Reading the headnote of Jhumpa Lahiri gave me a different insight on the story 'This Blessed House.' Due to the reason that I was born in Ukraine and have been raised in the States most of my life while speaking two distinct languages and learning two different cultures. Whenever I would go back to Ukraine to visit my family, they would always call me 'american' and whenever I am in the States people call me 'ukrainian'. Therefore in a sense I can relate to the two different cultures Jhumpa was discussing.
This was clearly illustrated in 'This Blessed House.' While Sanjeev was stuck in his values or say religion in this story, his wife, Twinkle, was willing to embrace her surroundings of the house having 'christian' items that clashed with their 'hindu' beliefs. This showed Twinkle as someone who is free-spirited and embracing her surroundings. By letting whatever situation she was presented with be the coolest thing ever and love every single moment. Sanjeev was a bit stuck in his ways. He was concerned of what others thought of him, and the lifestyle he lead. He did not think very highly of the people in his life, he was comfortable and liked order. Twinkle definitely challenged his old bachelor years of not being married by being someone he did consider wife material. I loved that she would go out for 3 hours and get a medicure and pedicure, my type of girl. He even questioned if he truly loved his wife. I found that to be quite interesting and rather quite normal to due in a marriage. We often do question our surroundings, and the situations we are in. If we didn't then you are perfect, and well since no one is perfect then there you go.
I liked how his wife was the star of their party, and everyone felt like she was an amazing women. That showed me why Sanjeev had picked this women out of all the women he could have chosen, her spirit and charisma drew him in, and looks did play a role as well.
When she cried and how he reacted demonstrated his love for his wife.
"He thought of her slipping them on her feet. But instead of feeling irritated, as he had ever since they'd moved into the house together, he felt pang of anticipation at the thought of her rushing unsteadily down the winding staircase in them, scratching the floor a bit in her path." Now that shows me his heart and that he dose love this women.
It was quite a neat story.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Why Read Literature
While reading the three short stories assigned, I began to ponder life and what it truly means to read. I found myself agreeing with most of the readings and began to recognize, to a certain degree, why literature is vital in our lives.
The beginning of 'Why Read Literature' began with my full attention. I find exercising to be an important part of our daily life, and enjoyed how the author made a correlation of the vitality of literature as being as important as exercising. Reading expands out knowledge and increases our surroundings. It opens up worlds that we would not dare open. It gives us a plug to a world beyond our own eyes. The story about Malcolm X is amazing. That he let reading be his escape from being in the person. Wow. I liked the quote, "We are not mere empty receptacles ready to be filled with information, but living beings who are inspired by literary encounters to explore and transform ourselves." To me that resounds volume because of the profession I am pursuing, medicine. It demonstrates that through my studies are not just information but a tool to equip me with the right attire to transform lives and in a way to be transformed myself.
"Literature allows us to 'get over ourselves' and for a moment, at least, enter into another's vision and perspective." I completely agree with this quotation because it demonstrates to me how I view readings that inspire, teach, change, mold, challenge my thinking.
'Reading for Transformation' was very intriguing to many different angles. I enjoyed how the piece talked about reading The Bible, and what one may attain from such a reading. "When we pray with poetry, whether the biblical poetry of the psalms or non-biblical poetry open to Christian appropriation, we open ourselves to the possibility of spiritual experience." This explains to me why The Word is alive today, that it is the our daily bread. Because though the word of God we are somehow transformed and become open for God to reveal things in us through the Holy Spirit he bestows unto us. Neat.
I enjoyed how the author discussed that a poem touches us on a deep level that is expands our understanding. That is true, even in that passage it expanded my horizon of literature meaning.
The reading 'Darkness, Questions, Poetry and Spiritual Hope' was really quite a different way to look at hope and spirituality. A way that I have not really looked before as being death. I can relate to the author. How can we know pain, suffering, loneliness without experiencing it. WIthout such death, we can not know love, joy, and happiness. We would be live like empty shells walking around. I do agree that in our daily walk we need to be aware of things around us and to step in a be a part of what the author would consider 'death' which is things we don't want to talk about or discuss because the sadden us and give us grief. In a way its like without such death how could we be alive. How could life have meaning and hope. "To live without any awareness of it all is death pure and simple--even one may still be walking around smelling perfect." Wow that is so true. Ignorance only gets us so far, but true life is awareness of what is going on. Sometimes pain and the actions of others causes scares in our hearts that remain but without such pain that is sometimes knife deep we can not experience true forgiveness and sacrifice without having gone through it.
