The short story "Protista" by Dambudzo Marechara incorporates a fable like fantasy that I would love to explore if I get the chance. The thing I love about this short stories book is that the reader does not know what genre of literature they are reading until they have actually done the reading. The first passage of any of these short stories could probably pass off as biographical or realistic fiction, but once you dive further into the story, the fantasy world shows itself. Going into the reading of one of the sections, all that you know is the region that it came from, nothing about the validity. This causes the reader to be even more enveloped in a story which very well could be fictional, as they may think that it could be a first hand account. Although this is evident in multiple stories throughout this compilation, it really struck me in Protista. This short work of fiction begins with speak of a drought, winds, and a man that is sentenced to this desolate place. Seems realistic enough, right? Then this man/narrator talks about a circle that his love drew on the wall when she left, claiming a sort of magical telling quality in it, throwing you for a loop. When you brush past that, the story seems to become more realistic again. Then suddenly the man wakes up and he is a tree. It is this sort of surprise twist that I would like to try out eventually.
I loved "The Coffee-Cart Girl" because it is very different from most of the stories we have read thus far. It does not reveal much about the location, making it more easily applicable to the reader, allowing the reader to place the "Metropolitan Steel Windows Ltd." wherever they want in the world. If the reader can place the setting somewhere they have been, seen, or experienced allows for a much more vivid picture in their mind. This relatable quality of the story intrigued me.
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Monday, 28 November 2011
African Short Stories
One common concept that resides in many of the African stories in this book is the "story within a story." I noticed them right from the first section of West African stories where this concept was displayed multiple times. This can be shown through telling a fable of some sort or from telling a dream. There are many instances where, because of this, they switch back and forth from past and present voices. In "A Handful of Dates," Salih speaks of the past from a present point of view. It is more evident in these stories that the narrator is a person as opposed to an omniscient being. "The Bridegroom" seems to be completely focused on reminiscing as the young man realizes what will have to change to accommodate his soon to be wife. He reflects on how he lived his life before and makes constant references to the past. This idea of voice change and story within a story is far more predominant in the West African stories though.
I am also intrigued by the concept of language that resides particularly in the Southern Africa stories so far. It becomes a sort of barrier and even an exclusive club of sorts. In "Papa, Snake & I," Honwana uses the many languages to create definition between the mother and the servants. Most of the time she speaks Portuguese to her family or those at the same social standing as her, and speaks Ronga to servants such as Sartina (all evident on page 107). When she flips back and forth you can get a clear sense of how "out of the loop" the lower class would feel in this community. Speaking from experience, being in an area where people speak a language that you hardly know anything about can be frightening in a way because they could be talking about anything, even you. It is also condescending the way that she switches or when she uses Portuguese to talk to Sartina even though she knows that Sartina does not understand well. This divide was also evident in "The Bridegroom"where Gordimer uses language to create an even more substantial divide between the races and the social classes.
I am also intrigued by the concept of language that resides particularly in the Southern Africa stories so far. It becomes a sort of barrier and even an exclusive club of sorts. In "Papa, Snake & I," Honwana uses the many languages to create definition between the mother and the servants. Most of the time she speaks Portuguese to her family or those at the same social standing as her, and speaks Ronga to servants such as Sartina (all evident on page 107). When she flips back and forth you can get a clear sense of how "out of the loop" the lower class would feel in this community. Speaking from experience, being in an area where people speak a language that you hardly know anything about can be frightening in a way because they could be talking about anything, even you. It is also condescending the way that she switches or when she uses Portuguese to talk to Sartina even though she knows that Sartina does not understand well. This divide was also evident in "The Bridegroom"where Gordimer uses language to create an even more substantial divide between the races and the social classes.
Monday, 21 November 2011
Nii Parkes Writing Exercise
Take somebody's voice and write their instructions for making one of their signature dishes. Then, jump right into their instructions on how to get somebody to like you.
Mom's instructions for lasagna
So really, all you have to do is throw everything together. You take the meat sauce (I like to throw quite a bit of spice in this, but to each his own) and spread that out along the bottom of a pan. Next you take the precooked noodles and lay out a single layer, maybe with a little overlap if the pasta is your favorite part, and spread ricotta over that. Repeat that as many times as you want to get the amount of lasagna desired. Cook for half an hour at 350F, although I always end up freezing at least half of it for later.
