Technology expands Education

At the beginning of the semester I was a little hesitantabout the use of the blogs. I had never used them before...I had never even looked at one before. I didn't really know what to expect. Now that the semester is coming to a close, I am so happy that as a class we were able to use blogs instead of some form of note cards or journals. The blogs are really open to expressing feelings and thoughts. Also, I loved having the opportunity of looking at other classmates blogs. If I missed a class or didn't understand a subject I new right where to go. Or even if i wanted a differet perspective on an idea i could go and see what other had to say. I hope that as my college experience continues I have more opportunities to use this type of writing experience.

Another form of technology that I was really nervous about was the podcast....but once again it turned out to be better than the "old fashion way". Instead of getting up in front of the class and making a short presentation the podcast became more of a conversation. It was really laid back and free. The ideas seemed to be presented more clearly and comfortably than when each student takes turns getting up in front of class. I am really excited to see the final presentation!

The last way that I was able to use technology to make my learning experience better was in the form of an audio book. I chose to listen to Lolita on my ipod as opposed to reading it...as stated in my blog about Lolita....this really helped to create Humbert Humbert as a real person. My experience of Lolita was escalated because of my ability to listen to Jeremy Irons create the words into a song.

I am really happy with the way that all the uses of technonlgy have created a really free and relaxed learning experience. I can't way to see the ways that technonlgy continue to make a better learning environment in both school and at home.

Lolita

I really wanted to hate this book, but instead it really captured me. Nabokov is an amazing artist. However I think I am getting a little better experience of it by listening to it. I started reading it and after a few chapters I decided it might be better listened to. I downloaded it and Jeremy Irons really takes the character and makes him real. Humbert Humbert has become a real man to me and because of how he tells his story, I have a hard time hating him. Before starting the book I really didn't want to read it because I wasn't comfortable with the subject. I am so glad that I have read and experienced this book. Nabokov, for me at least, is the best author that I have ever been exposed to. His words are like poetry. Art for Arts sake...this book is for beauty's sake. I still can't say that I am comfortable with the subject of the book but really after awhile I forgot about how this book was disturbing and just fell into the words. I am so happy I decided to listen to this book on my ipod because the voice or Jeremy Irons really sets the character. To me, he was Humbert Humbert. I would start to forget that this was just a story about a ficticious man. I never thought I would ever want to suggest this book to someone because of the subject but after finishing the book I would say it is probably one of the best written books of all time. I just can't get over how amazing the language flows and captures. One of the passages that I really was captivated by was...

"Friday. Saw her going somewhere with a dark girl called Rose. Why does the way she walk-a child, mind you, a mere child!-excite me so abominably ? Analyze it. A faint suggestion of turned toes. A kind of wiggly looseness below the knee prolonged to the end of each footfall. The ghost of a drag. Very infantile, infinitely meretricious. Humbert Humbert is also infinitely moved by the little one's slangly speech, bu her harsh high voice."

Reading it again doesn't have the same effect as being immersed in the words for awhile...but I still think it gives a glimps into the genius of Nabokov.
The end of the semester is always so hard to say focused and motivaed but finishing with Lolita was a treat and I had no problem each time picking up the novel to immerse myself again in the life of Humbert Humbert.

The Bear

The Bear, by William Falukner, I would have to say was one of the hardest books I have ever had to get through. I started about 3 differnt times and then quit. It really helped in class one day when someone said to just read it and keep reading it, just go through the part you don't understand and keep reading. For me that was the key to reading William Faulkner. After i got into the rythum of the book i actually didn't mind reading it. I still didn't really understand everything but the story started to come out in a way that it didn't before. I guess just like Ike had to leave his compass and rifle and watch behind, I had to leave behind my preconceved idea before i could really get into the book. Faulkner really tries to caputure people with his stories and his word use. He uses his long sentences to create a flow and rythum. But for me the long sentences at first were making it too hard. I would like to say that after i finished the book i really liked it and loved Faulkner's style but that would be a lie. I don't think I will pick up a book by Faulkner for awhile, but if I have to read him again for another class this time I will know how to read it and what to expect.

