Wednesday, May 28

I am happy to say that I am almost done with my final project, a special issue of American Life magazine, titled Culture Through The Ages. I got a lot done this weekend and although I am almost done with the project itself, now I have to focus on my presentation, which is this Friday. Since my project is on Pages, I will definitely project it on the overhead throughout my presentation so that I could refer back to it and so the class will have a visual of what I have been working on. I feel that my research paper and final project are well integrated with each other because I have taken certain excerpts from my paper and embedded it within my magazine. For me, the most difficult part of the presentation will be finding an effective way of incorporating the class into my "lesson."

Tuesday, May 20

I am happy that I am finally finished with my research paper and that I can now focus on my presentation and final project. My presentation is schedule for next Friday, so I have a little more than a week to plan what I will be doing. I would like to get the majority of my project done before my presentation so that 1. I will have hard materials to present and 2. It will force me to complete a good portion of it done by next Friday. I plan on creating a magazine of some sort that will concentrate on the content of my research paper, which was the progression of American literature. My paper chronologically followed the changes and adaptations of writing styles and dominant authors an classics of specific time periods. I would like to create a magazine, a collection of different kinds of texts that is put in time order. The magazine will be adorned with other aspects of the corresponding time period, such as music, style, fashion, and overall culture, so that it is a well-rounded collection of information. I am confident in presenting the research I have done and the final project I plan to produce; however, I am struggling as to how I should get the class involved in my presentation. This week I definitely need to figure that out and put a final presentation together for next Friday.

Monday, May 12

I am finally about halfway done with my research paper and am happy with my progress so far. I was happy to finalize my thesis, the part I was struggling with the most. I have decided to research the progression of American literature over time, how the literary styles have changed, and the major authors and works produced from that time period. Much of the research I have found has turned out to be very helpful, such as literary timelines dividing American literature by era and which literary genre it is marked by. The timeline has helped me with organization, for it has served as a sort of outline for me to fill in with additional research and details from other sources. I am happy with where I am right now in the writing process and plan on finishing within the next few days. Tuesday or Wednesday the latest I will give my paper to a peer so it could be edited by a second set of eyes, to hopefully catch anything I have missed. In addition to finishing up my paper I will begin gathering my sources and creating my bibilography so it is not left until the last minute.

Monday, May 5

I have not completed nearly as much as I have hoped to in the past week but I plan to make up for that and more early this week. I think the main problem has been that I have been confused as to what I should research but I have finally gathered my thoughts and decided that I am going to focus my research paper on the progession of American literature throughout the 1900's. We have studied so many different styles and authors in school and now I will be able to learn about each piece's place and significance on the timeline of literature. I plan to cover the 1900's by decade so that the organization of my magazine to follow will fall into place neatly. Today, Monday, I will research and begin writing as soon as possible, even if it is only an outline. I plan to have a good portion of my research paper completed by Wednesday so that much of it can be edited.

The First Step

For the most part, I have finalized all of my decisions having to do with my fourth marking period project. I plan on getting as much done as early as I can to avoid the stress and pressure of procrastination. This week my focus will be on finding the research and materials necessary to write my research paper. I found many books in the library that I plan to take out which give detailed information of the eras I am covering by decades. I am planning on starting my research at the 1920's and continuing up until the present. My research will focus on the progression of American culture and dig deep into the changes abd ever-changing trends in which our country has endured. I, myself, am eager to learn more about our country's culture and the literature, music, fashion, and traditions that have changed as time goes on. My goal for the week is to complete my research and hopefully begin my paper so that I can start my project as soon as possible. I am eager to begin my actual magazine because I want to make it as authentic as possible and my thorough research will help me to do that.

