In The Real Durwan,the story takes place on the stairwell, in the 1900s. This woman is probably going throug hardships so this book must be about how she overcomes it.
In the Adventure of the Speckled Band, the story takes place in Watsons house, in the 19th century. As Sherlock Holmes is a detective, this story probably is about Sherlock
Holmes solving a crime.
In Pride and Prejudice, the setting is in the Bennet household, in the 1800s. This is about rich aristocrats arranging marriage for their children and the consequences of such methods.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Telephone Conversation by Wole Soyinka
TELEPHONE CONVERSATION
Wole Soyinka
The price seemed reasonable, location
Indifferent. The landlady swore she lived
Off premises. Nothing remained
But self-confession. 'Madam,' I warned,
'I hate a wasted journey - I am African.'
Silence. Silenced transmission of
Pressurized good-breeding. Voice, when it came,
Lipstick coated, long gold-rolled
Cigarette-holder pipped. Caught I was, foully.
'HOW DARK?' . . . I had not misheard. . . . 'ARE YOU LIGHT
OR VERY DARK?' Button B. Button A. Stench
Of rancid breath of public hide-and-speak.
Red booth. Red pillar-box. Red double-tiered
Omnibus squelching tar. It was real! Shamed
By ill-mannered silence, surrender
Pushed dumbfounded to beg simplification.
Considerate she was, varying the emphasis -
'ARE YOU DARK? OR VERY LIGHT?' Revelation came.
'You mean - like plain or milk chocolate?'
Her assent was clinical, crushing in its light
Impersonality. Rapidly, wave-length adjusted,
I chose. 'West African sepia' - and as afterthought,
'Down in my passport.' Silence for spectroscopic
Flight of fancy, till truthfulness clanged her accent
Hard on the mouthpiece. 'WHAT'S THAT?' conceding
'DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.' 'Like brunette.'
'THAT'S DARK, ISN'T IT?' 'Not altogether.
Facially, I am brunette, but madam, you should see
The rest of me. Palm of my hand, soles of my feet
Are a peroxide blonde. Friction, caused -
Foolishly madam - by sitting down, has turned
My bottom raven black - One moment madam!' - sensing
Her receiver rearing on the thunderclap
About my ears - 'Madam,' I pleaded, 'wouldn't you rather
See for yourself?'
Wole Soyinka
The price seemed reasonable, location
Indifferent. The landlady swore she lived
Off premises. Nothing remained
But self-confession. 'Madam,' I warned,
'I hate a wasted journey - I am African.'
Silence. Silenced transmission of
Pressurized good-breeding. Voice, when it came,
Lipstick coated, long gold-rolled
Cigarette-holder pipped. Caught I was, foully.
'HOW DARK?' . . . I had not misheard. . . . 'ARE YOU LIGHT
OR VERY DARK?' Button B. Button A. Stench
Of rancid breath of public hide-and-speak.
Red booth. Red pillar-box. Red double-tiered
Omnibus squelching tar. It was real! Shamed
By ill-mannered silence, surrender
Pushed dumbfounded to beg simplification.
Considerate she was, varying the emphasis -
'ARE YOU DARK? OR VERY LIGHT?' Revelation came.
'You mean - like plain or milk chocolate?'
Her assent was clinical, crushing in its light
Impersonality. Rapidly, wave-length adjusted,
I chose. 'West African sepia' - and as afterthought,
'Down in my passport.' Silence for spectroscopic
Flight of fancy, till truthfulness clanged her accent
Hard on the mouthpiece. 'WHAT'S THAT?' conceding
'DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.' 'Like brunette.'
'THAT'S DARK, ISN'T IT?' 'Not altogether.
Facially, I am brunette, but madam, you should see
The rest of me. Palm of my hand, soles of my feet
Are a peroxide blonde. Friction, caused -
Foolishly madam - by sitting down, has turned
My bottom raven black - One moment madam!' - sensing
Her receiver rearing on the thunderclap
About my ears - 'Madam,' I pleaded, 'wouldn't you rather
See for yourself?'
Q1. This poem is full of colours not just that of skin, what do you think these colours signify?
