"Up From Slavery"

Melissa Veum

Engl 48B

01/11/11

Journal #3- Booker T. Washington

"... I used to try to picture in my imagination the feelings and ambitions of a white boy with absolutely no limit placed upon his aspirations and activities. I used to envy the white boy who had no obstacles placed in the way of his becoming a Congressman, Governor, Bishop, or President by reason of the accident of his birth or race (Washington, 679)".

"Washington replied that confrontation would lead to disaster for the outnumbered blacks, and that cooperation with supportive whites was the only way to overcome pervasive racism in the long run (Wikipedia)".

Even though Booker was doing his best to try and fit in schooling whenever he could between work and home, he still often thought about being a white boy and not having to struggle to learn. Learning seemed to be something that "privledged" white kids got to do and even though Booker and his family were free, they still had to work to make ends meet. It was not just about what he wanted to do, he had to ablidge his family as well. Booker would think about white boys with "no limitations to their activities or aspirations" in life and it made him envious in a way. He wondered what it would be like with no obstacles in your way of becoming whatever you wanted to be in life. No struggling, just aspirations of wanting to be and in some cases absolutely being granted the job of your dreams, as President or as a Congressman. Booker talks about this privilage coming about to white boys who were "accidently" born into this raceand to specific families. He saw this as accidental because it was. It seemed that just because of where, when, and to whom you were born didn't really matter as much as the color of your skin when you were born. Just because some children were born white they were given special privledges and most told that they could become whomever they wanted. Booker had to work for everything in his life and things were not just as easily handed to him, in this way it seems that he was envious of these white boys merely because of the color of their skin and what that must've felt like.

I think that Booker T. Washington was extrememly smart in the fact that he knew who he was and what he wanted as an individual, not just as a poor African-American child growing up in Virginia. Being intellectually smart was very important to him and he felt entitled to an education just as much as the next child. I liked how Booker explained that after some time he was no longer envious of the white boy because he knew that just because you were white didn't mean that you were successful in your life, he knew that you had to work at your life and at what you wanted to be. He knew that success was based on successful you were in your life even with the odds stacked high against you. Because Booker had to work harder in his life and he was not just handed anything because of birthrate, it made him appreciate his accomplishments even more. He had worked and struggled and juggled a lot in the early parts of his life and he can feel good about what about what he has accomplished and also feel good about his race and who he is because he is a confident, strong individual.

"The Yellow Wall-Paper"

Melissa Veum

English 48B

01/07/2011

Journal #2- Charlotte Perkins Gilman

"At night in any kind of light, in twilight, candlelight, lamplight, and worst of all by moonlight, it becomes bars! The outside pattern, I mean, and the woman behind it is as plain as can be (Gilman, 815)".

"Gilman called herself a humanist, and believed the domestic enviornment oppressed women through the patriarchal beliefs upheld by society (Wikipedia, Charlotte Perkins Gilman)".

This quote shows the reader just how upset and alone the narrator of this story felt during her "sickness". This room upstairs that she did not want to be living in anyway, had a horrible yellow stained wall paper on the walls and she just hated it, it creeped her out. In this quote she is talking about how in all forms of light this wall paper becomes bars, bars in so many respects. Bars according to the narrator that keep her locked in this drab colored and decorated room for three months, bars that keep all women from living their lives, and bars that close in on you when there's nothing else to do but sleep and escape reality. The narrator has escaped her own reality because she feels trapped in this house and she talks about how different types of light make the wall-paper bars and how she can see a woman behind them, longing to come out. She says this woman is "as plain as can be" why would anyone who feels trapped look fancy? The narrator sees this woman as maybe a reflection of herself and how plain and monotone she herself has become because of her perscription to do absolutely nothing every day.

The narrator explains that the wall paper looks like bars especially by moonlight maybe because that's when she herself feels the most trapped. Her husband sleeps with her in the same bed almost every night and she does not sleep at night, she is scared to even move in the bed because she will disturb her husband and he will think something is wrong. The narrator is behind these bars herself, she is trapped in a world where everyone in her life thinks she is fine and that she just needs rest and to do nothing, even the things she loves to do. She has to hide her writting and she cannot even move rooms out of one that she simply despises all because her husband, the physician, thinks it is best. No wonder she feels the walls literally closing in on her in the form of bars, especially by moonlight, that is the most awkward, unsafe time of her day. When you are left alone all the time and told to do nothing but rest, your mind takes over, even if it's not supposed to. The narrator, seems to have slipped into her own unconcious and far from reality, but no one notices until the end, and then I don't think her husband knew what to think. She is making a stand for all women through her own personal anguish and escaping reality as a way to get through her days in this room which she hates and feels uncomfortable in. She feels as though I'm sure many woman did during this time when modern medicine was full of theories and unthoughtout ideals of what was best, doctors not knowing that on the inside of theses peoples subconciouses many were screaming from behind their own bars of reality.