Culture Through the Ages

For my fourth marking period project, I am planning on creating a magazine called Culture Through the Ages. I plan on incorporating fashion, style, music, literature, icons, and traditions of numerous eras in chronological order throughout the magazine. This particular project will involve magazine production, writing skills, and historical research. I will bring life to the magazine by interviewing my peers, friends and family. For example, I will interview my peers and friends for deeper insight into the 90's, my parents for the 60's-80's, and my grandparents for years earlier than the 60's. My goal for this project is to learn more about all different areas of the past as opposed to just hearing stories from my elders. I have always wanted to research and gain more knowledge about certain eras and I am excited to finally get the chance to do so. I am eager to read books, watch movies, and format all of my materials into one professional-looking magazine issue. For example, I am going to read Girls Like Us by Sheila Weller, a novel about the music of Carole King, Carly Simon, and Joni Mitchell, their lives, and the generation they changed. I came across a review of this book in People magazine and finally have the perfect opportunity to read it. I hope to work with fashion merchandising and possibly magazine production in and after college so I know this will be a positive learning experience for the future.

A Woman's Versatility

If there is one common thing I've found among the three books that I have read this marking period, it is the emphasis on women. Both In The Time Of The Butterflies and Herland focus on the inner strength of a woman. Julia Alvarez's In The Time Of The Butterflies depicts the struggle the Mirabel sisters endured as they fought against the oppressive Trujillo dictatorship. I found this novel to be very inspiring, even more so because of that fact that it is based on a true story and that such sacrifices and hardships really did occur. Similarly, Charlotte Perkins Gilman's Herland praised the abilities and acheivements women are able to attain, even in the absence of the "almighty men." While this novel may have been a bit too fantastical for me, I enjoyed the fact that it made me realize that women are capable of doing so much more than they are given credit for, even running an entire civilized society by themselves! Herland proves that women are just as capable of men and that if they had to step up to the plate, all they have to do is find the strength necessary that they all hold within. Once again, an inspring novel that sparks interesting thoughts and endless possibilities. Last but not least, Like Water For Chocolate. I am about midway into the novel and am enjoying it thus far. Rather than strength of women, I would say that this book focuses more so on the complex emotions and events of a woman's life. Author Laura Esquivel really digs deep into the complexities of women and how their emotions take an intense toll on their entire beings. "The weeping was just the first symptom of a strange intoxication—and acute attack of pain and frustration—that seized the guests and scattered them across the patio and the grounds and in the bathrooms, all of them wailing over lost love” ( Esquivel 39). The story is told very dramatically and definitely exercises the imagination; for example, at one point Tita finds her tears dripping into the batter she is preparing and then as the guests digest the finish product, they are instantaneously burdened with the very same emotions that Tita had felt while making it. Overall, I think I have learned a lot from this marking period's assignments because I have glanced not only into the versatility of women but also other cultures, heritages, time periods, and societies.

Eat Your Heart Out

I'm finally onto a new book, Like Water For Chocolate, and only one chapter in I could tell that I will be able to relate to it. The household of Tita and the rest of the De La Garza family basically revolves around food because it is such a big part of their culture. It is most definitely the laaarge percentage of Italian in me and my family, for food and dining is a major part of our lives as well. Unlike some families, it is anything but unusual for my family to sit down together for dinner. We try to either sit down or go out together as often as possible because it is finally a time where everyone can unwind, relax, and be stress-free. Throughout my life I have seen and heard of the true Italian blood running through the family. My dad and his family used to go to my great-grandma's house every Sunday for "dinner" at around 2 or 3 in the afternoon! And we even do it now every so often at my grandma and grandpa's house, just not habitually.
I love cooking with and learning from my dad because it is a chance to bond over something that has been passed down over the generations, such as that "secret" recipe of the dish that you have always wondered how it tasted so good. In my family, Tita's, and millions of others in the world, food serves as a comfort; it is the connection between families, a cooking experience, a collection of centuries-old yellowed and stained recipes, a candle-lit dinner oozing with romance and good conversation, a picnic on a clear, sunny day, a celebration with special friends and family. In many ways, food is the basis of much of our lives. Not only do we need it to survive, but it is a part of actually living and enjoying. The De La Garza expresses the importance of food and how no matter what curveballs life throws, there will always be something, perhaps even a "Christmas Roll" to make it all a little better as it always seems to do for Tita.

