Antigone

Neomi Castro

Describe Creon's character and the way he is portrayed in the story.  What kind of leader does he sounds like at the onset of the play?  What would you consider his flaws?  How do you know these are his flaws? 

  In "Antigone" he seems like a faithful person to his country and to the the gods.Faithful is being loyal.Creon shows his loyalty to the kingdom when he starts talking about Polyneices and metion "lead the rest of us to slavery".When Creon said this to the city showed a action of being faithful and loyal because Polyneices as said in Creon words that he was a rebellion that almost lead them to the slavery. That was a act of a loyal king explaing to his kingdom why Polyneices has a awful death.

  Creon flaws would have to be losing his sons love. Just because he question his love .In line 680 "Can you have come here in your furry against your father ? Or have I your love still, no matter what I do" .By questioning his son love toward his father. Is showing  a emotion of concern. Which means that he wants his son next to him, meaning that he want Haemon love stronger than any marriage.

Haemon response confirming that he's with his father no matter what . In line 685 "no marriage will ever be so value by me as to override the goodness of your leadership ". Explaing that his marriage isn't as important  as his dad leadership.
Which confirms Creon emotion toward his son.Creon is very happy of his sons response confirming that his son is very obedient to him.

Antigone - RR

Melicia Bharioo
Prof: Corona
EN 102
10/31/2014


Antigone - Question # 1

Describe Creon's character and the way he is portrayed in the story. What kind of leader does he sound like at the onset of the play? What would you consider his flaws? How do you know these are his flaws?


In the play Antigone, Creon is the king of Thebes and the uncle of Antigone and Ismene. My thoughts of Creon traits at the beginning of the play were that Creon was tough but yet soft. I felt he was a very tough king, but deep within he was softer. After pronouncing the ruling on one of Antigone brother Polynecices to a very dis honored burial and anyone who disobey will face death, with this I had a sense he would change his mind on the idea of death after finding out that Antigone has done the wrongful deed because she is Creon's niece after all. My predictions were wrong after reading more deep into the play. Creon is very cold hearted and selfish. He seeks only to gain power and dignity from the people of the country and he does not care how much it cost or what it takes for him to get there. He is portrayed as the king where the ones below him is afraid to speak or walk in a way. Upon hearing from his messenger of the work done to bury Polynecies, he was furious and order the messenger to find who has done it, else he would face the consequences. I find this to be very unfair. The people of Thebes portray Creon as a savior and believes he is the superior one for assuring the people that he is doing the best he can to save the citizens and the Country. With Polyneices having to go against his own country trying to destroy and burn his city down, Creon declares that he should face a dark burial fed to the dogs and birds. I would consider Creon flaws to be the kind that see himself as the only one who can do the job as king. He believes that he is superior than women because he insisted on keeping his word to death to anyone who has disobeyed him in burying Polynecies even though he know it was Antigone who has done it, his blood related niece. Creon kept his word and imprisoned her because he doesn't want to loose to a woman where Antigone will be the one to win over him if he does not fullfill his deed. Antigone is also Creon's son fiancé. Creon still insisted in the death of Antigone, even though Antigone and his son Haemon shares a deep relationship. He showed no emotion, and does not believe in love. Creon is a person who does not show any love, emotion or some sort of humor in anyway. He only believes in power and to be the superior one.

Donna Peters                                                                                      October 31, 2014

Professor Rachel Corona                                                                     

English 102

Reading Response to the drama “Anigone page 1-10 (line 1 to 725)”

Question:

1)      Describe Creon’s character and the way he is portrayed in the story. What kind of leader does he sounds like at the outset of the play? What would you consider his flaws? How do you know these are his flaws?

Cleon was a notorious self-centered, autocratic king who obviously utilized the death /murder of the prospective heir to the throne. At the outset of the drama he portrayed a character of a king that really cares for the people of Thebes who was truly in favored of Eteocles. Ultimately, he proved otherwise and that he was just an opportunist who put on a façade to gain the heart of the Thebans for his own glory and fame.    