"An Occurance At Owl Creek Bridge"

Melissa Veum

Engl 48B

01/06/2011

Journal #1- Ambrose Bierce

"Death is a dignitary who when he comes announced is to be recieved with formal manifestations of respect, even by those most familiar with him (Bierce, 361)".

"First finding his voice in newspapers, Bierce became a prolific author of short stories often humorous and sometimes bitter or macabrae. He spoke out against oppression and supported civil and religious freedoms (The Literature Network-Ambrose Bierce)".

This quote portrays death as a type of distinguished all-knowing superior being. Death, when he comes around should be announced with respect, as if death is being referred to as a loyal king is to his countrymen. Death should be a public affair and it should be respected altogether. This quote reasons with the theory that death should be announced as if it is something to look forward to and as long as it's done with respect, this announcement should also be publicised and in a formal setting. Death should also be treated this way by those most familiar with it; as if as well as one might think they know death and feel "comfortable" with the idea of death, you too should feel the same respect and almightyness towards death coming round.

Death being percieved as all-knowing and superior is not too far off from what some may come to theorize about the entire process. I think that when death does take it's toll it is not to be taken lightly and in this story especially it is not far from anyone's mind. The way that Bierce painted the scene in the beginning of this story took death and made it into something that was almost being "announced" and with a great deal of respect also. The scene was portrayed very tough with the soldiers and with everyone around just sort of waiting for death to arrive, including Peyton. Peyton seemed to take his untimely death lightly throughout the different scenes in this story. He slipped into his unconscious and dreamed about getting away, what he would have to do to survive this ordeal, he became seperated from his own reality and in turn broke his neck and had his life torn from his fingertips. The quote states that when death is coming round, he needs to be treated with respect, even from those who are familiar with him, and I don't think that Peyton did this. Peyton was a fool and the reader does sort of feel badly for him, but death was coming for him wheather he was ready or not and ultimately he was not ready and slipping into a dream-like state did nothing for the fact that death had already arrived and as familiar Peyton was with death at this moment, his reality couldn't have been further away.

Cusick's "The Iroquois Creation Story"

Journal # 23
Posted By: Melissa Veum
12-08-09
Engl 48A

"..., at last the good mind gained the victory by using the horns, as mentioned the instrument of death, which he succeeded in deceiving his brother and he crushed him in the earth; and the last words uttered from the bad mind were, that he would have equal power over the souls of mankind after death; and he sinks down to eternal doom, and became the Evil Spirit. After this tumult the good mind repaired to the battle ground, and then visited the people and retires from the earth (Cusick, 21)."

"We have drunk too much of your rum already, which has occasioned our destruction, we will, in the future, beware of it... (Cayuga Tribe, www.politicalandhistoricalquotations.org)."

This passage reminds me, in some ways, of the creation of the world through the Catholic church minds as well. If their minds were more nature oriented and not so cut and dry. The Good spirit reminds me of Jesus, God, and the priests and fathers of Catholicism who "won" in terms of fighting the devil. The Bad Spirit reminds me of the fallen angel, Lucifer who now resides in Hell and always was such a cocky character who thought he could overtake the Good Spirit. This passage struck me as interesting because the Bad Spirit said that he would only die from the horns and that's what his brother used to kill him. At the end of this passage it says that the Good Spirit now helps and teaches people to grow corn and how to pray to avoid the bad spirits, kinda like Catholic and christian priests. The devil on the other hand "dies" and goes to Hell to rule the underworld and wait for his followers. The devil has always been known as the Evil Spirit who got overthrown by the Good Spirit, in this case his brother.

I like the Iroquois way of thinking the world was created because it refers to a lot of animalistic ways of people and uses nature as the forefront to how things got going on this earth. I love the turtle and how it just took it's place for the woman to fall and life started right after. Having one woman start the beginning of both bad and good brothers stuck me as interesting because she is sort the creator all by herself. With the help of the turtle and mother nature of course.

Pontiac's "Speech At Detroit"

Journal # 22
Posted By: Melissa Veum
12-08-09
Engl 48A

"My children, you have forgotten the customs and traditions of your forefathers. Why do you not clothe yourselves in skins, as they did, and use the bow and arrows, and the stone-pointed lances, which they used? You have bought guns, knives, kettles, and blankets, from the white men, until you can no longer do without them; and, what is worse, you have drunk the poison fire-water, which turns you into fools (Pontiac, 440)."

"It is important for us, my brothers, that we exterminate from our lands this nation which seeks only to destroy us. You see as well as I that we can no longer supply our needs, as we have done from our brothers, the French.... Therefore, my brothers, we must all swear their destruction and wait no longer. Nothing prevents us; they are few in numbers, and we can accomplish it (Pontiac, wikipedia.com)."

