Quotes:
1. Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don't know. I got a telegram from the home: “Mother deceased. Funeral tomorrow. Faithfully yours.” That doesn't mean anything. Maybe it was yesterday.
2. She said, “If you go slowly, you risk getting sunstroke. But if you go too fast, you work up a sweat and then catch a chill inside the church.” She was right. There was no way out.
3.A minute later she asked me if I loved her. I told her it didn't mean anything but that I didn't think so.
4. I said that people never change their lives, that in any case one life was as good as another and that I wasn't dissatisfied with mine here at all.
Subjects:
1. Alienation
2. Death
3. Indifference
Conflicts:
1. Man v. Reason
2. Man v. Himself
3. Man v. Machine
Vehicles:
1. Irony
2. Imagery- the sun
3. Characterization
3. Tone
Themes:
1. Absurdity is the act of searching for rational order, where none exists.
2. Once we as human realize the meaninglessness of certain aspects of our lives, we can truly find happiness.
Title:The Stranger is a direct reference to Meursault and all those like him who are alienated from the world around them.
Summary: Meursault, the narrator, is a young man living in Algiers. He is unresposive to many emotions others find normal, as displayed in his failure to mourn his mothers death. He shoots and kills the Arab, and when he is on trial, they are more concerned with his lack of emotion then the actually killing.
Characters: Meursault, Maman, the Arab, Marie, Raymond, Salamano
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
SMELL
Sender
Message
Ethos
Lang
Logos
In this vintage ad, the sender, Winston cigarettes, utilizes a great American cartoon and a catchy jingle to lure in viewers. Winston Cigarettes sponsored the first season of the show when it first began on ABC. Winston uses the characters of The Flinstones to relay the message that Winston cigarettes are the best tasting available and also very attractive to smoke. By using this type of ethical family the sender attempts to appeal to the masses. It is also ironic that a cartoon, which is created for a young audience would advertise smoking, which is illegal for the very youth that watches the Flinstones. However, this method has the affect of making smoking seem more child-like, innocent, and harmless. "Winston tastes good, like a cigarette should". This simple rhyme is easy to remember and likely to get stuck in your head. The language used in the ad contributes to its influence on the viewer by using only positive yet informative diction to describe the cigarettes physical characteristics and benefits. What the ad fails to relate is the negative side of smoking, regardless of the brand of cigarette. This neglect of logic harms the viewer who falls susceptible to the sender's urging, while simultaneously benefiting the sender by making the company a profit. Which is, in the end, all that really matters.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
I like Giants
When I go for a drive I like to pull off to the side
Of the road, turn out the lights, get out and look up at the sky
And I do this to remind me that I'm really, really tiny
In the grand scheme of things and sometimes this terrifies me
But it's only really scary cause it makes me feel serene
In a way I never thought I'd be because I've never been
So grounded, and so humbled, and so one with everything
I am grounded, I am humbled, I am one with everything
Rock and roll is fun but if you ever hear someone
Say you are huge, look at the moon, look at the stars, look at the sun
Look at the ocean and the desert and the mountains and the sky
Say I am just a speck of dust inside a giant's eye
I am just a speck of dust inside a giant's eye
When I saw Geneviève I really liked it when she said
What she said about the giant and the lemmings on the cliff
She said 'I like giants
Especially girl giants
Cause all girls feel too big sometimes
Regardless of their size'
When I go for a drive I like to pull off to the side
Of the road and run and jump into the ocean in my clothes
And I'm smaller than a poppyseed inside a great big bowl
And the ocean is a giant that can swallow me whole
So I swim for all salvation and I swim to save my soul
But my soul is just a whisper trapped inside a tornado
So I flip to my back and I float and I sing
I am grounded, I am humbled, I am one with everything
I am grounded, I am humbled, I am one with everything
So I talked to Geneviève and almost cried when she said
That the giant on the cliff wished that she was dead
And the lemmings on the cliff wished that they were dead
So the giant told the lemmings why they ought to live instead
When she thought up all those reasons that they ought to live instead
It made her reconsider all the sad thoughts in her head
So thank you Geneviève, cause you take what is in your head
And you make things that are so beautiful and share them with your friends
We all become important when we realize our goal
Should be to figure out our role within the context of the whole
And yeah, rock and roll is fun, but if you ever hear someone
Say you are huge, look at the moon, look at the stars, look at the sun
Look at the ocean and the desert and the mountains and the sky
Say I am just a speck of dust inside a giant's eye
I am just a speck of dust inside a giant's eye
I am just a speck of dust inside a giant's eye
And I don't wanna make her cry
Cause I like giants
“Bigger is better”. “Good things come in small packages”. There are many ideas expressing ideas about size and the role it plays in our lives. Sometimes things of great enormity have a humbling effect on those in their presence. In her song “I like Giants”, Kimya Dawson explains that through our own tiny existences we find purpose in the grand scheme of life.
