This summer I have noticed a lot about reading in general. Last week I was in the book store and I noticed that the sale of graphic novels is becoming more and more popular. I noticed that the amount of kids in that section of the store had a lot more people then any other part. The thing I found interesting about this is that it was a reflection on how the culture today is so much different from the culture of 19 years ago. It actually makes sense in this new age where technology is becoming more prominent because now graphic novels are a reflection of online comics.
I guess my biggest question on this whole subject is: Will the reading of normal literature novels become extinct because of the reading of graphic novels soon? It also makes me wonder about how this will affect what people read to.
The one thing I have noticed about graphic novels that I do like is how quick they are to read especially like someone for me. I personally like mixing up the reading of normal Literature novels with graphic novels because I feel like sometimes I just need a quick read. I think that is why I decided to write about this topic.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Quote Response (Entry 14)
In Persepolis on page 31 a scene is depicted where the father went to the hospital to take pictures of a group of people that were carrying a man out that was killed by the army and right after him another group of men are carrying another man but his widow gets upset when they start to call him a martyr.
"Please! Stop It! Stop It!
What? What is it?
Stop it!
Who are You?
His Widow!
Are You a Royalist?
No, but my husband died of Cancer" (Satrapi, pg 31)
What I found most interesting about the illustrations for this particular quote and this situation was that the people yelling about the martyrs were angry and upset but the widow didn't look that angry. I also found it interesting that in this particular section of illustrations the widow after telling them what her husband died of ended up yelling about how bad the government was and began to protest with the rest of them. I think these frames are important to the novel because it shows how the people in the country progressed over time after the government was overthrown and how it affected the people emotionally. I guess my big question to this section is did they begin to call the man a martyr after they found out what he died from just to draw attention to themselves? Why did the widow start to protest with them?
"Please! Stop It! Stop It!
What? What is it?
Stop it!
Who are You?
His Widow!
Are You a Royalist?
No, but my husband died of Cancer" (Satrapi, pg 31)
What I found most interesting about the illustrations for this particular quote and this situation was that the people yelling about the martyrs were angry and upset but the widow didn't look that angry. I also found it interesting that in this particular section of illustrations the widow after telling them what her husband died of ended up yelling about how bad the government was and began to protest with the rest of them. I think these frames are important to the novel because it shows how the people in the country progressed over time after the government was overthrown and how it affected the people emotionally. I guess my big question to this section is did they begin to call the man a martyr after they found out what he died from just to draw attention to themselves? Why did the widow start to protest with them?
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Quote Response
"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth" (Frost, 610)
I think that this poem even though it was written a while ago is still a very important poem. This poem itself talks about how life has two different paths and you chose the path you go down by the choices you make. This particular stanza reflects that the author is at the point in the path where it splits off into two different directions and he is sad he cant travel both to see what they each hold and that he stood there and really thought about which one he wanted to go down. I think this is important because everyone does this in there life they stand at a cross road in life and try and see what the outcome will be before they actually take the outcome and I think this poem is a good reflection on how taking a certain path can change your life then the other and how once you start down that path you cant just go back and change to the other one because you dont like the outcome.
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth" (Frost, 610)
I think that this poem even though it was written a while ago is still a very important poem. This poem itself talks about how life has two different paths and you chose the path you go down by the choices you make. This particular stanza reflects that the author is at the point in the path where it splits off into two different directions and he is sad he cant travel both to see what they each hold and that he stood there and really thought about which one he wanted to go down. I think this is important because everyone does this in there life they stand at a cross road in life and try and see what the outcome will be before they actually take the outcome and I think this poem is a good reflection on how taking a certain path can change your life then the other and how once you start down that path you cant just go back and change to the other one because you dont like the outcome.
Poem Paraphrase
This poem paraphrase is from William Meredith "The Illiterate" on page 577
"Was unfamiliar but, truth is, the man
Has never had a letter from anyone;
And now is both afraid of what it means
And ashamed because he has no other means
To find out what it says then to ask someone."
I think what the author is trying to say is that there is a man who has gotten a letter but it is not normal to him since he has never received one before. It is saying he is afraid because he cant read it since he never learned and that he is ashamed because it means the only way he will find out what it says is by going to someone else and asking them to read it to him and tell him what it means.
"Was unfamiliar but, truth is, the man
Has never had a letter from anyone;
And now is both afraid of what it means
And ashamed because he has no other means
To find out what it says then to ask someone."
