Interesting Choice

I took a Humanistic Studies my freshman year and I loved it. The books we read and the way the teacher held the class was so amazing. I chose to take this course because I loved the other class so much. My friends didn't really understand why, I had my HUST requirement why would I take another class where I have to read all the time. But the first day of class I knew I made the right choice. It's a challenging class and I knew it was going to take a lot out of me. But I'm so glad I took it.

I think the only thing I think i would change about the course is the Blog. It's so hard to remember and to keep up with them. That said, I liked everything else about the class. It was so enjoyable. I really liked everything that we read and all the in class discussion. I think I really enjoyed this class because it made me think. Alot of times I sit in a class room and just absorb information. People don't ask for your ideas or opinions about things. It's all facts. But in this class its about our interpretation of stories. It makes class so much more interesting. And it's one of the few classes I look forward to coming to. So thank you for making class fun and interesting. I really enjoyed it and even though the papers were hard you helped me write them and I never felt embarrased to ask for help. So thanks for making it easier for me! Thank you!

Ending Thoughts...

I really enjoyed this class. Unlike most gen. ed. required classes I have taken so far in my college career I found this class a lot easier to relate to. The books we were more along the types I would pick up in a bookstore and read. I really enjoyed the discussion based lectures as well. It was helpful in being able to hear others opinions well trying to understand my own. The connection of this class to history and art I also enjoyed, as it helped to feel different from an English class. I wish I had more room in my schedule to take more HUST classes as I feel I really would have enjoyed them.

HUST 103...

I chose to take this class because I needed 2 more gen-eds. I didn't really know what to expect from the course upon signing up. I was also excited because I hadn't read any of the titles that were on the syllabus. Now, as the semester is coming to an end, I realize than this has been one of my favorite courses this semester. with the exception of one thing, I really liked the readings and the discussions we had in class. Professor Ambrose is a cool professor and thought of interesting assignments. For instance: paper 2 was really fun to write and gave us a chance to be creative instead of just analyzing.

I also liked the writing in the blog and reading what other girls wrote and thought was important in the readings and what people did or didn't like. The blog entries also sparked new ways to think of important passages and characters in the stuff we read. They were tedious to do every week, but overall helpful. Overall, HUST 103 was very interesting and I'm glad I took the course with Professor Ambrose as the teacher and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes to read good stuff or is looking for a gen-ed.

The Night Before HUST

Adapted from the Night Before Christmas by Henry Livingston

'Twas the hours before our last class together, when all through the dorms


Not a resident was stirring, not even a nun;

The grades were hung on blackboard with care,


In hopes that an A soon would be there;



The students were nestled all snug in their beds,


While visions of Omishito and Lucy danced in their heads;



And Desdemona without her 'kerchief, and my pen missing its cap,


Dillard had just settled in the cabin for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,


Sanjeev sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window Gilman creeped like a freak,


Tore down the yellow wallpaper and threw up the coward.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen rain

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,


But a miniature Virgin, and five hundred pounds,



With a little old parson, so lively and quick,


I knew in a moment it must be Hugo.



More rapid than hawks his accusations they came,


And the crowd whistled, and shouted, and called Odin by name;


"Now, Manus! now, Sarah! now, Jimmy Jack and Maire!


On, Doalty! on Bridget! on, Hugh and Owen!



To Baile Beag! to Ballybeg we must!


Now read away! read away! read away all!"



As deer do during the wild hurricane… fly,


When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,



So up to the close-reading the students they flew,


With the blogs full of insight, and L. Ambrose too.


 

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof


The prancing and pawing of each little thought.

As Sanders drew Indiana down, and was turning around,


Down the chimney HUST 103 came with a bound.



They were dressed all in sleep, from their heads to their ‘foots’,


And their clothes were all tarnished with deep thoughts and soot;



A bundle of questions they had flung on their backs,


And they looked like hikers just opening their packs.



Thier eyes -- how they twinkled! their dimples not many!


Their cheeks were like roses, their noses like cherries!



Their droll little mouths were drawn up like bows,


And the outside of their coats were as white as the snows;



The stump of a pipe no one had tight in their teeth,


And the thoughts they encircled their heads like a wreath;



Maybe a broad face or a little round belly,


That shook, when they laughed like a bowlful of jelly.



They were chubby not plump, some right jolly young elfs’,


And She laughed when She saw them, in spite of herself;



A wink of her eye and a twist of her head,


Soon let them to know they had nothing to dread;



They spoke a few words, but went straight to their work,


And filled all their notebooks; then turned with a jerk,



And laying their pens aside of the books,


And giving a nod, up the chimney they rose;



They sprang to their rides, to their drivers they gave a whistle,


And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.



But I heard them exclaim, ere they drove out of sight,


"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

[I really enjoyed class, the blogs, the readings, it all seemed to go by so fast. ]

Impressions and Reflections

Along with many of you, I was hesitant coming into the class because I had no clue what to expect. The course description sounded like it would be an interesting class to take. And it was just that.

My favorite part of Lives and Times was the books and stories we read. I probably would not have read them if it wasn’t for this class and I found them to be very entertaining to read. I particularly found The Yellow Wallpaper and This Blesses House to be very absorbing. I especially liked how we watched the movie “O” as it brought new discussion topics to our section in Othello. It was great to see Othello in a different and modern light and to make connections and contrasts between the two.

One other aspect of the class that I took notice to was Professor Ambrose’s organization of certain topics and books that related. I actually didn’t realize how it all tied together until class last Friday. It was astounding to see that it was all connected and they built off each other. Paper 2 was my favorite assignment by far. At first, I thought the whole project seemed a bit tedious. But when I started writing the paper, I was excited that I was able to use my own creativity to come up with a new story that added on to one of my favorite stories.

Overall, I enjoyed my time in Lives and Times. Professor Ambrose was always enthusiastic about our discussions and shed new light onto what open discussion really is. I read many books that really got my attention, wrote a creative paper I never thought I would be able to do, and conversed freely with my peers. The class was not what I expected, but I am completely okay with that!

Last Blog?!