Dawson relies largely on simplicity to illustrate her complex ideas. There are no large, high-level words in her song, only simple phrases. The claim “I like giants” seems as if it should be followed by some sort of in depth reasoning or explanation. She uses giants as a physical manifestation of bigger ideas such as God, the world, and life itself. In a way it as if she is simply stating, “I like life”. This oversimplification provides contrast by undercutting the listeners’ expectations and implying that maybe things are not so complicated after all.
Instead of feeling overwhelmed or insignificant Dawson is comforted by her place within the world. She uses many examples of concrete imagery to describe differences in size; “I am just a speck of dust inside a giant’s eye”, “I’m smaller than a poppy seed inside a great big bowl”. This outlook varies from the usual stance that in order to be great things must be large. Dawson offers a new direction with the lines “we all become important when we realize our role within the whole”. Her emphasis on interconnectedness contributes to the overall theme of solidarity throughout the song as a whole. Ironically, Dawson feels significant and empowered by her small role in the world.
Another notable reference to size within the song lies in the line “cause all girl giants feel too big sometimes regardless of their size”. This statement says a lot about female mentality as a whole. Dawson addresses the issue head on by boldly stating once again, “I like giants, especially girl giants”. This fact is just another that separates her from society, contradicting the views of women held by the media, men, and women themselves.
Ultimately, Dawson’s song serves as a reminder to us all to step back and look at our lives in order to evaluate what really matters most. This self imposed reality check is both enlightening and humbling in an ironic way.
Of the road, turn out the lights, get out and look up at the sky
And I do this to remind me that I'm really, really tiny
In the grand scheme of things and sometimes this terrifies me
But it's only really scary cause it makes me feel serene
In a way I never thought I'd be because I've never been
So grounded, and so humbled, and so one with everything
I am grounded, I am humbled, I am one with everything
Rock and roll is fun but if you ever hear someone
Say you are huge, look at the moon, look at the stars, look at the sun
Look at the ocean and the desert and the mountains and the sky
Say I am just a speck of dust inside a giant's eye
I am just a speck of dust inside a giant's eye
When I saw Geneviève I really liked it when she said
What she said about the giant and the lemmings on the cliff
She said 'I like giants
Especially girl giants
Cause all girls feel too big sometimes
Regardless of their size'
When I go for a drive I like to pull off to the side
Of the road and run and jump into the ocean in my clothes
And I'm smaller than a poppyseed inside a great big bowl
And the ocean is a giant that can swallow me whole
So I swim for all salvation and I swim to save my soul
But my soul is just a whisper trapped inside a tornado
So I flip to my back and I float and I sing
I am grounded, I am humbled, I am one with everything
I am grounded, I am humbled, I am one with everything
So I talked to Geneviève and almost cried when she said
That the giant on the cliff wished that she was dead
And the lemmings on the cliff wished that they were dead
So the giant told the lemmings why they ought to live instead
When she thought up all those reasons that they ought to live instead
It made her reconsider all the sad thoughts in her head
So thank you Geneviève, cause you take what is in your head
And you make things that are so beautiful and share them with your friends
We all become important when we realize our goal
Should be to figure out our role within the context of the whole
And yeah, rock and roll is fun, but if you ever hear someone
Say you are huge, look at the moon, look at the stars, look at the sun
Look at the ocean and the desert and the mountains and the sky
Say I am just a speck of dust inside a giant's eye
I am just a speck of dust inside a giant's eye
I am just a speck of dust inside a giant's eye
And I don't wanna make her cry
Cause I like giants
“Bigger is better”. “Good things come in small packages”. There are many ideas expressing ideas about size and the role it plays in our lives. Sometimes things of great enormity have a humbling effect on those in their presence. In her song “I like Giants”, Kimya Dawson explains that through our own tiny existences we find purpose in the grand scheme of life.