CHRISTMAS ROLLS
Source: Like Water for Chocolate: A Novel in Monthly Installments with Recipes, Romances, and Home Remedies by Laura Esquivel

1 can sardines
1/2 chorizo sausage
1 onion
oregano
1 can chiles serranos
10 hard rolls

Chop onions fine. Fry the sausage over low heat so that it cooks thoroughly without getting too brown. When done, remove from heat and add the sardines, which have been deboned ahead of time. Any black spots on the skins must be scraped off with a knife. Combine the onions, chopped chiles and the ground oregano with the sardines. Let the mixture stand before filling the hard rolls.


More recipes from Like Water For Chocolate..

Time To Move On

Herland has finally come to a close and while I did enjoy it, I'm eager to begin something new. I feel as if the theme, even in a mere 120 pages, has grown a bit tedious. I have chosen to use this post to talk about the author, as opposed to the book itself which I believe has been done to death. At this point, it is 100% clear that Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a thoroughbred feminist. I agree with many of her views and I like the fact that she does not write her work in a way that preaches "this is how it has to be and everything else is wrong." Instead, she writes with a tasteful air of possibilty, which is one of the main reasons why I actually liked Herland. She proved that a female-only society is possible and it CAN function just as well as one can with men involved. Gilman was way ahead of her time and will always be remembered for her societal views and works.
While researching for my paper, I learned a lot about the feminist author. She was born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1860 and interestingly enough is the niece of Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of the famous Uncle Tom's Cabin, who she most definitely inherited some of her feminist views from. Throughout her career, Gilman has written multiple poems, 186 published short stories in magazines, newspapers, and journals, numerous novels and dramas, and over one thousand non-fiction works including articles, essays, book reviews, and lectures. It is easy to tell that Charlotte Perkins Gilman has achieved an unbelievable amount during her lifetime; as a female, I value her work and the ways in which she gives a voice to her fellow women. This voice has lingered on and will continue to do so as time goes by. The following are quotes that were said by Gilman at one time or another that I think are really important messages to consider. :)

"There is no female mind. The brain is not an organ of sex. Might as well speak of a female liver."

"But reason has no power against feeling, and feeling older than history is no light matter."

"To be surrounded by beautiful things has much influence upon the human creature: to make beautiful things has more."

"There should be an end to the bitterness of feeling which has arisen between the sexes in this century."

"Eternity is not something that begins after you are dead. It is going on all the time."


More quotes by Charlotte Perkins Gilman..

What If Herland Was Our Land?

As I continue reading Herland, I can't help but imagine what it would be like to really be a part of such a civilization. Charlotte Perkins Gilman's novel was published in 1915; she uses it to challenge the workings of society during that time. Today, it is not unusual for women to lead busy, successful, powerful, and important lives. One of the candidates for the next President of the United States is a woman, need I say more? Back then, however, situations like this were ultimately unheard of; women were only of importance when it came to the domestic tasks they are assumed to perform, such as cooking, cleaning, sewing, giving labor, and basically being nothing more than a housewife. While looking at the differences between the past and the present, I see how ahead of her time Gilman was by writing Herland. She truly did step out of the boundaries of the early 1900's and shed light on a concept that was foreign to society as a whole. In a way, it is safe to say that her science-fictional "dream" came true; although a civilization with strictly women does not exist, they do possess the power and strength that she infused her characters with. I do not think I would want to be a part of a "feminist utopia" where only women existed; however, I like the inspiring idea that it IS possible. Gilman's novel successfully radiates feminism, equality, and the controversial idea that women are simply not inferior to men, contrary to what society teaches us. As Charlotte Perkins Gilman once said, "Women are human beings as much as men, by nature; and as women, are even more sympathetic with human processes. To develop human life in its true powers we need fully equal citizenship for women."

"Life is a verb."