I signed up for Lives and Times and prepared myself for a completely different class than the class I will walk away from come Tuesday December 16th. It is safe to say that it was not what I expected, but I am completely okay with that for a couple reasons.I can easily say that I left Professor Ambrose's class everyday with a better understanding of the material than I had had the day before, and ultimately I will leave this course as a better student than I was before I started it. Not only was this class more beneficial to me than I expected it to be, I also was able to read a lot of books and stories that I may not have ever heard of otherwise.
Out of all of my first semester classes of my first year at Saint Mary's, this course has not only encouraged me to grow as a writer but has helped me in this process the most. I am so thankful for this. Also, it has given me more confidence in the classroom due to our many classroom discussions and our interaction with one another's writing and ideas. Last, but not least, this class has introduced me to blogs and I will leave Lives and Times as more of an internet-whiz than I was in August of this year. Awesome.
I would also like to comment on the what we have read this semester and the three sections of reading. I thought it was really cool how they were split up and really emphasized different interpretations of place and how it affects people of different gender, age and time. It really gave us all a broad range of information for a more particular topic.
Thanks, Professor Ambrose, for the time and thought you put into this course!

Course Reflections

I would just like to say that I am very happy that I decided to take this course this semester. I have to agree with many others when I say I initially thought this course was geared more towards history. I must also agree with my classmates because I was pleasantly surprised when I began reading and analyzing the readings. The readings in general were extremely interesting. Each reading highlighted the emphasis of one's place with being too difficult to comprehend.

The course was interesting and taught me so much. I am certain that the analytical skills have improved. I know this because I have already found myself doing a "close reading" in some of my other classes and that skill has helped improve my grade for those same classes. I honestly feel that this class also helped me express my personal thoughts better. I now feel more comfortable participating in class as well as expressing myself in my writing. For this I would like to thank Professor Ambrose. I also felt comfortable walking into class. Even if I was ever confused by the material, I knew the discussion would clarify the readings and I would not have to feel embarrassed about my lack of understanding. Additionally, I went several times during office hours and each time I went I left feeling more confident about myself and more certain about the topic at hand.
So thank you professor! Thank you for all your dedication and understanding throughout the semester.

My Time in Lives &Times

This course turned out totally different than I thought it would be. I came into Lives & Times, thinking that the course would be more geared towards history. That thought kind of intimidated me because I'm not much of a history person. Instead, the course was more geared around analyzing different types of literature from different time periods.

The in-class discussions, during which we contributed our opinions about reading, were quite helpful. For we were given the chance to voice our opinion on what we thought was going on in the literature, then we were able to actually find out what was going on.

Something I will take away from this class is the ability to pick out specific details to support a given topic. I also learned how to break different ideas into different paragraphs, as opposed to cramming several ideas into one clustered paragraph. This way, you have room to thoroughly analyze each idea.

My favorite thing about the course was the BLOG! Initially, I had trouble creating my own voice, as a writer; however, once I was able to get out of the formal writing mode, I felt like I was finally able to just flow. Blogs gave me an opportunity to express myself without having to write in a formal manner. Whenever I blog, I feel relaxed and under no pressure.

I loved this class, and I'm so glad I took it. I would definitely recommend this class to all of my friends. Professor Ambrose, you're a wonderful teacher and I learned so much from you :)

Course Reflection

I had a lot fun in this course. I read some interesting things that I don't think I would know about otherwise. I thought it was really good that the course was split into three sections--each determining an important aspect of the overall theme of the course. I felt that that was helpful and also kept my interest in the pieces that we read.

I think the only thing that I did not really warm up to is, regretfully, the blogs. Not because I don't think they are a great learning tool but because sometimes I felt that I couldn't really put my all into the blog because one was due every week and the subject always changed. I think that some of the ideas some of the girls suggested in class would be a great way to improve the blog as a learning tool. Maybe having one person write a blog and then everyone else write a blog stemming off that one persons. Something to that extent could definitely help discussion.

I loved the papers that we wrote-especially the second one because it really sparked my interest in the different works. I think that the differences in the papers was a good change of pace because it helped maintain my interest as well as made me try something different. It was interesting and fun at the same time.

Thoughts.

Coming into the class I did not have any idea what to expect. I had only heard great things about the course so I was extremely intrigued. The course in its entirety was very interesting and I really enjoyed the various novels, short stories, and essays. They were all so different from each other yet very similar. I also really enjoyed the correlation between history and the various reads.

Initially in terms of difficulty I found that I had a lot of trouble with the close-reading. I could not wrap my head around true analysis which was very frustrating. However as the semester went on I found myself close-reading with ease. I feel as though close-reading has also helped in other classes.

This class has also helped me get over my fear of participation. I rarely participate in classes because I feel as though I am always unsure of my opinons. As the semester progressed I found that I was more comfortable with myself and my opinions. Overall I am very happy that I took this class this semester!

Course Reflection

I wasn't really sure what to expect when I came into class. I had no idea what kinds of papers we were going to be writing, how much homework we would have, etc. The readings that we started off the course with were perfect. It got me into the right frame of mind and I found them very interesting. They both gave different perspectives and opened the door for our first papers to expand on the idea of place. The readings intrigued me and I think they sparked a lot ideas for discussion.

The blogs were difficult for me at first. I had never been on a blog before. It was hard to write my thoughts on the blog at first because I wasn't exactly sure what to write or how formal it was supposed to be. As time went on, I thought the blogs were great for class discussion. Because it was something everyone had to do, it forced us all to participate. It was nice to have the blog as a place to get out our thoughts and opinions that we didn't feel comfortable sharing in class. 

I would have to say that the class discussion was my favorite part of class. A lot of the material we read I think was new for a lot of girls in class including me. The readings made me think differently and it was fun to hear others opinions. I wish that more of the class could have been involved in the discussion but overall, I think our class was pretty good with discussions. 

Overall I enjoyed this course. As I said before, the readings and what I payed attention to in the readings was different from other courses I've taken. This opened my mind to a lot of things which is something I can appreciate. 