Dawson relies largely on simplicity to illustrate her complex ideas. There are no large, high-level words in her song, only simple phrases. The claim “I like giants” seems as if it should be followed by some sort of in depth reasoning or explanation. She uses giants as a physical manifestation of bigger ideas such as God, the world, and life itself. In a way it as if she is simply stating, “I like life”. This oversimplification provides contrast by undercutting the listeners’ expectations and implying that maybe things are not so complicated after all.
Instead of feeling overwhelmed or insignificant Dawson is comforted by her place within the world. She uses many examples of concrete imagery to describe differences in size; “I am just a speck of dust inside a giant’s eye”, “I’m smaller than a poppy seed inside a great big bowl”. This outlook varies from the usual stance that in order to be great things must be large. Dawson offers a new direction with the lines “we all become important when we realize our role within the whole”. Her emphasis on interconnectedness contributes to the overall theme of solidarity throughout the song as a whole. Ironically, Dawson feels significant and empowered by her small role in the world.
Another notable reference to size within the song lies in the line “cause all girl giants feel too big sometimes regardless of their size”. This statement says a lot about female mentality as a whole. Dawson addresses the issue head on by boldly stating once again, “I like giants, especially girl giants”. This fact is just another that separates her from society, contradicting the views of women held by the media, men, and women themselves.
Ultimately, Dawson’s song serves as a reminder to us all to step back and look at our lives in order to evaluate what really matters most. This self imposed reality check is both enlightening and humbling in an ironic way.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Sestina
There is a house with a shiny black door.
Behind it, a woman cooks pasta
and seasons it with just enough salt.
Beside it lies a soggy wet pair of shoes
a boy left out in the afternoon rain.
Light streams from the windows and shines like the sun.
The steam from the stove feels warm like the sun.
"Hello Darling", says a voice from the door.
Beads of sweat cover the pot like tiny drops of rain.
"Hello Dear, I hope you're hungry for some pasta.
Come sit down and kick off your shoes."
As he moved toward the table he knocked over the salt.
"How clumsy of me"; he scooped up the salt.
He swept up the mess and threw it at the sun.
The tiny white grains clung to his black shoes
like tiny white snowflakes that that cling to the black door.
His wife hums to herself as she doles out the pasta
and her smile reassures him like flowers reassure rain.
Inside her heart tears fall like rain
as she remembers a boy, the salt
of her earth. A boy who twirled his pasta
around his fork, who played outside in the sun
while she watched form the door,
and who didn't want help tying his shoes.
"I just vacuumed Baby, take off your shoes
outside". Now they sit, drenched in rain,
right where he left them, by the black door.
They preserve his memory, like salt
preserves meat stored away from the sun.
"Can I have some more pasta,
Mommy?" He will never ask for more pasta
again. He will never again leave his shoes
by the door. He won't play in the sun
or splash through puddles of rain.
Now, his memory stings, like a wound laced with salt.
All of which is also hidden, behind that black door.
Without the sun, there is always extra pasta.
The shiny black door matches the man's shoes,
and although it keeps the rain out, it keeps in all the salt.
Behind it, a woman cooks pasta
and seasons it with just enough salt.
Beside it lies a soggy wet pair of shoes
a boy left out in the afternoon rain.
Light streams from the windows and shines like the sun.
