The Art of Renaissance

Flipping through the pages of history books and reading word after word on historical events such as the great migration, often does not give justice to the topic at hand. African American human identity is spread widely throughout the celebration of their heritage. Spanning the 1920’s and 1930’s, the Harlem Renaissance was not only a time of industrial growth, but also a time that allowed this vivacious culture to broaden their horizons through various art forms.

A popular series of paintings during the time of the Harlem Renaissance was known as the ‘Aspects of Negroe Life’. In these assorted depictions of people, painted in all different shapes, sizes and colors, movement and dancing becomes an apparent common theme. The African setting and tribal element shows exclusivity, while at the same time giving off a warm and inviting vibe. Through the paintings various tones and dimensions, one is put directly into the position of the curious observer.

Pieces of art such as the 1934 painting titled, ‘Song of the Towers’ portrays warmer colors that are soothing for the observer. On the other hand, the painting also contains silhouettes of humans in deep, dark colors that entrance the painting’s audience. Looking more closely, references to modernization can be made through the incorporation of a type of industrialized wheel. Their will to revolutionize is apparent.

A SIlent Power

"I had to stop talking. I discovered that to achieve perfect silence all I had to do was to attach myself leechlike to sound."

Coping with pain. A concept portrayed differently by every individual. How can someone, like Maya Angelou, find solace in attaching herself to others sound, while other people depend upon their own sound for recovery. Growing up, my two best friends took on each of these approaches. In one case, I knew everything that affected my dear friend's life, from the quarrel between her and her mother at breakfast to the details of her grandfather's funeral. In the other case, I knew nothing. This difference did not make me grow fonder to one over the other, but it showed me that pain is an area that defines who we are. As the two girls remained my best friends all throughout high school and even to this day, I wondered how two very similar people managed to cope with pain in two completely different ways. Maya Angelou's story centers around the various ways of coping with the past; not only in her own life, but even in the lives of those around her. While many can relate to Maya's reclusive attitude, others may wonder, how. Maya's story of pain and silence is unique and defines the person she has become today.

Home Is Where The Heart Is

In most instances where one inquires about the definition of the word home, they will find answers such as 'the place where one lives', 'a dwelling place', or even 'a physical structure'; definitions so broad that it can often be difficult to put emotions behind them. At the start of Maya Angelou's, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, instead of referring to her and her brother's destination as her fathers home, she says that she is going home to her fathers. This shows that her sense of home lies in the broad definition of home being a place. Angelou's novel is based upon her finding herself over the course of her life, discovering herself after many series of events. Her interpretation of home is most likely one that will change due to the circumstances she undergoes.

Home to me may be Fort Wayne, Indiana, because that is where I have lived for my entire life. Although to someone who has lived in seven different states over the course of their life, home is not one place. To understand home on a deeper level, one must find what gives them a sense of security in life. I find security in various aspects of my life. Hearing my mothers comforting voice on the phone will forever be the medicine for putting my mind at immediate ease. I also can find a feeling of home in another literal place. Church bells ringing remind me that no matter where I go in the world, my religion and God will be with me. No matter the location, the familiarity of the church makes me feel "at home" and literally in a place where security rules all. Feeling at home brings one happiness. It is in turn my favorite 'destination', 'place' or structure to go in my mind,

Sharing Thoughts

As I read Mary Gordon's memoir Circling My Mother, I often found myself questioning her purpose for writing such a work... As Gordon clearly states in the preface her intentions for the book, it is difficult for one to infer the real meaning behind the words that follow. "Memoir suggests that the writer is the central character, and although, certainly, I am writing about my mother because she is my mother, I had hoped to step aside and give her center stage". And center stage is exactly what she gets. As I continued into the text of the following chapters, although I did find myself mildly entertained at the content being offered, the questions of "why" continued to linger in my thoughts. Why does one recount such stories, and at that, such stories of despair? These stories were not ones that made you smile or take breaks to look out the window and admire the outdoors, but ones that left you with feelings of sorrow and discontent. A similar question can be asked based on this analysis. Why do people feel a need to share their troubles with others? Thinking about this question makes me question if the answer is even one that is worthy of praise. Maybe we are pathetic. Our troubles should not be verbalized if they will only bring the opposite of happiness to others. But then I think of Virginia Woolf, who devoted her life to helping women find their place in society; to solving mysteries that the ignorance of men have kept secret for so long. And then I remember The Yellow Wallpaper. One woman who, without the resource of a pen and papers, could have driven herself into complete and utter instability, ultimately leading to life's inevitable. We share out thoughts, our concerns, our troubles, for the sake of giving purpose to our lives. To trap our emotions within ourselves is toxic. Without verbalizing, telling the world what we have learned, we will never learn ourselves.

