Blog Assignment #7: Feminist Criticism of "A & P"

John Updike wrote his 1961 short story, “A&P” in a manner that probably defines the mindset of the average American man during that time. The women in his story are written as they are almost a separate entity from Sammy, Stokesie or anyone else around. The females are in this story characterized by looks, age, appearance, and usefulness through almost chauvinistic like narrative though presented in a way in which an open minded reader might not find horribly offensive.

 The woman play the roll of the sheep in this story as someone always has an eye on them as the mill about till they find their way to the till. Beyond that every female character is vigorously judged and analyzed through Sammy, both the attractive and the old. If there is any blemish of sort about the females Sammy is sure to hue in on it, “You never know for sure how girls' minds work (do you really think it's a mind in there or just a little buzz like a bee in a glass jar?) but you got the idea she had talked the other two into coming in here with her, and now she was showing them how to do it”(Updike A&P).

 At the end of the story Updike displays the phenomenal control woman ultimately have over men when Sammy stands to quit. Sammy makes his declaration in front of his workplace with everyone including Mr. Lengel in hopes of impressing the females, though his attempt dies in vain as the woman walk away. In this story there are defiantly dominant/submissive women playing roles of various importance though above all they seem to be the center of attention for matters of criticism ranging from negative to lustrous, though always having the essence of not equal. 

Due to the time of publication it’s fairly safe to says that the history of the time impacted the style and tone of this tale. There were obvious whims of chauvinistic ideals throughout the story though nothing overly offensive and, given that Updike was rumored to have misogynist like qualities guides thinking towards the power behind the 1960 feminist movements.

Blog Assignment #6: What would this character's Facebook page look like?

Mrs. Mallard

Married: Brently Mallard

Family: Josephine

Friends: Richards

About me-

 I’m from a small town, there isn’t much to do, but some things I do enjoy doing are reading for hours while it’s sunny out. One of my hobbies is learning about new places,  I have always dreamed of traveling, but somethings just been holding me back.

03/04/1894- Today just can’t go wrong! I won’t let it, here we go head first in to the day, no doubts in our trail. Wish me luck ;)

03/04/1894- Something big is going to happen I can just feel it…

03/05/1894- Sometimes it feels like the world is out to bring your day down and then a ray of sun shines through the clouds, good luck putting this woman down today!

03/07/1894- Going to the parents place for dinner tonight, this will be a nice change for once…

03/08/1894- amazing sight to show the world!!

 https://www.facebook.com/#!/travelzoo

03/10/1894- feeling down today, just stressed I guess between being sick and Brently being his usual

03/10/1894-  I miss being around my family all the time like it used to be…

03/11/1894- lifes always has its ups and downs...

03/15/1894- "When im Gone" - simple plan 

03/23/1894- Here we go guys, my big day is coming up and then Brently and I will be together forever!

Blog Assignment #5: Orientation

So when you arrive to work you are designated to park A1- E9 which even on our busiest day leaves you with plenty of parking. Residents family members sometimes share employee parking and as you know “residents come first” so if we run out of space due to family members just inform Margret at the front desk.

As we enter the building we will head straight to the break room and use 1284 on all door electronic locks to get in. On this wall we’ve got employee mail cubbies which we don’t use very much but they are still there for your using, and of course over here we have employee lockers though you may have to fight for an open one unless someone will share with you. As you can see we have  all the essentials to a break room included here including microwave, fridge, plastic bowls and silverware, however we lack a sink for some unruly reason so if you need water you will have to grab it down the hall. The schedule will always be posted here next to the door and should be filled out a few days in advance which is always good to check. The smoke deck is right through theses doors off the break room if you happen to be a smoker, if not these are always people chatting about whats happening at the facility. As they say drinking fountains are a good place to gather information, you’ll learn more nitty gritty on this smoke deck vs anywhere in this building. 5 till shift change you can punch in using our high tech time clock here, and presuming you've got your presentable looking scrubs, gait belt, name tag, and non-slip shoes we can proceed to our hall.

Depending on your hall you will more than likely be followed around by one of our leads just to make sure things are running smoothly and also to answer any questions you might have, there is no such thing as a dumb question so long as you are able to improve, but really most things around here are common sense, if you've worked one facility you've worked them all. Your biggest life saver is to prioritize time above all, coming on we do our initial checks, restocking, pre-dinner, dinner, and post-dinner routines thoroughly though time constructively. A light meaning a needed pillow fluf can wait until dinner residents are actually in bed. You’ll get the hang of this place before too long, its fairly easy but just don’t get overwhelmed and don’t be afraid to speak up if you need help.

