The Bean Eaters

Another of Gwendolyn Brooks' poems which I also enjoyed is, "The Bean Eaters", which is about an old, simple couple who lived a good life, but did not have too much money. I actually learned something new after having read and discussed this poem. I'd never known that beans were very inexpensive, and in this poem, that is how the author shows us that this couple ate low-priced food, meaning they did not have money for other types of good food. This couple also used cheap plates and such. What I did like about the poem is that it truly shows that no matter how wealthy or impoverished people are, you could still have happiness. The author also mentions that they live in a rented house and how they keep a lot of their belongings in a room. This couple most probably just doesn't have much space for all their things in their little home, but they seem to be quite happy with each other.

Sadie and Maud

When I read this poem, I thought a lot about what happens after high school and the different paths we all take. Many of us attend college right away in order to continue our education and be over and done with it before we want to give up. This poem is based on two sisters which are in many ways different. Sadie and Maud both took opposite paths in life. Sadie decided not to attend college; she preferred to skip that and live her life. While Maud chose to continue on with her education, which in my eyes is highly important. However, I do believe that if one feels as if they will find more in learning from experiencing then perhaps they should be allowed to do so. There are many people out there who have gone far without going to college, but I do still think that it's necessary. The final message in this poem is that Maud went to college, but did not necessarily end living a happy life. Sadie, on the other hand, had a child at an early age, skipped college, but had an awful happy ending.

Kitchenette Building

I really liked this poem, 'Kitchenette Building', by Gwendolyn Brooks because the message she is sending out is very much so true. Many of us have never lived in a home the way that the ones she is discussing live. Sharing a bathroom with even more than 3 persons, now-a-days, can get pretty crazy. Imagine living with more than 5? I'm sure none of us would be able to handle that. Aside from that being the main problem in this poem, these individuals have to live with the idea of putting your hopes and dreams on the side. Basically they have to tell their dreams to just wait on the side, and they will someday reach their hopes. There is so much going on that there's no time to focus on achieving our goals.

Revenge

There are many different ways revenge can be sought. It just seems part of human nature to want revenge toward a person who you've felt betrayed by or has done you wrong in whatever way it may be. It always depends on the person because some may just not care enough to put such effort to cause revenge. It also has much to do with the value of wrong doing. Personally, I believe everyone has the right to want to cause revenge upon another; especially because they probably do deserve what may be coming their way. An important factor about revenge is that usually, most probably, ends up causing the betrayed individual to feel better about the negative situation they've been put into. For that reason, and a few others, is why I feel that there is never anything wrong with wanting revenge. Revenge is something that a person will always feel they must accomplish. Basically, they won't relax until they feel as if they have caused some vengeance toward the person who has screwed them over. People will work very hard to assure that revenge has been sought, once and for all.

Los Vendidos

The story/play by Luis Valdez, "Los Vendidos" was very funny; I really enjoyed it. This story did a good job at showing the Mexican stereotypes. I find it very amusing how the secretary is out there trying to purchase a Mexican worker. It was obvious that the gentleman who was showing her, and telling her about each worker, really wanted to say lots of good things about his 'models', as he referred to them as. He was good at trying to convince her that all the workers were good choices and worked hard. However, she just could not leave the shop with a full-out Mexican, or as they stated, made in Mexico. The ending was basically the climax of the story. It turned out to be that the Sancho was the only actual worker.

Oedipus Rex

Like Hamlet, this story by Sophocles is quite popular, but I think people know more about this one, as opposed to the play about the Prince of Denmark. In philosophy class we were again reminded about the riddle that the Sphinx had Oedipus answer. I personally enjoyed this play better than Hamlet; perhaps because I'm more familiar with it. The storyline for this play is pretty twisted while it happens to make it interesting. Oedipus truly wanted to know his past and his destiny and ended in shock, when he found everything out. He'd killed his father and married his own mother.