The beginning of 'Why Read Literature' began with my full attention. I find exercising to be an important part of our daily life, and enjoyed how the author made a correlation of the vitality of literature as being as important as exercising. Reading expands out knowledge and increases our surroundings. It opens up worlds that we would not dare open. It gives us a plug to a world beyond our own eyes. The story about Malcolm X is amazing. That he let reading be his escape from being in the person. Wow. I liked the quote, "We are not mere empty receptacles ready to be filled with information, but living beings who are inspired by literary encounters to explore and transform ourselves." To me that resounds volume because of the profession I am pursuing, medicine. It demonstrates that through my studies are not just information but a tool to equip me with the right attire to transform lives and in a way to be transformed myself.
"Literature allows us to 'get over ourselves' and for a moment, at least, enter into another's vision and perspective." I completely agree with this quotation because it demonstrates to me how I view readings that inspire, teach, change, mold, challenge my thinking.
'Reading for Transformation' was very intriguing to many different angles. I enjoyed how the piece talked about reading The Bible, and what one may attain from such a reading. "When we pray with poetry, whether the biblical poetry of the psalms or non-biblical poetry open to Christian appropriation, we open ourselves to the possibility of spiritual experience." This explains to me why The Word is alive today, that it is the our daily bread. Because though the word of God we are somehow transformed and become open for God to reveal things in us through the Holy Spirit he bestows unto us. Neat.
I enjoyed how the author discussed that a poem touches us on a deep level that is expands our understanding. That is true, even in that passage it expanded my horizon of literature meaning.
The reading 'Darkness, Questions, Poetry and Spiritual Hope' was really quite a different way to look at hope and spirituality. A way that I have not really looked before as being death. I can relate to the author. How can we know pain, suffering, loneliness without experiencing it. WIthout such death, we can not know love, joy, and happiness. We would be live like empty shells walking around. I do agree that in our daily walk we need to be aware of things around us and to step in a be a part of what the author would consider 'death' which is things we don't want to talk about or discuss because the sadden us and give us grief. In a way its like without such death how could we be alive. How could life have meaning and hope. "To live without any awareness of it all is death pure and simple--even one may still be walking around smelling perfect." Wow that is so true. Ignorance only gets us so far, but true life is awareness of what is going on. Sometimes pain and the actions of others causes scares in our hearts that remain but without such pain that is sometimes knife deep we can not experience true forgiveness and sacrifice without having gone through it.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
What We Talk About When We Talk About Love
The story by Raymond Carver, was pretty interesting the way it started. About love being violent and selfish in a way. When Terri kept talking about her ex abusing her physically and emotionally demonstrated his love for her is a big lie. How can that by any means define love. That sounds like complete selfishness to me and when someone kills themselves they are being selfish by taking their own life with no regard to others around them being affected. To me that sounds likes someone with complete psychological issues that are deeply rooted in a messed up way of not truly understanding love. People say that you hurt those that you love, but the way her ex husband abused her was way passed love it was more selfishness to fulfill his needs that were not being meant by Terri in some sick and twisted way. It sadness me that she still thinks that he loved her in a way. Maybe to her to think that way gives her peace that he killed himself by coping with his death with an excuse called love. Whatever it was, she was definitely deeply affected more than physically.
As the story progressed the people continued to get more drunk and the subject of love began to twist in different ways. Its interesting when people drink they often do not have a filter and spill whatever they are thinking. What was also something to consider was the authors story of him being a drunk in some way ties to how the story is written.
When Mel talked about how people come and go and yet we still find someone else to love. And even if we loved someone once we find that we hate them later in the future. It really dose have truth to it to a certain degree. Because we as humans find love by feeling with our emotions, and often our emotions are what guide us in our actions and directions. So I can see from that perspective what Mel is trying to come across.
Yet, throughout the reading I could not help but wonder to myself how God would play a role in love. For God is Love, and if God is love then love must be perfect. But we are humans and we fall short of the glory of God, so therefore we fall from that perfect love. Thus, no matter what circumstances we are presented with we must turn to God because in His perfect love he has grace that is sufficient for things we do not deserve and we can learn how to love. For true love is sacrifice, not prideful, or jealous, love dose not envy or boost, dose no evil, but delights in the good. So if we walk in Gods love then thru the Holy Spirit God teaches us what love is, patient, kind. Wow that to me is powerful.
