The narrator's story is symbolic of black man's struggle in America and his own struggle to find dignity because he and many others are constantly battling other forces. These forces include whites, white society, racism, and a deep history in America of a separation between blacks and whites. Unfortunately, America has had a long history of slavery along with racism. Only in the last 50 years has it gotten better for blacks. One example of this in the story is that the narrator has to go through so much to get what he longs for, an education or a scholarship. He gets what he wants but not without paying a severe price for it- constant humiliation. The question then becomes, is him getting this scholarship really worth it? Think about it. Even after he goes to college and gets "a higher education" he will still be humiliated, intimidated, laughed at, harassed, and whites claiming he's being "smart with them" for talking a certain way and therefore risking his life just because he's black...
The title, "Battle Royal" reflects the meaning of the story by playing with the meaning of words. To get where the narrator wants to go, he has to "battle" all the way. And in using the word "royal" the reader assumes that the battle is important and of great significance, in other words- "the royal battle".
-katthegreat08
Monday, August 25, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings
I think that the guy with the wings is indeed an angel- well originally... I think he was one of Lucifer's angels- and that's why in the end his wings became black or in other words scarecrow feathers. I guess I get that idea from a rumor where someone had thought that after God kicked a bunch of Lucifer's followers out of heaven (they were all angels of course) that their wings turned black because they had turned their backs on God. That might also explain why the "angel" didn't understand the priest when the priest was trying to talk to him in Latin, or why the "angel" was trying to hide his wings from his captors.
Then again- what if he really was an angel? Why else would the baby have been healed when they first captured the angel or all of those other "small miracles". Sunflowers sprouting of out the sores of leper, the blind man who didn't get his sight back but instead got 3 new teeth and paralytic who couldn't walk but instead almost won the lottery.
That's still a thought though... A man w/ wings- not an angel, but a man. I guess something like the that guy who was the messenger for the Greek gods and had little wings on his feet- Hermes, that's his name. Something like Hermes but instead this guy had wings on his shoulders... Sorry I'm just chatting now. Or thinking- depending on him you want to look at it.
-katthegreat08
Then again- what if he really was an angel? Why else would the baby have been healed when they first captured the angel or all of those other "small miracles". Sunflowers sprouting of out the sores of leper, the blind man who didn't get his sight back but instead got 3 new teeth and paralytic who couldn't walk but instead almost won the lottery.
That's still a thought though... A man w/ wings- not an angel, but a man. I guess something like the that guy who was the messenger for the Greek gods and had little wings on his feet- Hermes, that's his name. Something like Hermes but instead this guy had wings on his shoulders... Sorry I'm just chatting now. Or thinking- depending on him you want to look at it.
-katthegreat08
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Cathedral
Why is this a perfect ending to the short?
The ending to this story is where the husband is drawing a cathedral on a piece of paper with the blind man, Robert. Robert of course can't actually see the drawing but he puts his hand on top of the husband's hand as the husband draws the cathedral. What makes this ending so perfect is that the husband didn't like the blind man originally- it seemed like he couldn't stand him. But then the husband tries to explain to Robert what a cathedral looks like (of course after eating, getting several drinks, and smoking a some pot), but the husband couldn't do it. So Robert suggests that the husband draw it for him and when they're done drawing it- Robert says, "I think that's it. I think you got it. Take a look. What do you think?" The husband doesn't answer- he just keeps his eyes closed and the blind man asks again, "Well? Are you looking?" The husband never actually opens his eyes to see what the picture looks like- I swear that he must have been experiencing or thinking it through what it would be like to be blind, and what the cathedral would seem like to a blind person. So the husband ends the story with, "It's really something." If the husband had been speaking I would think there would be a tint of awe in his voice as he spoke and that Robert would be wondering what was going on with the husband. So in actuality, the husband gets a tiny taste of what it must be like to be blind after drawing the cathedral for Robert- only a tiny, tiny taste though...