In line 13, the poet uses the words red three times. Red booth. Red pillar-box. Red double-tiered omnibus squelching tar. This is used to signify the persona's anger. He was infuriated when the landlady had begun to insult him for his race. In the lines 10-17, he feels sore that the landlady has begun to insult him; he knows that she really is trying to hurt him. However, this man is not a savage brute like all people think Africans are.
Q2. What does the dialogue in this poem reveal about these two characters?
The landlady may be rich but she has a racist mindset of blacks. She does not think that blacks can actually be successful and smart people. The poem reveals the man, to be witty, analytical and quite unlike the stereotype. He manages to defend himself and the landlady shrinks in fear.
Q3. Who wins in the end?
The man won in the end. He used his wit and sarcasm to show the landlady that being black wasn't anything to be ashamed of, and that racism was ridiculous.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
The Civil Rights Movement and its relation to To Kill A Mockingbird
The Civil Rights Movement
a. When did the Civil Rights Movement begin?
It began in 1954.
b. What was the Civil Rights Movement about?
This Movement was worldwide and was aimed at equity before the law (no one gets special privileges) which included outlawing racial discrimination against African-Americans (black Americans) and restoring suffrage for the blacks in the Southern States. It was also meant to promote racial dignity, economic and political self-sufficiency, and freedom from oppression by white Americans. This was because police and ordinary citizens alike crazily enforced separation of the two races, discriminating against them, and a black who mixed with a white person could be killed without reason. Punishment for killing a black person was rarely meted. The founding fathers of the United States had written of humanity's inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but many did not believe this should apply to black slaves or women. Racism obstructs America's desire to be a land of human equality; the struggle for equal rights was also a struggle for the soul of the nation.
c. State some of the significant incidents that took place in the civil rights movement (2-3 incidents, briefly stated)
1. On 26 July, 1948, President Truman signed the Executive Order 9981 which reads, "It is hereby declared to be the policy of the President that there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin."
2. In the early months of 1957, Martin Luther King, Charles K. Steele and Fred Shuttlesworth found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which became a major force in the Civil Rights Movement and is based on “non-violence and civil disobedience”. As King said, “We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline.”
3. In September 1957, nine black students are denied access into the previously all-white Central High School on the orders of Governor Orval Faubus, who opposed integration. He called out the Arkansas National Guard to block integration. However, President Eisenhower then sent federal troops and the National Guard to intervene on behalf of the students. Later, in 1964, President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to allow the federal government to use arms to enforce desegregation.
d. Which American President supported the Movement?
Lyndon Baines Johnson, or just President Johnson, was a supporter. He signed an act, backed a federal investigation regarding the death of three people who had been murdered by the Ku Klux Klan after they were working to register black voters in Mississippi, and issued Executive Order 11246, enforced for government contractors to "take affirmative action" toward prospective minority employees in all aspects of hiring and employment.
e. What was the outcome of the movement?
Basically, African-Americans outwardly are on par with whites on privileges. However, racist prejudices have never died. Black Americans have voting rights and hold office to good jobs, but people do still carry the mind set of old that African Americans are lesser people. Segregation was outlawed.
f. In what way is the Civil rights Movement related to the novel?
Harper Lee wrote To Kill a Mockingbird during a very tense time racially in her home state of Alabama. The South was still segregated, forcing blacks to use separate facilities apart from those used by whites, in almost every aspect of society. The Civil Rights Movement began to pick up steam when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955. Following her bold defiance, Marin Luther King, Jr., became the leader of the movement, and the issue began to gain serious national attention. Clearly, a prime subject of To Kill a Mockingbird, namely the injustice of racism and inequality in the American South, was highly relevant at the time of its publication. Also, women did not receive many rights. Scout, being a female, matures and slowly learns about racism. Another thing is that racial discrimination is a big-scale epidemic.
Montgomery Bus Boycott and Scottsboro Trials
a. State the specifics of each trial and why they were significant.