Blog Assignment #4: Southern Grotesque

Both the characters and the plot of O' Connor's, "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" can be considered grotesque or obscene in various ways without the reader having to dive to horribly deep. From the very beginning O'Connor begins his story with what seems to be a typical family grandma included out on vacations, the kids seem rude and unruly, grandma upholds her self appointed patriarchal with the out most nagging, and mother and father seem to play along as if conducting daily routine on a road trip. Right off the bat, the grandma brings up an article about a killer in the area towards Florida and how it would be horrible to go there because something could happen to the family and she would be crossed to see it happen while subconsciously steers the direction of the vacation from Florida to Tennessee, all to see through with her way. About half way through their trip the family decides to stop in at a restaurant called The Tower owned by Red Sammy Butt, his shop is very odd between the monkey and the oddly shaped tables. At one point the grandmother and Red Sammy Butt begin to talk about the old days when people had the right kind of manners, and about how hard it is to find a good many anymore these days. This passage itself seems/feels fairly grotesque for how the older generations expect the world to mold and envelope the old and dying. Just because things took place a certain way years ago does not mean that the inhabitants of the current century should have to abide by the same ways.  Taking longer than it should begins to worry the grandmother and frustrate her son, then suddenly the car roles, throwing the family around and the readers mind. What could possibly go wrong with such a pleasant story? A beat up looking black vehicle appears with three men in it two younger and a middle aged man who just so happens to me the misfit, this of course is horrifying because from the beginning the family’s fate has been told, making readers hearts sink. On the flip side of the coin however the overwhelming grotesqueness of the family is finally halted by the grotesque (though possibly needed) of the misfits. Granted two grotesques do not make an ordinary  or non-grotesque one knows that only grotesque can prevail. Grandma begs, telling him he must be a good man, that this can’t be the path for him, and that Jesus loves him, the misfit turns around and spits it all back at her along with three bullets to her chest and three to her family. In the end it leaves the reader shocked and appalled on how fast the events of the story turned into such a gruesome tell of misjudgment, punishment, and hurt.

Blog Assignment #3: Making Connections to "The Lottery"

Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" concerns itself with the 'tribal' nature of any small community.

Within any small community there are going to be flows of how things do and don't work, the more secluded the community, the more tight knit traditions can be. People know what works for them and how devastating straying from what they know can be. When applied to a small rural community the main members of the community whose ancestors created that community know how things are run in that specific settlement and will fight tooth and nail to preserve the way things are in that settlement. Humans are creatures of habit, and given the right circumstances will continue with the same habits that have served them so well in the past. People start to deviate from habit when something drastic happens and changes the flow of things, or when people are forced by a higher power (federal government) to change in lieu of negative consequences. In comparison to a post-apocalyptic world, the remaining humans will join together in loosely formed tribes and do whatever it takes to survive, for survival comes first and what comes second is maintaining the level of security that one has, often times by sticking to what habits have helped them survive thus far.  

Blog Assignment #2: From "Girl" to Boy

Sit up straight, be polite, lend a hand and expect nothing in return and above all, remember that family comes first. Do as I say not what I do and live by the guidelines im every trying to instill in you, I don't try to act unfair but sometimes things are just the way they are so you might as well make the best of it. Keep clean shaven and look as studious as possible, your good manners will get you far. Respect your elders and follow the chain of command, if stuffs not right then fix it and if you don't know how find someone who does and can show you. Above all you need to check the oil in your car each and every time you get gas, treating things right will keep things good forever. Getting somewhere five minutes early  or on time is never worth a speeding ticket. Never EVER pick up hitch hikers no matter how badly they need it because chances are they will rob you for all you've got. Be smart, you your head, and remember that I will never lead you astray, I can be your best friend in the world or your worst enemy if you treat me wrong. Never hit women and do not drink, any problem ive had in my life has been associated to drinking so just dont do it.

Blog Assignment #1: Introduction

1. My greatest asset is my patience with others.
2. The nicest thing I ever did for anyone was helping the elderly.
3. The nicest thing anyone ever did for me was give me a second chance.
4. One question I have about life is how much longer can we trod our current path as mankind.
5. One thing I've always wondered about is how truthful and trustworthy the government is.
6. My teachers last year will tell you that I am hard working though quiet.
7. My friends will tell you that I am eclectic. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. People like me because I am nice and have good vibes.
9. One thing most people don't know about me is how nerdy I actually am.
10. I am an expert on anything healthcare related.
11. I want to know more about chemistry.
12. When I am 30/40/50/60 (choose one), I will be working as registered nurse and working on starting a family.
13. Five years from now, I will be done with school and happily working while searching for the perfect place to live.
14. When I want to, I have the ability to be quite the unaproachable and unfriendly fellow.
15. A famous person I admire is Viggo Mortensen because he played Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings.
16. The bravest thing I ever did was go to school and not plan B.
17. I have trouble dealing with people who are blaitently stupid but think they are smart.
18. I appreciate it when teachers put themselves in their students shoes.
19. I am proud of my current foothold in my career.
20. I like all things J.R.R. Tolkien because he had a way with language and imagination unlike any other. 
21. I really need to lay off my favorite little mints!
22. My favorite class is anything Health Science related because Health Science interests me, granted I love to write so English is a close second.
23. My friends make me laugh when they amuse me greatly.
24. My pet peeve is people who insist on asking already asked/non-related questions at the end of any class/meeting which prevents me from leaving.
25. When I am sad I try and think happy thoughts while surrounding myself with positive people.
26. The most stressful thing in my life is finishing school.
27. The most influential person in my life is my father because he and ONLY he is a person I know will never lead me astray.
28. If I had one hundred dollars, I would get ahead on some bills.
29. I am named for being unique.
30. It was easy to learn phlebotomy.
31. It is difficult to learn other languages.
32. I have no regrets about leaving the Navy when I did.
33. I regret not going overseas while in the Navy. 
34. A friend once showed me how to perfectly roll a cigarette without a roller.
35. I like heavy metal music, particularly these songs: Hallowed be thy name(Cradle of Filth), Libertheme(Behemoth), and Chop Suey(System of a Down)
36. My favorite color is Black.
37. One dish I can cook well is an egg pan.
38. My favorite place on earth is Eastport Idaho.
39. What is a mistake that taught you a lesson? Putting to much faith/trust in others. What did you learn? You can only trust your family.
40. What is an obstacle you face in completing this class? Keeping current with assignments. How can you, your classmates, and your teacher help you get around it? Poke and prod me until I do them, though I do enjoy study groups.