The ending to this story is where the husband is drawing a cathedral on a piece of paper with the blind man, Robert. Robert of course can't actually see the drawing but he puts his hand on top of the husband's hand as the husband draws the cathedral. What makes this ending so perfect is that the husband didn't like the blind man originally- it seemed like he couldn't stand him. But then the husband tries to explain to Robert what a cathedral looks like (of course after eating, getting several drinks, and smoking a some pot), but the husband couldn't do it. So Robert suggests that the husband draw it for him and when they're done drawing it- Robert says, "I think that's it. I think you got it. Take a look. What do you think?" The husband doesn't answer- he just keeps his eyes closed and the blind man asks again, "Well? Are you looking?" The husband never actually opens his eyes to see what the picture looks like- I swear that he must have been experiencing or thinking it through what it would be like to be blind, and what the cathedral would seem like to a blind person. So the husband ends the story with, "It's really something." If the husband had been speaking I would think there would be a tint of awe in his voice as he spoke and that Robert would be wondering what was going on with the husband. So in actuality, the husband gets a tiny taste of what it must be like to be blind after drawing the cathedral for Robert- only a tiny, tiny taste though...
Sunday, August 17, 2008
2nd draft of "I Believe..."
I believe in friendship. I know this sounds really cheezy- but seriously. I believe in a friendship that changes with the times and changes as the people change. Like with my group of friends from STM whom I've been friends with some of them since 3rd grade and who I still keep up with despite the fact that we all go to different schools all over. For example- Alexz goes to Druid Hills, Josh and Chad to Pius, Michael to some school up north...
I believe that the people involved in the friendship should and do grow from the relationship in a positive way if that friendship is indeed positive. Like with my friendship with Julia. We've been friends since 6th grade and she supported me when I was dealing with my parents' divorce in 7th grade and I have supported her when she was dealing with family problems.
I believe that people change and so do friendships and there's nothing wrong with that. I also believe though that a true friendship is one in that the two people can remain friends despite changes in themselves and surrounding influences. Like with Julia and me, we have remained friends despite changes in schools, families, and the way we have both changed at least personality wise, as we've grown up.
I also believe that it's okay to get hurt, to be hurt or hurt someone else in a friendship but not continuously. I've learned from my mistakes and if someone has hurt me, I tell them! I remember when I forgot that Julia and I were supposed to meet up at Sushi Avenue, of course she was mad and I was sorry, but I learned from the mistake that I had made.
I believe that I choose friends carefully so that I can be surrounded by them for the rest of my life. I still know people in my church from kindergarten: Francis, Robby, David, Alex Woods, and several others.
I also believe that I'm not friends with people that look like me; I'm also friends with people who are completely different from me and as a result things get interesting. Once on a snow day in my neighborhood, a bunch of the neighborhood kids got together and went to this huge area of woods behind my house and had a snow ball fight. That same day we sled down this huge hill that happened to have trees at the bottom of it and one of my friends accidentally hit one of the trees! So spread out!
I believe that my friends have supported me in all of my endeavors and dreams, have warned me against doing certain actions, and have always helped me become a better and stronger person because of the friendship. I also believe that I have tried my best to provide the same for my friends. This is what I believe.
-katthegreat08
I believe that the people involved in the friendship should and do grow from the relationship in a positive way if that friendship is indeed positive. Like with my friendship with Julia. We've been friends since 6th grade and she supported me when I was dealing with my parents' divorce in 7th grade and I have supported her when she was dealing with family problems.
I believe that people change and so do friendships and there's nothing wrong with that. I also believe though that a true friendship is one in that the two people can remain friends despite changes in themselves and surrounding influences. Like with Julia and me, we have remained friends despite changes in schools, families, and the way we have both changed at least personality wise, as we've grown up.
I also believe that it's okay to get hurt, to be hurt or hurt someone else in a friendship but not continuously. I've learned from my mistakes and if someone has hurt me, I tell them! I remember when I forgot that Julia and I were supposed to meet up at Sushi Avenue, of course she was mad and I was sorry, but I learned from the mistake that I had made.
I believe that I choose friends carefully so that I can be surrounded by them for the rest of my life. I still know people in my church from kindergarten: Francis, Robby, David, Alex Woods, and several others.
I also believe that I'm not friends with people that look like me; I'm also friends with people who are completely different from me and as a result things get interesting. Once on a snow day in my neighborhood, a bunch of the neighborhood kids got together and went to this huge area of woods behind my house and had a snow ball fight. That same day we sled down this huge hill that happened to have trees at the bottom of it and one of my friends accidentally hit one of the trees! So spread out!
I believe that my friends have supported me in all of my endeavors and dreams, have warned me against doing certain actions, and have always helped me become a better and stronger person because of the friendship. I also believe that I have tried my best to provide the same for my friends. This is what I believe.