Course Reflection

Overall the course was educational. I felt throughout the class that it was repetitive of what I had already learned my freshman year, especially because it related very closely to what I learned in my W course. I feel that if I had taken this class my freshman year that I would have found it more interesting and challenging.

Things that I liked about the class were the class discussions and the two different styles of writing that we got to use. The reading selection was also varied and I enjoyed what we talked about. I also felt that the course load was relatively easy and not overwhelming at all, everything was spaced out nicely.

One of the things that I did not like was the blog. I felt that there was not enough structure to it to actually have an effective outside of class communication with others. The blog would work better if maybe a few select people would be randomly assigned to write about the piece currently being discussed and then everyone else would have to write a response to it. We do something similar to this in my Communications class where for each chapter we do about four people are assigned to write reaction papers and come up with two or three discussion questions for class. Then class is centered around those questions after the papers are summarized for the class. I feel that if you did something like this for the blog it would work better. This way each person would only have to write one or two blogs for an actual piece but then they would be expected to write a decent length response when they were not assigned to actuall write about the piece.

Course Reflection

This course was nothing like what I expected. The most intimidating aspect of the class for me was the forced participation. I do not usually offer my ideas in class because I do not really like speaking in front of people. When we were told that we needed to participate at least once if not more a day or our grades would suffer, I was a little worried. Through having to participate I have grown more comfortable with speaking in front of a group. The class really helped me to analyze something in my head and then articulate it.
Close reading was also fairly new to me. While I had done analysis papers before, I had never heard of the term 'close reading'. The analysis we have done in this class was definitely deeper than I have done before for class assignments.
Some of my favorite readings were "This Blessed House", "Writing from the Center", and Translations. My least favorite was Othello, I am not comfortable reading the language and that made it very hard for me to understand.
To be honest the only part of the course that I did not like was blogging. I don't really feel like I got anything out of it. It seemed to me that if I did have something to say on the topic that I would just say it in class. It is an interesting aspect to the course but for me it always felt forced. Also, this is of my own doing, but I did not feel like I gave each blog 100% effort and I don't like turning in assignments that I did not put full effort into.

Looking Back

The distinction between "summary" and "analysis" is what I struggled most with throughout this course. My grades on Paper 1 and the first few blogs were eye-openers. While Professor Ambrose repeatedly explained the difference, I just was not getting it! As the course continued, however, I began to see a difference in the author's point of view and my own. I found constructing an analysis easier for the novels or stories we read with characters that annoyed me (Lucy, "This Blessed House"). It was helpful to use those emotions to draw bigger conlcusions about the themes of the stories or of the characters themselves.

Looking back now, I do not think I would change a thing. My poor scores on the first few assignments made me think and work harder on the next assignments. In a sense, my "failures" eventually lead me to success in that I am now better able to distinguish from summary and analysis.

Course Reflection

Throughout this course we have read many coming of age and self-analyzing books and essays that I think is really appropriate for a college age course. Annie Dillard sarcastically examines her life as a writer just as we are trying to decide what major to pick and if it is worth all of our time. Othello examined displacement which I know is a common feeling for me now that I am in college and makes me think of my "displacement" in traveling abroad next semester. Also, both Lucy and Omishto examine their own lives and their relationship to their family and home. A time in college is a time to reexamine our relationships and make new ones. Overall, it was enjoyable to read what others had to think throughout the blogs and analyze the different books we read. 

Course Reflections

I will admit that this class was not what I expected when I signed up for it during the summer. I was not expecting blogs and creative papers. Nevertheless, the creative paper that I wrote for Lucy was very interesting and fun. It was a nice break to write about something that I created. On the other hand, as was mentioned in class today, sometimes I felt like my blogs were forced. I found that my blogs were more productive when I was able to choose the topic to write about. Having a set topic often puzzled me. Commenting was fun because I was able to read and write about what other people blogged.

I know that class discussion is an important part of the class, but I much preferred small group activities. I found that it was easier to relate to a smaller group of people than with the whole class.

I believe that the courseload was reasonable, except for at the end of the semester with Power. I also felt that the order of the material was reasonable. It was nice not to jump into a novel right away at the beginning, but then there were three novels or plays at the end, which made it seem overwhelming. In the end, even though the class was not what I had expected, I found it interesting and a challenge.

HUST 103 Reflection

I will admit, I definitely had a hard time warming up to this course. I was completely in the dark when I signed up for Lives and Times and had no idea what to expect. As it turned out to be very much like a literature course, I realized that I had a lot of room for improvement. I had never really learned about close reading and I learned how much I needed to work on it in order to succeed in the course. At the beginning of the semester I had no idea what was expected from me in my papers and even in my blogs simply because I had no experience with this rigorous of a literature course. I always thought that my high school and first year of college prepared me very well for what was to come in my sophomore year of college, but I came to find out that I never had a course that prepared me for this intricate of detail when it came to what was underneath the surface of the texts we read. I really feel like I have improved in close reading and participating in discussion and even in thinking of something to write about in the blogs. I am happy that I have had a class that has taught me how to dig deep into an author's writing and find what's underneath and then write about it. It sure has been a challenge and a frustration at times, but in the end I am glad that I have gained the knowledge that I did from our Lives and Times class.

Knowledge Gained. Lives and Times Proved To Be A Good Time.

Ok, I am going to be frank. I had little to no knowledge about what this class would entail when I signed up for it. I was unable to get into another class that I had wanted to take, and I had taken a Humanistic Studies class first semester that proved to be quite interesting so I said, "What the heck, why not."

Then, after the first week I kept thinking, "This is not what I thought it was going to be. And I am not sure I am going to like this course after all." All the emphasis on technology and place and setting was just so out of my element, and I was afraid that I would not really enjoy or succeed in the class.

But then things picked up. Class became more about discussion and less about technicalities. The blogs became less of a nuisance and more about expressing my thoughts on the readings in whatever creative way I deemed fit. There was a great deal of freedom that accompanied the blogs, and knowing I could write whatever and however I wanted to made it less of a chore and the blogs kind of grew on me once I embraced them.

