How does life and death relate to a relationship between father and son? And what makes this particular relationship significant to black and white America? These two questions are related in “Notes of a Native Son” an essay written by James Baldwin about his relationship with his father in black and white America in 1955.
Baldwin discusses death as life comes into the world. As life is given, so is the advice from a father to a son. The advice from a father to his son is a special memory to have and to hold because the father knows one day he will die. As the son receives the advice as a young child, he soon learns in his lifetime what the real message was from his father. The advices were blueprints to live life the right way. By saying to live life the right way is to say that in black and white America there was a right and a wrong way to live life.
Another way that black and white America is related to a father and a son’s relationship is how there is always a conflict with being a certain way. Since the black community in this era didn’t have much of a voice, they were trying to figure out what they could do to have a better future for themselves. So, with knowing that there were racial tensions between different races, specifically black and white people, there is a development of hatred. The development of this hatred is one that becomes exhausting and self-destructive. A relationship of a father and a son can be similar to the black and white America with the growing up issues and growing up to be a black man in “the white world”.
To relate the relationship between Baldwin and his father is to figure out what has made him into a man of the black and white America. The both of these relationships go hand in hand which each other because Baldwin grows up with a father preaching to him what is right and wrong in life, then live life in the black and white world of America. This creates a new relationship with his deceased father. This new relationship helps Baldwin find a new love for his father.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Me Talk Pretty Response
How do you think it feels to move to another country? What would cause you to want to move to another country to learn a language other than English? In the essay “Me Talk Pretty One Day” by David Sedaris shows someones journey to learning the French language and to understanding the language, but not speaking it yet.
In this essay I felt that it was a great thing to want to learn another language other than the one that the protagonist spoke. At the same time it was a dumb move for him to “move to Paris with hopes of learning the language”. Since it's said that you need to move to the country of the language that you are learning to become more fluent in, doesn’t mean you have to lose your confidence and self-esteem to learn a language. In saying this I mean yes the journey to learning anything is hard, but at the same time you should feel fulfilled.
I also felt that this essay wasn’t all that it could be. I would get lost and miss the message of what the writer was trying to say. During the second time that I read the essay I think I finally got the point of what the author was trying to make. “Much work and someday you talk pretty…” was the point of what the writer was trying to get across to the reader. It’s true with lots of practice you will eventually understand and speak the language that you most desire to talk with the people around you.
In this essay I felt that it was a great thing to want to learn another language other than the one that the protagonist spoke. At the same time it was a dumb move for him to “move to Paris with hopes of learning the language”. Since it's said that you need to move to the country of the language that you are learning to become more fluent in, doesn’t mean you have to lose your confidence and self-esteem to learn a language. In saying this I mean yes the journey to learning anything is hard, but at the same time you should feel fulfilled.
I also felt that this essay wasn’t all that it could be. I would get lost and miss the message of what the writer was trying to say. During the second time that I read the essay I think I finally got the point of what the author was trying to make. “Much work and someday you talk pretty…” was the point of what the writer was trying to get across to the reader. It’s true with lots of practice you will eventually understand and speak the language that you most desire to talk with the people around you.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Change
My thoughts this morning around the subject of change are excitement, nervousness, and concern with the outcome of how the country feels about this drastic change of having an African-American man being president. The feeling of excitement is for how far our country has come from slavery and racism to now having someone other than a white, protestant man running the country. It makes me think that some people of other races have a chance to run for president or for anything that they put their minds to.
I also feel nervousness this morning because of the fact that not many people are opened minded to what other people of different colors or races have to offer this country. For Barack Obama to have won the election last night was nerve wrecking because many people that I had spoken with thought even though they were going to vote for Obama they still felt that McCain was going to win the presidency. There is also the worry of if our country allows another person of a different race to run for president, what is the catch that nobody knows about? Since, Obama won the election earlier during his campaign there had been rumors of once he was elected, he would be assassinated within a couple of months during his presidency. I found it to be disturbing and worrisome because he is putting his life on the line for a country that he believes in and is fighting for what he believes is right to make a change in this country.
Concern runs all over me because yes, it’s a wonderful thing that our country has elected an official out of our statis quote. However, what is going to happened in the future as our president is doing his job? Will he actually keep to his word or be just like every other president that we have had in our country. Obama is a man of change and is a man of color. Many people don’ like the fact of having an African-American president for many reasons whether its the color of his skin or his ideologies. I have heard that if Obama were elected to be the next president of this country that the African-American community would rise. I think that this is something to celebrate because African-Americans have come a long way from their ancestry of slavery. This also gives an opportunity for many other cultures and races alike to come forward and join in with this time of change. It has been long awaited for many years by many individuals of this country.
I also feel nervousness this morning because of the fact that not many people are opened minded to what other people of different colors or races have to offer this country. For Barack Obama to have won the election last night was nerve wrecking because many people that I had spoken with thought even though they were going to vote for Obama they still felt that McCain was going to win the presidency. There is also the worry of if our country allows another person of a different race to run for president, what is the catch that nobody knows about? Since, Obama won the election earlier during his campaign there had been rumors of once he was elected, he would be assassinated within a couple of months during his presidency. I found it to be disturbing and worrisome because he is putting his life on the line for a country that he believes in and is fighting for what he believes is right to make a change in this country.
