Author Archives: Michael Joseph Ramos

Blog Post#7 A Raisin in the Sun

After reading “A Raisin In The Sun” written by Lorraine Hansberry, I realized the importance and value of the stage direction in the play. The life and the success of the play lies in the hands of the director. This is true with A Raisin In The Sun. Here, Hanberry has managed and has planned the plot so well. The setting of the story happened on a particular date, the management and organization of the place are vividly described in addition, the readers could easily identify the character’s cultural background, their living conditions, and environment as a whole. The characters in the play are the following: Lena/ Mama is a responsible, caring, and loving mother, whose intention is to provide a good life for her family, Walter Lee, the eldest/son of mama, dream’s a better for his family by investing in a liquor store. Beneatha, daughter mama, whose ambition is to become a doctor. Ruth wife of Walter Lee, a responsible mom. Travis son of Walter Lee and Ruth dreams to have a comfortable life. All of them dream of American life such as happiness, success, improvement of social mobility, and freedom. I could also say that the dialogues assigned to its performer are appropriate to their respective roles. The conversations among them were clear and comprehensible that one can even relate it to real-life phenomenon. As the verbal and actual interaction takes place between or among the performers a reader can likely predict what will happen next or what will happen at the end of the story, a manifestation that Hanberry has gotten the attention and the interest of her readers.

On the other hand, the title of the play doesn’t convey a literal meaning but rather connotes a deeper meaning. One can come across it’s meaning through careful analysis and understanding of the message. Taking into consideration the raisin stands for the object and the sun as the outside factor. I’m proud and happy that I am now applying my knowledge in literature.

Blog Post #6 Benito Cereno

After reading the novella Benito Cereno written by Herman Melville is a strong proof of enslavement in the United States Of America, I have clearly understood the sentiments of the slaves. They have undergone so many untoward incidents in their lives which made them sad, silent, oppressed, and rebellious. They have suffered a lot in the hands of their masters where they are compelled to serve them and make their masters happy and contented by all means. They have no other choice but to follow their masters. The novella depicted the enslavement in a negative way because a number of black men who were already infected with scurvy and not even given any medicine were forced to do strenuous work. In addition, Don Benito has been cruel and inhumane to them. To cite an example was the case of Atufal who was allowed to go around with the chain wrapped on his body connected to his neck by a metal collar due to unacceptable deed such as a sign of violence. Meanwhile,  First, I sympathize with the Black Americans because they don’t deserve that kind of treatment that Don Benito accorded to them. It was only unfortunate that they were slaves for they do not have freedom just like any other human being. Second, I also sympathized with Don Benito because he had gotten emotional due to the revolt of the slaves that happened in San Dominick that made him physically weak and eventually caused his death. Moreover, we have to unfold Captain Delano’s blindness by instilling in our minds that everyone deserves respect and equal treatment regardless of color, race, and gender. It is our moral obligation to have a good relationship among us to build a strong and progressive country.

As mentioned in chapter 6 which is Narrative written by Jonathan Culler, I gained insight that there was a time, that literature has been above all poetry for reason that narrative has dominated literary education. The novel and the short story is the center of the curriculum. And though people still read poetry often, it was only a requirement. Literary and cultural theory claimed that the culture is the center topic of the narrative. I learned the theory of the narrative branch of literary theory. The study depends on the narrative structure, the ideal plot,  different kinds of narrators of narrative techniques that the good stories must have a beginning, middle, and end. They give satisfaction because of their orders, and transformation and translation. Moreover, the plot shapes the event and set the tone of the story. The basic distinction of the theory of narrative is between plot, story, and discourse.  

I read a novel entitled the fault in our stars written by John Green. The novel also adapted as a film in 2014 which was produced by Fox Pictures. The plot of the story is that Hazel Grace Lancaster, a teenage girl that has thyroid cancer who went to a cancer support group where she met Agustus “Gus” Waters, who has osteosarcoma. Later on, the two became friends. They exchanged books to read. Hazel read Gus’s favorite book and goes vice versa. Gus read “An Imperial Affliction” which has an open-ended ending which made them contact the author via email. The author of the book agrees to tell them what happened in the story if the two will go to Amsterdam. While in Amsterdam Gus and Hazel confessed their love for each other and later that day they went to the author’s house to seek the answers needed but that didn’t end well. The next day, Gus told Hazel that his cancer got worse. Gus asks Hazel together with his friend Isaac to write a eulogy for his Pre Funeral. After a few days, Gus died. While at Gus’s funeral, the author came and answered the question they ask while in Amsterdam and gave a letter to Hazel which later revealed that it was from Gus before he died. While reading I observed that the Narrator is in the first-person view which is Hazel Lancaster, the main character in the novel. In addition, the story is tragic because in the end one of the protagonists died.

Meanwhile, theorists also explained the function of the stories. First, it gives pleasure through their imitation of life and their rhythm. The pleasure of the narrative is connected to desire. Plots tell of the desire to discover secrets the desire to know the end and to find the truth. Because of narrative, we can visualize the plot of the story and that helps in understanding and appreciate it well. The readers can relate their experiences with what’s happening in the story.