            The character Cleon, from start to finish was quite intriguing. At the outset of the drama, Cleon portraits a character of a king with unpolluted interest for the Thebans. His pretentious behavior disguised the self-centered person with one who appeared genuine with an objective to protect and care for the people like their former leaders. Cleon saw an opportunity to utilize the death of the two heirs to the throne to execute his plans for selfish gain, and that he did. I was truly impressive with his web of deception. His action was practically less than flawless. He really behaved nonsensical and demonstrated nothing less than a true king of justice. In line 82 and 203-205 he said “I choose you out of all...” and assured them “If I saw ruin, not safety, on the way towards my fellow citizens, I would not count any enemy of my country friend.” All of this was just a façade which was eventually, exhibited by demonizing Poliyneise as evil in support of his ungodly deeds and with the objective of gaining the hearts of the people, who was obviously in favor of Eteocles.(Eteocles was not a saint but Poliyneise took the wrong approached in search of kingship. As a result he lost favor with the people for the crown.)  Cleon then became king after their death and his plan was executed. He was eventually dreaded by all. All except for Antigone and Ismene who choose not to obey his rules and regulations.

            .

Sentry

     I believe the Sentry's role in the story is supposed to complete and unbiased truth.  The Sentry comes to Creon to let him know that the man that he said was to be disgraced and not buried or mourned was in fact taken and given a burial.  He was the bearer of bad news in this situation and once he told Creon the information Creon became enraged.  However this did not stop the Sentry from questioning Creon's source of pain.  He said "Is it the ache in your ears or in your mind?" To ask a harsh ruler such a question in the mist of his rage shows one who allows the truth to serve as a guide without consequence.  To me the Sentry serves as the voice of reason and comes from a rational state of mind.  What confuses me is that initially he states he did not see who did the crime but then late stated "She is the one I saw burying the dead man you forbade the burial of" and continues to give a detail account of what he seen.  I came to understand after that the sentry is more than one man they just share the title   All in all I still believe that the sentry is the person that delivers the truth by asking the logical questions that aren't emotion based. Even when he delivered Antigone to Creon he described her human emotion and reaction to seeing her brother naked in the forest what he says in line 480 is basically telling Creon there was an emotional attachment in the "crime" and even tho it was the breaking of the rule he says " Now, my lord take her and as you please judge her and test her; I am just free and clear of this trouble.  He is telling Creon do what you feel you need to do but he won't agree with it,  The sentry is speaking nothing but wisdom in this piece,

Antigone....

Describe Creon's character and the way he is portrayed in the story. What kind of leader does he sounds like at the onset of the play? What would you consider his flaws? How do you know these are his flaws?


Milena Noguera Csernick


Creon is Oedipus uncle, the former king of Thebes. After the death of Polyneices and Eteocles (the heirs to the throne) he became the new king of Thebes.
So far in this "tragedy", I can conclude that Creon is not a good king. He is self-centered, unfair, unwise, has no trace of humbleness and has a cold heart. In my opinion, the way that he speaks denotes that he thinks that everybody is beneath him, that everybody should be devoted to obey him and submit to his will, He ordered that nobody would mourn or buried Polyneices' body and he decreteed the punishment of death to anyone disobeying his order. He is unfair, He was accusing his niece Ismene along with Antigone of the deed against his decree without even knowing how everything happened, for all what the story showed to the point when he learned about the facts, Ismene was innocent but he went ahead and claimed that it was also her fault and sentenced both to  death,  even when the only one found at the scene was Antigone. He is an unwise leader, who uses his power in order to get his way and who threats the citizens under his government, that’s why Antigone tells him "No, these do, too, but keep their mouths shut for the fear of you". In a leadership fear is the worse feeling to inspire, because usually the feared person is also a hated person. His pride is extreme. When seeing the power and pride that Antigone expresses with her words, he feels threatened and frustrated is then when he says " Go then to the world below, yourself, if you must love. Love them. When I am alive no woman shall rule". He has a cooooollllddd heart. How can he do any harm to his own family?, first, by forbidding the proper and VERY IMPORTANT burial of his nephew's body and later on, by enforcing the law which will deprive young Antigone of her life. I say, what an animal.

Shannel Camacho       

English 102

Raquel Corona

October 31, 2014

1) Describe Creon's character and the way he is portrayed in the story.  What kind of leader does he sounds like at the onset of the play?  What would you consider his flaws?  How do you know these are his flaws?

