Saturday, September 22, 2007
Cane
What a very engaging an abstract format this compilation of stories follows! After a few pages of short story/essay we are presented with a few poems, breaking up the rhythm of the book and moving along in a sort of poetic scrapbook of images, dreams, feelings and gripping characters of this time. From the irresistible, seductive Karintha, to the tragic tale of Becky and her sons. These writings are dark, real and uncompromising in their description of these events and visions. How graphic the "Song of the Son" is in it's poetic description of the horror of lynching, the parallels it draws between the victims and fruit of the trees. These writings are both gritty and truly gripping. I look forward to the stories that will follow.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Claude McKay
Finally, this is what I've been waiting for. Poetry from the streets of Harlem, in the thick of its Rennaissance. With poignant care and beautiful realism Claude McKay captures the anger, frustration, sadness and enduring spirit of his people in Harlem.
Of all the poems here I felt the best by far was "The Negro Dancers." As a three-part house party epic, McKay captures not only the feeling of truly being in the setting of the smokey basement, but also the sense that he is constructing an analogy for the entire lives of his people as well. Trapped in an endless dance while they live beaten down to this underworld of oppression, poverty and despair, still they continue the dance. And not only do they dance, but they dance with joy in their eyes, in a mirthful, consistent swirl of excitement and happiness and they truly boggle McKay's mind with their perseverence.
There are also other broader, common themes here such as a "live for today" notion, evidenced by McKay's references to the dance being the dancers "true joy of life." The most gripping and touching aspect of the poem, however, is McKay's wide-eyed wonderment of his people as he exclaims with an "oh!" and the dancers capture him with the "dreamy loveliness" of the "poetry in their eyes."
It is not a poem of hope. There is no certainty of a brighter better future for the people of Harlem or for his race at this point in history, but McKay is rather stepping back in admiration of their love for the dance, which can't help but be interpreted as a representation of life. While life is as difficult as it is, the "negro dancers" perseverance to find happiness amidst their day to day sadness.
Of all the poems here I felt the best by far was "The Negro Dancers." As a three-part house party epic, McKay captures not only the feeling of truly being in the setting of the smokey basement, but also the sense that he is constructing an analogy for the entire lives of his people as well. Trapped in an endless dance while they live beaten down to this underworld of oppression, poverty and despair, still they continue the dance. And not only do they dance, but they dance with joy in their eyes, in a mirthful, consistent swirl of excitement and happiness and they truly boggle McKay's mind with their perseverence.
There are also other broader, common themes here such as a "live for today" notion, evidenced by McKay's references to the dance being the dancers "true joy of life." The most gripping and touching aspect of the poem, however, is McKay's wide-eyed wonderment of his people as he exclaims with an "oh!" and the dancers capture him with the "dreamy loveliness" of the "poetry in their eyes."
It is not a poem of hope. There is no certainty of a brighter better future for the people of Harlem or for his race at this point in history, but McKay is rather stepping back in admiration of their love for the dance, which can't help but be interpreted as a representation of life. While life is as difficult as it is, the "negro dancers" perseverance to find happiness amidst their day to day sadness.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Autobiography of a Ragtime Professor
These chapters were very entertaining! Everything from the smokey scenes of the ragtime club to the narrarator's realization of his musical prowess which earns him the title of "professor." I've always liked that idea of special nicknames being given out to musicians. This shows that it is a timeless concept in American popular music.
I greatly enjoyed the descriptions of life in the New York club playing music. As a musician I found this especially entertaining and compelling. His perspective was ideal for a young man of his age. Apparently he was an attractive and talented man. The ladies love him, the men admire him and hire him to entertain in the club. While the story is not always exciting the account of these days of his life most certainly are as he gets pulled only the slightest bit into the prospect of an affair with an unavailable but strikingly beautiful mysterious woman known as the widow. The intrigue finally hits its peak when the narrarator narrowly avoids bullets from the widow's scorned lover after he kills her in front of him.
It's all a bit fantastical really and dream-like, though the narrarator compares it to a nightmare as he retreats through the city streets only to be rescued by his millionaire and his valet. Then naturally he is whisked off to Europe the next day. It really does seem like something out of a Hunter S. Thompson novel until finally things chill out when the narrarator and millionaire finally have a heart to heart that marks one of the most compelling parts of the book when we hear the millionaire's argument against the narrarator returning home.
My first thought was, or course, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!??? DON'T GO HOME! ARE YOU NUTS!!!???" Though he is in the middle of gay Paris with a man with as much money as God he decides to go home. Even he knows it's a bad idea, but he is a man on a search for himself. His identity, as it has been since the beginning of the tale, is more important to him than pretty much anything and he knows he won't find it in Cairo. So he must return home.
It is interesting that this decision comes only immediately after being showed up by another musician while playing his ragtime. This is an example of how music can be a competition at times and a musician's pride can be utterly destroyed after the musician's talents are diminished by another. While this seemed to play a part in the narrarator's decision I think it was a decision that he had already really made, but just hadn't realized yet.
An artist's realm is of monumental importance and makes a massive impact on the fruits of his labor. While the whole world is supposedly within the artist's scope it truly does matter what surroundings he places himself in. The narrarator believes he will be most inspired in the land of his birth and so must returnt there to be truly inspired and to take the unpolished diamonds that are the slave songs and turn them into his own masterpieces.
The millionaire's sentiments touch the narrarator. Not so much that they oppose his wishes, but that they indicate the care that he has for the narrarator simply because he does. We also, as the narrarator indicates see the millionaire for the first time as a critical and pondering man whereas before he seemed to only have two modes which the narrarator identify as gay or taciturn (pg. 147).
