Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night - Dylan Thomas

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://ladagafamily.com/cross1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://ladagafamily.com/manangdadang.htm&usg=__9WroVrasvsOPjEbxMoWSTPnJAvw=&h=360&w=480&sz=74&hl=en&start=7&sig2=c_P1CJ86jFvkMBSY5wyTzw&um=1&tbnid=gFobWFAJD7fFvM:&tbnh=97&tbnw=129&prev=/images%3Fq%3DDo%2Bnot%2Bgo%2Bgentle%2Binto%2Bthat%2Bgood%2Bnight%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1&ei=AgTKSryUM-PJtgfvtPSiCw

1.) I think the poem is sad because it refers to death. I do believe that the poem does give a sense of strength because he was telling his father to hold on. To be strong and dont not leave the earth and die into the night.

2.) The image that I have chosen shows a light reflecting down as a symbol of God. When I see that light I think of it as a way of the angels coming to bring you to heaven. The light is a sort of feeling that someone is finally at peace and in a better place.

We Real Cool - Gwendolyn Brooks

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1.)This poem is short but it signals the way the maybe the author was when she was in school. She didnt seem like she cared to much just to hang out with her friends and have a good time.

2.) This image was actually created in reference to the poem. It shows a person that might have left school and they are listening to music while drinking a bottle of gin. They are also singing to the words to the music they are listening to and obviously not caring about going to school.

I Felt A Funeral In My Brain - Emily Dickinson

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1.) What I get from this poem is that it would be a sign of death, maybe not for the author but for maybe someone that she knows. It gives you a imagines in your head that could remind you of previous deaths and its something that you woulnt want to keep replaying.

2.) The image I choose gives you a gloomy and depressed feeling just like a funeral would be. It has the colors in the drawing are black and gray which usually means morning or death.

Poetry Assignment 1

1.) Poetry is a creative way of writing summarized stories.

2.) I think what determines a poem is if it has stanzas. For instance a story can be written in a poem but it follows a structure to make it a poem.

3.)Robert Frost was born in San Fransico but then at the age of eleven he moved to Massachusetts. He went to Dartmouth college and Harvard but never received a formal degree. He then worked as a teacher, cobbler and editor of a newspaper. He then later married his wife Elinor who played a major role on his poetry, they moved to England in the year 1912 because of the fail of their home farm. Here is where Frost had got most of his inspiration from British poets. In 1915 when Frost had returned to the United States he had publishes two full length collections. He was finally established as one of Americas best poets.

Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

This poem has always been one of my favorite. I read it in high school and thats when I became intrested in the works of Robert Frost. I like analyzing poetry and I believe this poem is on that you have to read and analyze the poem to understand what is happening.

Edgar Allen Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts where he lived until the age of three when both of his parents had passed away. He then moved to Virginia to live with his foster parents. They had sent him to the best boarding schools and then he proceeded to go to the University of Virginia. He was then exempt for the school after refusing to pay his gambling debts. In 1827 Poe the moved back to Boston and enlisted into the Army. That year Poe started writing poems of his first collection. He then went into the Military Academy where he was again forced to leave because of his financial issues. He then moved in with his aunt in Baltimore, Maryland. He then started writing and took his aunt and cousin Virginia to Richmond. Then in 1836 he went on the marry Virginia. Over the next ten years Poe became the editor of magazines in New York City and Philadelphia. During theses year was when Poe found himself being a writer, an editor and a poet. They then found out that Virginia had tuberculosis and passed away. Poe struggled with this for a long time and turned heavily upon alcohol. He then decided he was going to go back to Richmond to get an editing position but for un-known reasons he stopped in Baltimore where he passed away

The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door-
Only this, and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow;- vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow- sorrow for the lost Lenore-
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore-
Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me- filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door-
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;-
This it is, and nothing more."

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you"- here I opened wide the door;-
Darkness there, and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore!"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!"-
Merely this, and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice:
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore-
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;-
'Tis the wind and nothing more."

