My parents always told me that I wasn't just your average child. I didn’t always like to play around with the kids around the way. More or less I liked to be around older people. Don’t get me wrong I played dodge ball; freeze tag, hide and go-seek, t-v tag, all the rest of the tags. When it comes down to the choice between hanging with my older cousins or playing Barbie dolls; I’d rather hang with my older cousins. My cousins soon started to forget my age. “Alexis you’re 13 right”? Here I am replying, “No I’m only 11”. It was pretty funny because here you have your own cousins forgetting how old you are. Around the holidays I always hung around for the adult conversations while the other kids would go play different games. Now here I am in English and the teacher is asking are you in your summer or spring? Spring meaning no responsibilities maturity level at an all time low, basically a 10-year-old mind state. Seeing as though when I was ten I didn’t have a ten-year-old mind state I definitely knew I was in my summer. For the main three reasons maturity, responsibility, and my goal orientated mind.
As the oldest out of three I had to become mature and try to lead a good example for my younger brother and sister. I do things like maintain my grades in school and respect others because I want them to do the same. My sister whom I’ve noticed more and more everyday is basically trying to be just like me! It was pretty annoying at first, she wanted the same sneakers, the same clothes, the same shoes, the same everything! She follows me around and tries to talk like me at times, let’s just say the whole nine yards. I try to watch what I do because I know for a fact that she looks up to me. In the story “Marigolds” Lizabeth knows that she will need to become mature to set a good example for her younger brother. Her brother looks up to her seeing her destroy the flowers in Miss Lotti’s yard probably said something to him. After that she realizes she had to grow up for the betterment of both of their lives.
Responsibility has become something I’ve somewhat mastered. Once I was given my house keys responsibility flashed before my eyes. Then the money came in like big bags of green confetti. I know how to handle and save up money. I might really want that expensive bag, but if I’m saving up money their will always be a next time for that bag. Not to mention chores that I’m responsible for around the house. Most of the time I find myself doing my siblings chores. If I see something that needs to be done I don’t just step over it; I complete that task.
My main goals in life will be met. No more worries about ice cream stains on my shirt, I’m worried about the big picture. Things like how can I get into New York University, or how I’m going to fill in that application for the job that I want at Pac-Sun. How many pages I have left in the Driver’s Ed book, and let’s not get started on the Standardized Tests at school. I’m determined to be in school for the many years that’s needed to become a lawyer. In my mind no one will stop me from being a successful person. There’s no giving up, and I know for sure that that’s not a spring state mindset.
In Conclusion it’s a time in life where you have to stop letting yourself grow spring leaves. Not to say that you have to grow up or you’ll forever be a danger to society, but it’s a time when you have to mature. My time wasn’t forced on me like other people; it just came to me like two magnets. Life is about choices; the choices you make will help you in the long run or snap you like a twig. For the mean time my mind-state has helped me make the right ones. Sooner or later I will transition to autumn and winter, but I'm happy with my summer life. What season are you in?
Friday, February 20, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
"High On The Hog"
Poetry? What can I possibly say about “poetry”? Is it the tone that attracts you in? Or maybe it’s just something you have to do. Whatever it is for you; poetry is food for the soul. The poem “High On The Hog” by Julia Fields is no exception. The main focus of this poem is reality. She covers three aspects of that through out her literature. I know you can’t wait; so let’s begin!
Julia Fields describes how she wants more to life by using the word “enough” repeatedly through out the poem. She’s stating how she has been through the struggle and now she deserves to be “high on the hog”. A painted visual of slavery begins when she states “…had strong black beaten backs long enough, …from dragging the cotton sack on bended knee.” This gives the readers a picture of she wants to rise above.
The reality of “high class vs. low class” is described in the poem. Numerous visual pictures are painted into the readers mind when she mentions food. Many people just like her are tired of “black-eyed peas and the grits, the high blood pressure chops and gravy sops”. The wanting of “caviar shrimp soufflé and sherry champagne”, “take her share of soul food, I do not wish to taste of pig”. Food is an extremely good way to connect to readers.
Emotional aspects of reality are also represented in this poem. Especially when she brings racial background into everyone’s minds. Fields states “been lynched enough, slaved enough, dried enough, died enough”. Violence triggers multiple emotions; it resurfaces memories of hurt and pain. “I’ve been hired last enough, I’ve sugar watered my thirst enough”. People have emotional stories of their own of not being hired for the job that they really needed.
In Conclusion I believe that Julia Fields isn’t just speaking for herself when she says that she wants to be “high on the hog”. Which then she speaks for many individuals and their struggle. Many people find the voice that they’ve kept silent in this poem. References of reality are represented in this poem; beginning with how she wants more to life, high class vs. low class, and emotions. Now could you create a poem like this, you wish you were “high on the hog”, don’t you?
Julia Fields describes how she wants more to life by using the word “enough” repeatedly through out the poem. She’s stating how she has been through the struggle and now she deserves to be “high on the hog”. A painted visual of slavery begins when she states “…had strong black beaten backs long enough, …from dragging the cotton sack on bended knee.” This gives the readers a picture of she wants to rise above.
The reality of “high class vs. low class” is described in the poem. Numerous visual pictures are painted into the readers mind when she mentions food. Many people just like her are tired of “black-eyed peas and the grits, the high blood pressure chops and gravy sops”. The wanting of “caviar shrimp soufflé and sherry champagne”, “take her share of soul food, I do not wish to taste of pig”. Food is an extremely good way to connect to readers.
Emotional aspects of reality are also represented in this poem. Especially when she brings racial background into everyone’s minds. Fields states “been lynched enough, slaved enough, dried enough, died enough”. Violence triggers multiple emotions; it resurfaces memories of hurt and pain. “I’ve been hired last enough, I’ve sugar watered my thirst enough”. People have emotional stories of their own of not being hired for the job that they really needed.
In Conclusion I believe that Julia Fields isn’t just speaking for herself when she says that she wants to be “high on the hog”. Which then she speaks for many individuals and their struggle. Many people find the voice that they’ve kept silent in this poem. References of reality are represented in this poem; beginning with how she wants more to life, high class vs. low class, and emotions. Now could you create a poem like this, you wish you were “high on the hog”, don’t you?
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