grouponemodernfiction-blog

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A Northern view of the South (525 words) by Gillian

In this course we talked a lot about things from the view point of Southerners. As someone who has not lived in Louisiana for a long time, I️ could not identify with a lot of what people were saying, however, I️ found I️t very enriching to learn how people see aspects of the South. For example, I️ thought it was so interesting when someone said their mother got married at a plantation house. Also, the idea of an overarching view of the South as presented in Braggsville brought a great discussion to the table in class. I️ enjoyed hearing how different people from different parts of Louisiana saw the small town depicted in the novel. I️ personally think that the narrative of the South given in Welcome to Braggsville is sadly how a lot of people who do not live in the Deep South see it. When I️ found out I️ was moving to Louisiana, one of my friends, who is mixed race, asked me if they are “accepting down there.” I️t shocked me to hear that because I️ honestly had never really thought about it. Because I️ had never been to the South before, I️ always assumed that segregation was a thing of the past and that people were very accepting like in New York. However, when she asked me that, I️ stopped and realized that I️ actually had no idea. Not every place is as diverse as New York City of course, but having lived there I️ got used to seeing men in dresses and crazy sights like that, so the thought of living in a conservative place had not struck me until she asked that question. Of course, since I️ have moved here, I️ realize that every Southerner is not from a Braggsville. However, I️ do think that it is important for people to be educated about this. African Americans living in the North should not be nervous to visit the Southern part of their own country!

Moreover, it surprised me how different the schools in the North versus the South teach the Civil War. I️ was always taught that the war was not about slavery at all actually and that it was about the South wanting to secede because they wanted the states to have more rights than the national government wanted to give them. Then of course my teachers went into how slavery did tie into the war and how brutal and terrible it all was. However, in the South I feel like most people were taught at a young age that the Civil War was all about slavery, and I️ suppose it was for Southerners who fought in the war.

I️ found it very beneficial to hear different view points from different students about the South, and honestly, it opened my eyes a lot to how people see things down here. It is so interesting to me that I️ had no idea what any of the nicknacks found in the attic in the book Welcome to Braggsville were and how a decent amount of students in the class knew and maybe had relatives who have things just like them.

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Influential Parents by Gillian (529 words)

Everything I️ Never Told You got me thinking about how parents affect the paths their children choose in life. I️ am blessed with parents who are very open and accepting with whatever grades I️ get, and they were extremely supportive when I️ changed my major freshman year. So, it is always strange to me to hear about people who feel pressured by their parents to choose a certain future and do well in school. I️t makes sense that children want to make their parents happy though. Parents provide for their children and to young children are seen as these incredible people who can do no wrong. I️t also seems to go along with Mark Twain’s essay about Cornpone opinions. Why would children choose to go against their parents if they are cared for by them? I️t makes logical sense to accept the beliefs of the people who provide for you. However, problems arise when parents try to place unrealistic ideals upon their children and do not allow them to be their own person. I️t is one thing to want the very best for your child, but trying to make them into who you wish you were causes them to be unable to be their true selves.

I️ had a friend in middle school who knew that she was going to be a dentist because that is what her parents wanted from her, but she actually wanted to be photographer just like her dad. I️t shocked me at that age to think that her father was not proud that she wanted to follow in his footsteps. However, now I️ realize that he wanted her to have a stable job and a good income to support her and her family in the future.

I️t makes me wonder if it is beneficial for parents to push their children or not. Both my brother and I️ do well in school by our own motivation, and our parents simply support us in what we do. Would we have done more if they had pushed us though? If I️ am only working to fulfill my own standards, I️ can easily lower them, but if my parents set high standards for me I️ doubt that I️ would not try to fulfill them with everything in my power. But, could I️ still choose my own path and make my own decisions if they were doing this? I️ have always liked to run ideas for my future past my parents. They obviously know me well and want the best for me so it always works in my favor. I️ believe that, given you have good supportive parents, it is good to have conversations about your future with them. Tell them what you want to do with your life and ask them their opinions, but do not let them decide everything for you. Maybe families like the on in Everything I️ Never Told You would benefit from open communication. I️ know that is an idealistic way of thinking, but children should have the right to choose their own futures, and even though it might be scary, they should tell their parents what they want to do with their lives.

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The D.R. By Gillian (216 words)

So, here is the thing about the Dominican Republic. I️ lived there when I️ was young, I�� spoke Spanish, and like we said in class, there many different people with many different amounts of melanin in their skin. Living there was interesting and humid. I️ do remember going to school with very light skinned people though. Of course I️ knew and saw people of darker skin tones, but the school that I️ went to had a lot of light skinned people from what I️ can remember. My best friend Bella was not very dark, and my first crush, Charlie, could have easily said he was of European decent and no one would have questioned him.