I think what the author is trying to say is that there is a man who has gotten a letter but it is not normal to him since he has never received one before. It is saying he is afraid because he cant read it since he never learned and that he is ashamed because it means the only way he will find out what it says is by going to someone else and asking them to read it to him and tell him what it means.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Quote Response
"I shoot the Hippopotamus
with bullets made of platinum" (Belloc, 544)
I guess the thing about this phrase from the short poem by Belloc that go to me was the fact that the person is shooting a hippopotamus because it makes me wonder why he would shoot the hippo. I also find it interesting that he shoots it with platinum bullets because he thinks it will make it thru the armor.I think it is important because in the second part of this poem he talks about why shooting the hippo with the platinum bullets is important. I just thought this little poem was kind of adorable and sad at the same time.
with bullets made of platinum" (Belloc, 544)
I guess the thing about this phrase from the short poem by Belloc that go to me was the fact that the person is shooting a hippopotamus because it makes me wonder why he would shoot the hippo. I also find it interesting that he shoots it with platinum bullets because he thinks it will make it thru the armor.I think it is important because in the second part of this poem he talks about why shooting the hippo with the platinum bullets is important. I just thought this little poem was kind of adorable and sad at the same time.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Song Quote Response
Katy Perry is a popular pop singer among many teenagers. This is from her recent song "Firework"
"You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July" (Perry)
I guess the words that leap out to me the most are ignite from the first line and Fourth of July in the last line. I feel like the reason ignite is important is that the stanza is talking about opening yourself up to people around you and letting them see whats inside and ignite makes me think of opening a lighter and a flame burning. I also think that Fourth of July is important too because she is comparing opening yourself up to the Fourth of July because of all the fireworks and things that go on that day.
I think that this stanza is important to the song not only because it is part of the chorus but because it helps you understand the song. This stanza talks about how you shouldn't let people get to you and that you need to open yourself up to the world and shine and let people know who you are. Its telling you to own your own life and be like the 4th of July and explode with life to people.
I guess what interests me about this stanza and this song in general is that it is telling you to be yourself and be proud of that and don't hide it just enjoy your life and be you and people will love you for that.
I like the way that they relate opening yourself up to the 4th of July. Here's a link if you want to listen :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGJuMBdaqIw
"You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July" (Perry)
I guess the words that leap out to me the most are ignite from the first line and Fourth of July in the last line. I feel like the reason ignite is important is that the stanza is talking about opening yourself up to people around you and letting them see whats inside and ignite makes me think of opening a lighter and a flame burning. I also think that Fourth of July is important too because she is comparing opening yourself up to the Fourth of July because of all the fireworks and things that go on that day.
I think that this stanza is important to the song not only because it is part of the chorus but because it helps you understand the song. This stanza talks about how you shouldn't let people get to you and that you need to open yourself up to the world and shine and let people know who you are. Its telling you to own your own life and be like the 4th of July and explode with life to people.
I guess what interests me about this stanza and this song in general is that it is telling you to be yourself and be proud of that and don't hide it just enjoy your life and be you and people will love you for that.
I like the way that they relate opening yourself up to the 4th of July. Here's a link if you want to listen :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGJuMBdaqIw
Found Poem or Haiku
So I am not very good at making a poem so I decided to do a Haiku because to me a Haiku is very beautiful if done right and its a little bit easier then a poem.
Bright star born again
Ablaze in the dark night sky
The loveliest sight
Bright star born again
Ablaze in the dark night sky
The loveliest sight
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Poem Paraphrase
I decided to do a paraphrase of the poem by Aaron Abeyta called Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Tortilla on page 723. I chose to paraphrase the first two stanzas of the poem.
I.
Among twenty different tortillas
The only thing moving
Was the mouth of the nino
II.
I was of three cultures
Like a tortilla
For which there are three bolios
I think what these two lines really mean is:
Of all of the twenty babies in the nursery room the only one thing in the room that is moving or making a noise is that of a little baby who is crying.
I am one of three children, which like a tortilla who also has three different layers, just like me there are two other children just like me in this nursery.
This is at least what I got out of this poem and I'm sure there are plenty of other ways this poem or at least these two stanzas could be interpreted.
I.
Among twenty different tortillas
The only thing moving
Was the mouth of the nino
II.