            In this story Creon is the son of Menoeceus. Creon is the king, the new ruler of Thebes. What I interpreted Creon’s character, while I was reading the second page; to be is selfish and heartless. I say this because while reading, one of the sentences states, “I here to proclaim to the city that this man shall not no one honor with a grave and non shall mourn... You shall leave him without burial; you shall watch him chewed up by birds and dogs and violated… But he that is loyal to the state in death, in life alike, shall have my honor.” As I read those words, I thought to myself what a heartless human being. Someone who portrays as a higher authority and takes advantage of his civilians, a leader that is abusing his power as a king.  He states that whoever is loyal to his city, he will honor, but those who aren’t loyal to his city will not be buried and do not deserve his honor. So then I changed my mind about Creon’s character once he mentioned about people being loyal to him. He feel as if people betray him he has no need to be loyal to them or honor them. His way of not honoring people is by not burying them and figuratively speaking letting the dogs chew the body alive. He sounds like he is the type of leader that whatever he says goes. He expects people to meet and complete his orders, if not consequences will be presented. One of the flaws Creon has a selfish quality, I think this because even if someone is disloyal you should not wish the worse upon them, but in his case if they’re disloyal he doesn’t care about the victims feelings.

Marilyn Cruz

 Answer to question one.

 

After reading the play, Creon is the king of person that likes others to fear him. He also makes me things that he thinks that everyone’s speak nonsense except for him. He wants everybody in his kingdom to obey him and to do as he said. Everybody must follows he ruled otherwise they will be punished by him. Its seem like he is a dictator, because whoever goes against he laws, he killed him. He also said that no women will be in power until his alive. I will consider Creon flaws as a heartless person with a big ego. He is very demanding, he wants people to do things the way he say it and right after he say it. he doesn’t see like a friendly person at all, because every times his having a conversation with someone, he ask them to said whatever they have to said and leave.  I know that those are parts of his flaws because as I was reading, I find myself looking at a selfish person, he wants people to do as he said and also nobody else in the kingdom can disobey him. he also the kind of person that stick to his belief, become he says that whoever break the law will died, and when he found out about Antigone he send people for her and them said that her and her sister were going to died.    

Antigone question #2

Myra Khan

10-30-2014

EN 102 –C6A/6C

Reading Response Questions:

2)  What is the purpose of the bumbling lines of the Sentry? Is his speech nonsense or wisdom?  Use textual evidence to prove your point.

I think that the lines of Sentry are neither nonsense nor wisdom, but instead the way he talks is to make sure when he tells Creon things, Sentry doesn’t get in trouble. He even says it when he is about to tell Creon ‘bad news’; ‘well, you know how disasters make a man hesitate to be their messenger.’ Instead of getting scared and murmuring the bad news; Sentry is straight to the point and tells Creon he doesn’t want to get in trouble for telling him bad news since he had nothing to do with it. Aside for talking in a way that prevented him from getting in trouble; he also talks in a way that describes different scenarios. ‘No marks of axes stroke nor casting up of earth of any mattock…there was no signs of wagon wheels.’ Sentry was describing ways that the scene could have been, if there had been any disturbances, but quite clearly tried to dismiss any thoughts Creon could have had. After describing the scene Sentry went back to clearing his name and anyone else that could have been blamed by saying, they would walk on hot coal and not be burned severely. ‘We were ready to take hot bars in our hands or walk through fire, and call on the gods with oaths that we had neither done it nor were privy to a plot with anyone.’ Sentry was basically saying to Creon; that neither he nor anyone that could be accused of doing the crime actually did it. And to prove their innocence they would take on the pain fullest test and pass unscathed by the grace of the gods. So basically Sentry’s speaking is not wise or nonsense, he just likes speaking very descriptively. Plus he makes sure to talk about his innocence.     

Suranie Jodha

Creon character portray as a selfish king, he wants everything to be done his way if not he will punish or kill them. In my opinion I felt like he is taking advantage of his power and he lets it get to his head.  As I read the play Creon is full of pride and ambition. He is portraying in this way because the writer wants us to feel his power and wrath as a ruler. He believes whatever he say is right and if anyone dares to question his authority has put to death.  From the beginning of the play he sound like a smart leader and knows what he is doing but then again as I read I concluded that he is full of pride. He thinks because he has power he can do whatever he want and get away with it because he doesn’t have to answer to anyone. I think his main flaw is the inability to listen to his people; he only wants to judge and administer punishment and he is also very stubborn.