As children, my brother and I️ connected tan skin with Spanish speakers, so when we moved back to America, my brother tried speaking Spanish to African Americans. To a child, I️t would make sense, but it was just plain hilarious to my parents. Also, when living in the Dominican Republic, I️t was very evident that light skinned people were viewed as beautiful and of a higher class. As a young children, my brother and I️ had very blond hair; people were always asking my parents if they could take pictures of us because our light hair was seen as good luck.

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Pigoons by Gillian (250 words)

The ideas of genetically modified food in Oryx and Crake got me thinking. Are modified organisms like pigoons actually good for society? Yes they have the benefit of being able to be produced in high quantities for very little money, but what are the results? There has to be something bad to come from it. Normally, mass production means low quality. What grade would this meat be? Could I️t even be graded on the scale of our meat today? Also, low gene variation leads to a lot of problems in animals. Think of incest for example, because there is not a lot of gene variation, the children over the years have a higher tendency of illness and frailty. Would something like this be happening to our food? If it does, how would it affect us?

However, already have genetically modified plants in our grocery stores today. No matter what I️ read or what documentaries tell me, I️ cannot find a good reason to drain my bank account buying all organic food in order to avoid maybe getting something from plants that we really can’t tell if they are bad for you or not. I wonder if this mindset would transfer over into meat or not. Meat to me is more important to buy without hormones and such. I️ am interested and very worried to see what our grocery stores will be carrying in the years to come. At least we can all go vegan if worse comes to worse right?

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Plantations (228 words) Gillian

I️t shocked me to find out how people view plantations in the South. I️ have actually visited a plantation in Hawaii, but it was treated as a museum and the story of the people who lived and worked there was told. I️ had no idea that plantations were not viewed like that everywhere. When someone told me that I️ should go look at all of the beautiful plantations in Youngsville I️ did not know what to say. I️t reminded me of my parents dragging me to museums when I️ was younger (which I️ silently enjoyed and did not tell them). I️ had no idea that people viewed plantations here as beautiful places to visit without recognizing all of the history and horrific things that look place there. I️t seems wrong to me to go to such a place and ignore that there was slavery going on there years ago and how horribly people were treated there. Maybe people who grew up around plantations learned to separate themselves from the beauty of the building and its traffic history. Maybe they just want to honor the buildings that their ancestors built and lived in. I️t still shocks me how different the culture is in the South compared to the North. Just when I️ thought there’s was nothing else to learn about the South, I️ was shown that I️ know nothing.

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The View on Tradition in Braggsville by Gillian (526 words)

As a conservative Southern town, I️ didn’t find I️t odd that the people of Braggsville held a civil war re-enactment. I️ makes sense that they would want to honor those that they knew who served in the war. However, The controversy arrises when you ask why they are putting on the reenactment. Is it okay if they are doing I️t to honor their lost relatives?

Sadly, their reenactment does not have anyone representing the slaves from the Civil war. Therefore, they are only presenting the narrative of white people and not the entire population of people affected by the war. The students from Berkeley were taught that the Civil war was fought over slavery which is why they found the reenactment to be a poor portrayal of the war. However, in reality the war was found over the South trying to secede from the United States because the North was trying to outlaw slavery which was not in favor of the Southern plantations. So arguably the war had nothing to do with slavery at all but rather over the states rights over the national government.

With this in mind, is the town still wrong to reenact the war without slavery being mentioned? Because slavery was affected by the war is it still necessary to mention it when thinking of the Civil war? Personally, I️ think that the Civil War can be looked at solely as a war over the power of the states versus the power of the national government. However, even though it can be seen that way does not mean that we should ignore what happened to slaves and how the war affected them. I️ do believe though that there is a certain way that this should be brought about in a town such as Braggsville though. They should be allowed to honor their history without being bashed on for not showing all of the narratives; especially since they were acting out the narrative of their town which they could identify with. How could they possibly properly honor every narrative if they do not know any but their own?

If the group of students wanted to make an impact on the town without causing such an event, they should have asked people one on one at the event what they know about the narrative of African Americans at that time and if they wanted to know more. They should have had a friendly and welcoming approach. All people may not be willing to listen or open their minds, but that happens whether you are making a scene or having a one on one conversation. Moreover, I️ do believe that it is important to bring awareness to people who are ignorant of what happened to slaves. Many people seem to not realize how terribly they were actually treated.

This novel left me wondering if seeing a story from every side is possible. Most sides have such different views that they contradict each other. Therefore, I️ believe I️t is important to learn about each side as well as one possibly can and find an educated point of view to support.

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What the Dominican Republic actually looks like versus what people think I️t looks like. Gillian

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Sounds like something the girl from “Lust” would say. Gillian

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Gillian

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Gillian

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Gillian

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Abigail: Modern Fiction and the Pursuit of Happiness (206)

My story is not the same as the boy sitting beside me. Hell, it isn’t even the same story as I would have told two days ago, or in ten years. No two stories can be the same, and so cannot use the same words to dictate it accurately, if it ever can be told accurately.

