They Went Home

 

Words....sometimes they don’t even sound real. Yet, these short little chunks of speech comprised of a few letters from the alphabet can have a large impact on the way a person feels, thinks, and even views others around them. Words can sting. Words can make one feel instant joy. But better yet, words can act as a shifting point in one's life that was needed to help inspire them and get them off their feet. I often find myself repeating a word over and over again and thinking, "What does this even mean? How is this actually apart of speech?"; if you say a word long enough, it begins to not even sound like itself! But no matter how interesting words may sound, when you break them apart down to their root the effects they can have are not only mind blowing but also memorable. Personally, words seem to have long lasting effects on me when it seems as if they're almost stated in a rhythmic motion with a little tune in the background. Almost like a song, but so much better. What could possibly be better than song, you might ask? A poem! Poetry seems to give words life in a way that puts some of the best lyrics to shame (especially modern day music......) and makes one analyze how they relate to the world around them. I can't lie, I don't exactly have very many poems memorized by heart (unless Dr. Seuss counts...?), however, the feeling of tranquility and light hearted reflection poetry makes me feel sent me out on a quest that led to me the poem, "They Went Home" by Maya Angelou. This poem goes a little something like this: "They went home and told their wives, that never once in all their lives, had they known a girl like me, but.....they went home. They said my house was licking clean, no word I spoke was ever mean, I had an air of mystery, but......they went home. My praises were on all men's lips, they liked my smile, my wit, my hips, they'd spend one night, or two or three. But....."; Ok, this poem definitely can be spoken in a little tune, which makes it so much more intriguing, but after reading over it a few times the true meaning of the words Maya Angelou had written down started to seep in. This poem appears to tell the story of a woman who is the desire of all men's eyes; wit, charm, and mystery seems to keep them coming back in hopes of discovering more about this beautiful being, however, they seem to always flee at the end of the day and leave her feeling confused. Maya Angelou's poem highlights the value of marriage in society; the woman being spoken of in this poem represents the mistress in some marital relationships. Though the cheaters themselves may truly find this new and exciting person to be someone who is full of life and kindness, at the end of the day these men refuse to break the bond that is known as marriage. Status in society appears to matter to people more and more as the days go on, and receiving the status of an adulterer is not what most people desire, hence, why the men in this poem continue to go back home back to their wives. “They Went Home” is a powerful piece of poetic literature, in my opinion, due to the fact that it almost attempts to shed light on the fact that marriage more than likely will persevere in the end that those who seek to find companionship in someone who is already unavailable end up receiving feelings of rejection and isolation as time goes on. To think that I was able to decipher a powerful message that is constantly attempting to steer society in a more wholesome direction all from this short, little, poem is crazy. Words….they really are more than simply letters from the alphabet; their little bullets of guidance that can make one question themselves and others around them. Ya feel me?