I don't think that there is a particular way to "get somebody to like you." Somebody's approval is not something that you try to get, it should just either come or not. Maybe make them some of my lasagna, haha. Although it is beyond cliche, I think that you should just be yourself, because otherwise you will be a fake "you" throughout your whole relationship. When you start out trying to impress somebody, you often find yourself trying to achieve a higher level with them at all times. A relationship does take work as is, but definitely should not take that much work. People's opinions of you are irrelevant. As Dr. Suess said, "today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one on earth that is youer than you." Be yourself, because everybody else is taken. If somebody wants to be friends with, for a cheesy example, somebody with a British accent, they will find a friend with a British accent, you shouldn't fake one just to please them.
Mom's instructions for lasagna
So really, all you have to do is throw everything together. You take the meat sauce (I like to throw quite a bit of spice in this, but to each his own) and spread that out along the bottom of a pan. Next you take the precooked noodles and lay out a single layer, maybe with a little overlap if the pasta is your favorite part, and spread ricotta over that. Repeat that as many times as you want to get the amount of lasagna desired. Cook for half an hour at 350F, although I always end up freezing at least half of it for later.
I don't think that there is a particular way to "get somebody to like you." Somebody's approval is not something that you try to get, it should just either come or not. Maybe make them some of my lasagna, haha. Although it is beyond cliche, I think that you should just be yourself, because otherwise you will be a fake "you" throughout your whole relationship. When you start out trying to impress somebody, you often find yourself trying to achieve a higher level with them at all times. A relationship does take work as is, but definitely should not take that much work. People's opinions of you are irrelevant. As Dr. Suess said, "today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one on earth that is youer than you." Be yourself, because everybody else is taken. If somebody wants to be friends with, for a cheesy example, somebody with a British accent, they will find a friend with a British accent, you shouldn't fake one just to please them.
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Anowa Phase Two
Phase Two of Anowa seems to be centered on defining the different types of relationships occurring at this place (Ghana) and in this time (late 1800s?). The-mouth-that-eats-salt-and-pepper introduce the point of view that in a sense shows the classic opinions of the relationship that Anowa and Kofi Ako have. This seems to be another example of that resentment of westernized advancements that we have seen so much in our readings of other novels so far this year. Anowa and Kofi Ako make it appear as though they are one of the only couples in their culture that practice monogamy, and that this concept is very controversial. Kofi Ako is completely in favor of remaining this way, claiming feelings that are similar to those of love today. However, Anowa comes off as opposed to monogamy, and keeps recommending that Kofi Ako marries several more women. This relationship, therefore does not really give us a sense of what a typical relationship would have been in this particular setting.
Badua and Osam have something that appears to be closer to a classic relationship of the time, but it is still not completely clear because the old woman and old man don't offer much of an opinion on their relationship. Therefore, we can only truly assume the typical relationship of the setting through the old woman and old man's thoughts, opinions, and proverbs. My favorite line of this phase was when the Old Woman said "As the sourest yam / Is better than the sweetest guava, / The dumbest man is / Always better than a woman. / Or he thinks he is!" This quotation, not said until some of the very last lines of the phase, clearly sums up the masculine ideas that were currently typical. It shows that no matter what, every single man will be above any given women. No matter how hard a woman works, or how little a man does, there will always exist a clear and unmistakable divide between the two.
Badua and Osam have something that appears to be closer to a classic relationship of the time, but it is still not completely clear because the old woman and old man don't offer much of an opinion on their relationship. Therefore, we can only truly assume the typical relationship of the setting through the old woman and old man's thoughts, opinions, and proverbs. My favorite line of this phase was when the Old Woman said "As the sourest yam / Is better than the sweetest guava, / The dumbest man is / Always better than a woman. / Or he thinks he is!" This quotation, not said until some of the very last lines of the phase, clearly sums up the masculine ideas that were currently typical. It shows that no matter what, every single man will be above any given women. No matter how hard a woman works, or how little a man does, there will always exist a clear and unmistakable divide between the two.
Monday, 7 November 2011
Phase One
In Phase One of Anowa, Ama Ata Aidoo creates an extremely relatable array of characters. They are relatable to nearly everybody, because most people know of their bickering grandparents, their stubborn parents that seem to be out to get them, or, similar to Romeo and Juliet, they believe they have found "the one."
My first connection upon reading Phase One was to Romeo and Juliet. Anowa seems to think that she has found the perfect man (whether or not it is for the right reasons, we are yet to find out), but her parents forbid this love. The tale of a teenager finding the perfect one for them in high school is a tale as old as time, but reality rarely plays out in the same fashion. The case in which two high school sweethearts have a successful marriage is a rarity at best. Even so, many high schoolers still seem to be convinced that they will live happily ever after, just as Anowa thinks of her relationship with Kofi Ako.