• Dr King organized a bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, that lasted for 382 days, with 90 per cent participation of blacks. It was a political and social protest campaign that started in 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, USA, intended to oppose the city's policy of racial segregation on its public transit system. The boycott resulted in a crippling financial deficit for the Montgomery public transit system, because the city's black population who were the drivers of the boycott were also the bulk of the system's paying customers. Under the system of segregation used on Montgomery buses, white people who boarded the bus took seats in the front rows, filling the bus toward the back. Black people who boarded the bus took seats in the back rows, filling the bus toward the front. Eventually, the two sections would meet, and the bus would be full. If other black people boarded the bus, they were required to stand. If another white person boarded the bus, then everyone in the black row nearest the front had to get up and stand, so that a new row for white people could be created. Often when boarding the buses, black people were required to pay at the front, get off, and re-enter the bus through a separate door at the back. On some occasions bus drivers would drive away before black passengers were able to re-board.
• The Scottsboro boys were just nine black youth who were like hitchhikers who took train rides to look for jobs, and their trial started when one white guy stepped on one of the black youth’s hand. Both the white and black had friends, and they had stone fights, and the black boys managed to push every of the black boys except one off the train. They pulled one of the white boys in after the train had sped to dangerous speeds. These white boys went to report the black youth, hereafter termed the Scottsboro boys. Also, two girls came forth and accused six of the nine boys of rape. Then, the rest was legal battles, then long periods of jail, then lots of publicity. In the end, they all died wronged. Their lives had been ruined by this trial. It was the most shameful injustice in American law.
b. How is the Scottsboro trial related to the trial in the novel?
The case largely contains racial prejudice. Justice is not meted out because these people are black. However, at the same time, there is a kind soul who is heroic enough to defend these black people.
c. In what way are these trials similar?
In both trials, the accused is black, the accuser is white, and the accuser has the support of the crowd because they are prejudiced against blacks. However, the accuser presents distorted facts. The black person is victorious, but still draws a lot of flak and has not really won anything. In fact, he has probably suffered much more than he gained.
Trials of a true Southern Belle and Southern Gentleman
a. What were the rules of etiquette for Southern gentlemen and ladies?
A Southern gentleman refers to a polite gentleman with respect and is from the upper class. A Southern belle is an archetype for a young woman of the American Old South's upper class. She was deemed “the natural product of aristocratic breeding”. She had to be demure and had to avoid talking to anyone other than whites. They had rules. For a Southern Belle, she had to:
• Avoid pants or trousers, or be risked being called a prostitute or a lesbian even.
• Wear dresses at all times, and Sunday dresses were almost always bought.
• Speak only to white, rich or properly dressed people.
• Boycott sexual conversation, talks of pregnancy, etc.
• Refrain from raising her voice and speak politely.
• Never swear and use proper grammar.
For a Southern gentleman, he had to:
• Wear full attire (suit, tie, etc.)
• Tip his hat to a lady, and remove it in the presence of a lady.
• Usually talk with a drawl
• Pull out a chair for a lady and never let her do it herself
• Offer the woman assistance (carrying stuff, lighting her cigarette)
• Know how to appreciate a good meal
b. Southern ladies did sewing to pass their time. Nothing strenuous was permitted, so
c. Pictures of Southern ladies and gentlemen
d. Identify characters in the novel that fit the mould of true southern belles and gentlemen and those who don’t? Explain.
Southern belles: Aunt Alexandra: petty about a lady’s behaviour
Southern gentleman: Atticus, Judge Taylor: respectful to ladies
Harper Lee
a. About the author
Harper Lee is an American author best known for her 1960 Pulitzer Prize winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, which deals with the issues of racism that she had seen as a child in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama. She loved writing. She has only written one novel, To Kill a Mockingbird.
b. Biodata
She is 85 years old, and female. Her birthday is on April 28.
c. Novels written by her
She has only written To Kill a Mockingbird.
d. Awards she has received
She has received the Pulitzer prize, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom
e. Why is To Kill a Mockingbird important to her?
It was important because she based it on her life experience and it was close to her.
a. When did the Civil Rights Movement begin?
It began in 1954.
b. What was the Civil Rights Movement about?