The Sentry

The Sentry is the oddest character, but his speech isn't just nonsense. The sentry’s character feeds into how you view Creon as ruler. When the Sentry first enters, I thought that it was odd that he would replay his train of thought out loud to the king, but as I kept reading, I realized that it was out of fear. He didn't want the king to think that he did it or had any part of it. The sentry was the ideal situation of “Don’t shoot the messenger.” The sentry was just nervous. His many lines all similar to line 265 “You know how all disasters make a man hesitate to be their messenger” all play in to his nervousness. And it makes Creon look heartless in the reader’s eyes. Here’s King Creon, about to crucify a man for a crime he did not commit. What seems like nonsense questions, at line 350, is indeed a set-up, to reveal that Creon is not a just ruler. Again the Sentry is pleading that he did not commit the deed, he just has to deliver the news, yet he has to pay the price if the criminal isn't found. The scene appeals to your inner lawyer, who wants justice for the sentry against Creon. Creon doesn't even bother to try to understand what the Sentry is saying, furthering my thought that the sentry’s lines serve the purpose of further understanding Creon’s character. When we see the sentry again, around line 430, he is bringing Antigone to the king, yet every statement he makes, he pleads for his life. He is again scared, that somehow Creon will blame him. The sentry being dismissed by Creon allows us to see him as a man who keeps his word, which makes us wonder will he really go through with killing Antigone. The Sentry’s lines help in how I see Creon as a king.

Unfit Ruler

   1.)
    In Antigone,Creon is the ruler of the city, due to winning a battle for it.He is now the stand-in leader for the city and enforces all the laws.Creon is the type of man who will make a decision,regardless of being right or wrong,just because he wants the ordeal to be over with already.Creon is portrayed in the story as a leader who holds anyone accountable in a crime that has the least bit of involvement.This is evident when Antigone is captured and Ismene turns herself in for just talking about the crime with Antigone,and Creon decides to kill both of them out of frustration of deciding who's right and wrong.Creon makes his decision without any counsel,or advice,which is a big mistake for a ruler,because he only sees things one way,in this case,he only sees that Antigone wrongfully buried he brother,he does not see the connection that they had even though Creon is connected with Antigone through family.Creon has the tendency to act quickly out of anger and frustration,he shows this when he threatens to kill every man in the military police until they find the killer or confess to the act themselves.This is one of his flaws because, killing every man is not going to get him closer to his killer,it is just going to scare his military which might turn on his out of fear and scare the city's people into not confessing if they saw or heard anything,he tends to not think of the consequences of his actions.He seems to be aware of his flaws when it is discovered that Antigone and Creon's son are soon to be wed,and Creon knows that his son might be disappointing in his decision but still goes through with the decision to kill his son's wife to be.Creon goes through with his decision without telling his son and tells his son afterwards.Creon mixes fear with the strictness of the law and uses them both to attempt to find the person who committed the crime,and mixes it all with his impulsiveness which is the sign of a leader unfit to rule a city.

Antigone question 1

After reading the first part of the play (first few pages) I thought creon was a leader who enforces the law. However after reading on I discover that he's just a selfish leader. He has a lot of requirements and expect things to be done his way. The first thing he declared was the very harsh. He proclaims that while the body of Eteocles will be buried with dignity, the corpse of Polyneices will be left to rot on the field of battle. How can a family member do this to you? That's not all though. Anybody who tries to honor Polyneices's body with burial will be sentenced to death. At this pour I started to hate him. 

However, what seem to be a flaw is kind of a way of virtue. The city is coming back from a state of total anarchy so it needs a leader like creon, a very stern one. So if Thebes gets a weak leader it is possible for the city to go back to its crises.

Siren Peralta
Ms. Raquel Corona
October 31, 2014

1)  Describe Creon's character and the way he is portrayed in the story.  What kind of leader does he sounds like at the onset of the play?  What would you consider his flaws?  How do you know these are his flaws?

     I think Creon is the type who thinks that every decision he makes and everything he says is correct. He's very arrogant. Also that he's the type of person who takes advantage of his position because of the way he demands people to do things. For example, when he told Sentry to find the "man" who stoled the dead body even though this character didn't get to see who was the person who did it, he told Creon of this but he said if Sentry didn't take action he was going to kill him. The other males too. Everyone seem to be afraid of this big leader and he also know this, but he still sticks to keep on being demanding of his requirements and also his thoughts. The sort of leader Creon sounds to be like at the beginning of the play is the one who enforces the law and as well obeys it himself. I think that one of his flaws is thinking and depending on that his son Haemon, will be a great leader as well as him. I can tell in the way Creon speaks to his son and the things he says to him " never disobey my decisions ". 