My favorite medium? Words. Modern ones, of course.

Modern fiction is about getting the story as right as possible, which often means multiple viewpoints, or perhaps getting so caught in a single viewpoint as to confuse whether anything they say can at all be trusted.

Modern fiction is composed of the stories of every group of people that have existed, the stories encapsulated in each raindrop as they crash to the ground.

To discover a story within the few words we have to work with is a gift. To give someone new ideas, new narratives that they would otherwise never hope to understand (and, after reading, know for sure they will never understand), is to give someone life.

It is true that each time we read, a little is added to our person, and we leave a little bit between the covers. Those of us who write will never die.

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Abigail

https://www.faber.co.uk/blog/fiction-is-freedom/

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Abigail: Semi-Feminism (262)

Diaz’s novel seems to make an attempt at feminism, but simply falls back. He brings the atrocities done unto women to light, but goes nowhere with it. While Beli seems to come out of it and make herself strong and great, she doesn’t really. She allows her past (and current) abuses to haunt her and she undoubtedly abuses her children, which is not what strong women do. Lola does a little better, but is still constantly sexualized by our narrator, and nothing becomes of it. A real feminist piece would have someone do something that makes things worthwhile, or perhaps a woman who defies odds, or a man who sees that they are capable of it. I have 100 pages left to read, and I see no evidence that either of those things will happen, but only evidence that the little he did to make his women strong and well-rounded did not actually do them any justice, since they are still the same broken, sexualized victims they were in the beginning.

It is worth noting that he does not treat womanizing men with respect. However, the little bit of condescension that goes on them does not make up for the lack of strong female leads with the same amount of attention given to them as was given to characters like Oscar and Yunior. Somehow, Diaz has been able to give these two guys more depth in less time than they were able to give Beli and Lola put together.

Thanks for trying, Diaz, but you’ve got plenty of work yet to do.

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Abigail: Modern Fiction: a Look at Personal Identity and What Shapes it (533)

To me, modern fiction is all about personal identity. Before the postmodern movement, narratives were pretty straight forward (for the most part). There was good and evil, everyone fit into their respective gender roles, etc. The modern world, luckily for us, is not like that. Nothing is black and white, everything is both good and evil, and we have to deal with that as individuals. Writers tend to do a lot of experimentation. Sometimes this comes as narrative devices and overall plot-structure. Sometimes it comes as an author throwing someone into a situation that is completely unlike anything they could have previously foreseen (like immigration stories, or modern war stories).

Modern fiction picks at how we express ourselves, and why. With modern fiction comes African American literature, LGBTQ literature, feminist literature, and all the good things that come from hearing someone else’s narrative. In my class, we will look at the ways race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and religion shape a person’s identity. This, of course, is no easy task. If we could answer how and why these things shape us, we wouldn’t need art, sociology, anthropology, history, or most other Liberal Arts. But, obviously, we do.

I’m going ahead and stealing five pieces from Ms. Jennifer’s syllabus: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao because it is a unique immigrant story that incorporates sex as well as nationality and race, Welcome to Braggsville because of its use of stereotypes, “Lust” for a similar reason, Giovanni’s Room as a way to connect nationality and sexuality, and “Good Country People,” since the way we personally identify is never quite the same as the way others see us.

For traditional texts, I stuck to things I had read before. With The Great Gatsby, we’ll talk about love, gender, and what it means when someone feels ownership towards someone else. We well also read The Catcher in the Rye and talk about who the hell Holden Caulfield is, 1984 and the way sexuality and control influence relationships, Life of Pi as an insight into religion and human-animal relationships, and “Miss Adele Amidst the Corsets” to look at race, gender, and prejudice.

For my non-traditional texts, I chose a mixture of photographs and film. The class will watch Black Swan to study gender, sexuality, and the balance between the id, ego, and superego. We will also watch the first episode of Black Mirror’s season 2: Be Right Back to compare our social media identities and those that we portray in person. Both seasons of Stranger Things will be viewed to pick apart gender roles and how secrets affect us. We will also pick apart Man Ray’s Le Violon d’Ingres for gender, sexuality, and the idea of Orientalism. Finally, we will look at multiple Irving Penn portraits, those of Salvador Dali, Truman Capote, Pablo Picasso, Isabella Rossellini, Audrey Hepburn, and the Scarred Dahomey Girl. With these portraits, we will look at gender, race, and occupation.

Organizing this class has really made me want to teach it, even though I don’t ever want to teach! Perhaps I’ll keep this work in mind when I am a grad student and might have the opportunity to build a literature course for undergrads.

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I picked this picture because it is very ironic. In the story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, you wanted to have the least amount of chance to be picked and stoned to death, wheras in th mega millions lottery its the complete opposite.

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This is a picture of a “Jim Crow” bus where the blacks had to sit in the back. I chose this picture because in the short story “The Sky Is Gray” , this is what the mom and son have to ride on to go to the dentist.