This Movement was worldwide and was aimed at equity before the law (no one gets special privileges) which included outlawing racial discrimination against African-Americans (black Americans) and restoring suffrage for the blacks in the Southern States. It was also meant to promote racial dignity, economic and political self-sufficiency, and freedom from oppression by white Americans. This was because police and ordinary citizens alike crazily enforced separation of the two races, discriminating against them, and a black who mixed with a white person could be killed without reason. Punishment for killing a black person was rarely meted. The founding fathers of the United States had written of humanity's inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but many did not believe this should apply to black slaves or women. Racism obstructs America's desire to be a land of human equality; the struggle for equal rights was also a struggle for the soul of the nation.
c. State some of the significant incidents that took place in the civil rights movement (2-3 incidents, briefly stated)
1. On 26 July, 1948, President Truman signed the Executive Order 9981 which reads, "It is hereby declared to be the policy of the President that there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin."
2. In the early months of 1957, Martin Luther King, Charles K. Steele and Fred Shuttlesworth found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which became a major force in the Civil Rights Movement and is based on “non-violence and civil disobedience”. As King said, “We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline.”
3. In September 1957, nine black students are denied access into the previously all-white Central High School on the orders of Governor Orval Faubus, who opposed integration. He called out the Arkansas National Guard to block integration. However, President Eisenhower then sent federal troops and the National Guard to intervene on behalf of the students. Later, in 1964, President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to allow the federal government to use arms to enforce desegregation.
d. Which American President supported the Movement?
Lyndon Baines Johnson, or just President Johnson, was a supporter. He signed an act, backed a federal investigation regarding the death of three people who had been murdered by the Ku Klux Klan after they were working to register black voters in Mississippi, and issued Executive Order 11246, enforced for government contractors to "take affirmative action" toward prospective minority employees in all aspects of hiring and employment.
e. What was the outcome of the movement?
Basically, African-Americans outwardly are on par with whites on privileges. However, racist prejudices have never died. Black Americans have voting rights and hold office to good jobs, but people do still carry the mind set of old that African Americans are lesser people. Segregation was outlawed.
f. In what way is the Civil rights Movement related to the novel?
Harper Lee wrote To Kill a Mockingbird during a very tense time racially in her home state of Alabama. The South was still segregated, forcing blacks to use separate facilities apart from those used by whites, in almost every aspect of society. The Civil Rights Movement began to pick up steam when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955. Following her bold defiance, Marin Luther King, Jr., became the leader of the movement, and the issue began to gain serious national attention. Clearly, a prime subject of To Kill a Mockingbird, namely the injustice of racism and inequality in the American South, was highly relevant at the time of its publication. Also, women did not receive many rights. Scout, being a female, matures and slowly learns about racism. Another thing is that racial discrimination is a big-scale epidemic.
Montgomery Bus Boycott and Scottsboro Trials
a. State the specifics of each trial and why they were significant.
• Dr King organized a bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, that lasted for 382 days, with 90 per cent participation of blacks. It was a political and social protest campaign that started in 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, USA, intended to oppose the city's policy of racial segregation on its public transit system. The boycott resulted in a crippling financial deficit for the Montgomery public transit system, because the city's black population who were the drivers of the boycott were also the bulk of the system's paying customers. Under the system of segregation used on Montgomery buses, white people who boarded the bus took seats in the front rows, filling the bus toward the back. Black people who boarded the bus took seats in the back rows, filling the bus toward the front. Eventually, the two sections would meet, and the bus would be full. If other black people boarded the bus, they were required to stand. If another white person boarded the bus, then everyone in the black row nearest the front had to get up and stand, so that a new row for white people could be created. Often when boarding the buses, black people were required to pay at the front, get off, and re-enter the bus through a separate door at the back. On some occasions bus drivers would drive away before black passengers were able to re-board.