The Antigone Adventure Begins!

Reading Assignment for Class is :  Antigone - Pages 1 to 10 (Lines 1 to 725)

CONTEXT:
Helpful resources to give you context for the story - READ THEM BEFORE CLASS

http://www.didaskalia.net/studyarea/greekstagecraft.html

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=10.2&fromdoc=Perseus%253Atext%253A1999.04.0009

http://www.pbs.org/empires/thegreeks/background/24b.html

(Click on the forward arrow on the bottom at least 3 times to read 3 separate kinds of content:  The Origins of Theatre - The First Plays, The Different Types of Greek Drama and their importance, The Great Playwrights of Athens' 'Golden Age')

Reading Response Questions:

1)  Describe Creon's character and the way he is portrayed in the story.  What kind of leader does he sounds like at the onset of the play?  What would you consider his flaws?  How do you know these are his flaws?

2)  What is the purpose of the bumbling lines of the Sentry? Is his speech nonsense or wisdom?  Use textual evidence to prove your point.

elena

Sebastian Martinez

Professor Corona

English 102

I responded to this poem on an emotional level because I understand what the speaker is going through. Coming from a Hispanic family I can understand that the mother feels inadequate for not knowing English well. The first line itself “my Spanish is not enough” invokes a sense of desperation that she feels for not being able to communicate with her children in English. At first I thought that line would talk about how her children might not know Spanish, and that this upsets the mother because maybe they didn’t really care about their heritage all that much. I also really understand her desire to better herself by improving her English, as many of the women in my family have attempted to do the same with varying degrees of success. It’s not easy, which is why I sympathize with Elena she goes as far as locking herself in her bathroom because she feels that she is losing her children, all because she doesn’t speak the language that they’re more comfortable with. What is sad is how she mentions the times before English started becoming the primary language of the household. How Elena would listen to her children laugh, sing, joke, and be able to understand every word of it but not she can’t. How her husband didn’t bother to help comfort her or have any real opinion on the matter. What is downright depressing is the way that the story is written, many of the problems Elena faces seem small but all of those little things accumulate. Her isolation while making dinner, the casual laughter of her children and the mailman which, at first, do not seem harmful, but the fact that Elena was trying her hardest to learn a new language but was laughed at severely discouraged her. She is scared that she is losing them, “I will be deaf when my children need my help” gave me the impression that if something happened to them at school or if one of them was sick, she wouldn’t be able to help because she didn’t know English and none of her children were old enough to know how to handle situations like that.

Elena by Pat Mora

Elena left me feeling sad, and with a heavy heart. While reading, I felt a few different emotions.  As I was reading, all I kept thinking was poor, poor Elena. Here is Elena, trying to learn a new language so that she could talk to her children and the people in her new home. She feels like her Spanish is not enough for her to connect with her children. I pity her when her children, and her grocer, and her mailman laugh at her attempts. Its just he worst feeling when people laugh at your hardest attempt. When Elena locks herself alone in the bathroom, I am heartbroken. Heartbroken that she is so alone during this process. One in which she should have full support from the people that she loves. I was angered by her unsupportive husband. Why would he not want to help her learn English? If it's the reason that the eldest child gives, then he is extremely old fashioned and selfish. As her husband, he should be practicing with her! When the speaker mentioned him drinking from his beer, I almost wished I could smack it from his hands. This poem appealed to me the most because of similar adjustments my family has made. I know how Elena feels when she is laughed at. I understand the difficulty in moving to a new country, where people don't sound like you. I know how it feels to not be able to communicate with other people around me. Moving here and going to school was difficult at first. I was alone and felt ostracized because I didn't sound like everyone else, my accent made it practically impossible for my classmates to understand me. As humans, we are social animals. We all need to talk and communicate in some way with other humans. Not being able to communicate with our loved ones is one of the most frustrating things we have to deal with. Elena, although a short poem, it was a very relatable one.

Edwin Reyes
EN 102
Raquel Corona

Marks

How did you respond to this poem emotionally?  Which words caused your emotional response and pull to this poem to be so strong?  Discuss the general premise of the poem:  what is happening?  Why did this particular experience speak to you as a reader?

