Gustavo Quintero
English 48B
March 17, 2008
Journal #45 Jack London
Quote:
"He would kill the dog and bury his hands in the warm body until the numbness went out of them. Then he could build another fire. He spoke to the dog, calling to him, but in his voice was a strange note of fear that frightened the animal"(London 1065).
Summary:
The man wants to kill the dog so that he can put his hands in its belly to thaw out his badly frostbitten hands. He needs to thaw out his hands so that he can build another fire.
Response:
I am glad that the dog does not die at the hands of the man. The dog knew all to well that it was too cold to travel. Earlier in the story it is the dog that shy's away form the cold and it also wants to stay close to the fire. It is the man who decides to push on in the incredible cold. After all the bad decisions that the man has made he tries to kill the dog for his mistakes. The man has fallen into water and must thaw out his feet. He builds a fire only to have it put out by a snowfall caused from a spruce tree. It's funny how the man tries to kill the dog for his mistakes. In the first place he should have never made that trip down the trail especially alone. From the beginning the dog knows this. This is survival of the fittest and the dog wins this round. Maybe the man should have paid more attention to the dog, the dog would have told him never to travel in this terrible cold. It almost serves the man right that he ends up perishing in the cold because of his ignorance to the cold. The dog is obviously more well fitted for travel in this weather while the man is not. Ultimately the man's fragile nature and ignorance kill him.
This quote reminds me of an episode of "Man vs. Wild". The host Bear Grylis is stranded in a desert and shows what to do in the event that you are hit with an extreme drop in temperature or a sandstorm. Bear finds a dead camel and cuts it wide open from the belly. He then crawls right in and sleeps in the camel's belly through the night. You almost have to wonder why we as humans think that we are masters of our environment. We always think that we are smarter and stronger than our environment. In the case of the man and the dog, the man proves to be the weakest link in the evolutionary chain.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Man vs. Wild
Gustavo Quintero
English 48B
March 17, 2008
Journal #44 Jack London
Quote:
"Possibly all the generations of his ancestry had been ignorant of cold, of real cold, of cold one hundred and seven degrees below freezing-point. But the dog knew; all its ancestry knew, and it had inherited the knowledge"(London 1061).
Summary:
The man is ignorant as to how cold it truly is while the dog has the natural instinct that tells it that this weather is to harsh to be traveling in.
Response:
I love reading this story because it shows just how fragile and dumb humans really are. The man decides to travel on the trail in horribly old weather, against the warning of the old man from Sulphur creek. The man decides to forgo on this journey even though this is his first winter in Yukon country. The man's stubbornness and ego prove to be that very traits that cause his death later in the story. His ego tells him that the old man is a woman and that he does not know what he id talking about. His stubbornness also tells him to continue on through the cold even though it is well over 50 below. This just does not make any sense at all. To make this all worse the man is travelling alone, aside from a dog. This story acts as the epitome of a naturalist work. It pits man against nature and it explores the consequences that the man must face because he thought he was stronger than mother nature. The frailty of humans is really put in display here because it shows just how at the mercy of the environment the man is. The man thought he was smarter and stronger than the environment. Mother Nature on the other hand proves to be the victor in the constant struggle of man versus wild.
The reason I love this story is because of the grim reality that the man faces in the end. I enjoy it simply because it does not have your "Hollywood ending", where miraculously the man is saved by some great twist of fate. Rather it shows us the reality and just how weak humans are to the awesome power of the environment.
English 48B
March 17, 2008
Journal #44 Jack London
Quote:
"Possibly all the generations of his ancestry had been ignorant of cold, of real cold, of cold one hundred and seven degrees below freezing-point. But the dog knew; all its ancestry knew, and it had inherited the knowledge"(London 1061).
Summary:
The man is ignorant as to how cold it truly is while the dog has the natural instinct that tells it that this weather is to harsh to be traveling in.
Response:
I love reading this story because it shows just how fragile and dumb humans really are. The man decides to travel on the trail in horribly old weather, against the warning of the old man from Sulphur creek. The man decides to forgo on this journey even though this is his first winter in Yukon country. The man's stubbornness and ego prove to be that very traits that cause his death later in the story. His ego tells him that the old man is a woman and that he does not know what he id talking about. His stubbornness also tells him to continue on through the cold even though it is well over 50 below. This just does not make any sense at all. To make this all worse the man is travelling alone, aside from a dog. This story acts as the epitome of a naturalist work. It pits man against nature and it explores the consequences that the man must face because he thought he was stronger than mother nature. The frailty of humans is really put in display here because it shows just how at the mercy of the environment the man is. The man thought he was smarter and stronger than the environment. Mother Nature on the other hand proves to be the victor in the constant struggle of man versus wild.