The Yellow Wallpaper, breaking the fourth wall

According to Charlotte Perkins Gilman's excerpt titled Why I Wrote "The Yellow Wallpaper", the short story's intention was not "to drive people crazy, but to save people from being driven crazy". Which is exactly what the complex piece of literature did.

In this fictitious account of a woman going insane, the audience is taken through Gilman's experience of being confined to a single room as a way of "treatment" for her downtrodden state of mind. The reader is taken by the hand while they read her various journal entries that span over the course of a few months. Women taking part in writing is greatly frowned upon during this time period, therefore Gilman must keep her written documentation of her inner thoughts a secret. Gilman even draws reference to this by ending her journal in ways such as this: "Here comes John, and I must put this away, - he hates to have me write a word." This does not only shows the women's lack of freedom during this time but also the overall superiority that men possessed. Other examples of John giving off an air of authority are the way he refers to his wife. Very often, Gilman is referred to as John's "little girl" or "doll". These misleading terms of endearment can be seen as degrading, while at the same time referencing her as being a little girl. Being a grown woman treated with the respect of only a child causes the narrator to become, "a little afraid of John". In many cases it is obvious that this story takes places during a time where equal rights were non-existent.

Reading a story through a series of one female's journal entries gives the reader a very unique perspective on the story as a whole. What the narrator reveals through her entries varies greatly from the image she is portraying of herself to the other characters within the story. Those who read Gilman's short storyare given an inside view as to what she is thinking and the exact way in which she is feeling. They are given the opportunity to pick up on context clues that can lead to a more intimate relationship with the author. In a sense, the narrator and 'audience' are taking part in a concept called the theatrical contract.  This 'agreement' is broken down into two different areas of contract, representational and presentational. According to Scott E. Walters, Introduction to Play Analysis, the theatrical contract is defined as "an informational understanding or agreement between a theatrical production and it's audience". The Yellow Wallpaper takes a prespresentational approach in creating a special connection with its audience. In a way the story is "breaking the fourth wall", a metaphor that is used to show the audience coming between the barrier separating the play from reality. Walters further supports this by stating that, "people develop stronger connections to those who talk to them than those who ignore them". Obviously Gilman is not directly talking to her readers, but she is breaking the barrier by giving them a chance to relate to her on a personal level.

the assumed danger behind a woman's education. what gives?

As Virginia Woolf reflects on her experience entering the library that "cursed women" she tells her readers:

"I must have opened it, for instantly there issued, like a guardian angel barring the way with a flutter of black gown instead of white wings, a depressing, silvery, kindly gentleman, who regretted in a low voice as he waved me back that ladies are only admitted to the library if accompanied by a Fellow of the College or furnished with a letter of introduction."

Women and Fiction. A theme so simple, yet one that can be understood in a great deal of ways. Unlike author Charlotte Bronte, a now deceased forthright individual whose work was deemed rather controversial during the 19th century, Woolf takes a less direct approach in her writing of the ever famous novel, A Room of One's Own. In her avoidance of the use of persuasion, Woolf submissively encourages her audience to form an educated opinion of their own. Readers are able to base their individual outlook upon the insight discovered through the author's studying of various accounts of female inferiority; this is further supported by factual evidence and her own personal experience.