When I was reading this poem, I was feeling very angry. I unexpectedly felt introduced inside the story behind the poem. The way I visualized the passage, was a reflection of my own mother experimenting the situation of the author at the moment of writing this poem. I felt angry because this is a wife and mother not being valued by her family. As a son and having my mother much alive, I appreciate her daily hard work and the divine gift of life she has given me. I think every woman whose duties are to be a housewife, should more be than appreciated but recognized on a daily basis. I strongly believe that a housewife should not be categorized simply as "an average mother" as it is seen on the poem because a housewife has a whole lot of work to do - which not every man can be held accountable of doing so. A housewife, in most of the cases, is responsible for escorting the kids to and from school, cooking, washing the clothes and dishes, cleaning and administrating the money that is being utilized to cover the expenses of the household. "In a Pass/Fail" category, a housewife exceeds the passing requirements. I know my mom and the mothers I've met do. I will always remember one time I was not well at a young age. I had surgery on my big toe, a headache and fever. My mother paid for transportation to take me to the hospital for the surgery, brought me back to the house and took great care of me. This is more than enough for me to say that my mom is above any scale of categories. Not just because she took me to the hospital and took care of me when we came back but because her exceptional engagement and commitment to do it. 

Aneesa Baptiste
Prof. Raquel Corona
EN 102
10/17/2014

Hard Rock Returns to Prison from the Hospital for the Criminal Insane by Etheridge Kinght

How did you respond to this poem emotionally? Which words caused your emotional response and pull to this poem to be so strong? Discuss the general premise of the poem: what is happening? Why did this particular experience speak to you as a reader?

In “Hard Rock Returns to Prison from the Hospital for the Criminal Insane” by Etheridge Knight, the emotion I felt was sympathic. Sympathy towards the prisoners for the treatment given by the guards. The words that drew me in were, “The testing came, to see if Hard Rock was really tame.” “And Hard Rock did nothing. Just grinned and looked silly, His eyes empty like knot holes in a fence.” Basically, what is happening in the poem is that the other prisoners looked up to Hard Rock as their champion against the prison guards but with the many beatings and undergoing electric shocks and what not, it took a toll on Hard Rock's on an emotional level, he became “empty” as if he no longer care to defend himself and his inmates against the guards. Prisoners do tend to be rowdy and rough and guards must take action at times to secure an order but the time period of when this poem was written was in the 1960's where race was an issue. So what draws me into this was that maybe there were some guards that were racist and treated the prisoners harsher than was necessary.

English 102

Donna Peters

Professor Rachel Corona

October 17, 2014

                                                                

                                                                            Elena

Like Elena many migrant all over the world suffered to communicate effectively due of language barrier. Elena’s migration from Mexico to the US seems to have been a bitter sweet experience. Initially, the family spoke only Spanish as their primary language.  But, the family soon became bilingual except for Elena.

Elena‘s native language was Spanish and she was not able to communicate effectively and efficiently in English. This continued for a number of years, until her kids became adolescents. Apparently she wasn’t as privileged like we are today to the free government ELA programs. Peradventure obligatory duties such as and her profession, child rearing and domestic duties occupied her time. In addition to that, no one was willing to assist her at home including her Alcoholic husband, who apparently wasn’t interested to help her because of malicious intent. Obviously she was not a lazy person but had challenges to learn the language. But whatever the case was, the years slipped by and her adolescence kids became bilingual. This created an atmosphere of mainly English speaking children. And Elena could not understand nor share in the conversations when the kids converse with each other. To make matters worse no one including her alcoholic husband bother to help her out of her insufficiency.

 

 Elena soon felt prey to her circumstance. Too depressed and embarrassed about her mispronounced words, she frequently tucked herself away into the bathroom practicing the proper pronunciation of the most difficult English words.  Finally she got the message that “Spanish was not enough” and that being able to communicate in English as well was a necessity. I love Elena’s enthusiasms. Despite the odds against her, she felt trying was her only option and that she did. 

 

Many times along life’s journey we see people in some unfortunate circumstances and we pass judgment at them.  Sometimes we assume that they might be lazy and good for nothing. But this is not necessarily so. Many times they tried to get help to no avail. What then moral behind this?  We should not assume. Assumption does not help to solve problems. It’s solution! There are many challenges in life that can alter and left an individual handicap. Not laziness!  A helping hand can make a difference and save an individual from needless pain like in Elena’s situation. However, despite her misfortune, she recognized that if no one helped, for the least she had to empower herself.  “For if I stopped trying”, she said. “I will be deaf when my children need my help.”