The reason I love this story is because of the grim reality that the man faces in the end. I enjoy it simply because it does not have your "Hollywood ending", where miraculously the man is saved by some great twist of fate. Rather it shows us the reality and just how weak humans are to the awesome power of the environment.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Broken heart
Gustavo Quintero
English 48B
March 12, 2008
Journal #43 Zitkala Sa
Quote:
"The little taste of victory did not satisfy a hunger in my heart. In my mind I saw my mother far away on the Western plains, and she was holding a charge against me"(Sa 1121).
Summary:
After graduating from the boarding school, Sa is in her college dormitory room thinking about what her mom felt about her going off to the West.
Response:
To me It seems like Sa will never be able to forgive herself for going to the West with the missionaries. It is a constant struggle that she has to fight with all her life. In my previous posts I pointed out quotes that show how Sa's mom tried to warn her about going to the west but being the young and curious youth the missionaries were able to seduce her into coming to the west. I can only imagine the heartache that her mother felt knowing that her only youngest daughter was about to face hardships and indignities that would change both of their lives forever. All the attempts to keep her daughter from going West were unsuccessful. This causes much heartache in her mother which is apparent when she goes to the hills and cries. She cries for her youngest daughter. She cries hoping that her daughter will come back to live with her, far away from the missionaries. This reminiscing that Sa does occurs many times throughout her school career. The first time it happens when she first arrives at the boarding school, once here she begins to cry for her mom. Only instead of being consoled by the teachers here she is humiliated and has her hair cut. This theme of her and her mother comes up very often in the passages that we read. Sa is aware of the mistake that she made by going west and regrets this decision. In the above quote when Sa refers to the hunger in her heart she is referring to the yearning that she has for her mother's love again. She wants to be with her mother and I also think she wants her mother to accept the choice that she made when she was young. This is what keeps both her and her mother unhappy. If only they could come to a compromise so that they can heal their broken hearts.
English 48B
March 12, 2008
Journal #43 Zitkala Sa
Quote:
"The little taste of victory did not satisfy a hunger in my heart. In my mind I saw my mother far away on the Western plains, and she was holding a charge against me"(Sa 1121).
Summary:
After graduating from the boarding school, Sa is in her college dormitory room thinking about what her mom felt about her going off to the West.
Response:
To me It seems like Sa will never be able to forgive herself for going to the West with the missionaries. It is a constant struggle that she has to fight with all her life. In my previous posts I pointed out quotes that show how Sa's mom tried to warn her about going to the west but being the young and curious youth the missionaries were able to seduce her into coming to the west. I can only imagine the heartache that her mother felt knowing that her only youngest daughter was about to face hardships and indignities that would change both of their lives forever. All the attempts to keep her daughter from going West were unsuccessful. This causes much heartache in her mother which is apparent when she goes to the hills and cries. She cries for her youngest daughter. She cries hoping that her daughter will come back to live with her, far away from the missionaries. This reminiscing that Sa does occurs many times throughout her school career. The first time it happens when she first arrives at the boarding school, once here she begins to cry for her mom. Only instead of being consoled by the teachers here she is humiliated and has her hair cut. This theme of her and her mother comes up very often in the passages that we read. Sa is aware of the mistake that she made by going west and regrets this decision. In the above quote when Sa refers to the hunger in her heart she is referring to the yearning that she has for her mother's love again. She wants to be with her mother and I also think she wants her mother to accept the choice that she made when she was young. This is what keeps both her and her mother unhappy. If only they could come to a compromise so that they can heal their broken hearts.
No soul
Gustavo Quintero
English 48B
March 12, 2008
Journal #42 Zitkala Sa
Quote:
"I cried aloud, shaking my head all the while until I felt the cold blades of the scissors against my neck, and heard them gnaw off one of my thick braids. Then I lost my spirit'(Sa 1116).
Summary:
After the missionaries find Sa hiding underneath a bed, she is sat into a chair to have her hair cut into a short and uniform manner.