I was of three cultures
Like a tortilla
For which there are three bolios
I think what these two lines really mean is:
Of all of the twenty babies in the nursery room the only one thing in the room that is moving or making a noise is that of a little baby who is crying.
I am one of three children, which like a tortilla who also has three different layers, just like me there are two other children just like me in this nursery.
This is at least what I got out of this poem and I'm sure there are plenty of other ways this poem or at least these two stanzas could be interpreted.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Books Books and More Books
I'm not sure if this is a reading issue or not but its just something I have come to see and realize lately. I have always been the type of person that enjoys to read her books as a book that was printed with every page accessible to hold. I have noticed though that as I have gotten older the technology has moved more towards electronic books such as books on tape, books on CD, kindles, nooks, etc.
To me I feel like in a way books are becoming a part of history forgotten. Those of us who still read books in their rare original form get stares by onlookers who walk by and see us just reading our newest books. I feel like we as a society are almost saying that books in paper form are not eco-friendly and that we need to go completely electronic and try and save the planet.
I guess my interest is I wonder how everyone else feels about this? I have so many questions and concerns for people about why this may not be the best choice for us. I mean if you think about it we are using up electricity when we charge the electronic book, also what about the people who don't have the money to afford buying one of these? What will they do when we become a society that fully relies on having electronic books, and electronic everything?
This issue has become so common that you can now go online and buy college textbooks for your kindle or nook, in a way that is scary to think about especially since being a college student I know how important for me it is to be able to go back and highlight the book and re read it and not have to spend time fighting with something to get it to pull up a page.
In a way I recommend that we as a society and culture realize and learn that we need to make sure there is going to always be ways out there for people who cant afford things like this to be able to have paperback books to look at. We need to remember that sometimes what may seem like it uses more resources and energy really doesn't and may be the more useful option.
To me I feel like in a way books are becoming a part of history forgotten. Those of us who still read books in their rare original form get stares by onlookers who walk by and see us just reading our newest books. I feel like we as a society are almost saying that books in paper form are not eco-friendly and that we need to go completely electronic and try and save the planet.
I guess my interest is I wonder how everyone else feels about this? I have so many questions and concerns for people about why this may not be the best choice for us. I mean if you think about it we are using up electricity when we charge the electronic book, also what about the people who don't have the money to afford buying one of these? What will they do when we become a society that fully relies on having electronic books, and electronic everything?
This issue has become so common that you can now go online and buy college textbooks for your kindle or nook, in a way that is scary to think about especially since being a college student I know how important for me it is to be able to go back and highlight the book and re read it and not have to spend time fighting with something to get it to pull up a page.
In a way I recommend that we as a society and culture realize and learn that we need to make sure there is going to always be ways out there for people who cant afford things like this to be able to have paperback books to look at. We need to remember that sometimes what may seem like it uses more resources and energy really doesn't and may be the more useful option.
The Gift of Magi Quote Response (Entry 6)
"Dell, said he, lets put our Christmas presents away and keep 'em a while. They're too nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs and now suppose you put the chops on." (O.Henry, 162) I don't think that there are necessary any words in particular that reach out to me in these two sentences frankly because this sentence is at the end of the story and in a way shows the irony of what the love of the two people has done.
I think that these two sentences are important to the story because without it you wouldn't see the great lengths that a couple would go to make each other happy. I mean the women cuts off and sells her precious long hair just to have more money to get something nicer for the man, whereas the man sells his only real possession which is his watch to get the woman the hair pieces she so very much wanted. These sentences show us that in the attempt to do this they both now have basically useless items for the time being because what they were bought to go on or with are now gone.
I just find it interesting and sweet that this couple has that much love for each other that they would sell the one thing that means the most to each other just to see the other one so happy. I mean would you not go and sell the one most important thing you have to make someone else you love so much happy?
I think that these two sentences are important to the story because without it you wouldn't see the great lengths that a couple would go to make each other happy. I mean the women cuts off and sells her precious long hair just to have more money to get something nicer for the man, whereas the man sells his only real possession which is his watch to get the woman the hair pieces she so very much wanted. These sentences show us that in the attempt to do this they both now have basically useless items for the time being because what they were bought to go on or with are now gone.
I just find it interesting and sweet that this couple has that much love for each other that they would sell the one thing that means the most to each other just to see the other one so happy. I mean would you not go and sell the one most important thing you have to make someone else you love so much happy?