The steam from the stove feels warm like the sun.
"Hello Darling", says a voice from the door.
Beads of sweat cover the pot like tiny drops of rain.
"Hello Dear, I hope you're hungry for some pasta.
Come sit down and kick off your shoes."
As he moved toward the table he knocked over the salt.
"How clumsy of me"; he scooped up the salt.
He swept up the mess and threw it at the sun.
The tiny white grains clung to his black shoes
like tiny white snowflakes that that cling to the black door.
His wife hums to herself as she doles out the pasta
and her smile reassures him like flowers reassure rain.
Inside her heart tears fall like rain
as she remembers a boy, the salt
of her earth. A boy who twirled his pasta
around his fork, who played outside in the sun
while she watched form the door,
and who didn't want help tying his shoes.
"I just vacuumed Baby, take off your shoes
outside". Now they sit, drenched in rain,
right where he left them, by the black door.
They preserve his memory, like salt
preserves meat stored away from the sun.
"Can I have some more pasta,
Mommy?" He will never ask for more pasta
again. He will never again leave his shoes
by the door. He won't play in the sun
or splash through puddles of rain.
Now, his memory stings, like a wound laced with salt.
All of which is also hidden, behind that black door.
Without the sun, there is always extra pasta.
The shiny black door matches the man's shoes,
and although it keeps the rain out, it keeps in all the salt.
Friday, February 13, 2009
My Love,
I write to you with the utmost urgency;
simply put, I can no longer stand to be apart.
I have devised a plan for us to run away together,
and it is essential that you act quickly.
We can be modern day versions of Romeo and Juliet!
First, pack a bag with all the things you cherish most,
along with something blue.
Then catch a taxi and meet me at the Voodoo Café in Pearl Harbor.
I am sure you remember it; it is where we spent our first date,
sipping haute chocolate and enjoying live jazz.
I will fill up the cruiser with diesel fuel, and I will even stop by the bakery
to pick up some of those little red velvet cupcakes you love so much.
Then we will set in motion, like racing rubies towards the infinite horizon.
We will re-load in Aspen, and under the black sky,
we will follow the luminous moon to the Chapel of Love.
I know the plan sounds like a wild thing,
but if you so choose to accept,
a pink diamond ring awaits you there,
along with the essence of love that fills my every heartbeat.
Forever yours,
Hugo Boss
I write to you with the utmost urgency;
simply put, I can no longer stand to be apart.
I have devised a plan for us to run away together,
and it is essential that you act quickly.
We can be modern day versions of Romeo and Juliet!
First, pack a bag with all the things you cherish most,
along with something blue.
Then catch a taxi and meet me at the Voodoo Café in Pearl Harbor.
I am sure you remember it; it is where we spent our first date,
sipping haute chocolate and enjoying live jazz.
I will fill up the cruiser with diesel fuel, and I will even stop by the bakery
to pick up some of those little red velvet cupcakes you love so much.
Then we will set in motion, like racing rubies towards the infinite horizon.
We will re-load in Aspen, and under the black sky,
we will follow the luminous moon to the Chapel of Love.
I know the plan sounds like a wild thing,
but if you so choose to accept,
a pink diamond ring awaits you there,
along with the essence of love that fills my every heartbeat.
Forever yours,
Hugo Boss
Friday, December 5, 2008
Vocab Poem
this heat is so imperious you can feel it engulf you. it's prevailing and all powerful. you feel as if you could lift it off and assuage yourself. but knowing that you can't forces you to accept it; relish it. from my perch on the asperous gray railing, the horizon spans an empire so capacious my mind is incapable of cognizing its grandeur. the sun sinks down into its deep blue bed, as i envy their unwavering bond. the perennial gray wood i sit on does not hide its scars. it seems as if it may have been blue once long ago. before it served its time and gained its weathered marks. ashamed of them it is not; this wood hold stories, secrets, and memories few others have been fortunate enough to witness.
impervious: adj.- impenetrable
engulf: v.- to swallow up, submerge
assuage: v.- to make milder; relieve
asperous: adj.- rough, uneven
capacious: adj.- capable of holding much, vast
cognize: v.- to precieve, know
grandeur: n.- great importance, majesty
unwavering: adj.- enduring, perpetual
prevailing: v.- general, dominant
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Pink Houses
John “Cougar” Mellencamp was born October 7, 1951 in the small town on Seymour, Indiana. This rebellious, stubborn, misfit would struggle for many years of his life trying to find himself and his purpose in life. Growing up, his passion was music; it was music that would later become his salvation and main outlet of expression.
Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and Bob Seger have all influenced Mellencamp. His early songwriting idols were Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan. He and Dylan became friends and for a while in the early Nineties, Dylan would call to read him lyrics to his new songs, looking for feedback. The friendship failed however due to Mellencamp’s intense feelings of unworthiness compared to Dylan. Mellencamp himself has influenced a number of sing-songwriters, most significantly Pete Droge, and Jakob Dylan. His music has been described as a mix between rock and folk. This mélange, mixed with his simple, down-home messages, created a style known as heartland rock. In a 2004 interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, Mellencamp elaborated on what inspires his own songs; "I try not to write songs about myself -- I'm just not that interesting. For me, songwriting is when you can make somebody say, 'Hey, that guy's eavesdropping on my phone calls.' But you can't do that if you get too specific -- everything has to be vague."
Mellencamp has accomplished his goal by painting portraits of hardworking Americans working to archive something bigger than themselves. This goal is most evident in one of his best known songs, Pink Houses. During a recent appearance on ‘Good Morning, America’, Mellencamp discussed the timely lyrics of this song and their relevance to our world today. He said, "The American Dream has kind of been hidden lately. So I think that it's time for hard-working people to be able to earn a decent wage and realize their dreams. That's what this country was founded on. I believe in the First Amendment, and I believe in hard-working people." Following the release of Scarecrow, Mellencamp became an outspoken advocate of the American farmer, organizing Farm Aid with Willie Nelson and Neil Young. He also became known for his anti-corporate stance, refusing to accept tour sponsorship offers from beer and tobacco companies.
In the recent Presidential election, Mellencamp asked the McCain Campaign to remove his songs from their event playlists. Mellencamp's publicist, Bob Merlis, noted to the Associated Press that "if (McCain is) such a true conservative, why (is he) playing songs that have a very populist pro-labor message written by a guy who would find no argument if you characterized him as left of center?" It is no secret that Mellencamp is an ardent Democrat and radical liberal. He utilizes music to communicate his both political and social views to others who subsequently identify with his lyrics. By doing so, he also challenges the current standards and moral regiment we as a society formulate. In this sense he is some what dangerous because he is not afraid to stand out by shedding light on the less glamorous side of America.
There's a black man, with a black cat, livin' in a black neighborhood
He's got an interstate runnin' through his front yard
You know he thinks he's got it so good
And there's a woman in the kitchen cleanin' up the evenin' slop
And he looks at her and says, "Hey darlin', I can remember when
you could stop a clock."
Ah but ain't that America for you and me
Ain't that America somethin' to see baby
Ain't that America home of the free, yeah
Little pink houses for you and me
oh yeah for you and me
Well there's a young man in a t-shirt
Listenin' to a rockin' rollin' station
He's got ah greasy hair, greasy smile
He says, "Lord this must be my destination."
'Cause they told me when I was younger
Said, "Boy you're gonna be president."