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed
he;But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door-
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door-
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shore-
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning- little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blest with seeing bird above his chamber door-
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as "Nevermore."

But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered- not a feather then he fluttered-
Till I scarcely more than muttered, "other friends have flown before-
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."
Then the bird said, "Nevermore."

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore-
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Of 'Never- nevermore'."

But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;
Then upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore-
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking "Nevermore."

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee- by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite- respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!- prophet still, if bird or devil!-
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted-
On this home by horror haunted- tell me truly, I implore-
Is there- is there balm in Gilead?- tell me- tell me, I implore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil- prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us- by that God we both adore-
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore-
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

"Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend," I shrieked, upstarting-
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted- nevermore!

Being from Baltimore Edgar Allen Poe has always had an impact on the lives of students in Baltimore schools. I have read and learned about the life of Poe for many years. I have read his work and have became very familiar with his writing. Everyday going to high school I drove past Edgar Allen Poes grave-site and I fell connected with him because I feel that he is a poet whos work will always be a part of me.

A Clean Well-Lighted Place

Describe the setting. Why is the idea of "A Clean, well-Lighted Place" so significant to this short story?

The setting of the story is inside of a cafe in a Spain. The cafe is one know to serve alcohol. The cafe is described to be well-lit and clean.

Why are the characters nameless?

The characters remain nameless in the story because the point of the story is not about who the characters are its about what they represent. The young waiter represents a husband that works to support his family but he is still young so he needs to sleep and spend time with his wife. The deaf man represents a drunk that has money but doesn't have anything else to do besides drink away any of his pains. The older waiter also doesn't have family so working late is not a problem for him because it keeps him occupied.

What is the connection between the old man and the older waiter? What is the purpose of the younger waiter in the story?

In the story there is a connection between the old man and the old waiter. The young waiter has a wife and had other commitments to make than staying at the cafe until three in the morning. Where as the old waiter does not have a problem stay at the cafe until whatever time he wants. The old man likes to stay at the cafe as well until he gets way to drunk and its time for him to leave. The old waiter can relate the old man because he doesnt have family or anything to go home to either. The old waiter has a bottle of alcohol sitting by his bed at all times because just like the old man he is also a drunk. The purpose of the younger waiter to show what both of the old men were like when they were younger. The younger waiter has a wife and both of the old men had wife's at one point and now they have live lonely and drink.

What is the plot?

The story starts out at a cafe where an older and younger waiter both work. Its late in the night and they have one customer left who is a deaf old man probably in his 80's. They sit there and watch him as he drinks quit a few glasses of brandy. Then when the old man asks for more the younger waiter tells the man "no" that their closing up and he was to go home. Then the younger waiter leaves to go home to his wife. The older waiter stays and gets a drink from the barman and finally goes home and lays on his bed waiting for the next days sunrise.

What is the theme of the story?

The theme of the story is solidarity. In the story the young waiter is described as being youthful and confident. His life is going good for him, he doesn't have to worry about getting old and what life will be years from now. Where the old men have already reached a point in their lives where they just don't care anymore. They turn to alcohol to drink away any of their pains and sorrows. They believe that their youthful days are over so being in a lit place takes away some of their depression.

http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide-welllightedplace/themes.html

Who is Ernest Hemingway,? What about him is related to the story?

Ernest Hemingway was an American writer and a journalist. He typically writes stories about men who display "grace under pressure." He was also a soldier in World War 1. In the story Hemingway uses the old man to describe himself. The old man had attempted to commit suicide but failed. Just as Hemingway had tried but his wife and sent him to a mental institute. In the story the old man is also an alcoholic who drinks every night just like Hemingway who had been a heavy drinker throughout his whole life.

http://www.biographybase.com/biography/Hemingway_Ernest.html

"Everyday Use" by Alice Walker

What does the term “everyday use” mean in this story? Why did Walker choose this as the title?