Blog #4 Rhetoric, Poetics, and Poetry

As I read chapter 5  which is rhetoric, poetics, and poetry written by Jonathan Culler, I learned that rhetoric is the art of effective use of language in contrasting effective style of speaking or writing while poetic is the art of imitation or representation. Poetry is related to rhetoric because it involves the use of figures of speech like simile, metaphor, personification, and irony. In addition, it also involves the use of language that is powerful and convincing. 

Based on chapter 5 rhetorical techniques Jothan Culler, presented 4 rhetorical figures such as Metaphor, Metonymy, Synecdoche, and Irony. Upon reading the Sea of History Written By Dereck Walcott, I would say that the author used the figure of metaphor. To support that statement, stanzas 4 and 5 which is ” Exodus bone soldered by coral to bone, mosaics mantled by the benediction of the shark’s shadow, that was the Ark of the covenant. Then came from the plucked wires of sunlight on the sea floor”. The author compares the bone to a coral while the Ark of the Covenant is the effect of sunlight on the sea floor which are clearly metaphors because the arrangement of words created special effects that make the reading more interesting.  

Metaphor conveys meaning call upon or creates images, thoughts, and feelings in the reader’s minds in just a few simple words. Furthermore, It can provide a lasting impact and allow the readers to get more engaged to use their imaginations and interpretations.

Blog Post #3 Language, Meaning, Interpretation.

Based on the article written by Jonathan Culler which is “Language, Meaning. Interpretation”. Culler sited several pointers on how to define the meaning of language. In my opinion, language has various disciplines, meaning of the word, the use of words and utterances, differences, and contrast in some situations. Meanwhile study, reveals that there are at least three different dimensions or levels of meaning: The meaning word, of an utterance, and of a text. The meaning of the words contributes to the meaning of an utterance which is an act by a speaker. Finally, the text which here represents, an unknown speaker making difficult utterances its potential to affect readers the general meaning is based on the difference. 

The one that struck me the most is the Saussure theory of language which says, a language is a system of differences. What makes each element of a language what it is, what gives its identity, is the contrast between it and other elements within the system of the language as sited in an analogy. Here, it didn’t emphasize the physical features of the train but instead focus on the difference in the time schedule of arrivals and departures from the different points of origin and destinations.

I am therefore enlightened by the author’s definition of language. “Each language is a system of concepts as well as forms: a system of conventional signs that organizes the world. (Culler.59). Likewise, I believe it will be a great help for me as I venture with my studies regarding literature. 

 

   

Blog Post #2 “Literature as Aesthetic Object”

In the article What is literature and does it Matter? written by Jonathan Culler, I learned many important things regarding literature. Culler discusses definitions of literature from different angles or aspects. In my opinion, one of the most important angle is “Literature As Aesthetic Object” The aesthetic function of language dealt or went around the various levels of linguistic organization, the separation from practical context of utterance, it deviates from it real meaning or idea and the fictional relation to the world. 

Further, aesthetic also refers to the theory of art and has involved debates about whether beauty is an objective property of a work of arts or a subjective response of the viewers and about the relation of the beautiful to the true and the good. 

Aesthetic is also the name of the attempt to bridge the gap between the material and the spiritual world, between a world of forces and magnitudes and a world of concepts the combination, of sensuous forms (color, sounds), the spiritual content may bring together the material and the spiritual side.

What is literature and does it matter ? Blog Post

After reading “What is literature and does it matter? written by Jonathan Culler in my point of view the most important aspect is that “literature comes in all shapes and sizes and most of them seem to have more in common with works that aren’t usually called literature than they do with some other works recognized as literature (p 21)”. As discussed in the chapter the author mentioned that literature maybe a poem, play, or narrative. The way that they are written differs from each other. To name some are poems and sonnets are written on shorter lines while narratives are longer. Some articles are written more interesting because the authors used different devices such as figures of speech such as simile, metaphor, hyperbole and etc..There are two characteristics that could lead to identifying first, the theory itself which intermingles with the different fields of learning. Second, we can say that all text is somewhat not equal some text is created more powerful and intense while some are soft and weak. The importance of thinking about the definition of literature plays a huge part in understanding the components of the literature. Moreover, it is an undertaking of the writers and the readers that require knowledge, deeper understanding, and skills in carrying out their tasks.

 

The question that stayed with me while reading this article is that Does literature play a significant role in identifying a particular generation? 

Hello Everyone !

Hi! everyone I am Michael Joseph Ramos currently living in Elmhurst, Queens, New York. I came to the United States of America from the Philippines. My Major is Nutrition Culinary Management concentrating on Culinary Option. Currently, this is my second semester here at LaGuardia Community Collge. I decided to take this program because I love to cook and I want to open my own restaurant in the future. Looking forward to interesting lessons and activities this semester that will improve my skills in English especially with writing.