Final Thoughts By Me

I have already loathe blogging when I first receive this assignment but as I get the hang of it I started to like it. Blogging help me analyze and comprehend the stories, from Leaving Home more especially we have class discussion about the stories which is the fun part. Expressing my own thought of what I am thinking about while I am reading, asking questions about different things, and what my reaction to the story as well. I recognize some of the figures of speech in the stories which I
did my best to understand what it mean especially the poem or the authors' style of writing the stories. Sometime if I kind of understand the stories I will look at the other blog to get the idea or concept of it then reread it to make sure I understand the stories. Sometime I have to rea the stories more than one time. In my opinnion I would have encourage all of the English Department to use blogging instead of wasting the tree, but do not forget how to write. For FYS class, we could use that for journal, reaction, and/or FYS Learning Experience although we have to type in the correct format so it will be difficult to do it in the blog. Darn. Unless someone create advance level of blog for college purpose. I have made some trial and error but yet I learned. Now, I am typing this blog ahead of time instead of near midnight. Yay! Although, I will have to be consistent so what am I talking about. This is the last blog. Wow, hopefully I will use blog for one of the class for next semester or I will create my own blog. (Crying) Goodbye blog. Oh no, I mean see you later blog.


The most fun part of doing the blog is to add picture! Like the picture above on the right said:

"I WANT YOU FOR BLOGOSPHERE!"

"Recitatif" By: Toni Morrison

I am familiar with the author, Toni Morrison because some of my family have a book by her. This is the first time I read her story.

What is Recitatif? I had to looked it up. From my understanding is that Recitatif mean in this story is dialogic that interludes during operas and oratories.

The main characters is Twyla and Roberta as both have similar situation but the only difference is their skin. This story seem to be more of racial issues through friendship as they have a hard time to express out of their comfort zone. Both of them could have dislike each other just due by their skin but since they both are lonely and their mothers are ill they stay together to become friend. Does that mean it take sacrifice to become someone else friend? Since it hard to identified what race is in Twyla and Roberta, I think the author purposely telling the reader that the skin does not matter as we all are not much that difference. I feel that Twyla is black while Roberta is white due to Roberta was not helping Twyla from the crowd of people pushing Twyla's car back & forth. Although, I do not actually know. I said this because it seem like Roberta was able to have more privilege than Twlya because I notice that Roberta was able to have easier life than Twlya but then again I could not say it for sure. Roberta can be black as people may perceive because she was not able to read at young age. Also Roberta emotionally blamed Twlya of what happened to Maggie, who is deaf and mute worked at St. Bonny's, stated that Maggie is black and how she was beaten up. Twyla did not see that which could mean Maggie may look more white to her. This story is unsolved. Since I mostly can only see Twyla side of the story I think I would know the story better if I see Roberta side of the story. Both still remain friend and I think the key. About Maggie misfortune, it kind sad how Maggie had to bear with the gar girls who bullying her which Twyla and Roberta can not do anything about it because they are young kids and are afraid of the gar girls. When both of them was young they did want to hurt Maggie, but then when they became older they realized that it wrong for them to think that way.

To be honest when I first see the name Twyla I thought it was mispronounce by the accent of the person for some reason till I realized that is the actual name because of the repetition it is used in the story.

The story contain a metaphor of salt and pepper I suppose not only because one of the characters is black and the other is white. When you have a small container of salt and the other container is black, the salt and pepper is separated. This is like in the story they make the skin of their race separate from each other when they fight such like when they was protesting about integrated school.

This is the most common in many societies where ones who perceive someone is different create fear and discomfort lead to separating into a group in different categories.

Zelzah: A Tale From Long Ago By: Norma Fox Mazer

I find this story amazing. How Zelzah who doesn't complain about anything and does not ask for anything as well. Her sister, Ruth keep telling Zelzah that she want her to be happy and to be fair for her as well. Life is always not fair unless you make it fair. All of Zelzah's siblings got marry and have kids, but not Zelzah.

Zelzah like to explored herself in your lifetime journey as she stated how Grace would have done if she is still alive. Grace died after giving birth to a child by the father of Jake. Zelzah was suppose to marry Jake when she get to American in Vermont from Poland. Zelzah's Aunt promise that Jake will make her a good wife which Jake secretly wanting to marry Grace. Zelzah did request if Jake would not mind her to be his wife as Zelzah can help care for the child. Zelzah does not complain instead she laughed even when her Aunt apologize to her when things does not go as it plan. Why would she laugh? I think she laugh whatever that may went wrong that her family regret it but she didn't because she does not complain. I guess. After that she work her way up to her goal as she received education through high school and college. She worked at the textile. She traveled like she said she want to and she became a teacher loving to teach young kids. Ruth does not understand how Zelzah was able to put up with it like one part of the story when Ruth could not bear to work at the textile factory. Zelzah seemed to just appreciate her life no matter what happen. Before I make it sound like if Zelzah already intrigue into American culture, really it take time for Zelzah to get used with American cultures to learned their languages, money system, phrases, and behavior. Zelzah was originally raised in Poland and spoke in Yiddish language.

What actually hit me hard was the last part of the story as it stated:

"Was she happy? Who could say? Zelzah, herself, never thought in such terms. What was happiness? Did anyone know?"

You probably would have heard that some people are searching for their own happiness but is that the purpose of life to search for one's happiness? In my opinion I think Zelzah is at least satisfy with her life but I could not say for sure or maybe just being grateful for what she have. I think people have their own definition for their own happiness. This could be one of the reason that people who tend to have too much high expectation for themselves or goal would try to aim for their happiness than those people who do not.

What would be your definition of happiness? Or do anyone believe in any type of purpose of life that each individuals must contain?