I think the reason that Alice choose "Everyday Use" as a title is because she cherished the things that she used form her relatives of the past. Such as the butter churner it meant something to her because it came from the tree that her brother made out of tree and the butter dish that her mom made as well as the chairs that her husband made went the couldnt afford to buy some. Even though the littlest things may not mean some much to one person they could mean the world to another. Things that come from our past we look at as a type of remembrance of those who either made them or gave them to us.

How do Dee, Maggie, and Mama define heritage? Which view does Walker want us to agree with?

The way that Dee is interacted with her heritage is by changing her name. He changed her name to Wangero which she believes to be more of an African name. The way that Maggie and Mama view their heritage is from their ancestry. They claim that their heritage is passed down to them from the mothers and grandmothers and they respect their heritage in a way of living through the past but into the future. Alices agrees with taking what she was taught from her mom and grandmother and passing down the traditions onto her kids so that their heritage will always remain apart of them.

Describe the setting – how does it affect the characters and story?

The setting of the story is set in South in the late 1920's. The story is set at their house which is described as a poorer living house. The house has a tin roof with windows that use raw hide as shutters. The characters are effected because they grew up in poverty and had always accept it. Where as Dee was ashamed to as where she came from and never wanted to bring anyone around her family or to her house. It affects the narrator because she wants to be close to her daughter but knows that Dee will never except where she is from. 

What is ironic about Dee’s name change to Wangero?

The irony in Dee changing her name is that name is more African. She was named Dee after her grandmother and she changed it to Wangero. Wangero was never been involved with her heritage or following the footsteps of her ancestors. She always tried to play more of the classy and stylish girl. She was embarrassed of her family and didnt want much to do with them. She had moved and went to school and lived on her own. Therefore it was ironic for her to change her name to more of an African name because she always tried ways to escape her heritage. 

What is the significance of certain items in the story – the butter churn, dasher, bench and quilt? 

The story talked about many significant items that were in the house. The items were used to represent people form their past. The butter churn was made from Uncle Buddy who widdled it out of a tree that use to be in Mama's backyard. The dasher was whttled by Henry who was Aunt Dee's first husband. The bench was made by the girls father when they couldnt afford to by chairs and the quilts were pieced by Grandma Dee and Big Dee then Mama quilted them. Their meaingful quilts because they contain pieces of clothing from both Grandma Dee, Grandpa Jattell and Great Grandpa Ezra.

How would the story have changed if Mama was not the narrator?

I believe if Mama was not the narrator then Maaggie would be. I believe her side of the story would be much more negative. I thinks he would describe her feelings towards Dee and tell what her heritage means to her. I also think that she was describe what happened to the house when it was burning down. Then how her being burned has effected her life and how the scars has have also scared  a hug part of her life. 

Explore the final scenes in the story and discuss how the narrator changes at the end.

The narrator for once had taken the side of Maggie. All of Maggies life she has always felt that everyones looked down upon her and the answer for everything was always "no." Mama had finally taken up for Maggie and did not give Wangero what she wanted. She said for once in her life she hugged Maggie and took away the quilts from Wangero and gave them back to Maggie. She had finally stood up for both her and Maggie and showed that they are satisfied with what they have and they enjoy living the way God intended them to and their being faithful to their heritage. 

Sonny's Blues Blog

1.) Research the setting of “Sonny’s Blues” – Harlem, NYC. 

Harlem is a neighborhood in New York City that was made up of mostly the African-American population. New York City then started to become popular and houses were being built and Jews, Italians and the Spanish were moving in quit rapidly. In the 1950's a majority of the whites had moved out and a lot of crimes were happening in the Harlem neighborhoods. When the different groups of people were not forming together correctly the city of Harlem started to go down hill. The percentage rate of drugs in Harlem was more than half that it was in New York and twelve times more than it was in the United States as a whole. The use of drugs then increased the rate of murder and it was becoming one of the worst places to live in New York City.