 

Elena by Pat Mora

Melicia Bharioo
Professor Corona
EN 102
10/17/2014



How did you respond to this poem emotionally? Which words caused your emotional response and pull to this poem to be so strong. Discuss the general premises of the poem: what is happening? Why did this particular experience speak to you as a reader?



I find this poem to be very emotional in a sense that Elena as the mother is facing difficulties in accomplishing the English language. I felt the struggle she is going through to understand an entirely new language compared to what she knew her whole life. However, with little to no help neither support from her children or her so called "intelligent" husband, who despite the idea of Elena being smarter than him, she still tries her best in learning. I was touched emotionally with her determination. She insisted that she should keep on trying for the sake of her children. Even though she didn't had much of the support neither resource, she used her determination in understanding just from a book.

Elena was embarrassed and laughed upon by others. She then was
able to recognize the importance of learning a second language. Her children forgot about their cultural language which is Spanish, and they adapt to the American way of speaking. The frustration Elena faced was mainly not understanding her children. I find this to be he awfully sad to not understand your children in what they say or want. I have children of my own and placing myself in her shoe, I can relate to the way she feel. Especially, when she can't help them because she doesn't understand what they say.

The main phrase that drew my attention to this poem is Elena saying "My Spanish isn't enough". I interpreted the word "enough" to be the main focal point. This drew me closer to predict that what she is doing isn't enough, she still needs to improve more in her speaking and understanding English. There's no way she can learn English fully with just a book and no support or help from anyone. I believe she will continue to say it's not enough which is very depressing. By reading this I can relate to the people in my community who does not know how to speak English. People of different culture would stop and ask for directions in their own language but I wouldn't understand them in order to help. I am sadden to also see others who know English and are very obnoxious to the ones who doesn't know or understand. They would look at them as dumb and I do see this often happening.
My heart goes out to Elena, a mother who is eager to speak and understand the language of her children just so that she can share the laughter with them and also help them in need. With her determination she will surely get there even though it's a tough road for her.

RR ELENA

How did you respond to this poem emotionally?  Which words caused your emotional response and pull to this poem to be so strong?  Discuss the general premise of the poem:  what is happening?  why did this particular experience speak to you as a reader?


 Pat Mora poem really emotionally hit me hard, only because it reminded me of my mother and the struggle of not knowing English.  I feel very sympathetic at her situation because anyone who comes from another country to learn a new language is very hard and especially if their doing it for their children. i'll say these lines got to me the most "understanding every word they'd say, but that was in mexico" i stand by the stove and feel dumb, alone" "i  bought a book to learn English" and "for if i stop trying, i will be deaf" What's happening in the story is a mother is upset and feels hopeless because she doesn't know english and she feels alone because she can not communicate with her children anymore. But as a mother she tries to learn english for the sake of her children and she didn't let her husband get in her way of learning english. This poem spoke to me because my mother was the same way as the character. Back when she was living in mexico with my brothers and sister she would communicate with them but once she moved to the united states everything changed. My brother and sister learned english and there was less communication in the kitchen table or in general.  There was times where she felt alone and left the dining table to cry in the room to herself. She would tell me she felt stupid because she couldn't understand english, even tho she has been living in the united states for a while. My mother  would always come up to me and asked me to teach her how to read and write english. We would go to the library and rent books out in order to help me and herself.  I really enjoy this poem, it was simple. Anyone whose having trouble learning a language and feel alone or left out because they can not understand a language can well relate to this poem. 

Shannel Camacho

English 102

Professor Corona

October 17, 2014

Marks

Linda Pastan

How did you respond to this poem emotionally?  Which words caused your emotional response and pull to this poem to be so strong?  Discuss the general premise of the poem:  what is happening? Why did this particular experience speak to you as a reader?

Before reading the short poem Marks I tried to predict what the reading was going to be about with the title the author gave the poem. My predictions concluded that the title meant that there was a particular moment in life, in which the protagonist became traumatized naming it marks, as in scars that will have to be dealt throughout the characters life. As I commenced reading the poem it was very straight forward what the main character was going through, many symbolic words were use to describe the characters emotions. I personally connected in many ways with this character and her emotions towards life. I felt bad for the female/ narrator. She was living a life based on the satisfaction of others. She does what she needs to do to please others and she takes everyone else’s judgment to heart. For example line number 5 through 8 states “My son says I am an average, an average mother, but if I put my mind to it I could improve.” That stanza is a perfect example of her taking others judgment about her, personal. My emotional response came about in the last stanza where the narrator states, “My daughter believes in pass/fail and tells me I pass. Wait ‘til they learn I’m dropping out.” I interpreted these lines to mean, from the narrators perspective as, my daughter thinks that if my job as a parent had to be graded, and it were between a passing and a failing grade, I would pass, but what she doesn’t know is that I am leaving. I can manage and do all that have to do, but I am letting go of this life style because I am unhappy. What’s going in the poem is that the narrator is describing her everyday mother/wife duties as if it were being graded. She gives a quick description of what it is that she does and what her “grade” in that category would be. Overall she is good at what she does, only thing about it is that she is unhappy. This experience is trying to gives us a moral that “regardless of what you do you will always be judged, but do not do things to please other people if it does not make you happy.

