Literary Voice

Literary voice is the perspective that the story is told.  Illustrations are not always from the author's point of view.  Sometimes stories are told in the:
First Person (one person or a group of people as one person) the I, me, mine, he, hers, she, ours or we.
Second Person you and yours and is rarely seen
Third Person (the fly on the wall)  Omniscient point of view.  The Authors' voice narrates the story.
Other important points are:
Style:  Details or Direction and Syntax or Images used to paint a picture and tell a story.
Tone:  Gives characters attitude.  Shows emotions of characters.
Dialogue:  1.  Monologue:  One person gives a long speech.
                  2.  Soliloquy:  One person alone on stage.
                  3.  Side:  Statement made to the audience alone and the rest of the characters are not supposed to hear what is said.
Setting:  Time or Place things happen in the story.  Setting can be realistic or Abstract
Theme:  Central idea of the play.

These elements form the voice of literature.

TRIFLES

In this play the setting is 1900.  Women did not have the right to vote nor did they have a voice.  There was no women's rights nor equality.  The setting took place on a farm inside of an old house.  Telephones were invented still being invented in the early 1870's and were not marketed until the end of the 1870's. 1885 is when the modern gasoline engine care was created although steam powered car were around since 1769.   TV's were invented in in 1908, 8 years after this story took place.  So this gives you an idea of the times.  Things were not modern.  People farmed for a living and life was not simple.  People worked hard.
Mrs. Wright although innocent until proven guilty.  Is guilty of strangling her husband to death with a rope while he slept.  No matter if she was or not according to the men in this story she was guilty.  Actually the women knew she was guilty also but sympathized with her.
The Rope itself is a symbol of the abusive husband choking the life out of Mrs Wright.  Apparently Mrs. Wright had a good singing voice.  She could stitch or knot and was beautiful when she was younger.  I am sure she imagined a very different life for herself.  She wound up living and working on a farm.  Being married to a hard and harsh husband.  She was social when she was younger but not so much as an adult.  She never had kids, and back then you were considered less than a woman if you did not have a boy.  To not have kids at all was worse.  Even Mrs.  Hale mentions that without kids lead to a quiet house.
The men thought what kind of woman could do such a thing?  Not have any remorse for her actions and she is lying about it.  They criticize her home cleaning for not being up to par.  They also mention how they let the preserves go bad.  How can she be a house wife and knot (stitch so poorly), keep a filth house, and an empty bird cage?  The bird was assumed to be killed by having his neck broken by Mr.  Wright.  Also.
The women.  Mrs.  Peters and Mrs. Hale find the bird dead inside the box, wrapped in cloth.  I think the bird represents not Mr. Wright but Mrs. Wright.  Although Mrs. Wright retaliated by strangling her husband neck because he broke the birds neck.  The bird however is Mrs. Peters.  She is in the cage.  She is finally free out of the cage when her husband dies.  He sucked the life out of her and finally she is free of his beatings and his cage.  Mrs. Hale regrets not visiting, and realize she is also lonely.  Even with kids, she longs for female company.  She also may have a harsh or non communicating husband.

PEER REVIEW

I like the feedback I am receiving from my classmates.  However I have not yet tested the use of my peers for my paper.  After I share and publish my paper with my peers I am sure I will get feedback.  Positive and negative.  Corrective criticism is welcomed, as a work in progress all help is welcome.  I look forward to what I learn and any point of view of things I am missing.

THE THINGS I CARRY WITH ME

There are tree things that I always cary with me.  One is my keys, the second is at least one piece of identification, and finally epinephrine.  I always need my keys and I am sure everyone carry their keys at all times.  The identification thing is instilled in me since age 15.  You never know what can happen to you at any given moment.  Without identification,  no hospital can find out who you are to identify you or your next to kin.  Especially if your finger prints are not in any database.  I also usually have in epi pen in my backpack or in the armrest of my car.  I have a severe anaphylactic allergic reaction to iodine.

A Rose for Emily

I read the story and I missed out on many points that we discussed in class.  I realized that this critical reading is deeper than I imagined.  I realized that the title has significant meaning and roles in the short stories.  So does the setting, times and dates which the stories were written.  I also realized that the symbolism and perception of not just the author but also the characters within the story are also critical factors.
I did not realize that a rose had never been mentioned in the text only the title.  I did not know what the rose meant.  How many ways we could look at the rose itself.  I now see that the rose is beautiful when blossomed.  What makes a rose beautiful is the quality of nutrients of the dirt it grows in and the amount of sunshine.  The dirt was Mrs. Emily.  She was a bad woman.  She was crazy, she committed murder, she also slept with a dead body for years.  Prior to that she wanted to keep her fathers remains as well.  She did not see her father as a dead person and probably did not see the love of her life as dead either.
She also represented the old southern way of living.  The hierarchy of upperclass white people and family names of the south having value.  The Old Confederacy Nobility she had the snobby attitude that went with it.  She refused to pay taxes.  Although the war was over and times had changed, she clung to that way of life.  Not only did she smell bad but so was her attitude/personality.
The rose like anything else when it is cut it  begin to die.  Emily was cut after her fathers death.  She lost it.  She lost everything and begin to cling to everything like a hoarder.  A rose is beautiful but it has thorns and if you grab the rose it will prick you.  Just like Emily.  A rose is also given to the dead, and the flower of choice at funerals.  A rose is fitting to be given to Emily at her death, for living such a pitiful life.