Summer Reading Reflection: What It Really Meant

Summer reading.....you either love it or you hate it. I can't lie, the thought of summer reading usually makes me anxious; somehow with the endless amount of days summer provides, I still end up feeling as if there's not enough time for me to actually dive into books that I love and read just for the sake of reading. However, this summer was different. When I read the summer reading assignment for AP Literature, I was overjoyed to find out that one of the required books we had to read was-wait for it-a book of our choice! My excitement for a free read book was a little ridiculous, but honestly, who could blame me? Finally an assignment that allowed me to sit back, relax, and indulge in the sensational joy ride of imagery and emotion most novels take me through. From re-reading a few Harry Potter novels (my absolute favorites), to finding a new favorite in the memoir The Color of Water (couldn't put that one down!), the range of genres I poked my head into this summer were limitless. Out of all the novels I read this summer, the one that really stuck with me was Wicked, by Gregory Maguire; though I had already seen the play and had a glimpse into what the story would be about, reading the actual book itself was way better than I could have ever imagined. Before I had ever read (or seen the play) Wicked, I was one of the numerous amounts of people who believed the Wicked Witch of the West was simply evil for no reason, that Dorothy and her pack of loyal follower’s we’re completely innocent, and that Glinda the Good Witch of the South was entirely incapable of doing anything mean onto another person; however, reading this novel made it even more clear to me that every person has their own version of a story and that seeing things from someone else’s perspective can actually make a difference at the way one views a situation. To my surprise, the Wicked Witch of the West, who was in fact named Elphaba, hadn’t always been wicked; the unjust doings of society eventually drove her to be wicked and wreak havoc onto those who had treated her unfairly in the past. Elphaba sadly faced rejection from her family, peers, and professors due to her appearance being one that was less than normal-she was born with unnaturally colored green skin due to her mother’s affair with a wizard before she was born. When the time came for Elphaba to finally find a friend in a witch named Glinda the Good, it seemed as if her problems would eventually fade out. In private, Glinda expressed her true friendship with Elphaba and realized her appearance didn’t actually correlate with who she was on the inside; however, society’s instant disapproval towards anyone who steps outside the box and associates with someone who is believed to be an “outsider” led to Glinda betraying Elphaba in a time of need simply to allow her own personal status in society to stay high and mighty. After finishing the novel, it became clear to me that Elphaba and Victor Frankenstein’s creature we’re similar in various ways; both characters we’re instantly scorned and disliked by the rest of society simply due to their appearance, faced rejection and feelings of being unwanted from those that we’re supposed to be their loving parents, and became wicked beings due to the miserable lives society was creating for them. Did both characters have a choice when it came to the wicked doings they eventually released on those who did them wrong in the past? Yes; however, I believe these two novels over looked that to broadcast just how big of an impact the interactions one faces with others in society can really be on their life. Both Maguire and Shelley shed light on the innocent beginnings these characters once had while making it clear that without proper guidance and amicable companions, one may feel the need to rebel against society and inflict pain onto others in a way that compares to the lifelong pain they’ve had to face. Ya feel me?

Frankenstein.......NOT what I was expecting

So the novel Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, is not what I expected it to be at all. In fact, my mental image of what the book would be about was completely different from what I actually ended up reading. First things first, Frankenstein ended up not being the monster......how crazy is that? So crazy, I know. When I would hear the word Frankenstein as a child-or even as recent as oh, I don’t know, this past summer- I would instantly imagine the story being about this large, green being (that I of course thought was the one actually named Frankenstein) who was created by some neighborly, well loved, mad scientist and everyone in the little village would accept this different "person" as if he was a big, friendly giant; almost like the way the towns people in The Nightmare Before Christmas accepted Sally, the rag doll like creation of the notorious Dr. Finklestein. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case at all! Besides my dreams being crushed when it hit me that Frankenstein was simply the last name of the scientist who created this "monster" like figure (seriously so disappointing), the reality of the themes and situations the novel actually explored were quite shocking. This novel had some deep hidden messages inside of it, and after reading the novel I couldn't help but sit back and reflect on what it all meant. Two themes that continued to pop up throughout the novel that repeatedly caught my attention as I read were the "Unjust Society" and "Role of the Parent/Creator". In my opinion, Shelley did an excellent job of shedding light on the fact that society can be cruel, judgmental, and overall unjust. If we really think about it, this whole story began when Victor Frankenstein's scientific opinions were unfairly judged and scorned by his peers; the way his fellow classmates and professors tossed his ideas aside while also shunning him from social acceptance soon led to him becoming driven with the desire to prove all those who tore him down wrong. Victor was an outsider, and the unfair treatment he received due to the fact that his view on science was different from those around him goes to show how society can be quick to put down anyone who the majority classifies as not fitting into the “social norms”. Thus, explaining the unfair treatment Victor’s creation later on received. The treatment of the “monster” was honestly a mix of Victor’s overall failed parenting skills and society’s refusal to sit back and not judge a book by its cover. None of the abuse this poor creature encountered was necessary! Victor’s refusal to step up and take responsibility for this new being he created by showing it how to interact with nature, speak, and even look presentable to those around him is what led to the unjust things that happened to his innocent friends and family members; his unfair treatment towards the monster is what led to the devastating deaths of three people he truly loved. As if Victor’s failed parenting skills weren’t enough for the monster to face, the harsh realities of the world we live in tore him down as well. All the monster wanted was someone to love and share an amicable relationship with, but the unfortunate outward appearances he had, due to Victor and his selfish quest for social acceptance, eventually led to him terrorizing innocent civilians in the end. I actually felt for the monster in his times of rage; the unnatural creation he had was not something of his choice, and the rejection he encountered from the one who actually created him was wrong and flat out disappointing. Ya feel me?