• The Scottsboro boys were just nine black youth who were like hitchhikers who took train rides to look for jobs, and their trial started when one white guy stepped on one of the black youth’s hand. Both the white and black had friends, and they had stone fights, and the black boys managed to push every of the black boys except one off the train. They pulled one of the white boys in after the train had sped to dangerous speeds. These white boys went to report the black youth, hereafter termed the Scottsboro boys. Also, two girls came forth and accused six of the nine boys of rape. Then, the rest was legal battles, then long periods of jail, then lots of publicity. In the end, they all died wronged. Their lives had been ruined by this trial. It was the most shameful injustice in American law.
b. How is the Scottsboro trial related to the trial in the novel?
The case largely contains racial prejudice. Justice is not meted out because these people are black. However, at the same time, there is a kind soul who is heroic enough to defend these black people.
c. In what way are these trials similar?
In both trials, the accused is black, the accuser is white, and the accuser has the support of the crowd because they are prejudiced against blacks. However, the accuser presents distorted facts. The black person is victorious, but still draws a lot of flak and has not really won anything. In fact, he has probably suffered much more than he gained.
Trials of a true Southern Belle and Southern Gentleman
a. What were the rules of etiquette for Southern gentlemen and ladies?
A Southern gentleman refers to a polite gentleman with respect and is from the upper class. A Southern belle is an archetype for a young woman of the American Old South's upper class. She was deemed “the natural product of aristocratic breeding”. She had to be demure and had to avoid talking to anyone other than whites. They had rules. For a Southern Belle, she had to:
• Avoid pants or trousers, or be risked being called a prostitute or a lesbian even.
• Wear dresses at all times, and Sunday dresses were almost always bought.
• Speak only to white, rich or properly dressed people.
• Boycott sexual conversation, talks of pregnancy, etc.
• Refrain from raising her voice and speak politely.
• Never swear and use proper grammar.
For a Southern gentleman, he had to:
• Wear full attire (suit, tie, etc.)
• Tip his hat to a lady, and remove it in the presence of a lady.
• Usually talk with a drawl
• Pull out a chair for a lady and never let her do it herself
• Offer the woman assistance (carrying stuff, lighting her cigarette)
• Know how to appreciate a good meal
b. Southern ladies did sewing to pass their time. Nothing strenuous was permitted, so
c. Pictures of Southern ladies and gentlemen
d. Identify characters in the novel that fit the mould of true southern belles and gentlemen and those who don’t? Explain.
Southern belles: Aunt Alexandra: petty about a lady’s behaviour
Southern gentleman: Atticus, Judge Taylor: respectful to ladies
Harper Lee
a. About the author
Harper Lee is an American author best known for her 1960 Pulitzer Prize winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, which deals with the issues of racism that she had seen as a child in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama. She loved writing. She has only written one novel, To Kill a Mockingbird.
b. Biodata
She is 85 years old, and female. Her birthday is on April 28.
c. Novels written by her
She has only written To Kill a Mockingbird.
d. Awards she has received
She has received the Pulitzer prize, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom
e. Why is To Kill a Mockingbird important to her?
It was important because she based it on her life experience and it was close to her.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Home Learning comic
http://s3.amazonaws.com/stripgenerator/strip/00/47/64/00/00/full.png
The background is white. It represents the canvas of my mind, the space where I think. The items are my thoughts. they represent my needs and wants. I was thinking that this year is to be a stressful year, so I must go all out and not rest at all. But barely into 3 weeks I am already feeling exhausted! I realise that playing too much is bad, but working too much is also bad. We must strike a balance. We work so that we produce fruits of our labour, and we play so that our brain has time to cool down.
The background is white. It represents the canvas of my mind, the space where I think. The items are my thoughts. they represent my needs and wants. I was thinking that this year is to be a stressful year, so I must go all out and not rest at all. But barely into 3 weeks I am already feeling exhausted! I realise that playing too much is bad, but working too much is also bad. We must strike a balance. We work so that we produce fruits of our labour, and we play so that our brain has time to cool down.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Forms of Discrimination
Internal
Gender Discrimination: There is a misconception that males are more athletic than females.
Racial Discrimination: Activities of the Ku Klux Klan
Intelligence Discrimination: Elitist schools looking down on neighborhood
Appearance Discrimination: Fat persons are classified as ugly by society.