In this passage, a Delaware Indian, goes on a search for The Great Spirit and finds him. He is traveling with all of the supplies he needs; a gun, kettle, clothing, etc. and after going down a very-well cut out path, finds a woman who tells him to disarm himself and take off all his clothes and treacherously climb a mountain, by means of his body only, in which after doing so he finds what he thinks is The Great Spirit. This Great Spirit says this passage to him and appears to be very disappointed in this Indian for referring to the "white-man's" ways. He wants to know how he can live with this and asks him why he came with all of this stuff not native to his ancestors. This Great Spirit knows the Indians way very well and is acting ashamed of this Indian, in order to meet with him The Great Spirit makes this Indian disrobe everything he came with in order to find The Great Spirit and talk with him.

Indian tribal ways and the ways of their ancestors were very important to the Ottawa tribes and still are to this day. For this Delawarean Indian to forget where came from and not pass on any of these virtues probably feels like a slap in the face to The Great Spirit. I liked this passage because it outlines some of the many differences between the white-man and the Indians. I feel that the white-man believes in overtaking and not giving back at all. The Great Spirit felt as though this Indian had betrayed his ancestors and thought that he was more like the white-man now with all his "ammo" and man-made things. It is good that The Great Spirit also talked about the "poison fire-water", probably meaning alcohol, that the Indian's were drinking because this still today tends to be a problem for many Indians and white-men alike. It should be called the "poison fire-water" and then maybe it wouldn't ruin so many lives or for that matter cover up the ruined lives of many.

"The Relation" by Alvar Nunez Cabeza De Vaca

Journal #21
Posted By: Melissa Veum
12-03-09
Engl 48A

"Conferring amongst themselves, they replied that the Christians lied: We had come from the sunrise, they from the sunset; we healed the sick, they killed the sound; we came naked and barefoot, they clothed, horsed, and lanced; we coveted nothing but gave whatever we were given, while they robbed whomever they found and bestowed nothing on anyone (De Vaca, 47)."

"To the last I could not convince the Indians that we were of the same people as the Christian slavers (De Vaca, wikipedia.com)."

I love this passage form The Relation because it shows the greatest contrast between the slaveholders and the Native Americans. The Native Americans were such giving people just by nature and because they were told that they could trust De Vaca. This passage contrast everything from where they each came from to the way that they cared for other people. In the Indians minds, the Christians had lied. The Indians seemed peaceful in their demeanor and in the way that they trusted others, they wanted to help others and did not have an army or a sole leader before De Vaca came about.

Even the simple truth about how the Indians and the Christians were clothed. The Indians were naked, they came bearing food and had no weapons, the Christians quite the opposite. The Christians wanted to use and enslave the Indians and wanted to change them for their own personal use. It makes me think about slavery in Douglass and Stowe's days, that no matter how you yourself feel about something, there is always someone above you thinking just the opposite and wanting to use you for their personal gain. It was horrible what happened to these Indians and in the same respect, what happened as a whole in terms of slavery. De Vaca seems like a very much needed abolitionist for this time and I believe that the Indians saw this.

Christopher Columbus' "From Letter To Ferdinand And Isabella Regarding The Fourth Voyage"

Journal #20
Posted By: Melissa Veum
12-01-09
Engl 48A

"Alone in my trouble, sick, in daily expectation of death, and encompassed about by a million savages, full of cruelty and our foes, and so separated from the holy Sacraments of Holy Church, my soul will be forgotten if it here leaves my body. Weep for me, whoever has charity, truth, and justice (Columbus, 35)."

"Tomorrow morning before we depart, I intend to land and see what can be found in the neighborhood (Columbus, wikipedia.com)."

In this passage it seems that Columbus is crying out about the hardships he is internally facing and he is asking others to have pity on him. He talks about how his soul is so separated from the Sacraments of the Holy Church that if he was to die right here and now, his soul would be forgotten and not blessed in the Holy Sacrament. He is flat out asking others who have "charity, truth, and justice" to weep for him and probably his "abandoned" soul. Columbus feels this way and it is discerning to hear anyone crying out for help in the way that he is in this letter. He sounds very afraid and sick. When your body and your soul seem separated from everything and you feel like you may not be able to go on, you should be able to look to your faith to guide you through the rough parts. In this case, Columbus feels as though he is so far from his Holy place that even his soul would be "forgotten" if he should die.

Columbus also states that he is alone and sick and thinks about death often, as if it's coming for him and he can feel it. The feeling of being sick may very well come from feeling alone and feeling like you have a faith that you believe in, but it's not anywhere around you, your soul seems lost and not guided. He talks about the hatred and cruelty surrounding him as well. Columbus' words and the way in which he uses them makes him seem very angry and small-minded. He states that he is "encompassed about by a million savages" and makes it very clear that this is not the "Holy Church" faith in which he belongs. I think he is blaming this new land and the Native Americans on the fact that he is so sick and alone. This is all new for Columbus and instead of embracing change and differences, he is acting like a scared school-boy and blaming everyone and everything else for his "misfortune".