Response:
Zitkala Sa says that in the Native-American culture the only two times you would cut you hair was when you were in mourning or when a coward enemy warrior was captured. She also says that a Native-American with short hair is a coward. At the boarding schools all the children have their hair cut so that whatever little pride they had is completely stripped away from them. On her arrival to the school she is first forced to take off her moccasins and later then forced to wear a tight fitting dress. The very last thing that still shows that she is Native-American is her hair. Her hair acts as her identity and a bridge to her culture and roots. That's what makes it such a traumatic experience when her hair is cut. Not only is she shut quiet, by not being allowed to speak her tongue, but she is now spiritually shut quiet. Her soul is dead. This was the missionaries way of breaking the Native-American down into absolutely nothing. I found this quote to have an extreme importance and power the first time I read it. After I read the part about her soul it really put into perspective just how sad and terrible the boarding schools were to the minds of these young children. Take for example the older man that was being interviewed in the you tube video about his experience at the charlise school. You could see and feel the hurt and humiliation that he had faced from having having his hair cut. Obviously the hair of the Native-American is a treasured part of who they are and for the missionaries to cut their hair with no remorse is a travesty. This is a very powerful image that really shows just how terrible an experience that boarding schools were to these young children. The very last symbol that kept Sa from becoming just like the white people is her hair and this is the very symbol that is taken away from her. Now she is a Native-American with no soul.
English 48B
March 12, 2008
Journal #42 Zitkala Sa
Quote:
"I cried aloud, shaking my head all the while until I felt the cold blades of the scissors against my neck, and heard them gnaw off one of my thick braids. Then I lost my spirit'(Sa 1116).
Summary:
After the missionaries find Sa hiding underneath a bed, she is sat into a chair to have her hair cut into a short and uniform manner.
Response:
Zitkala Sa says that in the Native-American culture the only two times you would cut you hair was when you were in mourning or when a coward enemy warrior was captured. She also says that a Native-American with short hair is a coward. At the boarding schools all the children have their hair cut so that whatever little pride they had is completely stripped away from them. On her arrival to the school she is first forced to take off her moccasins and later then forced to wear a tight fitting dress. The very last thing that still shows that she is Native-American is her hair. Her hair acts as her identity and a bridge to her culture and roots. That's what makes it such a traumatic experience when her hair is cut. Not only is she shut quiet, by not being allowed to speak her tongue, but she is now spiritually shut quiet. Her soul is dead. This was the missionaries way of breaking the Native-American down into absolutely nothing. I found this quote to have an extreme importance and power the first time I read it. After I read the part about her soul it really put into perspective just how sad and terrible the boarding schools were to the minds of these young children. Take for example the older man that was being interviewed in the you tube video about his experience at the charlise school. You could see and feel the hurt and humiliation that he had faced from having having his hair cut. Obviously the hair of the Native-American is a treasured part of who they are and for the missionaries to cut their hair with no remorse is a travesty. This is a very powerful image that really shows just how terrible an experience that boarding schools were to these young children. The very last symbol that kept Sa from becoming just like the white people is her hair and this is the very symbol that is taken away from her. Now she is a Native-American with no soul.
I tried to warn you
Gustavo Quintero
English 48B
March 12, 2008
Journal #41 Zitkala Sa
Quote:
"Their woods are sweet, but, my child, their deeds are bitter. You will cry for me, but they will not even soothe you"(Sa 1112).
Summary:
The little girls mother is warning her about how she will weep for her once she is taken by the missionaries. This quote shows a foreshadowing that will occur in her life.
Response:
Sa's mother is very wise beyond her years. She tries to warn her daughter of the troubles that she will face once she arrives at the school. Being the young girl that she is, Sa, does not listen to what her mother is trying to tell her. At this point in her life, Sa, is the age at which the white missionaries ask the mothers of the native children for their permission so that they can be taken to the Indian boarding school. The sad thing is that the mothers are not given any real options. Although the missionaries do ask for the permission from the mother, it just does not seem sincere. It seems that the missionaries would take the children off to the boarding schools regardless of what the mother's say. What makes this decision harder for the mom is that her daughter is excited and curious about going to the land of the, "Big Red Apple". The mother knowing the atrocities that will happen to her tries to warn her daughter. She warns her that she will have no one to comfort her when she is presented with a unfamiliar and scary situation. This quote is an excellent foreshadow of what happens to Sa once she arrives at the boarding school. She is forced to dress and talk in ways that are completely foreign to her. The missionaries at the boarding school force her to take off her moccasins and wear stiff shoes, they also force her to speak English and not her native tongue. They also force her to wear tight fitting dresses that she is not accustomed to wearing. What happens to Sa when all this occurs, she cries and weeps for her mother to come and soothe her. Exactly what her mother had warned her would happen she is experiencing. It is really disturbing to see the atrocities that these children had to face all because they were enticed by the promises of all the "Big Red Apples" that they could pick.