More so, the readings we had seemed to be more and more interesting to me as time went on. Some of my favorite readings were later in the semester, such as Othello, Lucy and "This Blessed House." And even the less favorable readings we had were still clearly beneficial to the course as a whole so reading them was not that bad really.

In conclusion, this course was challenging and usually quite enjoyable. Overall, Monday/Wednesday/Friday 11-11:50 was time well spent : )

Lives and Times

When I first started this class, I thought it was going to be completely different and honestly was quite nervous for the semester. But now that the semester is ending, Lives and Times was one of my favorite classes.
Even though most of the books I read have happy endings, the books we read in this class made me have a new perspective on what books I will choose in the future. I loved how the were more surreal. I think my favorite story we read was The Yellow Wallpaper. It was way different than any other story I had read. I loved the characters, the story, and the depth of it. I had never really thought about analyzing stories until now. But now everything I read, I tend to analyze.
My favorite part of this class was how informal the discussion was. In most of my classes this semester, there is mostly lecture and then little participation. I love how much the class runs off discussion, it is very interesting and always keeps me in tune.
Overall, Lives and Times was a very good class. I am glad I took it because it helped me analyze readings which will help me in the future. But at the same time, I wish I had it every semester!

Reflection on lives & times

It’s quite amazing that the semester is over- it seemed to just fly by. As a freshman I have to adjust to a different life style, but now I am feeling more confident by the day. To be completely honest, Lives and Times was definitely one of my, if not my most favorite class I took this semester. The major reason I like Lives and Times, is the class interaction and discussion. This is not your typical lecture class where you listen and take notes. Instead you take the thoughts inside your head and share them with your peers. I really like expressing my opinion and hearing what others say. By discussing we really get all perspectives and we can build off one another’s thoughts. I am actually not at all a very social person; however, I really like to express myself in academic situations. If only this energy could be transpired in my social life.

Overall I learned many important concepts in this class. I definitely improved my writing skills, after struggling through paper one, and know I need to work on transitioning between paragraphs. I also learned how to properly close read at text, so that better analysis will follow. So it is known now: read, read, and re-read again and again!! Furthermore, I learned many historical facts, and especially about culture, and customs. I really think this class focused on personal identity in relation to place and cultural setting. I do not have a favorite book; rather I like parts of many of the readings. I really thought “Writing from the Center” was inspiring and Power was very enlightening. In most aspects, I liked all parts of this class. If I could change anything, it would probably just be to have more time to discuss or also to use internet sources more. So that is about it. Goodbye to a superb class- and do not forget to read and re-read again!

Final Exam

* Final Exam *
233 Madeleva
Tuesday, Dec. 16th
4:15-6:15 p.m.

Power

In reading Linda Hogan's "Power", the narrator, Omishto, talks about two different characters early on in the book: her mother and Aunt Ama. The stark differences between these women show some type of struggle that may exist within Omishto about being a Taiga person and deciding if she will follow the new world virtues or still rely heavily on older Taiga ways and traditions. Her mother represents the modernized life and ideals. Aunt Ama represents the old Taiga ways and graceful simplicity. Through her interactions and opinions of these characters, I believe she uses the conclusions made about them to discern what her particular lot in life will be.


Omishto seems to despise her mother, but still respects her. She talks about her mother's constant need for love, the sketchy man she's chosen to be her stepfather, and how she tries to "pass for white". She seemingly does not see anything admirable in her mother. If she does, the reader is not privy to that information just yet. With Aunt Ama, she has a "love hate" relationship with her opinion of her. I think she likes Ama because she seems to be a lot like her and she doesn't need "love" and she doesn't try to be something she's not. Ama is more interesting than her mother and exudes strength and the old ways of the Taiga people that are dying out with the influx of modernity. She mostly "loves" Ama in my opinion and says that she only thinks Ama is not beautiful after being in the "modern" world at school and such. Silence and sheer mystery add to the facade that Omishto's mind has built of Ama. I think ultimately that Omishto struggles a little with her identity as a young Taiga woman in a world that seemingly shuns the traditions and old practices.

I Am

I am All Seeing and Wise Beyond My Years

I wonder What It Would Be Like In A Different Time

I hear People's Thoughts

I see What Watches Me

I want To Be Respected

I am All Seeing and Wise Beyond My Years

I pretend To Be From The Tiaga Days

I feel Things Are Changing

I touch Oni -- Oni embraces me

I worry about Ama

I cry About the Troubles for Sisa

I am All Seeing and Wise Beyond My Years

I understand I Cannot Be Safe, Even Though It is After The Storm

I believe There is Truth, I Just Don't Know it, Yet

I try To Stay Protected

I hope For... Who Knows What To Hope For Now?

I AM all seeing AND wise beyond my years.

"Ama's house has termites and a path worn into the floor from the stove to the window where she looks outs. The path goes out the door to the porch and down the two wide steps. A stranger could read her life from this floor. They'd find fish scales in the boards if they looked close enough, and road dust and pieces of leaves and stems" (26).

"I can still smell the cat, the sharp odor, the damp fur, the smell of cut flesh and blood, all still with me like its become my skin, and I am steeped in it. All around me are the houses, with people watching television and eating their snacks, and I am in the trees" (94).

[As I was reading, I was reminded of the description of Ama's house while Omishto was describing herself. It struck me that Omishto was being so closely described as the house.... The I AM poem should be read from the duel point of view of the house and Omishto.]

What a STORM!

After reading the first four chapters of Power, one thing in particular CLEARLY has an overwhelming abundance of power. What I'm referring to is the incredibly destructive storm that deranges all of the life and earth around Omishto.

"I scream and I see that the sky is bruised and unnatural, and the wind is so strong the deer are flying, looks of terror on their faces. The deer are flying in the storm...They are lifted up by the wind and everything is again dark and wounded and two large trees turn over and fall, black-trunked and shaken out by the hands of something bigger. Fifty-foot trees, they must be, their dark roots in air."