Concern runs all over me because yes, it’s a wonderful thing that our country has elected an official out of our statis quote. However, what is going to happened in the future as our president is doing his job? Will he actually keep to his word or be just like every other president that we have had in our country. Obama is a man of change and is a man of color. Many people don’ like the fact of having an African-American president for many reasons whether its the color of his skin or his ideologies. I have heard that if Obama were elected to be the next president of this country that the African-American community would rise. I think that this is something to celebrate because African-Americans have come a long way from their ancestry of slavery. This also gives an opportunity for many other cultures and races alike to come forward and join in with this time of change. It has been long awaited for many years by many individuals of this country.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
My Reflections on Another Blog
How Does Ginseng Kills Cancer Cells?
I liked the Chinese Medicine News blog on How Does a Ginseng Kill Cancer Cells? I thought that the blog was very informative on the different experiments that have been conducted in the UK, Hong Kong, and in China. I liked the fact that the blog had an interest in the health of those who have cancer. I do know few people who have had cancer or who have cancer today. Since, cancer has become a very common illness these days with many people fighting against everyday. I think that cancer is a serious illness that needs to be more controlled by figuring out better ways of medical treatment. That would hopefully make cancer similar to smallpox in the sense that no one ever gets it any more.
Fat-Free Milk May Help Ease Hypertension
Have you ever wondered why your mother told you to always finish your milk when you really didn’t want to? Well, milk is a good source of calcium, vitamin D, and plus provides bone strength. In the Chinese Medicine News blog, I found it interesting in how fat-free milk could ease hypertension and lower your blood pressure. Did you know one out of three American adults have high blood pressure and the majority of these adults are woman in there middle and older ages. Since women are the ones who are getting the high blood pressure, I thought that this was a great way to inform more girls on how they can improve their daily health with just three glasses of milk a day. The blog web site for both of these blogs is chinesemedicinenews.com
I liked the Chinese Medicine News blog on How Does a Ginseng Kill Cancer Cells? I thought that the blog was very informative on the different experiments that have been conducted in the UK, Hong Kong, and in China. I liked the fact that the blog had an interest in the health of those who have cancer. I do know few people who have had cancer or who have cancer today. Since, cancer has become a very common illness these days with many people fighting against everyday. I think that cancer is a serious illness that needs to be more controlled by figuring out better ways of medical treatment. That would hopefully make cancer similar to smallpox in the sense that no one ever gets it any more.
Fat-Free Milk May Help Ease Hypertension
Have you ever wondered why your mother told you to always finish your milk when you really didn’t want to? Well, milk is a good source of calcium, vitamin D, and plus provides bone strength. In the Chinese Medicine News blog, I found it interesting in how fat-free milk could ease hypertension and lower your blood pressure. Did you know one out of three American adults have high blood pressure and the majority of these adults are woman in there middle and older ages. Since women are the ones who are getting the high blood pressure, I thought that this was a great way to inform more girls on how they can improve their daily health with just three glasses of milk a day. The blog web site for both of these blogs is chinesemedicinenews.com
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
My Choice
Today it's gloomy outside and the sun is barely coming out to say good morning to everyone. Classes are going good. Tests are coming up on Friday. Then it's the weekend that comes for everyone to enjoy with their family and friends.
During the week I've been bored because I had already finished my homework and studied for my tests and have no clue as what else I should do with my free time. Since I have free time, I take advantage of what free time I have to myself because later on as the year goes by I probably won't have as much time to myself.
I study to get good grades on my examins. I go to tutoring to improve on my writing skills. I enjoy eatting because since I'm young and thin I can afford a few extra pounds. I have started to exercise for the first time since taking P.E. in high school. I enjoy the feeling of being comfortable in my whole skin after a workout and treating my body as a temple.
As the fourth week of school goes on I've been thinking about how I don't talk to my mom as much as I used to. I miss my mom. I miss all the love and attention that she used to give me. Now my little brother is becoming her new friend, since I've left for school in August. I laughed at the thought of my little brother becoming my mom's new friend. I loved the fact that my brother was becoming more talkative with my mom about school, friends, and he's actually striving to get A's this year. My mom says its different to talk to a boy than it is to talk to a girl because of the fact that you can't relate to the same things or you just get lost in translation.
During the week I've been bored because I had already finished my homework and studied for my tests and have no clue as what else I should do with my free time. Since I have free time, I take advantage of what free time I have to myself because later on as the year goes by I probably won't have as much time to myself.
I study to get good grades on my examins. I go to tutoring to improve on my writing skills. I enjoy eatting because since I'm young and thin I can afford a few extra pounds. I have started to exercise for the first time since taking P.E. in high school. I enjoy the feeling of being comfortable in my whole skin after a workout and treating my body as a temple.
As the fourth week of school goes on I've been thinking about how I don't talk to my mom as much as I used to. I miss my mom. I miss all the love and attention that she used to give me. Now my little brother is becoming her new friend, since I've left for school in August. I laughed at the thought of my little brother becoming my mom's new friend. I loved the fact that my brother was becoming more talkative with my mom about school, friends, and he's actually striving to get A's this year. My mom says its different to talk to a boy than it is to talk to a girl because of the fact that you can't relate to the same things or you just get lost in translation.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Lost in Writing
When I'm writing on a certain topic, I am uncertain as to what the topic is about and what the instructor wants out of my writing. The feeling of confusion with my writing skills comes out from not having confidence in myself. In high school my teacher would make us write on the books we had read during the school year. While writing my essays I did not feel comfortable with my ideas or answers to the topics. I felt that my ideas were not as in depth as all the other students in the class. The other students would analyze the readings to make their writings much better than before. I did not know when or how to analyze the work and if my work would be correct to the teachers wantings.
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