Hamlet

All of us have heard the name Hamlet. And we know that this play was written by the famous Shakespeare, many many years ago. Aside from that and that Hamlet is the main character in the play, I knew nothing about it. The film we watched in class was actually quite interesting. At the beginning of the movie, I could not help but yawn very often; I could not seem to stay awake. But as we moved closer to the end of the film, I began to enjoy it. I had no idea what this play was about so everything was new to me. The only thing I did not like was the setting. Everything just seemed too unreal; I don't know if that was the purpose, but it did not seem to interest me. Overall it had a storyline and I'm glad to now know what this story is actually about.

Fiesta

I did not read the entire story, "Fiesta", but the little that I did read, and what we discussed in class, was quite interesting. And not to mention enjoyable. It's definitely different from any other story I have read before. In a strange way, it reminded me of my family; when I lived in New York. Everyone's Dominican and a large part are actually visiting from the Dominican Republic. The drive to the party was similar to ours. We'd drive a few miles; we always lived a little far from our family members. The eating and drinking are also a common aspect. In those types of parties, the food and alcoholic beverages are the main elements, along with music and dance. Anywho, I really did like this story. Many things about it make it very realistic; a big part of that being the language.

Araby

The story Araby is about a very young little boy who likes his friends' older sister. We can conclude that the kid is about eight or nine years old, and the girl he likes is about fifteen; possibly a high school student. He pretty much stalks the girl. Any chance he gets, he sits out staring at her every move. Then it comes time for the annual bazaar and he finds out that she won't be able to make it. He, however, decides to ask his uncle for money so he can pass by and pick up something for her. My opinion on the story is that it's cute and romantic. Though it's just a child infatuated with one he will never have, he truly does attempt to satisfy her by purchasing something for her at the bazaar. He never tells her how he feels for her; he simply gives up after realizing that she'll never lay eyes on him.

A&P

Of the stories we've read so far, I think A&P has been my favorite. I'd have to say that is because of all the stories, it's the most I can most probably relate to. Not that I have ever walked into a grocery store wearing just a bathing suit, but since it is based on young people. The way that everyone at the store behaves toward the three, practically naked, young ladies is quite comical. The two, potentially youngest cashiers, were frozen; they just stared and barely made any movements. The narrator liked one of the girls. He described her as the leader of the group. He stated that she was tall and thin. The others he described very well in detail also. One of the things that I really enjoyed about this story was how it ended. The narrator truly believed the girls would react after he quit his job because of he did not approve of the way the manager embarrassed the girls. I wouldn't say that situations like this happen all the time in real life, but young men always try to do things similar to what happens in the story, to sort of show off or prove a point in front of a girl they like.

Cathedral

The story "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver can be described with the word interesting. I think a lot of things happened that we did not expect to occur. In my opinion it is normal that a husband act that way about the idea of a man coming to visit his wife. Although they are just friends, men tend to behave this way due to jealousy and insecurity. Robert, the blind friend, and the wife, have known each other for many years. They have always kept in contact with each other through audio tapes. All of this happened even before she married her current husband. I believe her husband acted a bit jealous because of their history. Also because of the fact that he'd once heard a tape she made for him, in which she states that she'd settled for him; she did not think at her age, she'd meet anyone else, after having left her first husband. Overall, I enjoyed this story because it involved real-life situations.

Girl

Wake up each morning before noon; make your bed as soon as you remove yourself from it; remember to clean your sheets every so often; keep your room clean as for others will judge as much as they please if you give them reason to; dressing like a lady is important, therefore choose wisely when picking out the clothes you wear for all different types of situations or events; always show respect to others; treat them well as you'd want them to behave the same towards you; don't ever forget that the elder must also be treated with care; loyalty is one thing you should frequently show to others; do not be taken for granted by anyone, you are too significant for such thing to be allowed upon yourself; you will be heartbroken at least once in your life, so be very much aware of that because when the time is meant to come, it will come and hurt you like no other pain before; keep as many friends as possible for you will truly need them when times get rough; change was never a bad thing, don't be afraid of it.