But just like everything else those old crazy dreams
Just kinda came and went
Ah but ain't that America for you and me
Ain't that America somethin' to see baby
Ain't that America home of the free, yeah
Little pink houses for you and me
Ah yeah baby for you and me
Well there's people and more people
What do they know know know
Go to work in some high rise
And vacation down at the Gulf of Mexico
Ooh yeah
And there's winners and there's losers
But they ain't no big deal
'Cause the simple man baby pays for the thrills, the bills,
the pills that kill
Ah but ain't that America for you and me
Ain't that America somethin' to see baby
Ain't that America home of the free, yeah
Little pink houses for you and me, Ooooh
Ooh yeah
Ain't that America for you and me
Ain't that America hey somethin' to see baby
Ain't that America oh home of the free
Ooh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Little pink houses babe for you and me
Ooh yeah, ooh yeah
Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and Bob Seger have all influenced Mellencamp. His early songwriting idols were Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan. He and Dylan became friends and for a while in the early Nineties, Dylan would call to read him lyrics to his new songs, looking for feedback. The friendship failed however due to Mellencamp’s intense feelings of unworthiness compared to Dylan. Mellencamp himself has influenced a number of sing-songwriters, most significantly Pete Droge, and Jakob Dylan. His music has been described as a mix between rock and folk. This mélange, mixed with his simple, down-home messages, created a style known as heartland rock. In a 2004 interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, Mellencamp elaborated on what inspires his own songs; "I try not to write songs about myself -- I'm just not that interesting. For me, songwriting is when you can make somebody say, 'Hey, that guy's eavesdropping on my phone calls.' But you can't do that if you get too specific -- everything has to be vague."
Mellencamp has accomplished his goal by painting portraits of hardworking Americans working to archive something bigger than themselves. This goal is most evident in one of his best known songs, Pink Houses. During a recent appearance on ‘Good Morning, America’, Mellencamp discussed the timely lyrics of this song and their relevance to our world today. He said, "The American Dream has kind of been hidden lately. So I think that it's time for hard-working people to be able to earn a decent wage and realize their dreams. That's what this country was founded on. I believe in the First Amendment, and I believe in hard-working people." Following the release of Scarecrow, Mellencamp became an outspoken advocate of the American farmer, organizing Farm Aid with Willie Nelson and Neil Young. He also became known for his anti-corporate stance, refusing to accept tour sponsorship offers from beer and tobacco companies.
In the recent Presidential election, Mellencamp asked the McCain Campaign to remove his songs from their event playlists. Mellencamp's publicist, Bob Merlis, noted to the Associated Press that "if (McCain is) such a true conservative, why (is he) playing songs that have a very populist pro-labor message written by a guy who would find no argument if you characterized him as left of center?" It is no secret that Mellencamp is an ardent Democrat and radical liberal. He utilizes music to communicate his both political and social views to others who subsequently identify with his lyrics. By doing so, he also challenges the current standards and moral regiment we as a society formulate. In this sense he is some what dangerous because he is not afraid to stand out by shedding light on the less glamorous side of America.
There's a black man, with a black cat, livin' in a black neighborhood
He's got an interstate runnin' through his front yard
You know he thinks he's got it so good
And there's a woman in the kitchen cleanin' up the evenin' slop
And he looks at her and says, "Hey darlin', I can remember when
you could stop a clock."
Ah but ain't that America for you and me
Ain't that America somethin' to see baby
Ain't that America home of the free, yeah
Little pink houses for you and me
oh yeah for you and me
Well there's a young man in a t-shirt
Listenin' to a rockin' rollin' station
He's got ah greasy hair, greasy smile
He says, "Lord this must be my destination."
'Cause they told me when I was younger
Said, "Boy you're gonna be president."
But just like everything else those old crazy dreams
Just kinda came and went
Ah but ain't that America for you and me
Ain't that America somethin' to see baby
Ain't that America home of the free, yeah
Little pink houses for you and me
Ah yeah baby for you and me
Well there's people and more people
What do they know know know
Go to work in some high rise
And vacation down at the Gulf of Mexico
Ooh yeah
And there's winners and there's losers
But they ain't no big deal
'Cause the simple man baby pays for the thrills, the bills,
the pills that kill
Ah but ain't that America for you and me
Ain't that America somethin' to see baby
Ain't that America home of the free, yeah
Little pink houses for you and me, Ooooh
Ooh yeah
Ain't that America for you and me
Ain't that America hey somethin' to see baby
Ain't that America oh home of the free
Ooh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Little pink houses babe for you and me
Ooh yeah, ooh yeah
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)