on that his eye is "evil." In the average person's mind that just doesn't add up. If someone gives you the "stink-eye" you don't go around killing them. So that is a big red flag on his sanity. However, Poe makes you believe that the narrator is more normal because of the planning and meticulous nature of the murder. The narrator also shows that he is not a complete psychopath because when the police come he goes from murder to kind citizen. Ont the other hand, this trade off of personalities makes him a little crazier because it also shows his mind is off in all different directions. Bottom line he is crazy not because he killed (well probably) but more because of his mindset and reasoning.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
A Summer Feud
On a Summer day where every kid in the city was outside the conditions were perfect, high 80's with a slight breeze. Every kid on the block was cooling down with super-soaker and hose wars. Even the adults were having a good time on the wondrous day at hand. Everyone but the Crazy lady, as the kids called her, was having a great time. She was determined to wreck everyones day.
After I ate a late breakfast I went across the street to get my friend Alec and his older brother Craig. I knocked at the door and Alec answered.
" Hey Ryan what's up?" "Not much Alec wana have a super-soaker war?" Alec replied happily "Sure. We should get George too."
I went back across the street to get my neighbor George out as well. His mom answered and told me he would be out in 10 minutes. As I got ready for the intense battle that was to come more kids were coming out also ready for war. This battle was going to require all the yards on the block. This was not to the liking of the Crazy Lady. As the day wore on yards were wrecked by all the water and running kids. Front lawns that were once crisp and perfectly manicured were now nothing but muddy swamps that were suitable for crocodiles. This was the first time the Crazy Lady came out and expressed her disapproval of kids. She put the hammer down so to speak by leaving a looming threat of calling the cops on us. From then on we had all water fights on the other side of the street.
On days that water wars were non-sufficient to the weather we played woffel-ball or even just threw the pigskin around. Now knowing we couldn't play on her lawn, we played over her property. If we played catch one person would be on each side of her lawn. But of course a ball would manage to land on her now perfect grass and she would tap on the window with phone in hand to reinstate the threat of the police. So we would have to sacrifice that ball because she would then come out of her lair to come confiscate the object that intruded on her perfect lawn.
Up until this time we hadn't had the cops called but many of our possessions had been taken. Sometimes we felt the need to get them back so all the kids that had had something confiscated would go up a ring her doorbell and her response was very concise and potent.
"Read the sign. NO TRESPASSING OR LOITERING."
Eventually the other kids and I got tired of getting our stuff taken so we rebelled and just started to neglect her threats and grab our possessions before she could. When I first started to run through the war zone to get my belongings I tried to do it stealthily by crouching under the windows where she couldn't see me and then someone would tell me if she was looking or not.
"Is she gone yet George?" "No not yet Ryan. Wait hold on she's..... OK she's gone."
But then this got old and we all realized how crazy it was that we couldn't walk on someones lawn. But with this false sense of security came the consequences. She finally called the cops on us for going on her lawn during a Woffel-ball game where a throw home missed its target and ended up on her lawn. One of the younger players in the game, Ian who was about 5, went to go get the ball. When he started towards her lawn the phone got whipped out and she was calling the cops. About a half an hour later the cops, sure enough, showed up. We were speechless.
The cops got out of their car and asked jokingly,"Alright which one of you hoodlums trespassed on her property?"
We all pointed at the innocent five year old. They laughed with us at the stupidity of her accusation. They told us that to deal with people like her we just have to abide by them and live around her. That is exactly what we did. we moved our games farther down the block or we played on the other side of the street. To this day no one has talked to the Crazy lady. In the winter now her sidewalk is the only one not shoveled and she now pays for landscaping where we would cut her grass before the whole trespassing indecent.
After I ate a late breakfast I went across the street to get my friend Alec and his older brother Craig. I knocked at the door and Alec answered.
" Hey Ryan what's up?" "Not much Alec wana have a super-soaker war?" Alec replied happily "Sure. We should get George too."
I went back across the street to get my neighbor George out as well. His mom answered and told me he would be out in 10 minutes. As I got ready for the intense battle that was to come more kids were coming out also ready for war. This battle was going to require all the yards on the block. This was not to the liking of the Crazy Lady. As the day wore on yards were wrecked by all the water and running kids. Front lawns that were once crisp and perfectly manicured were now nothing but muddy swamps that were suitable for crocodiles. This was the first time the Crazy Lady came out and expressed her disapproval of kids. She put the hammer down so to speak by leaving a looming threat of calling the cops on us. From then on we had all water fights on the other side of the street.
On days that water wars were non-sufficient to the weather we played woffel-ball or even just threw the pigskin around. Now knowing we couldn't play on her lawn, we played over her property. If we played catch one person would be on each side of her lawn. But of course a ball would manage to land on her now perfect grass and she would tap on the window with phone in hand to reinstate the threat of the police. So we would have to sacrifice that ball because she would then come out of her lair to come confiscate the object that intruded on her perfect lawn.
Up until this time we hadn't had the cops called but many of our possessions had been taken. Sometimes we felt the need to get them back so all the kids that had had something confiscated would go up a ring her doorbell and her response was very concise and potent.