Back to the story, it was interesting about the old couple and how the old man became depressed that he could not 'look' at his wife. It showed, to me, that he did truly cared for her in a way that everything revolved around this women. But i think the fact hat she was alive should have given him hope of seeing her and give him will power to stay strong for her. But who am I to say whether his depression was out of love, or something else. Love is something we humans try to truly understand and grasp what is. We spend most of our lives searching for it because in a way we are searching for God because He is LOVE. Since he created us out of love then somehow we seek it earnestly, for God said it is not good for man to be alone.
As the story progressed the people continued to get more drunk and the subject of love began to twist in different ways. Its interesting when people drink they often do not have a filter and spill whatever they are thinking. What was also something to consider was the authors story of him being a drunk in some way ties to how the story is written.
When Mel talked about how people come and go and yet we still find someone else to love. And even if we loved someone once we find that we hate them later in the future. It really dose have truth to it to a certain degree. Because we as humans find love by feeling with our emotions, and often our emotions are what guide us in our actions and directions. So I can see from that perspective what Mel is trying to come across.
Yet, throughout the reading I could not help but wonder to myself how God would play a role in love. For God is Love, and if God is love then love must be perfect. But we are humans and we fall short of the glory of God, so therefore we fall from that perfect love. Thus, no matter what circumstances we are presented with we must turn to God because in His perfect love he has grace that is sufficient for things we do not deserve and we can learn how to love. For true love is sacrifice, not prideful, or jealous, love dose not envy or boost, dose no evil, but delights in the good. So if we walk in Gods love then thru the Holy Spirit God teaches us what love is, patient, kind. Wow that to me is powerful.
Back to the story, it was interesting about the old couple and how the old man became depressed that he could not 'look' at his wife. It showed, to me, that he did truly cared for her in a way that everything revolved around this women. But i think the fact hat she was alive should have given him hope of seeing her and give him will power to stay strong for her. But who am I to say whether his depression was out of love, or something else. Love is something we humans try to truly understand and grasp what is. We spend most of our lives searching for it because in a way we are searching for God because He is LOVE. Since he created us out of love then somehow we seek it earnestly, for God said it is not good for man to be alone.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Active Reading on Literature
While reading 'active reading on literature' it began to explain different type of reading styles. For me personally that is pretty vital as being a reading due to the fact there are so many different angles one can look at reading. I found it very interesting about asking questions while you are reading. Often, at times, I catch myself asking questions when I read a piece of literature. My main question usually in the beginning of most literature that I read, listen to, write about. I like to know the source of where the author is coming from in order to have a solid foundation of what the reading is about.
Also, imagery is very important on how the piece of literature is written. It truly affects a persons emotions and feelings. As well as someone telling me a story. I have a friend back home that whenever she tells you anything makes it seem like its the best or worse thing EVER! She uses so much repetition, dialogue, imagery, emotions that you can not help but be drawn into her story. Often though, I think she over exaggerates on her stories, but don't we all to a certain extreme exaggerate a story when it comes from a different source? Honestly even if she dose over exaggerate the stories they are pretty darn good.
I liked how jotting down notes on the side and underlining was repeated throughout the reading. It showed me the vitality of such a task not only when going back and re-reading passages but just the mental note of such a task. During my devotionals I LOVE to underline and jot down notes because it truly helps me remember and when I look back at the reading I can find my favorite passages very quickly.
Poetry is very intrigued, it can speak so much in such little spacing and wording. Sometimes the quality of wording in a song or poems is WAY better then the quantity in literature and even in other factors of life. It speaks profound meanings. Going off a tangent I noticed a lot of songs are repetitive and repetition truly makes you remember and thus making the song pretty catchy. Sweet. Sometimes though repetition can be very annoying and you have a song stuck in your head that will just not go away. Just like not end this blog might be annoying to you ;) (just kidding).
Signing off,
Nataliya
Also, imagery is very important on how the piece of literature is written. It truly affects a persons emotions and feelings. As well as someone telling me a story. I have a friend back home that whenever she tells you anything makes it seem like its the best or worse thing EVER! She uses so much repetition, dialogue, imagery, emotions that you can not help but be drawn into her story. Often though, I think she over exaggerates on her stories, but don't we all to a certain extreme exaggerate a story when it comes from a different source? Honestly even if she dose over exaggerate the stories they are pretty darn good.