What a sight to see! How is it possible for wind and rain to create such devastation? It almost seems as if this situation is beyond believable. I mean, can you honestly fathom the thought of large deer being tossed around in the wind as if they were sheets of paper? To me, this is an absolute phenomenon. Sure, we turn to the Weather Channel and to the Discovery Channel and hear stories about select natural disasters that have caused utter destruction, but how can we humanly imagine something of a certain degree unless we've witnessed a similar event ourselves?

I remember the discussion in class on Monday when someone mentioned how strange it was that Omishto didn't realize that her dress came off in the midst of the storm. Initially I could not even imagine not noticing that I was standing butt-naked outdoors; however, you have to consider the context of Omishto's situation:

1. First off, the poor girl is literally fighting to hold onto a tree, as to save her own life.
2. She is most likely bewildered by the atrocious scene of flying trees and animals around her.
3. She's straining her muscles to hang on, because she's outside for quite some time.

In the midst of all of this chaos, I highly doubt that anyone would recognize their clothing being stripped off. I know I would probably be MOST concerned with SURVIVING the storm, and not giving in to it.

"omishto"

I can't help but notice Omishto's analytical insight. She is constantly personifying nature, animals, and lifeless objects around her.

"It's as if everything breathes, hard and desperate, the land, the house, the water."(p.28)

Although the objects may literally be lifeless, Omishto finds life in them. She seems to constantly be looking beyond the outside, and towards the inside. There is no struggle, for this is a characteristic of Omishto-- it comes naturally to her.

 I find this extremely interesting for two reasons. First, it enables the reader to see her world through her detailed description, allowing us to see the world in her eyes rather than having to imagine it for ourselves. Her analysis also reflects her name: the one who watches. Her name reflects her heritage, and her character proving again that a name and a language can hold so much meaning.

reason for everything but fate

"I don't believe because at school I learn there is a reason for everything" (13).
I feel Omishto puts too much faith in the laws of science and reason. From personal experience I know that science can explain the logic behind certain events but not necessarily the reasoning. I suppose science can give a logical reason for Omishto not realizing that her dress had blown away. Logically she could have been in shock from all the dramatic events occurring in her environment. But her dress must have been torn off her body by the wind. And yet, she is consumed with the image of the horse. Personally, I think the horse instills a lasting emotion in Omishto. The horse is a part of the natural world which she cares so much about. On the other hand is only a dress and has little meaning to nature. She must have felt the dress being removed by the wind. But the horse creates a lasting emotion. Death in itself lasts in your memory longer then minor pains in you endure, science can explain this fact. But why in the middle of the storm does she happen to run into the horse? At the instant she finds the horse she could have been inside or anywhere else. If the wind were to force the dress off an instant sooner, I wonder if she would have noticed the horse that suffered as a result of nature.

Ancient versus the Modern

We ended class on Monday discussing the fact that Omishto hints at the divide between the ancient traditions of the Taiga people and the modern inventions of American society. At the end of the fourth chapter Omishto out rightly states this by saying: "Two worlds exist. Maybe it's always been this way, but I enter them both like I am two people. Above and below. Land and water. Now and then" (97). It appears that Omishto is refrencing the two worlds that her mother and Ama live in. But I didn't quite understand this last sentence.

Omishto says that she is split into two people and enters the different worlds in that respect; however, it seems to me that she is always the same. She never appears to change dramatically and always seems to hold a bias to Ama and her ways. Though, she sometimes feels that she will never quite understand that ways of the old and their traditions she always seems to return to Ama in the end.

I think the defining moment in this chapter is when Omishto decides to leave her family's home and return to Ama's to bury the horse. I feel that this signifies herself distancing herself from the modern was as a whole. She states earlier that she feels her family has separated themselves from her but at the same time she doesn't seem to be affected by the circumstances. In fact, she states that she feels as if she's "outgrown" her bed--a symbol of comfort and home.

Although it appears that Omishto has not made a choice on which world she will remain in--it seems as if she cares for Ama's far more than the modern world her mother offers.

tradition vs. innovation

I was particularly struck by the distinct differences amid the two worlds Omishto is clearly caught between. On one hand she blatantly states that she does not believe in magic because of her education. Her education has taught her to believe that “there is a reason for everything” (13). I find this interesting because of her obvious connection to Ama. She finds herself drawn to Ama’s traditional beliefs and theories without really understanding why. However this may be a form of rebellion from her mother’s static modern way of life. By frequenting Ama’s household she is able to relieve herself from the burden of her mother’s insistent teachings about the importance of progression.

When Ama kills the panther Omishto must carry the burden of shame and confusion. As an animal lover she is unable to understand Ama’s motives for killing the sacred animal however she begins to come to terms with Ama’s belief in the magic of the Taiga people. Even after Ama has been arrested Omishto continues to return to her house to repair the damages and bury the horse. She is drawn to this place because it is so different from what she has grown up with. This suggests tension within the relationship with her mother and in her teenage angst feels the need to break away to renew the beliefs and traditions of her ancestors.

Spelling Correction

I noticed in my blog I spelled Omishto wrong. Sorry for this oversight!

fact vs. fiction

"I don't believe because at school I learn there is a reason for everything" (13). Omishto is saying that she doesn't believe in magic because her school makes her think differently. Ama, on the other hand, chooses to believe in the Taiga stories. To put it simply, Omishto goes with facts, while Ama goes with fiction. However, Ama points out to Omishto that "the old ways are not enough to get us through this time and she was called to something else" (22).

I would agree with Ama. In school I feel like we're taught everything out of the book. We go off of science and we stay away from teaching things like evolution because its something that is not proven. But where would we be without beliefs? We have to have a little bit of faith to get us through things. Religion is something that has both fictional and factual aspects. Even if we looked at facts, we still have to believe that the facts are coming from good sources and are reliable.

Omishto later says, "At school I learn that storms create life, that lightning, with its nitrogen, is a beginning; bacteria and enzymes grow new life from decay out of darkness and water" (95). I think that Omishto relies too much on facts. She observes nature the most so its based off of science. I think she should start to think more like Ama.

One In The Same

I cannot help but think that the panther, Sisa, in Power is a representation of the Taiga people.

