Burkleykatiezqbp's Blog

POEM #30

burkleykatiezqbp — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 02:09:08 +0000

MONORHYME

Finally, my journey has ended

My thoughts and opinions have been commended

I’ve learned and found out more than I intended

Not just about literature, but myself contended

BLOG #26

burkleykatiezqbp — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:47:24 +0000

As I’m reading Middlesex and examining this new age, queer theory literature, I find that I am reflecting a lot. Middlesex is our final novel. It represents closure to the class. And it is interesting that the book in itself is a reflection. It relflects on the life of Calliope/Cal and follows the gene that made this person who they are today and why. It made me think about this class and how I have come to be along the course. I have faced many challenges and overcome many things to better myself as a student and as a person in this class.

The history of things I have learned throughout this course began with the most important thing…the monomyth. It represented not just what this course was but also our lives in general. It helped me relate to everything we read and wrote. So as Middlesex follows the history of how a chromosome became a girl, and then a boy, I am reflecting myself on how I came to be because of this class.

A song that fits perfect with this idea of relfecting about your past journeys and how they made you who you are is the song from Anastasia called Journey to the Past. It is the perfect song for reflecting about this class!

POEM #29

burkleykatiezqbp — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:56:47 +0000

TERZA RIMA

A new perspective opens up my eyes

A risky story forces us to relate

To the struggles that lay behind our disguise.

POEM #28

burkleykatiezqbp — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:21:45 +0000

RHYME

My first test read creator

which proved I wanted to be greater.

The next one read lover

and expressed the bliss I discovered.

As I took test after test

each result was different from the rest.

Then it dawned on me

All these arhcetypes can be seen.

We are all connected

By these archetypes unexpected.

BLOG #25

burkleykatiezqbp — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:25:21 +0000

Our discussion on our overall understanding of archetypes and how the book Awakening the Heroes Within helped us made me realize how far I’ve come in this class. I remember taking the archetypes quiz online at the beginning of the semester and being a creator. So I really tried to understand what this meant by both looking at the shadow side and positive side of the creator. I felt it was very relevent to my life at the time. It was the beginning of the semester and I was going to be creating alot. But not only in the work sense was I creating, but also in finding myself. Each semester I feel like I have grown a little more. And it was interesting to see that when I took the test again inside the book the results were a little different. My dominant archetype was Lover. This was an interesting change.

Overall, I feel that archetypes are an important part of who we are. I never have learned about archetypes before this class. I like how in depth we looked into them. It helped me learn more about myself and how I am like others. It’s amazing to see the common archetypes among the class.

A song that reminded me of this rollercoaster of archetypes is “Stand” by Rascal Flatts:

You feel like a candle in a hurricane
Just like a picture with a broken frame
Alone and helpless, like you’ve lost your fight
But you’ll be alright, you’ll be alright

‘Cause when push comes to shove
You taste what you’re made of
You might bend ‘til you break
‘Cause it’s all you can take
On your knees you look up
Decide you’ve had enough
You get mad, you get strong
Wipe your hands, shake it off
Then you stand, then you stand

Life’s like a novel with the end ripped out
The edge of a canyon with only one way down
Take what you’re given before it’s gone
And start holdin’ on, keep holdin’ on

Every time you get up and get back in the race
One more small piece of you starts to fall into place – yeah

POEM #27

burkleykatiezqbp — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:04:40 +0000

NAANI

Difference from the norm

Diversity

It’s what makes us who we are

yet, divides us…

POEM #26

burkleykatiezqbp — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:57:18 +0000

TERZA RIMA

Emotional ending to an epic film

Realizing the significance of difference

Transitioning into another whole realm

POEM #25

burkleykatiezqbp — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:15:55 +0000

TANKA

The book shows Celie

Growing with letters to God

The movie shows her

Growth and transformation

Through actions and expressions.

BLOG #24

burkleykatiezqbp — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:51:03 +0000

We had to research something called Queer Theory to be prepared for the discussion in class. My first reaction to this was that it would have to do with literary works being based around being gay, liking the same sex, or dealing with a sexual change. But as I researched it further for class I found out that it wasn’t restricted to just that. It was built off of feminist work and the critical review of gay/lesbian behaviors. It has now expanded it really all sexuality examinations and all the ways one is “different” from some sort of norm.

Our discussion in class helped me realize how this potentially new theory is relavent in my life, my classmates lives, and the literary works we’ve examined thus far in the class. For example, how this concept is relevent in The Color Purple. In this novel we can see that Shug is definately different from the “norm” of other oppressed women characters. While the norm at that time was women did what their husbands asked, cooked, cleaned, tended the children, Shug was a vocal, strong, independent woman. We also can look at Celie with this concept and how she is confused about her sexuality. It is a norm to like sex with the opposite sex but Celie doesn’t like sex with Mister yet she likes the sexual attention she gets from Shug. As we can see, Queer Theory is relavent everywhere we look.

Many songs actually come to mind when I think about queer theory, but I felt this one reflected the overall goal of what this theory is trying to accomplish. No matter what makes us different from the “norms” we are all beautiful because of those difference. What a boring world it would be if we were all the same. Christinia Augulera’s song Beautiful reflects this in every way. Queer Theory lets us think critically about our differences and how they make us beautiful.

Beautiful by Christina Augulera

Everyday is so wonderful
Then suddenly
It’s hard to breathe
Now and then I get insecure
From all the pain
I’m so ashamed

I am beautiful
No matter what they say
Words can’t bring me down
I am beautiful
In every single way
Yes words can’t bring me down
Ohh no
So don’t you bring me down today

To all your friends you’re delirious
You’re so consumed
In all your doom
Trying hard to fill the emptiness
The piece is gone
Left the puzzle undone
That’s the way it is

You are beautiful
No matter what they say
Words can’t bring you down
Ohh no
You are beautiful
In every single way
Yes words can’t bring you down
Ohh no
So don’t you bring me down today

No matter what we do
No matter what we say
The sun will shine your way
‘Cause you are beautiful today

Everywhere we go
The sun won’t always shine
But tomorrow’s another day
So keep on looking to the sky

We are beautiful
No matter what they say
Words can’t bring us down
Ohh no
We are beautiful
In every single way
Yes words can’t bring us down
Ohh no
So don’t you bring me down today

Don’t you bring me down today
Don’t you bring me down
Today

The Color Purple Quiz

burkleykatiezqbp — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:34:47 +0000

I feel that the directors changed events in the book because they felt that maybe a different audience would come see the film than read the book. The film ran basically the same course as the book with minor differences in how the characters were portrayed. For example, the book focused more in-depth on Sofia and her relationship with the mayor, his wife, and his daughter. Also, a major difference I saw was this relationship between Shug and her father. This was not seen in the book. It almost weakens her character a little in the movie because she, like Celie and most of the other women characters, was being oppressed by this male force.

The color purple in The Color Purple is significant because it in a way represents black women at the time period of the book/movie. At one point Celie and Shug are walking through a field of purple colored flowers and Shug says something about how God could never understand how one could walk by the color purple and not notice it. The black female characters represent this unseen, rather unnoticed beautiful color.

Shug Avery is the caregiver archetype. She constantly is taking care of Celie and trying to get her to see the good in her. She shows Celie what it’s like to be happy and what it is like to have a friend.

I am like Celie because I too have felt like “all I know how to do is stay alive.” Obviously not to her extreme situations of abuse, but as to not really knowing what my place is in the world, not thinking I’m good enough at anything. I have felt at one time that all I have to live for is just trying to stay alive.