English 48B
March 12, 2008
Journal #41 Zitkala Sa
Quote:
"Their woods are sweet, but, my child, their deeds are bitter. You will cry for me, but they will not even soothe you"(Sa 1112).
Summary:
The little girls mother is warning her about how she will weep for her once she is taken by the missionaries. This quote shows a foreshadowing that will occur in her life.
Response:
Sa's mother is very wise beyond her years. She tries to warn her daughter of the troubles that she will face once she arrives at the school. Being the young girl that she is, Sa, does not listen to what her mother is trying to tell her. At this point in her life, Sa, is the age at which the white missionaries ask the mothers of the native children for their permission so that they can be taken to the Indian boarding school. The sad thing is that the mothers are not given any real options. Although the missionaries do ask for the permission from the mother, it just does not seem sincere. It seems that the missionaries would take the children off to the boarding schools regardless of what the mother's say. What makes this decision harder for the mom is that her daughter is excited and curious about going to the land of the, "Big Red Apple". The mother knowing the atrocities that will happen to her tries to warn her daughter. She warns her that she will have no one to comfort her when she is presented with a unfamiliar and scary situation. This quote is an excellent foreshadow of what happens to Sa once she arrives at the boarding school. She is forced to dress and talk in ways that are completely foreign to her. The missionaries at the boarding school force her to take off her moccasins and wear stiff shoes, they also force her to speak English and not her native tongue. They also force her to wear tight fitting dresses that she is not accustomed to wearing. What happens to Sa when all this occurs, she cries and weeps for her mother to come and soothe her. Exactly what her mother had warned her would happen she is experiencing. It is really disturbing to see the atrocities that these children had to face all because they were enticed by the promises of all the "Big Red Apples" that they could pick.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The sleazy lawyer
Gustavo Quintero
English 48B
March 11. 2008
Journal #40 Sui Sin Far
Quote:
"Oh, well then we won't talk about it, old fellow. It won't harm the boy to stay , where he is, and your wife might get over it all right"(Far 884).
Summary:
This is the lawyer's reaction after Hom Hing has told him that he has no more money. The lawyer is asking for 500 more dollars to complete the process of getting Hing's son back from the U.S. government.
Response:
The lawyer is a greedy and terrible villain in this short story. I can not believe that a man would ask for 500 hundred dollars after already ripping off Hing just so that Hing can get his son back. This is such a disgusting injustice that you have to wonder just how can the lawyer do business with people this way. The above quote does not paint the lawyer in a very flattering light. Take a moment to think about how much 500 dollars is worth during the early 1900's. Adjusted for inflation a conservative guess might be around 10,000 dollars (although I'm sure it's much higher). For the lawyer to call Hing an old man and to basically tell him to shut up really makes him an evil man. I could not live with myself If I treated clients this way. The way the lawyer acts towards Hom Hing and his wife is the way I was expecting the U.S.C. officers to treat Hom Hing and his family. The worst part about this ordeal is that Hom Hing and his wife had to give up numerous pieces of sentimental jewelry that was surly worth much more than 500 Dollars. The ironic part is that the Lawyer does show a little remorse, "He was not a sentimental man; but something within him arose against accepting such payment for his services". This little remorse almost holds not credit to the lawyer's character because he does not finish this job pro bono or for less, he instead takes all the jewelry. I could not imagine taking hordes of jewelry in exchange for the return of your young son. There is just so much wrong about what the lawyer has done. It; very unfortunate that the family has to go through this ordeal of getting their son back while getting ripped off by the lawyer with no heart.
English 48B
March 11. 2008
Journal #40 Sui Sin Far
Quote:
"Oh, well then we won't talk about it, old fellow. It won't harm the boy to stay , where he is, and your wife might get over it all right"(Far 884).
Summary:
This is the lawyer's reaction after Hom Hing has told him that he has no more money. The lawyer is asking for 500 more dollars to complete the process of getting Hing's son back from the U.S. government.
