Blog Entry #8

   Dylan Thomas was a welsh poet and writer that lived from October 27, 1914 to November 9, 1953. In 1951, Thomas published "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" in the journal Botteghe Oscure. (Wikipedia) The theme of this poem is mortality. In which the speaker discusses how men should fight to live another day, instead of accepting death slowly.

   The poem begins with the title itself, symbolizing "that good night" as the day of death. The speaker is telling elderly people to fight and rave at the thought of death. He wants them to fight for one more day to live and to not welcome death. To use their rage, anger and power to continue life. (1-3) Throughout the poem, the speaker repeats line 1 and 3, emphasizing that these men should live with intensity and passion to fight against any harm that can lead to death.

   The speaker goes on and discusses different type of men whom fight for life despite the obstacles they face. The smart men know death is inevitable and is a natural process everyone has to go through. (4) However, they know life is like lightning, one minute here and the next day gone, therefore, they live to the fullest. (5) "Good men" or this generation of men is slowly dying, perhaps because they are growing old. Their actions that have weakened but perhaps would have lived longer if they fought and raged against death. (9-11) Then, there were "wild men" in other words, fighters. Men whom celebrated life and the world they lived n. The sun symbolizes the beauty in the world these men saw in their lifespan, which slight symbolizes. (12) However, they soon discovered that this world was coming to an end that death was coming upon them. (13) Last but not least, the speaker talks about these dying men whom are blind but still can metaphorically see. They can see that life is worth living and fighting for, but if they have to die, they will control how and go out with a bang! (15-16)

   Dylan Thomas uses a lot of imagery to portray living a life with intensity. Bolts of lightning, blaze like meteors and images of light and fire, all things that fall from the sky, conveys that ice is not slow and steady. Instead, is an inferno, a firecracker, a tornado that must not be taken lightly. In conclusion, one must go out with a band since death cannot be escaped anyway. (5, 16)

   In the last stanza of the poem, we learn that the speaker's father is dying. That perhaps this entire poem was for his father. Discussing the admirable behavior of men that the speaker wishes his father was more like. The speaker is begging his father to cry passionately and to not surrender to death; rather than to fight and rave every step of the way.

   The speaker in "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" stresses that life should be lived to the fullest, with intensity and even stronger when men are aging. Those men should leave fighting and screaming until their last minute. At the end of the poem, the speaker reveals that his father is in this predicament. In which, he is submitting to death. Where we learn that the speaker was speaking to his father all along, wishing he would fight to live one more day.

Blog Entry #7

An archetype that is problematic is the Destroyer. Initially, I assumed the destroyer was someone whom would destroy any relationship with others and sabotage or damage a situation. After reading the description, i learned that the Destroyer can be a victim that suffered a tragic loss, a person that willingly accept change, breaks rules and undermines there order to make way for something better. This tragedy or loss makes the Destroyer react in ways that make them act up and fight for what they believe is right, eventually leading to some kind of change in their lives. In real life, protesters who fight for their rights and for change can be classified as Destroyers.

This archetype is confusing because you would think The Destroyer is someone who destroys things but in reality, is the complete opposite. The Destroyer actually rebuilds and grows, conveys a sense of rebirth and change.

Blog Entry #6

The Ruler Archetype conveys this sense of authority, control and responsibility. The ruler takes this responsibility seriously, in order to put order and gain power and authority. Those who rule face the obstacle of deciding whether to use this power for personal gain or for the good of others. Rulers tend to put value in image and reputation, they like to be seen as prestige leaders that know how to dress for the occasion and control with appropiatness wherever they go. Rulers step up to the plate whenever there is a problem, and know how to put in place policies and rules in order to get things done right. Rulers in reality can be anyone who's an authority figure, like Politicians, parents or guardians, and anyone who limits their freedom to take responsibility for others.

Blog Entry #5

Reflecting back on the semester so far, it has been unexpectedly pretty interesting. To begin with, I wasn't aware that this course was based on poetry, i was expecting many books and essays. However, I love poetry and I'm intrigued by this class. I've learned how to break poems down line by line and connotate symbols. I've learned that any interpretation of a poem is not wrong, as long as you can heavily back up your claim with symbols and details from the poem itself. I've also learned about the many different types of archetypes. It's interesting how one big picture can evolve into a million other things, define many characteristics and lead to reasons that explain why someone is the way they are and the things they do. I'm looking forward to the rest of this semester.

