12. A Rose for Emily

retrieved from http://articles.annamariaislandlife.com/assets/images/onpage/Rose_Memorial_Community_Church.jpg *


The pub quiz is soon. And we should recall the texts we read. I took a brief look at them, there are some which I haven't blogged on. I have chosen the story "a Rose for Emily" for now.

A Rose for Emily - what a dark story, isn't it? Thoroughly dark..

OK, I have read that the place where Emily lives, Jefferson, is made up by William Faulkner. That is, Jefferson is his phantasy town. However, we can understand from the story that it might be in the south of the US.

Emily seems to be the main character in the story, nevertheless, the community also plays a big role! It is also a main character, so to say. We learn about Emily's life and attitude much, simultaneously about the community as well throughout the story. And besides, the community that gossips and delivers various rumors within itself exists everywhere on Earth, it doesn't matter the country or the state, I guess. :D

I am not sure whether Emily is black or not. I think she is not black. I derive it from the fact that her family is kind of rich in this country and as we know black families especially at that time couldn't own much property.
And if she isn't black, then I would expect from the commuunity to be more brutal on their attitude towards Emily. Because the fact a white woman has some close relationship with a black guy would be really more unacceptable yet than today. However, maybe Emily alienates herself from the community so the community in turn decides automatically on not interfering with her life so much, who knows?

There is also one point that should be noticed immediately and absolutely by us:D
The situation of blacks in the society. The men who were supposed to pave the sidewalks and Emily's servant are black.

And..

Faulkner uses the word "the Negro" when referring to the black servant. I hesitate whether he shows racism here but I think that a writer like he wouldn't be racist. Then why to use "the Negro"?

*About the picture: While reading the story, I imagine a typical American town on my mind and it reminds me of a typical church which is common in the USA that exists beyond Holywood movies.

11. Summer

retrieved from http://khwaja.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/summer_sunflowers.jpg


This part is the shortest part. It is of thoroughly sadness.

There is one point which I wanted to point out in my presentation, however, it was also among the parts I had cut.

It was about the change in people. You know, if we ask why adolesence is "blue", we can answer it by saying: "Because much of problems seem to exist and the adolescent couldn't handle with all of them, so they fall into blueness." It is also new and first, which we realise in adolesence, that we can or should change something in our lives, in the word.

We can find what I mean here:

The part where Frieda and Claudia decide to bury the money they collected. They come to know that Pecola is pregnant and realise that they should do something for her.

The words of Toni Morrison exactly support my thesis:

"Our limitations were not known to us - not then. ... So it was with confidence, strengthened by pity and pride, that we decided to change the course of events and alter a human life" (p.191).

And their sacrifice carries a big value. That action reminded me of what a friendship should be like.

Another point I'd like to mention in the Sommer section is the inner-conversation of Pecola.

" How come you don't talk to anybody?
I talk to you.
Besides me.
I don't like anybody besides you. "

Yes. As Pecola talks to herself, what she and the opposite speaker say are thoughts of Pecola. We know it already that Pecola is expeled from human relationship by lots of people. In this conversation, we can see that she is also aware of this fact.

More precisely, she is aware of the fact that she doesn't talk to anybody, she is discriminated. She also fools herself by saying that she doesn't like anybody besides her inner voice.

This is very brutal. Someone wants something, but they can't do anything. They cannot get rid of what stops them. They cannot reach what they need. They cannot do anything against what causes melancholie to them. They cannot because they have no power. It is out of their might, there is no solution. And finally, they come to accept the situation. The situation which gives them the greatest sadness.

This would be less touching, I think:
I am discriminated. I know it. But it is just because I am discriminated. I don't know, it is so. It has been so, and it is still so.

But,
I am discriminated. I know it. But it is because I am black and ugly. It is because of my inherit characteristics. I accept it. I have nothing to stop it. Although I am aware of everything, I must accept that. No good think is given to me, I suffer. I know it, I cannot do anything. I fool myself. I know everything, I am oppressed, I give up.

I hope I could express what I mean.

10. Spring

retrieved from http://decideforyourself.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/spring2.jpg


Good afternoon the followers of my blog:P As you can see as well, there has been an interruption in my blog. I postponed publishing a post, then the exams began and I had almost no time to write a proper blog. However, it is my fault. I should have managed my time:(

Anyway, blogging continues..

In this post I'd like to talk about the spring section of The Bluest Eye. It is the longest part of the novel. It includes lots of parts.

After I read the whole book, I realised something in the Spring section. Remember the part of the Spring section where Frieda and Claudia search Pecola to get some whiskey. When they find her, Pecola gets to know that they asked Miss Marie where Pecola was. They ask her again whether Pecola is scared of Miss Marie. Pecola says no. Then, she tells them that she is given some present by the whores; and adds that she got "jewelry and candy and money" and "pretty dresses, and shoes". The sisters react that that couldn't be true and that she doesn't have any pretty dresses (p.107). Pecola says that she does.

After reading the novel and take a brief look at its pages, I realised something: Pecola is obsessive about having what she doesn't have, which leads her to insanity. In the end, she goes mad. She thinks that she does have blue eyes.
In this part of the book (Spring section), I can also state that she think she has something, i.e. some pretty and pretentious stuff, given by three whores. Maybe her madness doesn't turn up in the end of the book and immediately, but has been present, in an intensive way or not, within her daily life. Yearning for anything so desperately and strongly affects her life entirely and, which is seen here obviously.