The way the panther is described truly resonates with the image I have formulated of the Taiga people. Like the panther, the Taiga people embody a sense of grace, endangerment, power, vulnerability and knowing.... knowing of their current status in the world. Just as the panther "sees right through" Ama and Omishto and accepts its fate with bravery, the Taiga people have a sense of strength that makes them the graceful, powerful people they are (Hogan 64). But, just as the panther is endangered, so too are the Taiga people. The threat of the modern world makes them vulnerable to extinction and the Taiga people have fallen just as the panther has.

After thinking along these lines, it made Ama's decision to kill the panther all the more reasonable. It is more a suicide than it is a murder. Omishto points out to Ama shortly after the panther has been killed that, "You have killed yourself, Ama" (Hogan 67). This strikes me as true because Ama is very much a woman of the old ways, the Taiga ways. In killing the panther, which is the representation of the Taiga people, Ama has removed something from her essence as a person. And in a more literal sense, she has also condemned herself to legal punishment. Nonetheless, Ama's killing of the panther can be looked at as a way to relieve her people of the slow and shaming death of their essence.

Especially now that I explored the idea of the panther as a representation of the Taiga people, it hits dead on that the panther and the people are one in the same in all the ways that matter.

At Home With Nature

One of the most evident parts of Power is the emphasis and detail that is put into describing the surroundings. Omishto is very descriptive with nature, with people and herself she only offers enough detail for the audience to be able to draw a sense of who they are and what they look like, but she rarely if ever goes into detail. Nature is one of the important parts of this novel because it is the one thing that Omishto can connect with.

The first in depth description comes during the hurricane when Omishto is stuck outside. Her ability to describe what she is seeing with her eyes is phenomenal, this is one of the first times that is goes into detail about anything around her. Much of her descriptions of nature are personified "The wind has pushing hands, it has a body. It screams like a train coming through" (34). Her descriptions show her inability to fully connect with modern society and to really only feel at home when she is out in nature. She also shows an enormous amount of strength while stuck outside, "I grab hold of another tree, feel the wind's body against me, hitting me as I pray at the bottom of the tree that it won't blow down. I grab at the tree roots and it is dark and I ache from trying to hold on" (35). This portion of description emphasizes Omishto's test of strength against nature.

However, there is a contrast to this when she is out at night with Ama. At this time she feels lost and uncomfortable while she walks through the night unable to grasp her surroundings, "We are not that far away from her place, not as far as I would have guessed anyway," (71). I think that this feeling can be attributed to her unease with knowing that by the end of the night she will have been present for part of nature's life being taken unnaturally. Not only this but we see a weak side of Omishto, "When she steps toward the cat, I say, 'No, Ama, I'm afraid. What are you doing?' I start to cry again" (67). These emotions are unlike her previous encounters with nature.

These are too conflicting emotions and personalities that she has. I think that throughout the novel we will see Omishto struggling with what she knows and what she wants. I found it interesting to see her have to very different interactions with nature, the only thing that she really feels a connection too.

Ama vs. Oshmito's Mom.

While reading Power, I continue to find myself trying to decide whether I would side more with Ama or with my mother if I were Oshmito. I like how much Ama connects with nature and how she connects with the animals around her. It's attractive how Ama can feel like she is one with nature and is untamed like nature is. She seems to fit so well with her way of life; simple and peaceful. But it is weird to me that she goes off and kills a panther when she respects nature in such a deep way. I guess she must have such a strong bond with the animal that she somehow knew and could be confident enough that it was better off killed.

Although I admire some of Ama's characteristics and lifestyle, I think that Oshmito's mom is more in tune with reality and modern time. Oshmito's mother has taken advantage of modern advances and I don't think there is anything wrong with that. The Taiga tribe is a tribe of the past and just like many other faiths have done the Taiga can adjust their beliefs to reflect what the world is like today. I would probably side with Oshmito's mom if it wasn't for her husband. The way Oshmito describes him as looking at her inappropriately makes me so uncomfortable that I don't blame Oshmito at all for running off to spend time at Ama's house and then spend the nights in a boat.

Overall I think that Oshmito is leading a difficult life in trying to choose between the Taiga tribe and modern day beliefs. I look forward to reading the rest of the book and finding more ways to help me decide which side I would choose.

Nature = Home

Omishto believes that she no longer belongs in her house with her family. After returning home she feel isolated in her room but yet makes no effort to join her family downstairs. The natural world seems to be her escape. When ever Omishto seems overwhelmed she finds herself outside, usually walking to Ama's. The point is that for her nature is more comforting than the home she grew up in. I believe that is due partly to then events of the storm. It was a traumatic experience being suck in that storm and when she is outside she is around things that appear to have experienced the same things that she has, while her home is untouched and perfect, now having no connection to the traumatic things she has gone through. I found this very similar to the expedience of going home after coming to college. The first couple of times its seems alright, but the longer you stay away and the more connected you become to your school, or new home, the stranger it is to go home. It stayed the same while you changed and it can never feel the way it did because you do not feel the same way. Omishto seems to be struggling with this idea that she no longer "fits" in her home, and that nature is where she belongs.

Omishto v. Lucy

When it comes to negativity, Lucy wins hands down. When it comes to close-mindedness, however, it may be near a tie. Although I respect how Omishto finds beauty and joy in nature, she still does not seem open to other people's values and beliefs. Just as Lucy seemed to only listen to Mariah in order to be nice, Omishto only goes to church on Sunday because she feels sorry for her mother. Chapter 5 opens with Omishto saying that she went to church with her mother "because I am obedient, I go with her. For her sake, not mine, because she has been crying, and I feel bad for her" (99). No one likes to be pitied, and this insincerity would probably end up hurting her mother more in the end than if Omishto had been honest and not gone.

Omishto goes on to criticize the women of the church and how they "wear too much blush and mascara and too-bright a dress" (100). All the while, however, she is frustrated with how women "like her mother" do not understand Ama's way of behavior, dress, and lifestyle. Just the same, maybe Omishto does not understand why they dress, talk, and act the way that they do or think, feel, and believe the things that they do.