In any event the narrarator's return home is all a part of his quest. It is secondly a quest to perfect his art which he now loves and it is firstly a quest for identity and to have his identity recognized as well as recognize it himself.
I greatly enjoyed the descriptions of life in the New York club playing music. As a musician I found this especially entertaining and compelling. His perspective was ideal for a young man of his age. Apparently he was an attractive and talented man. The ladies love him, the men admire him and hire him to entertain in the club. While the story is not always exciting the account of these days of his life most certainly are as he gets pulled only the slightest bit into the prospect of an affair with an unavailable but strikingly beautiful mysterious woman known as the widow. The intrigue finally hits its peak when the narrarator narrowly avoids bullets from the widow's scorned lover after he kills her in front of him.
It's all a bit fantastical really and dream-like, though the narrarator compares it to a nightmare as he retreats through the city streets only to be rescued by his millionaire and his valet. Then naturally he is whisked off to Europe the next day. It really does seem like something out of a Hunter S. Thompson novel until finally things chill out when the narrarator and millionaire finally have a heart to heart that marks one of the most compelling parts of the book when we hear the millionaire's argument against the narrarator returning home.
My first thought was, or course, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!??? DON'T GO HOME! ARE YOU NUTS!!!???" Though he is in the middle of gay Paris with a man with as much money as God he decides to go home. Even he knows it's a bad idea, but he is a man on a search for himself. His identity, as it has been since the beginning of the tale, is more important to him than pretty much anything and he knows he won't find it in Cairo. So he must return home.
It is interesting that this decision comes only immediately after being showed up by another musician while playing his ragtime. This is an example of how music can be a competition at times and a musician's pride can be utterly destroyed after the musician's talents are diminished by another. While this seemed to play a part in the narrarator's decision I think it was a decision that he had already really made, but just hadn't realized yet.
An artist's realm is of monumental importance and makes a massive impact on the fruits of his labor. While the whole world is supposedly within the artist's scope it truly does matter what surroundings he places himself in. The narrarator believes he will be most inspired in the land of his birth and so must returnt there to be truly inspired and to take the unpolished diamonds that are the slave songs and turn them into his own masterpieces.
The millionaire's sentiments touch the narrarator. Not so much that they oppose his wishes, but that they indicate the care that he has for the narrarator simply because he does. We also, as the narrarator indicates see the millionaire for the first time as a critical and pondering man whereas before he seemed to only have two modes which the narrarator identify as gay or taciturn (pg. 147).
In any event the narrarator's return home is all a part of his quest. It is secondly a quest to perfect his art which he now loves and it is firstly a quest for identity and to have his identity recognized as well as recognize it himself.
Monday, September 3, 2007
First Blog of the Semester
This is not only my first blog entry for the class, but my first blog entry ever! I've always wanted to start one, but I was just never sure of what the concept of mine should be. I have a cousin who does an album review blog that's very helpful when purchasing music and I have another friend who has been a writer for popular comics for many years and does a blog that explains his daily activities, upcoming projects and basically helps him connect with fans.
In this case my concept is easy to choose because it's for a class! I think I'm going to enjoy this because now I'll know what it's like keeping a blog and maybe finally start my own. I'm enjoying the class, it's honestly the one I was looking most forward to out of the 5 I'm taking this semester. I'm a communications major and have never taken only one other literature course in my years at St. Rose. It was called Re-writing Africa, so there's an obvious connection between that class and this one! That class was focused on stories by writers that were actually based in Africa however.
The Harlem Renaissance has always interested me from a musical standpoint, so it will be great to now venture into the literature. I have especially always wanted to read the works of Langston Hughes. Unfortunately the syllabis indicates that we won't get around to him until November, but I may take a look in his book of poems a little earlier than that. I've already read a few that have really caught my attention.
The two essays were a great introduction to the course. I now feel like I have a general idea of how the writers each looked at Harlem at this point in history, and they seem like two of the most reliable sources on the topic. As I've said I'm greatly looking forward to this class, it's not a major requirement for me but a lib ed requirement, but I really chose it out of recreation and my own desire to learn about something that interests me. Unfortunately I can't say that that was the reason I took too many other classes I've taken in college! That should prove to make this an especially refreshing experience. Until next time.
J
In this case my concept is easy to choose because it's for a class! I think I'm going to enjoy this because now I'll know what it's like keeping a blog and maybe finally start my own. I'm enjoying the class, it's honestly the one I was looking most forward to out of the 5 I'm taking this semester. I'm a communications major and have never taken only one other literature course in my years at St. Rose. It was called Re-writing Africa, so there's an obvious connection between that class and this one! That class was focused on stories by writers that were actually based in Africa however.
The Harlem Renaissance has always interested me from a musical standpoint, so it will be great to now venture into the literature. I have especially always wanted to read the works of Langston Hughes. Unfortunately the syllabis indicates that we won't get around to him until November, but I may take a look in his book of poems a little earlier than that. I've already read a few that have really caught my attention.
The two essays were a great introduction to the course. I now feel like I have a general idea of how the writers each looked at Harlem at this point in history, and they seem like two of the most reliable sources on the topic. As I've said I'm greatly looking forward to this class, it's not a major requirement for me but a lib ed requirement, but I really chose it out of recreation and my own desire to learn about something that interests me. Unfortunately I can't say that that was the reason I took too many other classes I've taken in college! That should prove to make this an especially refreshing experience. Until next time.
J
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