Secondly, there exists the more parental side of the above mentioned situation. I am sure that, at some time or another, anybody over the age of three can relate to the whole "my parents hate me and our out to get me" phase. From about the ages of five to college graduation, kids seem to think for long periods of time that their parents hate them, and are executing strict rules and regulations to make their lives horrible. Or something along those lines. Anowa seems to think similarly when she talks of leaving and hoping never to return, the classic case of running away from home.
Lastly, the relationship that I can relate most closely to, is the bickering old man and woman. My grandparents are notorious for getting into yelling matches over small little issues that they don't truly care about, they just have their strong opinions. The-mouth-that-eats-salt-and-pepper seem to have the same sort of relationship. It's not that they hate each other, but rather that they are two very strong headed people. They also serve as somewhat of an amusement on the side of a family argument, just as making fun of my grandparents debates serves as somewhat of an icebreaker between me and my cousins.
My first connection upon reading Phase One was to Romeo and Juliet. Anowa seems to think that she has found the perfect man (whether or not it is for the right reasons, we are yet to find out), but her parents forbid this love. The tale of a teenager finding the perfect one for them in high school is a tale as old as time, but reality rarely plays out in the same fashion. The case in which two high school sweethearts have a successful marriage is a rarity at best. Even so, many high schoolers still seem to be convinced that they will live happily ever after, just as Anowa thinks of her relationship with Kofi Ako.
Secondly, there exists the more parental side of the above mentioned situation. I am sure that, at some time or another, anybody over the age of three can relate to the whole "my parents hate me and our out to get me" phase. From about the ages of five to college graduation, kids seem to think for long periods of time that their parents hate them, and are executing strict rules and regulations to make their lives horrible. Or something along those lines. Anowa seems to think similarly when she talks of leaving and hoping never to return, the classic case of running away from home.
Lastly, the relationship that I can relate most closely to, is the bickering old man and woman. My grandparents are notorious for getting into yelling matches over small little issues that they don't truly care about, they just have their strong opinions. The-mouth-that-eats-salt-and-pepper seem to have the same sort of relationship. It's not that they hate each other, but rather that they are two very strong headed people. They also serve as somewhat of an amusement on the side of a family argument, just as making fun of my grandparents debates serves as somewhat of an icebreaker between me and my cousins.
Harkness Reflection
September 27...two participations
September 29...two participations
October 17...one participation
October 19...one participation
October 21...two participations
October 27...one participation
November 3...no participation (1st block of the day)
I have noticed that I don't participate much, but I definitely get a lot from discussions through listening. I feel as though when I first read the assigned reading, I don't necessarily understand the subtext and deeper meaning of passages, but after listening to a discussion things start to click in my mind. This is why I do not participate as much towards the beginning of the discussion, but more so towards the end once I have started to understand the major themes of the reading. I think that in general, as a student and as a person overall, I tend to listen more than I talk. I learn a lot more from listening and taking notes in my book rather than participating in a discussion, though I do know that participating is very important, and is something that I should put more effort into improving on. Reflecting on my progress though, I do think I have started participating more than I was in the beginning of the year when we wrote our first Harkness reflection. This may be because I have become more comfortable with the class as I get to know them.
As noted under the November 3rd participation, I tend not to participate as much during the first block of the day. This is also something I need to work on in English as well as through the rest of my classes. Lastly, I need to improve on eye contact with my peers, instead of just looking to my friends.
Overall, I think I deserve about a 16/20.
September 29...two participations
October 17...one participation
October 19...one participation
October 21...two participations
October 27...one participation
November 3...no participation (1st block of the day)
I have noticed that I don't participate much, but I definitely get a lot from discussions through listening. I feel as though when I first read the assigned reading, I don't necessarily understand the subtext and deeper meaning of passages, but after listening to a discussion things start to click in my mind. This is why I do not participate as much towards the beginning of the discussion, but more so towards the end once I have started to understand the major themes of the reading. I think that in general, as a student and as a person overall, I tend to listen more than I talk. I learn a lot more from listening and taking notes in my book rather than participating in a discussion, though I do know that participating is very important, and is something that I should put more effort into improving on. Reflecting on my progress though, I do think I have started participating more than I was in the beginning of the year when we wrote our first Harkness reflection. This may be because I have become more comfortable with the class as I get to know them.
As noted under the November 3rd participation, I tend not to participate as much during the first block of the day. This is also something I need to work on in English as well as through the rest of my classes. Lastly, I need to improve on eye contact with my peers, instead of just looking to my friends.
Overall, I think I deserve about a 16/20.
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