In the same way, Lucy felt that everything outside of her ordinary way of life or culture was weird. She felt as though she could judge a woman like Dinah and know everything about her, but hated when people assumed she was from "the islands." This is because they judged by her appearance and knew nothing of her life and experiences. Just the same, Omishto judges the appearances of the women at the church without knowing or understanding their chosen ways of life.

If she wants respect for Ama's and her ideals, I'd suggest keeping an open-minded to others' beliefs and values.

Omishto and Nature

Omishto is a teenage girl living in a world that she is torn between. She goes to school and lives in a normal house yet she is also part of the Taiga tribe. Not only that but I think Omishto has a strong connection with nature that she doesn't always quite understand. On page 101 she says that she could tell it was going to rain saying, "I can see it coming through the windows, moving toward us, and more than that, I can smell it." Just as when the storm hit earlier Omishto was able to tell what nature is doing without special equipment. I think this is one of the important connections for her to Taiga people which is to also be connected to the earth and nature. 

Furthermore, Omishto compares herself to a fern and Ama is the rain. These "resurrection ferns that wait for a rain like dead things and then open up new and green and beautiful like they are doing right now out on the hurricane-felled trees, like they didn't know it was catastrophe that gave them life." Through this analogy, I think Omishto sees herself as connected with nature but also just another part of nature.  Also, it could be just as the ferns can grow from this disaster so can Omishto. Ama was just the rain that started her growing experience. Even though as Omishto says the hurricane was a "catastrophe" there can be life that grows from it, hopefully just as Omishto just as the ferns she will grow after her own disaster. 

Nature vs. Self

Omishto often mentions and describes the natural world throughout the novel Power. One passage that stands out to me is on pages 38 and 39. After the hurricane and after Omishto returns to Ama's house, she observes all that is around her. There are birds flying around, goats, a chicken, and a dead horse. Omishto describes the horse's exact position and what it looks like, laying in the mud. She tells the reader what she thinks the animals are thinking. Then she mentions, "I look down and see myself and I am naked" (39). She does not even realize this until she has first taken in her surroundings of the natural world.

Omishto seems to have a very close relationship with the animals and the natural world around her. She describes natural objects in depth. Omishto says the animals "walk about, unafraid of us" (38). Because Omishto does not realize that her dress has come off, she reveals her concern for the animals before herself. Later on in the novel, she comes back to Ama's house to bury the dead horse and any other animals she can, which reveals her caring nature for animals.

Relationship between Nature and Omishto

As in many of the passages ,Omishto really seems to personify the nature around her. I choose to use a brief passage on page 45 as an example. Specifically the narrator describes the actions of the clouds as if they have feelings. The clouds hanging low are ashamed of the violent storm and what the sky has done, so they try to hide the damage. Generally speaking, Omishto seems to have a personal relationship with nature, not just treating it as surroundings, but giving it equal meaning to that of a person. After all, nature is living, and while nature cannot speak as people do, it communicates in different ways. Thus, Omishto senses that the reason the clouds are low on the water and land, is due to sadness. I think this way Omishto thinks is very profound. Modern day society is so absorbed with technology and progress, that many have forgotten the human connection to nature. Omishto is trying to say that we are all connected, we give life to nature, and nature gives life to us. The sky lies exhausted after the storm, because we too are exhausted.

Most importantly, I think Omishto tries to express her feelings by portraying nature as acting so. After the storm, she is overwhelmed and tired, like the sky. However, I think, that unconsciously, Omishto, does this, because nature helps her collect her feelings, as if it speaks for her. She is able to relate to this peaceful matter that does not judge, but forms her opinions and gives her inner confidence. Being somewhat of an outsider in the modern world, really propels Omishto to personify and think like this. She is truly a friend of nature, turning its beauty into real meaning.

Natural World

"I'm surprised to see that I have one at all and it's such a funny thing to notice, it seems ironic what with the rain and darkness, but that little of patch of sunlight is still working its way through the black clouds like someone shining a flashlight through the middle of the night, and I don't know how, but it's fallen across the shining a flashlight through the middle of the night." -pg30. Omishto loves to relate nature to her real world. Before reading Power, I did not realize how important nature was to society. Nature is beautiful and helps us survive. Omishto shows this by relating nature to our real lifes. She shows us little day hobbies are part of nature or are similar to nature. The world is to caught up in their own lives to be like Omishto. Omishto relates to nature to our lives and shows us how important our surrondings are.

Names Reflecting Who You Are

Omishto means to watch. As we are learning in the beginning of the book, Omishto's personality reflects what her name means. Omishto loves to watch nature and reflect things back to nature. I think it is very intersting how before you are born you are given a name and then it reflects who you are.
My last name Glaub means to believe. I think this reflects my personality. I am always a believer when something is wrong or when I need hope. My name is like Omishto's because I believe in myself just like she likes to watch.
I guess we will see throughout the book if Omishtos personality still reflects on what her name means..

Power

So far, I really like reading Power. I think Omishto is a really interesting character with a lot of depth which we see through her thoughts and actions. While we discussed her as a character and narrator today in class a specific aspect to her personality stuck out to me. I loved the fact that she was observant. I think being observant, or a wallflower, is not always seen as a positive trait but I think that it makes Omishto really interesting. While I was reading I underlined the passage on page nineteen that said, "It's not an empty quiet, either, the way it would be with some people. It's a full silence and I like sitting with it...Words are such noisy things and silence is something you have to listen to an when you do, it takes you by the hand, it catches hold of you" (Hogan 19). I really like what the author is saying with this. I feel that being quiet can be seen as being "moody", snobby, or cold but this is not necessarily true and Oshmito comments on this. She sees Ama's quietness as being thoughtful and "full". Ultimately I think that there is something to be said for being quiet and that it can be misinterpreted. But I think it is easy to say things without meaning them, it is harder to truly listen. Also, Omishto's name means "One Who Watches". I think that her personality and name definitely go together, which is something we talked about earlier in class. I think that her quietness and observing tendencies make her a very honest and revealing character which helps to understand her point of view while reading.

Almost forgot!

Although the end of the play was confusing, the last scene really emphasized the role of greek mythology, or greek language, in Translations. I think this scene was saved for last and addressed to the audience through Hugh for a reason.