That thing is huge!

Two nights ago I went to the beach to clear my head, and smell the fresh salt air. I still have that Navy in my blood. I have always been drawn to the ocean. I remember in highschool I would go to the beach and just listen to the sound of the waves and sometimes fall asleep there all night long. When I was on the ship I looked at the ocen every morning to give thanks for the day and watch the sun rise. I looked at the waves every night that I could before I went to bed also. So the other night I was walking and saw a huge object moving on the beach. I thought at first it was a beached whale. Then, I said, "it looks more like a shark." I have never seen a shark that big before but I could see that this thing had a large body. It was about the size of a Fiat or Mini Cooper. I could make out the sand moving and what looked like a tail flapping. I kept my distance. Although this animal clarly looked beached I was taking no chances with it. It could be hurt. My eyes had not yet adjusted. I took my phone out and turnd on the flashlight application. I got a bit of courage and walked closer to investigate. Something I never do. The I realized what it was. There it was, the biggest sea turtle I have ever seen. This mom was digging her nest to lay her eggs. I never knew how big these things were.

What is that?

One thing about me, is I am a big guy but I will switch on the panic button in a heart beat. In most instances it served me well. In some instances I am totally cool and calm. However we were snorkeling and the view was amazing. Literally like being in an aquarium, so nice so tranquil, so beautiful on the reef. All of a sudden I look behind me about 20 feet below. I see this gray figure. I asked myself, "what is that". Then it moved. I instantly knew what it was. A 7 foot shark. Cool and calm Anthony did not exist anymore. I will be honest, I screamed shark and scrambled to get back into the boat. There was another person in the water with me. I assumed he did not hear me the first two times I said Shark. I zoomed past him apparently pushing him out of the way. I think I know how Jesus and Chris Angel did it now (exaggerating a little, but not much). I walked on water more like ran, and jumped in the boat flippers on and all. I banged my knee up pretty good but I still have my legs. I then got my friend out of the water as the rest of my party laughed at me and then I was told that it was the wrong thing for me to do. For the record, if I see a bear, I will not play dead either. He has to work for his food. I am running. Catch me if you can. I have already put that scenario to the test. I am still here, and that is another story all together.

Key West Part 2

Yesterday Sat 26 May 2013, we went to the state park where the old 7 mile bridge starts. It was amazing. walked up the trail to the top and looked over this amazing structure designed by Henry Flagler. A train track with an road built on the top of it. It is impressively amazing. When I arrived at the top of the bridge there were hundreds of tarpons in the water. It was amazing. I was unaware that they were mouth breathers and initially thought it was a school of dolphins. After our amazing view we all walked down to the beach and the view was even more amazing. White sands, crystal clear water, and very shallow waters. It was perfect for snorkeling, so I did. I saw a sting ray, a conch, a barracuda, some small fish, parrot fish, and a yellow tail. It was awesome. It is amazing the beauty in Key west. This place is paradise.

MY FIRST TIME IN KEY WEST

I have never been to the Florida Keys. I decided that I would take an opportunity to come down for the long weekend, and celebrate an old friends birthday. I realized a couple things here in the keys: I am not in West Palm Beach anymore. This place is beautiful, very hot, and does not rain as much until a Hurricane comes. The water is clear (little to no seaweed). Also the water is fairly shallow and does not drop off for 50-100 yards around some of the islands. There are a ton of islands, and that 7mile bridge is awesome.
I grew up in FL but never came down as a kid. When I joined the Navy I had an opportunity to be stationed here but turned it down to go to Paris Island (it sounds more tropical, exotic, and beautiful). I should have researched it before I agreed to it. Unfortunately google did not exist back then. Paris Island is in the swamps of South Carolina. It is also where the Marines on the east of the Mississippi go to basic training. Let's just say it is not beautiful, nice, nor paradise. The total opposite and if you are in the military, one of the worst places to live.
So finally I am in the keys. I am with good people, and plan on having a great weekend. Boating, Fishing, Dancing and finding time to get my homework assignments completed. Wish me luck with fitting it all in.

MY FIRST CLASS POST

This is my very first blog.  I generally dislike English Literature honestly.  So far though I am learning more than I thought I would.  I know I have to try hard because this is my second worst subject next to Chemistry.  I have set a goal to do better.  My teacher is cool, and the very first night sowed us tricks and tools to use on google that are better than Microsoft Office.  The best part about it is this stuff is all free.  What is even more important he is teaching us how to use these programs.  I would have never even attempted to blog before.  Nor would I have known about google drive.  I admit I have read some interesting stories that have made me do some serious critical thinking, but that is what this class is about.  At the same time I am taking a computer class and learning just as much in this class about google programs than I am in word.  One thing for sure when I get ready for the real world my computing skills will be up to par.