Disability Discrimination: Their needs are neglected by society.
Nationality Discrimination: Intense hate between Russians and Americans during the Cold War.
External
Sexual Orientation Discrimination: Homosexuals are ostracized by society.
Religious Discrimination: The Crusades against Muslim lands.
Job Discrimination: Junk collectors are looked down and despised by society
Political Discrimination: Supporters of political parties are targeted with violence.
Wealth Discrimination: The Nazi Party targeted the rich and successful Jewish people.Cloony the Clown by Shel Silverstein
I'll tell you the story of Cloony the Clown
Who worked in a circus that came through town.
His shoes were too big and his hat was too small,
But he just wasn't, just wasn't funny at all.
He had a trombone to play loud silly tunes,
He had a green dog and a thousand balloons.
He was floppy and sloppy and skinny and tall,
But he just wasn't, just wasn't funny at all.
And every time he did a trick,
Everyone felt a little sick.
And every time he told a joke,
Folks sighed as if their hearts were broke.
And every time he lost a shoe,
Everyone looked awfully blue.
And every time he stood on his head,
Everyone screamed, "Go back to bed!"
And every time he made a leap,
Everybody fell asleep.
And every time he ate his tie,
Everyone began to cry.
And Cloony could not make any money
Simply because he was not funny.
One day he said, "I'll tell this town
How it feels to be an unfunny clown."
And he told them all why he looked so sad,
And he told them all why he felt so bad.
He told of Pain and Rain and Cold,
He told of Darkness in his soul,
And after he finished his tale of woe,
Did everyone cry? Oh no, no, no,
They laughed until they shook the trees
With "Hah-Hah-Hahs" and "Hee-Hee-Hees."
They laughed with howls and yowls and shrieks,
They laughed all day, they laughed all week,
They laughed until they had a fit,
They laughed until their jackets split.
The laughter spread for miles around
To every city, every town,
Over mountains, 'cross the sea,
From Saint Tropez to Mun San Nee.
And soon the whole world rang with laughter,
Lasting till forever after,
While Cloony stood in the circus tent,
With his head drooped low and his shoulders bent.
And he said,"THAT IS NOT WHAT I MEANT -
I'M FUNNY JUST BY ACCIDENT."
And while the world laughed outside.
Cloony the Clown sat down and cried.
1. The irony is that the audience laugh at Cloony inaprropriately. When he bares his soul to them, they find it funny. When he does a trick, people feel disgusted at him. We tend to gloat over people's misfortunes. This is a human streak. Also, despite Cloony finally getting fame, it only makes him realise that he is so empty inside.
2. Shel Silverstein does bring out some harsh realities. For example, humans gloat over other people's misfortune. We often neglect people the most when they need us badly.
3. The poet uses repetition, irony, contrast(e.g. old man and young boy) to show differences and he likes to hold back the hilarity till the very end so that it can build up.
Which poem do you identify with the most?
Of all the poems I can identify with Cloony the Clown the most. The theme is that external riches do not satisfy the heart, and I can understand that point very well after I once visited an old folks' home. The old people there shared with me that even though they have varied backgounds, they all end up in the home and nearing the end of their lives, all the material wealth they possess wither away. That was the most shocking lesson of my life that I have never forgotten.
Who worked in a circus that came through town.
His shoes were too big and his hat was too small,
But he just wasn't, just wasn't funny at all.
He had a trombone to play loud silly tunes,
He had a green dog and a thousand balloons.
He was floppy and sloppy and skinny and tall,
But he just wasn't, just wasn't funny at all.
And every time he did a trick,
Everyone felt a little sick.
And every time he told a joke,
Folks sighed as if their hearts were broke.
And every time he lost a shoe,
Everyone looked awfully blue.
And every time he stood on his head,
Everyone screamed, "Go back to bed!"
And every time he made a leap,
Everybody fell asleep.
And every time he ate his tie,
Everyone began to cry.
And Cloony could not make any money
Simply because he was not funny.
One day he said, "I'll tell this town
How it feels to be an unfunny clown."