In the story Sonny grew up in a town known as Harlem. It was quit common for someone to use drugs as a way of escapement. Sonny became addicted and it landed him in jail. Not only did he use the drugs but he dealt them as well. He turned to drugs to get help him get away from all the hardships that were occurring in his life. His uncle had been killed by a group of drunk white people and at that times there was a high amount of rate crimes that between occurred the different cultures.

http://harlemworldblog.wordpress.com/new/

http://www.newyorkcity-realestate.com/citytour/NY/Harlem.php

2.) Research the history of African-American men in the military – Pre-Civil 
Rights movement.

In World War 11 there were over a million African-Americans involved in the war. This war had involved had destroyed many lives along with many countries. One positive that came out of the was the break-through for African-Americans. An African-American finally became a general, Army Air Force organized it's first all black squadron of pilots, and black women were accepted into the Womens Auxiliary Army Corps. "In many ways, the destruction of World War ll brought momentous changes to American life and was the catalyst for the early civil rights movement."   

It is ironic that Sonny wants to enlist in the army because of the hard-ships and discrimination that he has seen in Harlem. He was in jail where he still had to go through the everyday discrimination and face the battles that occurred in the jail. When he got out of jail I believe that he wanted to make a change for himself. He didnt want to relive the everyday life that he always did in Harlem. He believed that it was a way for him to get out and make a new discovery for himself. 

http://www.geocities.com/mclane65/black-heroes.html

http://www.oxfordaasc.com/public/features/archive/0608/index.jsp

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1105312/sonnys_blue.html?cat=44

 3.) Research song lyrics by Billie Holiday. Find a song or verse that you feel best 
  represents the suffering of Sonny – his blues.  Include song title and lyrics here.

"Life is bare, gloom and misry everywhere
Stormy weather
Just cant get my poorself together,
Im weary all the time
So weary all the time
When he went away the blues walked in and met me.
If he stays away old rockin chair will get me."

This sends to me the message about the way Sonny lived. Life was not going the way anyone intended it and everywhere you could look on the streets there was misery. People were turning to drugs so because it was their idea of running away from it all. Im weary all the time could be a way that he felt when he was high because your mentally in a different state of mind. He could have easily overdosed and he would never be able to see another sunny day again. Until he got out of jail did he see what it was like outside in the eyes of a real person. 

Billie Holiday "Stormy Weather"

Dont know why theres no sun up in the sky
Stormy weather
Since my man and I aint together,
Keeps rainin all the time

Life is bare, gloom and misry everywhere
Stormy weather
Just cant get my poorself together,
Im weary all the time
So weary all the time
When he went away the blues walked in and met me.
If he stays away old rockin chair will get me.

All I do is pray the lord above will let me walk in the sun once more.
Cant go on, evry thing I had is gone
Stormy weather

Since my man and I aint together,
Keeps rainin all the time

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/billie+holiday/stormy+weather_20018077.html

4.)  Research Bebop.

Bebop is a type of Jazz music that has an unpredictable tune. It was established in the 1940-1950s. It was unlike the other big-band groups, bebop usually contained up to four to six members. It have each member in the group a chance to incorporate their own style into their music. Unlike in large groups where it becomes harder to incorporate everyones style. Bebop incorporates both the blues and swing into their music but the give it their own unique sound. Bebop is to have its own genre and rather then danced to it it just meant to be listened to.

Bebop is a way for Sonny to express himself. He believes that the music his helps him reveal the pain from inside and helps him get away from all the hardships that he had faced in the past in Harlem. As times goes on Sonny's brother comes to one of Sonnys jazz's performances and it makes he realize why Sonny has such a big interest in his music. He saw what how it took away all the pains that they both had occurred and he began to look at jazz in a different light. Jazz was no only used as a type of music to listen to but as a type of expression.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-bebop-music.htm