Marilyn Cruz

Professor: corona

10/17/14

 

                                                     Marks by Linda Pastan.

1)how did you respond to this poem emotionally? Which words caused your emotional response and pull to this poem to be so strong? Discuss the general premise of the poem: what is happening? Why did this particular  experience speak to you as a reader?

When reading this poem I felt kind of bad for the wife. I felt that she felt really disappointed and pressure by her family. The way they used the grading policy to let her know how she’ doing at home makes me feel like she’s being judge for everything she does and that she’s is always trying to please other not herself. The word that caused emotional response in me was when she said that her husband give her a “b” plus in bed. Which for me it’s choking because that’s something personal and I think that if he give her a B is because she’s not good enough to him in bed. Which makes me feel upset because if my boyfriend would do that I will leave him right away. It’s upsetting that the entire family is being judgmental. For me it seem that everything she does it incomplete, for them. In the poem what is happening is that a mom is being grade according to how good she perform her duties at her house. She’s being grade with three different system of grading. This poem speak to me as a reader because the pressure put into this women at the house make me feel the same way I feel at school with the grading thing, because at school with know that in order to get a good grade or to pass the class we have to do homework and so many things. In this case she also have to do a lot of thing and order to satisfy her family, but the only different between school and her experience is that she’s  not getting anything good out it and that it feel that she’s getting the grade from the student( daughter and son ) instead of the teacher.

Elena by Pat Mora

Insoo Cho
Prof. Raquel Corona
English 102

How did you respond to this poem emotionally?  Which words caused your emotional response and pull to this poem to be so strong?  Discuss the general premise of the poem:  what is happening? Why did this particular experience speak to you as a reader?

The sorrow of being an immigrant is clearly illustrated in the poem Elena by Pat Mora. Elena, a devoted mother, feels distant from her beloved children due to language barriers, which is probably the hardest thing a parent can go through. As a 1.5 generation immigrant myself, I know exactly what she feels and my heart bleeds for her. I've experienced the same feeling of isolation when I first started attending school here for the first time. During the first year or so, just like Elena, I felt dumb and alone.

Being surrounded by words that cannot be interpreted made me feel insecure and lost. I felt as if I was blindly illiterate. Then the feeling of degeneration, losing the ability to understand due to the language barriers, invoked shyness and low self-esteem, which are traits which I would never have imagined myself having back in Korea.

Clearly, like Elena’s children, I was in a better situation than Elena - having the luxury of a supportive family and school friends, as well as an environment to learn. But where I can relate to Elena is on an emotional level, illustrated when she expresses her strong emotion of being “embarrassed at mispronouncing words” and “embarrassed at the laughter of my children” in line 16 of the poem. This is something that I still struggle with to this day, and something I realize that I cannot easily and quickly overcome.

But Elena does try and she is determined to learn and adapt. Without any support from her jester kids or her grumpy husband, she tries to overcome the obstacle of her life for the sake of her children.

The portrayal of determination by Elena affected me very strongly, because it reminded me of my parents who also pushed through the hardships of language and cultural barriers to provide better education and environment for their children, for my siblings and me. Sometimes it saddens me to see their well intentions being misunderstood by others, especially when they are misunderstood by my siblings. The language and cultural difference created a perception gap between them and also kept my parents from identifying with the American society, which made them feel like they don't belong here. Although I try my best to act as a bridge between my parents and my siblings, there is only so much I can do as it typically ends in frustration by all parties involved.

For these reasons, although the ending of the poem poses somewhat of an inspirational and hopeful vibe of a devoted mother’s promising future, for someone who had experienced first-hand a bit of her suffering, I can't help but to feel sorry for a long and weary journey ahead of her.