Only a few paragraphs after reading the passage above, I found myself retreating back to it and re-reading it a few times over. It reminded me of a story I had heard... no, a story I had read. I thought for a moment but could not put my finger on where this familiarity was coming from. I closed my eyes in hopes of the answer being written behind my eyelids. As I sat there a while longer, a name popped into my head. Guy Montag. In what story had I read that interesting name over and over again? Why was this person forming a connection with a woman who was blatantly denied her freedom to enter into a college library? Then, all at once, it came to me. A book that I read only a year ago as a senior in high school. Fahrenheit 451. How could I have forgotten?


For as much as I hate to admit it, I have a terrible memory when it comes to remembering literature. I can read something absolutely profound that I hope to remember as long as I live, and when I am asked about it two weeks later the title of the work has already left me. Although what I do remember from Fahrenheit 451 is the novel's theme of limitation on women's rights in terms of reading and education. Set in a futuristic time period, the female characters of this books live in a stimulated world full of television and media. At the start of the novel, women are forbidden to educate themselves through reading and are essentially cut-off from the worlds harsh reality.The books that were once available to the people are kept hidden by the town's up-most authority. Though this hardship does not stop everyone from sneaking a few reading materials and keeping them hidden within the secrecy of their home. Now I won't go any further and spoil the end for those who may decide to read it, but I will say that Guy Montag labels himself as quite the hero towards the end of the book.

The connection between A Room of One's Own and Fahrenheit 451 can be drawn for obvious reasons. For centuries, women's rights have lied heavily upon the issue of equal education for male and females. Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451, bases his novel in the future, where technology reigns and books are no longer important. After reading Bradbury's novel, I put the intimidating concept of women's over stimulation and denial of education into deep consideration. Through doing this, I was not only encouraged to take a closer look at the roles that women pursue in our society today, but I was also inspired to reflect on history as a whole. Oh how the times have changed. Through reading Virginia Woolf''s A Room of One's Own, I was able to connect these astounding perspectives and "further my education" on women's rights.

Let Freedom Ring!

http://www.gradesaver.com/fahrenheit-451/study-guide/short-summary/

a beloved place

As our gold mazda mini-van approaches the final bend of the shaded dirt drive way, my anxious yet exhausted mother begins to slow the car down to further build our anticipation. Shrills from my siblings and I can be heard from inside the cottage. Nelly sticks out her long tongue and begins to pant while her tail knocks the pillow from my sister’s lap. Just like us, our beloved black Labrador retriever can sense that we have finally reached our desired destination. The large kitchen window that acts as the focal point in the back of the house is full of enthusiastic youthful faces, all waving as if they have just spotted a celebrity. One by one they rush downstairs and meet us in the large backyard that will double as a drive way over the next fourteen days. Before my mother has a chance to come to a complete stop, my brothers have yanked the sliding doors open and my dog has jumped over the blue plastic cooler in hopes of some fresh air. I wait until everyone else has exited the stale smelling vehicle that we have just been confined to before I step onto the damp grass and take in the refreshing aroma of Lake Avalon. The embraces begin, each one unique and just as I remember it. All of the familiar faces of my cousins, aunts and uncles, are enough to make me feel at home. It is as though the six hour car drive has already escaped my memory. I slip away from the questions and the laughter to finally say hello to the friend that I have longed for the most. Step by step, I make my way towards the end of the rustic brown dock. Avoiding beach toys and inner-tubes, I sit on the first towel I see. This picturesque dark blue body of water has never looked so peaceful. If only it the extent that I have craved its serenity.

Located near Alpena, Hillman Michigan is home to the quaint area of Lake Avalon and the hundreds of cottages that surround it. For fourteen days of out the summer, those fortunate enough to have experienced its beauty in the past, pack up their bathing suits and claim the family heirloom as their own. Once acting as a large hunting lodge, the slightly renovated interior of the log cabin has maintained its irreplaceable charm over the past eighty years. Joined by seventeen others, my family of seven (eight counting the dog) spends our allotted time at the cottage. Time spent at what we all know as “the lodge” is valued by those who understand how genuine it truly is. The memories made at this captivating place are ones that I will hold in my heart for a lifetime.