"Read the sign. NO TRESPASSING OR LOITERING."
Eventually the other kids and I got tired of getting our stuff taken so we rebelled and just started to neglect her threats and grab our possessions before she could. When I first started to run through the war zone to get my belongings I tried to do it stealthily by crouching under the windows where she couldn't see me and then someone would tell me if she was looking or not.
"Is she gone yet George?" "No not yet Ryan. Wait hold on she's..... OK she's gone."
But then this got old and we all realized how crazy it was that we couldn't walk on someones lawn. But with this false sense of security came the consequences. She finally called the cops on us for going on her lawn during a Woffel-ball game where a throw home missed its target and ended up on her lawn. One of the younger players in the game, Ian who was about 5, went to go get the ball. When he started towards her lawn the phone got whipped out and she was calling the cops. About a half an hour later the cops, sure enough, showed up. We were speechless.
The cops got out of their car and asked jokingly,"Alright which one of you hoodlums trespassed on her property?"
We all pointed at the innocent five year old. They laughed with us at the stupidity of her accusation. They told us that to deal with people like her we just have to abide by them and live around her. That is exactly what we did. we moved our games farther down the block or we played on the other side of the street. To this day no one has talked to the Crazy lady. In the winter now her sidewalk is the only one not shoveled and she now pays for landscaping where we would cut her grass before the whole trespassing indecent.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Old Man
Old man look at my life,
I'm a lot like you were.
Old man look at my life,
I'm a lot like you were.
Old man look at my life,
Twenty four
and there's so much more
Live alone in a paradise
That makes me think of two.
Love lost, such a cost,
Give me things
that don't get lost.
Like a coin that won't get tossed
Rolling home to you.
Old man take a look at my life
I'm a lot like you
I need someone to love me
the whole day through
Ah, one look in my eyes
and you can tell that's true.
Lullabies, look in your eyes,
Run around the same old town.
Doesn't mean that much to me
To mean that much to you.
I've been first and last
Look at how the time goes past.
But I'm all alone at last.
Rolling home to you.
Old man take a look at my life
I'm a lot like you
I need someone to love me
the whole day through
Ah, one look in my eyes
and you can tell that's true.
Old man look at my life,
I'm a lot like you were.
Old man look at my life,
I'm a lot like you were.
This song by Neil Young is about growing up in life. This isn't so much about becoming a teenager like some growing up songs, but more growing old in life. As we grow old we realize what we have done with our lives. Some become what they wanted and others see lost opportunities. But in the end everyone reflects on their life regardless, as we grow old and settle down. In this case Neil is talking about his life and what he's missed and gained. Some believe it was about a old man that he had as a neighbor in California. I believe that the old man is a metaphor for where he is in the present and he is talking about his life in the past. The overall meaning to this poem is that sometimes we have to stop and see what we have really done with our lives. Have we missed out? Have we celebrated our gains? Have we found our true passions on Earth? It is like a reality check. This poem is Neil Young reflecting on his life and seeing that he has everything except a partner for life.
I'm a lot like you were.
Old man look at my life,
I'm a lot like you were.
Old man look at my life,
Twenty four
and there's so much more
Live alone in a paradise
That makes me think of two.
Love lost, such a cost,
Give me things
that don't get lost.
Like a coin that won't get tossed
Rolling home to you.
Old man take a look at my life
I'm a lot like you
I need someone to love me
the whole day through
Ah, one look in my eyes
and you can tell that's true.
Lullabies, look in your eyes,
Run around the same old town.
Doesn't mean that much to me
To mean that much to you.
I've been first and last
Look at how the time goes past.
But I'm all alone at last.
Rolling home to you.
Old man take a look at my life
I'm a lot like you
I need someone to love me
the whole day through
Ah, one look in my eyes
and you can tell that's true.
Old man look at my life,
I'm a lot like you were.
Old man look at my life,
I'm a lot like you were.
This song by Neil Young is about growing up in life. This isn't so much about becoming a teenager like some growing up songs, but more growing old in life. As we grow old we realize what we have done with our lives. Some become what they wanted and others see lost opportunities. But in the end everyone reflects on their life regardless, as we grow old and settle down. In this case Neil is talking about his life and what he's missed and gained. Some believe it was about a old man that he had as a neighbor in California. I believe that the old man is a metaphor for where he is in the present and he is talking about his life in the past. The overall meaning to this poem is that sometimes we have to stop and see what we have really done with our lives. Have we missed out? Have we celebrated our gains? Have we found our true passions on Earth? It is like a reality check. This poem is Neil Young reflecting on his life and seeing that he has everything except a partner for life.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
On the Reservation
Throughout my life I have only come in contact with a handful of Native Americans. Many of which were my parents age or older. As a kid meeting a Native American was like seeing a bald eagle, they were few and far between. But whenever I did meet one I always expected a good story. I always recieved one but whether they were true or not, who knows.
