SPEAK OUT LOUD

Speak Out Loud


Blogging. Before entering this class it was just a word used by the “colorful” Perez Hilton as a way for him to out celebrity gossip. Now seen as a form of expression and communication on any given topic for the world to see! Blogging gives individuals the freedom to speak out on how he or she feel about government, media, or a mad scientist teaching a 21st Century Literature class. With the use of today’ technology Blogging seems to be the best way to express our freedom to speech and act on a greater spectrum.

At the beginning of class I saw Blogging as another tedious task set forth by the Professor to for fill the expectation of college not being an easy ride or it was Professor Lennon’ way to give us something to do to ensure that we were reading through out the week. Being that it was a once a week class three blogs does not sound impossible but to many, like me, it wasn’t easy. I mean it’s one thing to read 200 pages in a week but getting the time to sit, organize ones thoughts into three sections while having a million other things going on is by no mean opening a book on the way to work, its just not that simple. After forcing myself to write these blogs I got to a point where I wanted to just give up! I remembering thinking who is actually going to sit down and read my piece of shit blog posting other than the Professor? It had gotten me to the point where I wanted to just drop the class, not just because of his hard to understand, where are you going with this, what’s your point war stories, but because I could not stand looking like a fool who could not write a simple blog!

Then I met Rich, Terrence, Jamie, and Jessica! After a night of drinking and loud slurred sports speak, I went home and started to read their blogs. There I was upset because I could write a blog when all it is, are your thoughts! I know, professor said that these blogs were out “online journals” in the first class but who really listens in the first class? Reading through each blog I got a sense of who each of these individuals were, and changed the way I saw what this really was, a way to get it all out. Professors words started to play over and over in my head, “If you like it, Fine! If you don’t like it, Fine! But why?” There is was the question on why the reason for blogs, no one thinks the same and that is what makes life so interesting. One person’ thoughts or ideas can help educate millions, the Bible, the Koran are, to me, peoples thoughts or memories on history. This is our way to speak out loud and give our option and maybe educate one another!

Is it needed in a 21st Century Literature class? I would have to answer this question with my head hung low, and say yes. The blogs, if used correctly, can help student discover new ideas on a given text and give insight to the way others are thinking. I believe that blogging is very important in the 21st Century! We all live on computers and technology, instead of us waiting to go home and play that record we all love so much, it is now at the tip of our fingers on our iPods! Even waiting to get home to download a song is now easier than ever all you need is your Apple ID and internet access and there it is on you iPod without even touching a computer. All I am saying is that maybe blogging is what is need to get our point across! That was the something I found surprising while writing my blogs this semester.

In conclusion if there were something I were able to do differently with my blogs it would be to look at them as expression and art rather than homework. I know in saying so I am putting myself in jeopardy of getting what might be a low grade, but I can see what Professor Lennon attempting to accomplish.

The demond child. . .

OK, say what you want about me but I loved what went on in Ch 13. I could just picture it, a classroom filled with little boys and girls sitting drawing colorful pictures and off to the side
is little Chad only using the black crayola crayon! All ask to draw a picture of home, Chad is draws a square, with no windows or doors!
This is what I love about this book, its Dark its goes outside the box and scares people! I know I'm not much of a writer but by next week i will have full reviews on this book as I go along.

To be honest!

I am really trying to read this book, but to be honest I've been cutting coroners. Now, I know this sounds bad, but I've been reading the summaries online to get a better understanding of what is going on! But, from reading the summaries this book is amazing. Suspense, drug use, death, man, this is my nightmare in book form! If we easier to understand I wouldn't be able to put it down! Maybe one should try to read this book intoxicated! 

Moving forward. . .

Reading Terrence' Blog I got a better understanding of Johnny Truant. He is a helpless individual trying to better himself. Not many people can stop or give up something he or she has become dependant on just to see life for what is worth, and to remember and notice the small things as to what makes something beautiful. As hard as it is to read this book if we almost get ourselves in the mind of a person "high" it could help us better understand the individuals and as to where the story is going!

VIDEO

My Video of Choice

Yeah. . . so did anyone see that Giants game on Sunday?! I'm sorry but if I don't laugh I will cry! i am confused as all hell right now this video is the best representation for the book, pure and otter madness! The book tosses us in all different directions as does the video, it keeps views going back looking for a difference or a change in what they have just seen! Is that really Jesus under water, or was it a statue of another man!? Weird, sure but interesting as hell!

HOUSE

Why does this remind me of the house?! Come on! This is a house that expands and contracts what better than a house that come to life! To whom is reading this blog, close your eyes, and picture a house, yeah that's right think about a house on your block, that you grew up in, or one on t.v. Seems normal right?! Danielewski did not want the house to be seen as that house on the hill, straight out of Casper, thunder and night fall surrounded on a sunny day house. He wanted his reader to see the house as a home that goes wrong. At the beginning of the book the house was seen as plesant, "His five year old daughter Daisy approves of their new house. "It's nicw here," she giggles shyly. . ." There is it! It was nice!

Black Watch

What!? The language in this play is starting to confuse me, I started reading "Black Watch", a play by Gregory Burke, this week and besides confusing language it began to remind me of Jarhead. As the play started we met Cammy, an arrogant proud to be solider. He began to tell readers how he is not what people believe other soliders to be, he wanted to be in the army it wasn't his last choice. He receives word that a female writer would like to interview him and the other soilders, he and the other begin to clean up and plot how they would get free drinks and their "cocks sucked". To their surprise a male writer shows up and their fantasies were crushed! 

Are all these book going to be the same? Angry solider tells his life story and nasty sex stories!? I mean I'm a guy I think like this at least 120 times a day! What makes these so different, them going to war? I'm beginning to think that hip-hop isn't the only thing that died. Maybe 21st Century Lit needs a boost! Maybe it pick up like Jarhead did for me, I will finish the book for class but I hope there are better works to be read.