And he told them all why he looked so sad,
And he told them all why he felt so bad.
He told of Pain and Rain and Cold,
He told of Darkness in his soul,
And after he finished his tale of woe,
Did everyone cry? Oh no, no, no,
They laughed until they shook the trees
With "Hah-Hah-Hahs" and "Hee-Hee-Hees."
They laughed with howls and yowls and shrieks,
They laughed all day, they laughed all week,
They laughed until they had a fit,
They laughed until their jackets split.
The laughter spread for miles around
To every city, every town,
Over mountains, 'cross the sea,
From Saint Tropez to Mun San Nee.
And soon the whole world rang with laughter,
Lasting till forever after,
While Cloony stood in the circus tent,
With his head drooped low and his shoulders bent.
And he said,"THAT IS NOT WHAT I MEANT -
I'M FUNNY JUST BY ACCIDENT."
And while the world laughed outside.
Cloony the Clown sat down and cried.
1. The irony is that the audience laugh at Cloony inaprropriately. When he bares his soul to them, they find it funny. When he does a trick, people feel disgusted at him. We tend to gloat over people's misfortunes. This is a human streak. Also, despite Cloony finally getting fame, it only makes him realise that he is so empty inside.
2. Shel Silverstein does bring out some harsh realities. For example, humans gloat over other people's misfortune. We often neglect people the most when they need us badly.
3. The poet uses repetition, irony, contrast(e.g. old man and young boy) to show differences and he likes to hold back the hilarity till the very end so that it can build up.
Which poem do you identify with the most?
Of all the poems I can identify with Cloony the Clown the most. The theme is that external riches do not satisfy the heart, and I can understand that point very well after I once visited an old folks' home. The old people there shared with me that even though they have varied backgounds, they all end up in the home and nearing the end of their lives, all the material wealth they possess wither away. That was the most shocking lesson of my life that I have never forgotten.
Messy Room by Shel Silverstein
Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
His underwear is hanging on the lamp.
His raincoat is there in the overstuffed chair,
And the chair is becoming quite mucky and damp.
His workbook is wedged in the window,
His sweater's been thrown on the floor.
His scarf and one ski are beneath the TV,
And his pants have been carelessly hung on the door.
His books are all jammed in the closet,
His vest has been left in the hall.
A lizard named Ed is asleep in his bed,
And his smelly old sock has been stuck to the wall.
Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
Donald or Robert or Willie or--
Huh? You say it's mine? Oh, dear,
I knew it looked familiar!
This poem talks about people being blind to their own faults and at the same time being judgmental. This persona sees a room in a mess, and criticizes it all over. From the floor to the closet to the bed to the window, and throws so much harsh language until a second party makes it clear that the room belongs to the persona himself. Then the persona stops his ranting.
1. The poem is humorous because the author holds back the humour until the last three lines. After the scolding and lamnting only does the author realise that he is scolding himself. It is also funny because he was so blind to his own faults. After painting a scene of the mess in his room he ends up shooting his own foot.
2. In this poem the egotistic aspect of the human being is opened up. The author shows the persona's blindness to his faults, and his quick judgmental attitude. We learn how judging people is not good, because as the pot calls the kettle black, the consequences are that we become blind to our shortcomings.
His underwear is hanging on the lamp.
His raincoat is there in the overstuffed chair,
And the chair is becoming quite mucky and damp.
His workbook is wedged in the window,
His sweater's been thrown on the floor.
His scarf and one ski are beneath the TV,
And his pants have been carelessly hung on the door.
His books are all jammed in the closet,
His vest has been left in the hall.
A lizard named Ed is asleep in his bed,
And his smelly old sock has been stuck to the wall.
Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
Donald or Robert or Willie or--
Huh? You say it's mine? Oh, dear,
I knew it looked familiar!
This poem talks about people being blind to their own faults and at the same time being judgmental. This persona sees a room in a mess, and criticizes it all over. From the floor to the closet to the bed to the window, and throws so much harsh language until a second party makes it clear that the room belongs to the persona himself. Then the persona stops his ranting.