Invisible Man

Overall I liked The Invisible Man. The more I think about it the more I like the book. It was so long and I read it so fast that I would really love to read it again some time and take the time to notice and appreciate all the details. This book was really in depth and I am still discovering new things each time I go back and think about all the different ideas. I am having a hard time figuring out what to say about this book because there are so many ideas and themes that I can't even begin. I guess the best way to start would be the part in the book that captured me the most. I don't know why but towards the beginning of the book when the Invisible Man takes Mr. Norton on a drive. This section of the book turned into one that I had a hard time stopping, it was a real page turner. The description at the Golden Day really caught my interest.
I guess another part of the book that was really interesting for me was when he was working at the paint factory. This is one of the parts in the book that I never really grasped until I went back and revisited a few of the pages. The paint factory was worked by black men...the crew was all black men but the company was priding themselves with making a "brighter white". I think this is very funny. I don't know if Ellison was alluding to anything with the colors, but I find it something interesting to think about.
I guess that is what I liked about this book...each page gave me something new to think about. Ellison didn't give any answer and he didn't even really ask any questions but my mind couldn't help but to think about each and every idea that was discussed in the book...
This book is going to be the type that each time a read it, it will be a new experience. I will keep this novel on my book shelf and I can't wait to revisit it again and again over the years.

Test Two Review Notes

*a change of style is a change of subject

*what is below myth on the class pyramid?
-music

*What is Nobody's real name and what does it mean
-Xebeche...He who talks loud but says nothing

*William Blake (in Dead Man) takes the blood of a ...... and puts it in his wound
-fawn

*Dr. Sexson want to do to each student as a initiation before they leave college
-physical mutilation

*Three phrases used to examine Dead Man
-poetry is a destructive force
-poetry is the subject of the poem
-all things resemble one another

*In invisible man is a contest of wit known as
-playing with the dozens

*In Ellison's mind democracy is inspired by
-imagination

*Names of the two sheriffs Blake killed with poetry
-Lee and Marvin

*What are the three things that he had to leave behind to kill the bear
-compass
-rifle
-watch

*Two forms of imagination
-creative
-decreative

*The speech in Invisible Man given by after the death of Todd Clifton was mirrored after
-the book of judges
-Julius Caesar

*Who said trust the tale and not the teller
-D. H. Lawrence

*Intention fallacy
-the false idea that the author always know the meaning of the tale

*The character Rinehart represents
-the trickster...he is there to show you change

*What started the race riots in Invisible Man
-The eulogy after Todd Clifton's death

*What song opens Invisible Man that we listened to in class
-What did I do to be so black and blue

*The unnamed poem in the Bear
-Ode of a Grecian Urn by John Keats

*Who did Santa Clause rape?
-Sybil...she is an orb...leads people into the underworld

*Invisible Man is an anti...... novel
-Horatico Alger

*What are the Hindu phrases we learned in class
-TAT TVAM ASI-That thou art (creative)
-NETI NETI- not this, not that (decreative)

*Which novel is a dream novel
-Invisible Man

*Define parataxis
-linking things together with the word "and"

*Who is the demon master of initiation in Dead Man
-Cole Wilson

*What does synaesthesa mean?
-blurring of the senses

*What is epheve
-young boy being initiated
-a student

Class Notes

- Lucas needs to leave behind three things before he can see the bear
1. Rifle
2. Compass
3. Watch
What is the connection...they are all made out of metal. They are mechanical. The idea then is that you need to remove the "trappings" of the society before you are able to see clearly.

a change or style is a change of subject

incantation is a way to describe Faulkner's writing. It means that it is not instructional.

Faulkner is trapping the reader in the moment

TAT TVAM ASI - thou art that

NETI NETI - not this or that

Two Types of Imagination...Wallace Stevens
1. Creative Imagination
-making connections and digging deeper
2. Decreative Imagination
-taking it as it is, not reading into it
-Both of these are important..you shouldn't look past either of them

The class got into a discussion on looking into things, whether it is done to much or whether it is important to do. At first I think that in class some things get way over analyzed and connections get made that I find completely over done...but on the other hand I now think being able to make connections shows intelligence. If a person is able to make connections between things that most people can't, it may just mean that the person has spent a lot more time with the subject and thought about it on all the levels. That said though..just as it says above both the creative and decreative imagination is important.

*Interesting side note that came up in class I thought was worth sharing...What is most often song stuck in ones head...
"If I only had a brain"

Wallace Stevens reading his poem "The Idea of Order at Key West"

When I was in the process of memorizing "The Idea of Order at Key West" at the beginning of the semester, I was having a little bit of a hard time knowing the places to pause and finding the rythme. Well I just recently found a link of Wallace Stevens reading that poem. So if you are interested to see how Stevens intended for the poem to be read, or at least how he read it himself click on the link below. Then select the format that works for your computer under part 1.
Enjoy!
"The Idea of Order at Key West"