Its effects appear somewhere and somehow throughout her life.

9. Winter

retrieved from http://www.desktopexchange.com/gallery/albums/Nature-Wallpapers/winter_pictures3.jpg


Yes, it was winter in the novel and wehave discussed this section.

The key characters in this section are Maureen Peal and Geraldine&her psyco son Junior.

Maureen Peal is really annoying. At the beginnig, because Claudia and Frieda stay away from her and avoid any contact with her, I didn't like her either. However, after the conversation with Claudia, I feel sympathy to her. She would be nice and neat, I thought. After the dispute among the girls I turned back to continue to dislike her again. So, my like/time plot seems to be like a sinus curve..

And yesterday, I googled what a "Meringue Pie" is, and I realised that it was really a dessert! (as if I wouldn't have guessed. But I really didn't guess that it could be A special dessert) Here goes a picture. Remember, C&P resembles Maureen to this dessert.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meringue

And the sexual awakening part was interesting. I didn't notice it. My presentation includes the theme "adolesence and coming of age" though..

The Geraldine and her nerd son Junior part is annoying. I just can call Junior stupid! Almost everyone of us thought at first that he was going to show her a cute little pussy, but he did everything except showing it. He is absolutely a psyco. He wants to hurt other people.

Geraldine is a stubborn and posh person. Through her, we face another ugly side of discrimination. And this time, it comes from a black person. I always thought that discrimination against black people were by white's; nevertheless, now, it is also in my mind that such lighter blacks commit it, too.

The last thing to say: I really begin to think that blacks kill English language :)
"Them people be home soon." p.78
"You was gonna tel?" p.79

But this is probably because of their accent..

8. Autumn

retrieved from http://vie-peopleplusplaces.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/autumn_tree.jpg

We have began reading The Bluest Eye and already read the first chapter, namely, Autumn. To start with a book is hard. The beginnings of the books are always difficult to read because there has to pass some time to adapt to the book properly. So, we have read the first chapter. We have had a general image of the book.

I like mostly the ironies in a book and Morrison also uses ironies in her book. En example for example: Frieda and Pecola start having a conversation about Shirley Temple, who was a child actress at that time. Claudia doesn't like her so she doesn't say something to join. Later, however, she feels like she has to say something to others and she says "I like Jane Withers." , who was also a child actress.
You know, they suffer having these beauty subject in their lives and from this part of the story we can conclude that media at that time (and also today and also for the future) affects their beauty understanding and image of beauty in their minds. Consequently, they feel inferior. That is unfair. Do they have to be the way society wants?

Except from these, I also want to express my first impression to the book. I think it is a little melancholic. It began with sadness. Frictions and alienation within the families, lonely kids, troubled people. In some parts, we can feel the being-blue of the characters.

Well, we'll see what comes next:)

By the way, we also learned how to use wiki. I find this WIKI a great idea! If this web site was used properly and effectively, it woud absolutely be very beneficial. However, everything depends on our work here again..

7. How Hollywood Vilifies a People

Retrieved from http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/jc50.2008/reelBadArabs/JCArabPix/17-Ali_BabaMad_Dog.jpg

For my research paper, I do some research on Muslim stereotyping in the US media. There is a documentary, which is called "Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People". This documentary is very impressive and it helped me much with my research paper.

As we all know, Hollywood has a great effect on the media all around the world. Only its produced movies are watched by a vast of people on Earth. Its effect on the media is undeniable.

There is much information about this kind of stereotyping in the documentary.

First of all, our Muslim stereotypes are familiar to us. Arabs(or let's say: Muslims, the east peoples)=a desert, a primitive people, brutal-extreme,violent actions. Nevertheless, as we all discussed it, every stereotype denies the truth, the real side.

I want to mention one point: Hollywood. Almost in every Hollywood production, we can see stereotypes and prejudices against Muslims.

In the documentary, a shocking statement is given to the viewers: "Washington and Hollywood spring from the same DNA". Who has said it? Jack Valenti, former President and CEO of the Motion Picture Assn. of America (an important person for the Hollywood world) So, here we clearly see that Hollywood works with some political intentions and aims.

I have once met a Turkish director. He also said to me that the movies awarded with Oscar prizes are awarded due to their political context (not always but often). I resisted: What about the movie "Slumdog Millionaire? It got a prize and it indeed shows the Indian people in a positive way."
He answered: "No, the main idea of the film was that: 'India, you don't need to make much effort for your lives. You all could have lives like Jamal's, you all could win something in life suddenly. It is not necessary to think about the bad conditions/circumstances under which you live. Luck might absolutely turn up for you'. It wants people to think that they shouldn't think over what to do to have better standards of living in their country. They might have a sudden luck which could change their lives entirely."

Ah, Hollywood.. You have a great effect.. You have the power to show something the way you want to show it.

By the way, what does Sonja think about Hollywood? All in all, she is more familiar with American culture and Hollywood than we are.

A Piece of Trivia

bctrivia by Raea, retrieved from Flickr


We have read the story "Hanife" by Sevgi Soysal. In the first sentence of this story includes "the poplar tree".

For the TLL, we should read Yenişehir'de Bir Öğle Vakti by Sevgi Soysal. Guess what? What is the first sentence of this novel?

"Sanki büyük bir gürültüyle devrilecekmişçesine sallandı kavak."

That is, "the poplar tree swung ... ".

Again the poplar tree, it catched my eye :)