Blog Entry #4

Dioranys                                                                                 Acevedo

Dr. C. Jason Smith

English 102

September 25, 2013

The Rich, The Poor

               Countee Cullen was born on May 30th 1903 and died on January 9th, 1946. It has been difficult to place where exactly Cullen was born. However, according to some scholars his birthplaces have been given as New York City or Baltimore. (Gerald Early) He began writing poetry at the age of fourteen and won several poetry competitions in high school. (Poetry.org) He was known as one the leading figures of the Harlem Renaissance. Due to his poetry publications in 1927, “Copper Sun” and “The Ballad of the Brown Girl,” he was known as a leading figure of the Harlem Renaissance. He was also a noted novelist, playwright and children’s author. He wrote the poem “Saturday’s Child” in the early 1900s. (Gerald Early)

         All the symbols in “Saturday’s Child” point out the hardship of poverty in comparison to the lives of wealthy children. The poem begins alluring you with the famous saying that does born with a silver spoon, symbolizing that some children are born with the fortune of being wealthy. While other children didn’t even have the fortune to be given expensive toys either.  (1-2) The speaker had to be strong in order to survive and over come obstacles that poverty brought upon, just like a raccoon that can gnaw through wood. (3-4) Some children were born with rich clothes made out of silk where as the speaker was wrapped in to rag cloth because he was so poor. (5-8) He feels as if he was welcomed into a world of poverty and pain. As though, poverty and pain “Godfathered” or parented him for the rest of his life. (9-12) The speaker’s father feels as though it was a bad time to have a child because of the lack of finances they attributed. Therefore, the speaker feels some kind of resentment towards his father, for having such a thought of regret. (13-16) The speaker senses as if his only reward in life was his survival. Where as, death could’ve been the one bringing him to life rather than an actual doctor. (17-20)

         “Saturday’s Child” is a comparison between the life a child born into wealthiness and poverty. The title is unclear as whether what the poem is about and doesn’t really tell you anything. Many assumptions can be made from the title. For example, off the title I can assume that this poem can be about a child who loves Saturdays or about a child born on Saturday. However, the speaker of this poem makes it obvious about the resentment towards the wealthy children because he was born with too little. Referring back to the period of Cullen’s life and him being a big contributor to the Harlem Renaissance, he could have also been comparing the life of white children as wealthy and African American children’s lives in poverty. (Mattice-p3)

         The speaker’s self-loathing tone is due to the obstacles he has compared to the easy living, rich life of another child. The poem begins with a wealthy child being “teethed” into a silver spoon, while the speaker cuts his “teeth” like a black raccoon. (1, 3) Teeth are used in both of these lines in very different forms. Teeth are hard bone like structures in the jaws of vertebrates; used for biting and chewing or for attach and defense. In line 1, the speaker refers to this wealthy child biting into richness. However, in line 3, he refers as teeth used for attack and defending his survival as a poor child just like a black raccoon would to get through wood. He states some things wealthy children had as opposed to him self. For example, “stars strung for rattle” and “silk and down,” which both represent money and expensive things, like toys and clothes. On the other hand he would have things like a rag cloth to bare his back on a cold night. (2, 8-10) The speaker speaks about poverty and pain, which both go hand in hand when described as a symptom of hurt possibly due to the state of having little or none to feed him self at times. Death is the end of life permanently. (17) Death perhaps is what the speaker implied as it being supposed to happen. However, his only fortune in this life of poverty was life. Being able to live, although in poverty, was something that he also had as well as the fortunate children.

         The speaker in “Saturday’s Child” begins and ends in the same way. All the comparisons between the rich and poor give off a pessimistic approach towards his poor life. His bitterness tone is hard to miss when he alludes to the expression that some are born with a silver spoon, whereas he wasn’t, being that he didn’t have anything. (1) He didn’t have the expensive toys or the luxurious clothes. The speaker’s envious state of mind towards the rich, made him resent his unfortunate upbringing and the struggles he had to face due to his life of poverty.

(Word Count 831 without header and Works Cited)

Works Cited

"Countee Cullen." Poets.org - Poetry, Poems, Bios & More. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Oct. 2013.

Early, Gerald. "About Countee Cullen's Life and Career." Welcome to English « Department of English, College of LAS, University of Illinois. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Oct. 2013.

"mattice-p3 - Countee Cullen." mattice-p3 - home. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Oct. 2013.

"Countee Cullen Biography - Facts, Birthday, Life Story - Biography.com." BIO. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Oct. 2013.

Cullen, Countee. Saturday's Child by Countee Cullen: The Poetry Foundation.' Poetry Foundation. N.p. n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2013. http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/171340.