The first Native American I ever met was a friend of my grandfathers. He was from a small tribe up in Minnesota. He and my grandfather both were pilots on the Great Lakes. He was a very nice man that always would make up interesting stories for me as a very young kid. It wasn't till later when i asked my grandfather about him that i figured out he was a nut. Story goes that after a couple drinks he would start doing old Native American tribal dances. So all in all the only Native American's i really know are known to be a little crazy and always good for a story. This is kind of of sad because the stereotypical Native Americans are sometimes perceived as nutty story tellers. For me to truly understand the Ways of the Native Americans I would need to go back to the time of Lewis and Clark and live among the Natives to truly identify with them.
The first Native American I ever met was a friend of my grandfathers. He was from a small tribe up in Minnesota. He and my grandfather both were pilots on the Great Lakes. He was a very nice man that always would make up interesting stories for me as a very young kid. It wasn't till later when i asked my grandfather about him that i figured out he was a nut. Story goes that after a couple drinks he would start doing old Native American tribal dances. So all in all the only Native American's i really know are known to be a little crazy and always good for a story. This is kind of of sad because the stereotypical Native Americans are sometimes perceived as nutty story tellers. For me to truly understand the Ways of the Native Americans I would need to go back to the time of Lewis and Clark and live among the Natives to truly identify with them.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Propaganda Today
Propaganda has increasingly become more widespread because of the advances in social media. When ever I think of propaganda I immediately think of mudslinging advertisements for political power. Every election, in Chicago at least, there are always those ads that put down the other opponents. The most recent one I've seen is about Rahm Emanuel and his residency issue. Without knowing whether or not he was living in Chicago ads were being broadcasted talking about, "Do you want a mayor that lies about his residency???" This was a tactic that was used against him just to make the opposition stand out better. These "rumors" whether they be true or not fuel ideas into the public to influence their choices. It is just like brainwashing in a sense. It uses controversial questions to influence the general public one way or another.
In the past propaganda was most commonly used during times of war to "rally the troops." We don't see this so more. For the war in Iraq they didn't push the public to fight in the war like they did in World War II. Although there were no Uncle Sam posters the media made a case of why you should. They riled up the public by instilling anger over 9/11. However, politics still make the biggest market for propaganda. For as long as there is voting propaganda will exist. Also it will never completely go away. It is a seed that is planted and when the public need something to turn to and blame, the seed will continue to grow. For a last example, Obama's residency was once a huge controversy. Was he born in another country? How can he be president? These ideas that were planted after the inauguration maybe a wall that the public can lean back on when things start to go south. When things go down, it is human nature to turn around and blame someone or something else.
In the past propaganda was most commonly used during times of war to "rally the troops." We don't see this so more. For the war in Iraq they didn't push the public to fight in the war like they did in World War II. Although there were no Uncle Sam posters the media made a case of why you should. They riled up the public by instilling anger over 9/11. However, politics still make the biggest market for propaganda. For as long as there is voting propaganda will exist. Also it will never completely go away. It is a seed that is planted and when the public need something to turn to and blame, the seed will continue to grow. For a last example, Obama's residency was once a huge controversy. Was he born in another country? How can he be president? These ideas that were planted after the inauguration maybe a wall that the public can lean back on when things start to go south. When things go down, it is human nature to turn around and blame someone or something else.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Beat Street
Beat Street.... What a movie. This movie is very interesting because it shows a unique perspective of life in New York. It hides all the glam of the city and portrays the "darker" side of the city, the Bronx. It shows how kids grew up in the city and learned the way of the streets. Although it is an 80's movie it is very interesting because it shows how as a kid you could make it out of the backsides of New York. Beat Street also just goes to show there is talent no matter where you come from. Weirdly this movie makes me think of 8 mile. This is a long shot but, they are similar in the respect that they show how people grow with a talent they are given. One of the main characters Double K is a DJ that is mixing sounds on very basic equipment where as others are making comparable mixes on way more advanced equipment. It shows that talent is found with in a person and nothing else matters. Beat Street is a rare point of view that is shown and it is very heart warming because it proves that their are people that work hard for what they want and it pays off for them. In this world to many people are where they are at because of what someone else did for them. Unlike that Beat Street portrays kids that worked to become a somebody.
Hungry For Attention
Everyone is in need of some type of attention. The ways people get attention obviously vary depending on the person. Richard did light his house on fire, but it wasn't intended to hurt anyone. When you are a young kid all you want is attention. For example, when my younger sister was born I wouldn't even look at my mom because my sister was getting all her attention. As people we thrive off attention. First place in a competition would be pointless if the winners didn't get recognition. I remember as a kid I was always trying to impress someone, rather it be myself, my parents, teacher, or anyone that cared. So to get back to Richard, he is not alone in his hunger for attention. Attention is almost secondhand nature to most people. This is unfortunate in a way though because with attention comes people that only do things when they get attention. This is sad because then the people that are "behind the scenes" go unnoticed. So for all of us that are attention cravers we must remember all those who aren't like us and do things that go unnoticed. Richard isn't one to stay out of the lime light so he needs that constant attention to maintain his lifestyle. Richard is not alone in his hunger for attention it is human nature to want to be noticed and only we can control our need for it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)