I recently began Herland, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. I am only about thirty pages into it but I can tell already that I will not have a problem getting through it. I like the idea of a civilization run by women, not that I would like to be a part of one, but because it is unexpected. So far, much of the novel has been the three main characters stating that no, this could not be a real civilization without men. ...Why not? I'm curious to see how the truth of this "Herland" surfaces and what the men discover.
While looking at some background information on the book and feminist author, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, I found a lot of quotes by her that I liked. "Life is a verb" struck me because in so few words, she has said so much. At this point, I do not know enough about the book or her style of writing to relate the quote to directly, but it can be applied to almost any situation. I think this quote is the ultimate way to live life. We have to LIVE it, not watch it go by or wait for something to happen, but take it upon ourselves to make it happen. So far, I can say that the women of Herland have done exactly this. While I do not know much about them, I do know that whatever they are doing is working if they have created their own functioning society. They have gone beyond wishing, hoping, and planning and created something magical. I came across a woman named Patti Digh's blog that I found really moving; it is called 37days. This blog is based on the last 37 days of this woman's father's life and how it should be a life lesson for each and every one of us to basically, consider life to be a verb. "Why 37 days? At some point in your life, you’ll only have thirty-seven days to live. Maybe that day is today. Maybe not. If you're stopping by for the first time, this post will give you insight into what this is all about," (Digh 2007). She also promotes her upcoming novel, LIFE IS A VERB: 37 Days To Wake Up, Be Mindful, and Live Intentionally. I think this is a piece of advice we could all benefit from. =)

The Inner Strength of "Phenomenal Women"

Although I'm having a difficult time getting through In The Time of The Butterflies, there is one thing that keeps jumping out at me: the unwavering strength of the Mirabel women. I think the reason I am not that interested in the novel is because I am having a hard time relating to the unbelievably restrictions and dictatorship in which the characters are living under. However, the strength of the girls and their mother still has the ability to amaze me.
The Mirabel family is "run," if you will, by a father who is very set in his ways, a typical trait I would say. But the family took a turn for the worst when one of the daughters, Minerva, knew better than to believe that her dear old dad was simply "away on business." Minerva followed him one day only to find out that she and her sisters were not the only ones to call this man their father. It was of course a shocking, heart-breaking realization but over an understandable amount of time, the girls proved their maturity. After a blow to the face by the man she once adored, Minerva's face throbbed as he looked at her and said "That's to remind you that you owe your father some respect!" She replied, "I don't owe you a thing. You've lost my respect," (Alvarez 89). The following passage perfectly describes the priorities of the Mirabel family and while I have trouble understanding the history aspect of the novel, it is their values that are crystal clear. "I saw his shoulders droop. I heard him sigh. Right then and there, it hit me harder than his slap: I was much stronger than Papa, Mama was much stronger. He was the weakest one of all. It was he who would have the hardest time living with the shabby choices he'd made. He needed our love," (Alvarez 89).
The women of this novel live day to day with the scars of broken families, miscarraiges, disappointments, and being viewed as "pieces of meat" as opposed to the Phenomenal Women that they are are. The previous link will bring you to a Maya Angelou poem, one that says everything golden about the Mirabel sisters and more.

Picking Up Speed

I'm about one hundred pages into In The Time Of The Butterflies and I'm happy to say it's beginning to come around. I had trouble getting into the novel at first but the more I read, the more I like it. While the different narrations could be confusing at times, I like how it keeps the reader on his toes. It switches between all of four of the Mirabel sisters' perspectives and also journal entries; I find this to be interesting, for it offers a good change of pace. Thus far I have learned a lot about the struggles of the time period including the brewing rebellion against the oppressive Dominican dictator, Rafael Trujillo, and how each of the girls,(Dede, Patria, Minerva, and Maria Teresa), deal with the fiery contempt within. Author Julia Alvarez is careful not to dwell on the seriousness of matters as she takes a significant amount of time focusing on the pure joys of life: love, laughter, and family. Alvarez uses In The Time of The Butterflies to speak of the harsh reality of the time and I know it just a matter of time before her important message is revealed; I'm curious to see how this flashback-styled book unfolds itself into something even greater as I continue reading.

In The Time of The Butterflies

Last night, I began In The Time of The Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez. I found it difficult to get into but hopefully it will turn around soon. I feel like I don't know enough about the characters or plot to make judge the entire novel yet; however, I do know that it tells the story of four Dominican sisters and the journey of how one of them lives on without the others. I'm eager to become more involved in the book and learn more about the past that separated the four girls that were once so close.

Introduction to Blog Is the New Black

Welcome to my blog! I will use my page to discuss all of my interests including my favorite books, music, and trends. Blog Is the New Black will be constantly updated as new things come up or change and will be used to discuss the books I am reading at the time. Enjoy :)