Because it was saved for last, it is probable that this particular scene lingers on the mind of the reader after finishing the play. Personally, I tried really hard to figure out the importance this scene had and I came up with one theory. As stated before, Hugh was the character through which the greek story is told in the end of the play and he is also the character who takes so much pride in the old language. I feel as though this last scene is an example from Hugh. I didn't understand the scene clearly because I'm not well educated in Greek Mythology and its language- for it is a language of its own. But Hugh exemplifies the beauty of the language and the meaning it has to him. This language was preserved in books of mythology and history. Most importantly, mythology reflects a very important aspect of Greek culture. Although I don't understand the language well myself, the emphasis on this scene allowed me to understand Hugh's story in a different way- it was his way of saying that although communication may be lost, the beauty and meaning behind a language can live forever if you allow it. 

So...Why Did We Read This? Oh, Now I See.

I am just going to throw this out there....Translations was NOT my favorite read. In fact, along the way, I kept thinking to myself how much I despised having to read such a seemingly pointless book. But by the third act, something about this book had grown on me. That something turned out to be the unique and crucial question of language.

Unlike so many books we have read over the course of our academic careers, Translations was not so much about a personal journey or an investigation of societal issues or any of the other common themes we so often encounter. I think for this reason, I found it so irritating to read because I was not seeing the picture and importance of why we were reading it.

But then things became a little more clear. For instance, the book suggests the question of whether or not this statement in particular is true: "The old language is a barrier to modern progress" (Friel 25). At first, this statement struck me as totally true. I mean, how can a culture of people be successful on a universal level if they are restricted by their means of communicating. Such disconnect permeates throughout all aspects of their lives. For example, issues of trade and travel would surely surface. Again, war seems to often be brought about by cultures that cannot find a common ground of communication. But then I began to understand that with this encouragement of modernization, something quite extraordinary is lost or devalued. Specifically, in Translations, the act of changing the names of things from Irish to English means that part of the essence of Ireland, but more so its people, is torn away. What I like about this book is that it argues this question but does not provide an answer. Because, the bottom line is there really is not an answer. Taking the comment, "The old language is a barrier to modern progress" as either true or false means a loss of something no matter how you slice it.

Power reading schedule

Your reading schedule for our last novel, Power, is listed below. Please notice that you only have fifteen or so additional pages due for Wednesday, but then you are expected to read 75+ pages by Friday. In other words, while we'll only cover the specified chapters for that day, it is always to your advantage to read ahead.

Monday, Dec. 1: Ch. 1-3 (pp. 1-81)
Wednesday, Dec. 3: Ch. 4 (pp. 83-97)
Friday, Dec. 5: Ch. 5-6 (pp. 99-176)
Monday, Dec. 8: Ch. 7-9 (pp. 177-235)

Reading Questions (optional):
In what ways does Omishto feel torn between different worlds? How does she describe these worlds?
How would you characterize her relationship to place?
How are her ties to other people/characters distinct from her ties to animals and nature?
What kind of a narrator is she?
Why is the novel titled "Power"? What different kinds of power are at work here?

Language

I do not think that it is possible to choose between these two quotes, "images of the past embodied in language" and "old language is a barrier to modern progress". These two quotes go hand in hand. Progress is not possible without change, however there is a difference between progress and forgetting your heritage.

Old language is a barrier to modern progress, for example Latin is a dead language, it is no longer learned as a native language. However, the history and culture of those times is still remembered and still embraced. Latin was too difficult of a language to carry on through the centuries and many counties began to adopt new languages.

Even though languages are replaced it does not mean that the history is lost. Those moments in time, the memories will all be remembered along with the language that was spoken at the time. Even though those languages are no long spoken, their history still remains. For example most people know that Caesar wrote the Latin language and they understand the culture of them time.

There are extinct languages. This is not always because a simpler language comes along, many languages or dialects of languages are lost because the people that speak them die out and there is no one left to pass on that tradition. But like all traditions, over time they change or are added too. For example the English language, there is a modern English and an Old English. English adapted because the people who spoke it needed it too.

Language is important, but sometimes they adapt to work better with the modern culture and sometimes they do not. The important part is that there is language to describe the events we experience and continue our culture, even if it means that language must adapt and change.

Language

I was thinking of the discussion in class on Monday of the two quotes, "images of the past embodied in language" and "old language is a barrier to modern progress". While there is obviously ways to back up either arguement if I had to choose one I would support "images of the past emodied in language." I think that history is remembered by language and stories. Think of when all traditions and stories were passed down orally. Without language many of the traditions and folk-tales we know today would not exist. If everyone had considered old language(their language) to be a "barrier to modern progress" they would not have told the stories. People learned from those folk tales and there is a rich culture in the stories, without which many of our traditional folk-tales or bedtime stories wouldn't exist. Through these is also how many learned, which is the opposite of being a barrier to progress because education is making progress. While I can see both sides to the choice of quotes, I chose to support the first quote becuase I think that we can learn a lot from history and with the "images from the past" we could not do that.

Language= barrior/preservation of past

"Images of the past embodied in language"
"Old language is a barrier to modern progress"

I am unsure whether I believe the importance of language is the history behind it or instead if the past languages serve as a barrier. When I look at our society today, we are clearly and English speaking society. But how many of us are actually from an English background? Most of our history has consisted of immigrants assimilating into the American society. Therefore they give up their “old language” in order to communicate with the “new” people. However this is not to say that the people give up all their traditions and are transformed into “model” Americans. English is spoken in different ways throughout the country and your personal accent shows your own past. Take me for example; I am from Long Island, NY. Every time I mention where my home is I get the response “Oh I could tell by your accent.” It is as though my speech is a dead giveaway for my past. But on the other hand, my past and my heritage are Italian. However, Italian was lost over the generations in order for my family to move forward with society. As a result I speak “Long Island” and not simply English. The “old language” is no longer present but my language still “embodies images of the past.” I cannot decide which quote I agree more with because I am living proof that both the past and new languages are important for an individual.