I liked how jotting down notes on the side and underlining was repeated throughout the reading. It showed me the vitality of such a task not only when going back and re-reading passages but just the mental note of such a task. During my devotionals I LOVE to underline and jot down notes because it truly helps me remember and when I look back at the reading I can find my favorite passages very quickly.
The Story of An Hour, I liked the noting on the side. For example "aquiver with a new spring life" is very descriptive, and if it was not noted on the side of the paper I would read past it. But with importance to the detail makes the piece more visual.
Signing off,
Nataliya
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Literary Profile
My earliest memory of literature was I was about 5 to 6 years old. My mother would always read The Children's Bible to me before bedtime. I was intrigued by it because of the way my mother read the stories to me. I loved looking behind her shoulder and at the illustrations that were on the pictures that went along with the stories. I enjoyed every moment of it more because I think my mother spent time with me and the fact that she was very engaged at what she read.
My Most recent memory of literature has been through my coursework and through my job as a pharmacy technician that I had before I came to SEU as a transfer student. While working I would read endless articles of the new and up coming medicine and different techniques the medical world is having an impact on today's society. My most memorable article was about how customers would approach the pharmacy being ignorant and naive. For example, it would say "can you please fill my white pill" or "can you fill all my medication". Its like wow are you serious people, do you now recognize what type of medicine you are taking and what it is for. It honestly makes you giggle inside reading that article, but unfortunately it is very true to many degrees. You would not believe how many people say 'can I have my white pill filled' or even ask to fill all of their medication. My classic response would be 'unfortunately sir/mam you need to tell what this medication is because if I make a mistake of filling a medication that you do not need I would be liable'.
Literature has been a big part of my life for a long time. My high school years were spent countlessly reading books and getting engulfed by the world books. It was my escape from reality and in sense an escape from my problems. I love reading fiction novels, stories about love, danger, power, heros, friendships, relationships. I was saturated and deeply loved reading. There would be days in and out that I would not leave my room just to finish a book.
When I began college in 2005 things began to change a little, I was more into going out with friends and exploring my freedom of being away from home. I did of course have to read for class but my endless summer day readings were shortened.
My favorite literary piece that I have read was "Captivating", I loved the story of what a womens heart is about. It gave me a better understanding of being a female. I read the book a few years back and it still remains with me to this day.
What I understood from Professor Corrigan's essay about this course, is that he truly wants his students to engage in the classroom, to think beyond just reading, to explore and discover who they are and somehow shape and change his students lives for the better. He wants people to do their work and do it well. To make an effort not just to get a good grade in the course, but to make an effort to do well in order to enrich their own lives. By enriching our lives we will and in some small part have enriched Professor Corrigan's life.
Lets see where this journey takes us.
My Most recent memory of literature has been through my coursework and through my job as a pharmacy technician that I had before I came to SEU as a transfer student. While working I would read endless articles of the new and up coming medicine and different techniques the medical world is having an impact on today's society. My most memorable article was about how customers would approach the pharmacy being ignorant and naive. For example, it would say "can you please fill my white pill" or "can you fill all my medication". Its like wow are you serious people, do you now recognize what type of medicine you are taking and what it is for. It honestly makes you giggle inside reading that article, but unfortunately it is very true to many degrees. You would not believe how many people say 'can I have my white pill filled' or even ask to fill all of their medication. My classic response would be 'unfortunately sir/mam you need to tell what this medication is because if I make a mistake of filling a medication that you do not need I would be liable'.
Literature has been a big part of my life for a long time. My high school years were spent countlessly reading books and getting engulfed by the world books. It was my escape from reality and in sense an escape from my problems. I love reading fiction novels, stories about love, danger, power, heros, friendships, relationships. I was saturated and deeply loved reading. There would be days in and out that I would not leave my room just to finish a book.
When I began college in 2005 things began to change a little, I was more into going out with friends and exploring my freedom of being away from home. I did of course have to read for class but my endless summer day readings were shortened.
My favorite literary piece that I have read was "Captivating", I loved the story of what a womens heart is about. It gave me a better understanding of being a female. I read the book a few years back and it still remains with me to this day.
What I understood from Professor Corrigan's essay about this course, is that he truly wants his students to engage in the classroom, to think beyond just reading, to explore and discover who they are and somehow shape and change his students lives for the better. He wants people to do their work and do it well. To make an effort not just to get a good grade in the course, but to make an effort to do well in order to enrich their own lives. By enriching our lives we will and in some small part have enriched Professor Corrigan's life.
Lets see where this journey takes us.
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