1. The poem is humorous because the author holds back the humour until the last three lines. After the scolding and lamnting only does the author realise that he is scolding himself. It is also funny because he was so blind to his own faults. After painting a scene of the mess in his room he ends up shooting his own foot.
2. In this poem the egotistic aspect of the human being is opened up. The author shows the persona's blindness to his faults, and his quick judgmental attitude. We learn how judging people is not good, because as the pot calls the kettle black, the consequences are that we become blind to our shortcomings.
The Little Boy and the Old Man by Shel Silverstein
Said the little boy, "Sometimes I drop my spoon."
Said the old man, "I do that too."
The little boy whispered, "I wet my pants."
"I do that too," laughed the little old man.
Said the little boy, "I often cry."
The old man nodded, "So do I."
"But worst of all," said the boy, "it seems
Grown-ups don't pay attention to me."
And he felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand.
"I know what you mean," said the little old man.
1.This poem is a conversation between a young boy and an old man. This boy speaks his heart, and the old man reciprocates. To everything the boy says, the old man replies with a yes, so do I answer. The boy says that he feels neglected by adults, to which the man embraces him and says, he understands. This poem talks about the lack of atention grown-ups can sometimes show toward children. This is a commonly identifiable topic, because in this world we move through conversation ater conversation and we have all been children once. Sometimes, when I talk to a young child myself I also tend to think that the child is not worth the time because I have more impotant things to do and I forget that sometimes the world is best seen through the eyes of a young child. They are creative.
The author Shel Silverstein uses an old man and a young boy. He does not use an adult man or woman, and I think this is because an old man does regress to a child-like thinking. This is not a childish mindset, but rather, life slows down as you get older. You go back to the lifestyle of a young boy, as it were.
The old man says he does whatever the child does: cry, wet his pants, drop a spoon. The old man smiles and agrees, but at he lamenting of being neglected, the old man changes his reaction. He empathises with the boy and puts his warm hand to his, and says he knows what he means. I think this is because the old man also experiences negligence. Perhaps because old people are economically dependent, they rely on their children to support them. And this is why their adult children treat them like children. However, if we think, old people have the most wisdom, and young children have the most innocence. So, the conclusion is that adults neglect children, and because they condescend to children.
2. Shel Silverstein uses some techniques. Firstly, he uses caesura in almost every line. This helps to add more rhythm to the poem.
Said the old man, "I do that too."
The little boy whispered, "I wet my pants."
"I do that too," laughed the little old man.
Said the little boy, "I often cry."
The old man nodded, "So do I."
"But worst of all," said the boy, "it seems
Grown-ups don't pay attention to me."
And he felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand.
"I know what you mean," said the little old man.
1.This poem is a conversation between a young boy and an old man. This boy speaks his heart, and the old man reciprocates. To everything the boy says, the old man replies with a yes, so do I answer. The boy says that he feels neglected by adults, to which the man embraces him and says, he understands. This poem talks about the lack of atention grown-ups can sometimes show toward children. This is a commonly identifiable topic, because in this world we move through conversation ater conversation and we have all been children once. Sometimes, when I talk to a young child myself I also tend to think that the child is not worth the time because I have more impotant things to do and I forget that sometimes the world is best seen through the eyes of a young child. They are creative.
The author Shel Silverstein uses an old man and a young boy. He does not use an adult man or woman, and I think this is because an old man does regress to a child-like thinking. This is not a childish mindset, but rather, life slows down as you get older. You go back to the lifestyle of a young boy, as it were.
The old man says he does whatever the child does: cry, wet his pants, drop a spoon. The old man smiles and agrees, but at he lamenting of being neglected, the old man changes his reaction. He empathises with the boy and puts his warm hand to his, and says he knows what he means. I think this is because the old man also experiences negligence. Perhaps because old people are economically dependent, they rely on their children to support them. And this is why their adult children treat them like children. However, if we think, old people have the most wisdom, and young children have the most innocence. So, the conclusion is that adults neglect children, and because they condescend to children.
2. Shel Silverstein uses some techniques. Firstly, he uses caesura in almost every line. This helps to add more rhythm to the poem.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)