Blog number 3.  I would love to write about Gertrude Stein and all her wonderfulness, being a woman and all I'd like to think that I am somewhat of a feminist, but I must admit I did not get it.  I know that I need to delve more into her writings and learn more about her than what I learned from the headnotes but what I have read, I did not understand.  I'm hoping that in class we will get into it a little more and some of the other students, or the kind Doctor C, will shed some light on it for me.

That being said, I have decided to talk about "Babylon Revisited".  I loved this story.  I felt as if I were there, in the midst of Paris,  and even though it feels gray and dingy, I was still drawn to it.  Charlie seems to really care for his daughter, although I found it interesting that he didn't say he loved her.  He really seemed to be working out his problems and really just wants to move on with his life, with his daughter.  I believe that he has changed and that his best interest is at the core of him wanting his daughter to live with him.

Charlie is living in Prague and doing business in Prague and goes to Paris to visit his daughter Honoria, who lives with her aunt and uncle since her mother's death.  She is obviously delighted to see him as she bounds into his lap upon his arrival.  Her aunt Marion is not so delighted.  She is put off by his visit and we can tell that she and Charlie do not get along.  Lincoln is much more at ease with Charlie's visit so it is nice that Charlie has somewhat of an ally.

When Charlie runs into Duncan and Lorraine, you can sense his disdain for the couple therefore I did not like them right away.  Turns out I was correct.  They are selfish, consumed people who only care about themselves.  This is partly why I believe that Charlie really has changed and wants to do the right thing.  He wants nothing to do with them and continually tries to put them off.  When they later come to Marion and Lincoln's home and disrupt the evening, I only feel for Charlie even more.

I truly feel that Charlie deserves to have his daughter live with him and begin their new lives.  I do understand some of Marion's concern and in some way agree with her stipulations.  If it were today and he wanted to gain custody from the two people his wife trusted with their daughter, he would have a much harder time in the courts trying to get custody of her.  I feel bad at the end when he has to wait even longer than he already has.  But I do feel that in the end, he and his daughter are reunited and can finally begin to finish the rest of their lives.

"The Lost Beautifulness"

I would like to talk about "The Lost Beautifulness", written by Anzia Yezierska.  This is a beautiful story that I thoroughly enjoyed.  The way the author sets the story and presents it is so thought provoking.

It is a story of a woman named Hanneh Hayyeh, a jewish immigrant living in a New York City tenement.  She and her husband are awaiting the arrival of their son Aby, from France after two tours with the Army.  Hanneh is very proud of the hard work she has done to make her son proud.   She wants the American Dream to come through in her kitchen, or through her kitchen walls.  She scrimped and saved mere pennies for months to come up with enough to buy some paint so she can have the appearance of  a nice home. 

She cleans and does laundry for Mrs. Preston, a wealthy woman, yet someone that Hanneh considers to be a friend.  Hanneh is proud of the fact that Mrs. Preston calls her a laundry artist.  They seem to have a close relationship in the beginning of the story and they share many thoughts and dreams.

Of these dreams, Hanneh desperately wants to be seen as someone who gets what she wants.  She paints her walls and can't wait for all her neighbors to see.  It is very important for everyone to see her hard work.  She even wants the landlord to see how hard she worked to make her house look nice for her son.  Hanneh is devastated when the landlord uses her hard work and determination against her and raises her rent.  He sees that he would be able to charge someone else a higher rent because it is much nicer that most the other tenements so he threatens her and raises her rent. 

I feel as if Hanneh felt backed into a corner.  Where is the American Dream that she so desperately wants for herself and her son?  Where is this life that she deserves?  Why do some people have it and she does not?  I believe this is the breaking point for her and out of desperation comes anger and contempt. 

She even finds that her relationship with Mrs. Preston has soured because she went to her as a friend and was humiliated when Mrs. Preston offered to help her by paying the landlord. 

I hate the fact that Aby has to find her like this.  I believe this will hurt her more than anything.  But I also believe that in him finding her like this, comes great heroism and devotion.  The story that we don't see is that even though the monetary part of the American Dream may be beyond their reach for now, they have attained  much more than financial gains.  They have each others love and I believe that will sustain them for now.

My first blog is going to be on the question "What is Literature?".  Now I know that everyone has a different opinion on this question so I thought it would make a great blog.  After all, isn't this what blogging is all about?  I must admit that this is my first EVER blog so bare with me, I will be learning as I go along. 

We discussed this at some length in class and I thought some of the opinions were really great.  I know there are no wrong opinions but I do not agree with the statement that "everything is literature". We touched on the grocery list.  This is not literature.  I always thought of literature as something thought provoking, emotional, stimulating, challenging, something that stirs me.  A grocery list is just intended to remind you what you need to purchase.  I have also always felt that literature is usually published work.

I feel that what I read can sometimes be made to be relevant to my life.  If I'm feeling blue, I might read something blue.  Sometimes it puts things into perspective for me. Or I might read something to help cheer me up.  Actually, just reading for me can cheer me up.  I love to read and hate that I don't have the time to do it that I used to. 

I have read books for classes that I would never have chosen to read for pleasure and ended up loving the readings!  This is what I mean by literature.  It stirs something in me.  It makes me think.  It makes me laugh or cry, happy, sad, angry, or confused.  Even if I hate the book, it evokes emotion in me.  (although I must admit, I rarely hate a book.)

But what I really love about reading is how I put myself in the book.  I picture everything the author is describing.  I feel the emotions of the characters.  I really get into it.  I think this is one of the reasons I want to teach.  I want to impart this on our younger generations.  Maybe this is naive, but I think reading can change peoples lives.  But not reading a grocery list.  I mean reading a novel, an autobiography, a short story, a fable, a biography, a fantasy, folklore, science fiction, mysteries, love stories, etc, etc, etc!  Literature should mean something.  It should stir something in everyone.

Okay, this is funny.  I just realized that in order for anyone to be able to read this, I have to click on the "publish" button.  So by my definition, this would be literature.  Rock. Me. Hard place. 

The bottom line is that literature changes.  How we feel about it changes.  The opinions of what literature is will also continue to change.  Literature is different for everyone.  That's another reason why I love it.