Response:
The lawyer is a greedy and terrible villain in this short story. I can not believe that a man would ask for 500 hundred dollars after already ripping off Hing just so that Hing can get his son back. This is such a disgusting injustice that you have to wonder just how can the lawyer do business with people this way. The above quote does not paint the lawyer in a very flattering light. Take a moment to think about how much 500 dollars is worth during the early 1900's. Adjusted for inflation a conservative guess might be around 10,000 dollars (although I'm sure it's much higher). For the lawyer to call Hing an old man and to basically tell him to shut up really makes him an evil man. I could not live with myself If I treated clients this way. The way the lawyer acts towards Hom Hing and his wife is the way I was expecting the U.S.C. officers to treat Hom Hing and his family. The worst part about this ordeal is that Hom Hing and his wife had to give up numerous pieces of sentimental jewelry that was surly worth much more than 500 Dollars. The ironic part is that the Lawyer does show a little remorse, "He was not a sentimental man; but something within him arose against accepting such payment for his services". This little remorse almost holds not credit to the lawyer's character because he does not finish this job pro bono or for less, he instead takes all the jewelry. I could not imagine taking hordes of jewelry in exchange for the return of your young son. There is just so much wrong about what the lawyer has done. It; very unfortunate that the family has to go through this ordeal of getting their son back while getting ripped off by the lawyer with no heart.
Custom's officers with a heart
Gustavo Quintero
English 48B
March 11, 2008
Journal #39 Sui Sin Far
Quote:
"The second customs officer regarded her pittingly.
'I don't like this part of the business,' he muttered"(Far 881).
Summary:
The two customs officer's turn to one another and show pity that they are about to keep the little boy from entering into the United States.
Response:
I wanted to comment on this quote because it shows a striking description of the Custom's officers that played completely against the way I thought they were going to react. My first thought was that the Officers would be rude and discriminating. This type of job sort of holds itself to these type of people. Plus these men surly dealt with thousands of people per day. So for them to show any remorse in what they were about to do really does surprise me. The pity and remorse that these men show makes them look more like genuine caring men. Imagine having to guide thousands of immigrants through these detention centers and show pity for every single one. You would think that eventually they would become numb to this sensation or feeling and would eventually not even begin ti care. That is why I found the description of these men so surprising. I really was expecting the men to be racial bigots who simply could not care less about the injustice they were doing to the little boy's family.
This theme of racial immigration brings up a thought that I have had for a long time. How do border police of Mexican heritage and families feel about arresting, turning back and deporting men, woman and children from their same culture. When I spent three years in the active army and was in the process of getting out of the army I was told by many of my superiors that I should become a border agent. I already know Spanish so that would be a plus. The one thing that I could not bring myself to do is to arrest people that one of my same heritage or race knowing that they are trying to come into California for a better life. The thought of doing this would tear me apart. I just could not do it. Especially considering that my parents entered illegally years ago. I would feel that I am doing something wrong even though it is my job.
English 48B
March 11, 2008
Journal #39 Sui Sin Far
Quote:
"The second customs officer regarded her pittingly.
'I don't like this part of the business,' he muttered"(Far 881).
Summary:
The two customs officer's turn to one another and show pity that they are about to keep the little boy from entering into the United States.
Response:
I wanted to comment on this quote because it shows a striking description of the Custom's officers that played completely against the way I thought they were going to react. My first thought was that the Officers would be rude and discriminating. This type of job sort of holds itself to these type of people. Plus these men surly dealt with thousands of people per day. So for them to show any remorse in what they were about to do really does surprise me. The pity and remorse that these men show makes them look more like genuine caring men. Imagine having to guide thousands of immigrants through these detention centers and show pity for every single one. You would think that eventually they would become numb to this sensation or feeling and would eventually not even begin ti care. That is why I found the description of these men so surprising. I really was expecting the men to be racial bigots who simply could not care less about the injustice they were doing to the little boy's family.
This theme of racial immigration brings up a thought that I have had for a long time. How do border police of Mexican heritage and families feel about arresting, turning back and deporting men, woman and children from their same culture. When I spent three years in the active army and was in the process of getting out of the army I was told by many of my superiors that I should become a border agent. I already know Spanish so that would be a plus. The one thing that I could not bring myself to do is to arrest people that one of my same heritage or race knowing that they are trying to come into California for a better life. The thought of doing this would tear me apart. I just could not do it. Especially considering that my parents entered illegally years ago. I would feel that I am doing something wrong even though it is my job.
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