-katthegreat08
Friday, August 15, 2008
1st Draft of "This I Believe"
Thoughts:
I hate Mc Donald's. It's the crappiest place that I've ever worked, well actually the only place I've worked but that's besides the point. It's hard to work standing up all the time, always doing SOMETHING- whether it be stocking up front counter or drive through; mopping or sweeping behind front counter or out on the floor. It's always something... And besides that- the customers always complain- I mean ALWAYS. Whether it be that they have to pay for water now or something else like the "attitude" of a particular employee. Jeeze. The only thing though that's cool about Mc Donald's is the people that work there and the fact that employees get half off of everything they buy. That's fun- even though I really don't like that food there to much.
-katthegreat08
I hate Mc Donald's. It's the crappiest place that I've ever worked, well actually the only place I've worked but that's besides the point. It's hard to work standing up all the time, always doing SOMETHING- whether it be stocking up front counter or drive through; mopping or sweeping behind front counter or out on the floor. It's always something... And besides that- the customers always complain- I mean ALWAYS. Whether it be that they have to pay for water now or something else like the "attitude" of a particular employee. Jeeze. The only thing though that's cool about Mc Donald's is the people that work there and the fact that employees get half off of everything they buy. That's fun- even though I really don't like that food there to much.
-katthegreat08
The quote that's always stuck in my head...
"One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar."
-Helen Keller
"I think I found the recipe of creativity. Put all you've got, then add some heart. They fence us in to break us down. But still they can't shut us down. The walls are thin. But still we're strong. We're broken but we beat as one... What I'm saying happens everywhere... Don't care. Oh, but I wanna be where it's happening, where it's happening. Drop me in the middle so I can make a ripple effect. Upon the ocean, I'll be the moon that turns the tide. Drop me in the middle so I can make a ripple. A domino effect, falling through the sands of time. Think I'll change the temperature. 'Til its the right weather. Here in the core, its getting warm. Too many channels, nothing on. To turn it off, it just takes one... So if you're standing on the side just watching get up and get over here. Oh, cause you gotta be where its happening, where its happening... Drop me in the middle so I can make a ripple effect. Upon the ocean I'll be the moon that turns the tide. Drop me in the middle so I can make a ripple. A domino effect falling through the sands of time... And wish, the world was a better place. Cause when your up they try to take you down. Mess your day and turn your smile into a frown... Drop me in the middle so I can make a ripple effect. Upon the ocean I'll be the moon that turns the tide. Drop me in the middle so I can make a ripple. A domino effect. Affectin' the world. Falling through the sands of time. Drop me in the middle so I can make a ripple effect. Upon the ocean I'll be the moon that turns the tide. Drop me in the middle so I can make a ripple, a domino effect falling through the sands of time." -Song by Natasha Bedingfield and Bizzare from D12
-Helen Keller
"I think I found the recipe of creativity. Put all you've got, then add some heart. They fence us in to break us down. But still they can't shut us down. The walls are thin. But still we're strong. We're broken but we beat as one... What I'm saying happens everywhere... Don't care. Oh, but I wanna be where it's happening, where it's happening. Drop me in the middle so I can make a ripple effect. Upon the ocean, I'll be the moon that turns the tide. Drop me in the middle so I can make a ripple. A domino effect, falling through the sands of time. Think I'll change the temperature. 'Til its the right weather. Here in the core, its getting warm. Too many channels, nothing on. To turn it off, it just takes one... So if you're standing on the side just watching get up and get over here. Oh, cause you gotta be where its happening, where its happening... Drop me in the middle so I can make a ripple effect. Upon the ocean I'll be the moon that turns the tide. Drop me in the middle so I can make a ripple. A domino effect falling through the sands of time... And wish, the world was a better place. Cause when your up they try to take you down. Mess your day and turn your smile into a frown... Drop me in the middle so I can make a ripple effect. Upon the ocean I'll be the moon that turns the tide. Drop me in the middle so I can make a ripple. A domino effect. Affectin' the world. Falling through the sands of time. Drop me in the middle so I can make a ripple effect. Upon the ocean I'll be the moon that turns the tide. Drop me in the middle so I can make a ripple, a domino effect falling through the sands of time." -Song by Natasha Bedingfield and Bizzare from D12
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