AA Lit 2019

One blatantly obvious theme in Beloved is the supernatural. One of the first things we as readers are introduced to is the idea of a haunted house. The idea that an inanimate object can be imbued with a spirit is usually associated with the horror genre, voodoo, or other "scary" things. After reading the first few chapters of Beloved , I assumed that the house was haunted and that it represented something that would come back to bite the family someday. I was unable to recognize that the supernatural in Beloved  not only represents pain but also rememory. We see that Beloved's appearance begins to unravel the painful memories repressed by Sethe, Paul D, and later Baby Suggs (Even though she is dead). Among all these negative feelings, we also see the supernatural being associated with positive things, for Baby Suggs in particular. Throughout the most recent chapters, Baby Suggs has been painted as sort of a "holy" character, with magical healing abilities and s...

"Now" by Christopher Gilbert was a very unique poem. Unlike many other poems in the anthology, it had a very happy and light mood to it. The poem begins on "the first day of summer", describing seemingly personal experiences such as the orange sky, a street party, inspiring a general sense of celebration. While reading such vivid imagery, I felt like I could connect to the narrator's feelings, even though we didn't share the same experiences. In the next stanza, the scene shifts to the winter, as the narrator reminisces about an experience looking into a store window. The author's description of his surroundings contrasts white flakes and darkened windows, giving a bleak but beautiful outlook on winter. Previous to this poem, I never really thought of winter as beautiful, just cold and unforgiving. The narrator points out that "everything is perfect" which is a productive and happy outlook on winter. The next stanza could be either fall or spri...

As we progress through Their Eyes Were Watching God , we encounter unique situations providing insight about Janie as a character. In Janie's first romantic moment, we see her freedom being immediately taken away after being married to Logan. At first glance, it makes sense given Nanny's background to secure Janie's future by marrying her to a wealthy land-owning farmer like Logan. However, it is more important to realize that Janie's sexual awakening leads directly to her sacrificing independence. On the other hand, Janie's relationship with Logan is a stark contrast to the pear tree scene. After being married off to Logan, one could argue that Janie sacrificed both love and independence. However, we see Janie leaving Logan on her own free will in order to secure a relationship with another man. Given that this story takes place in the 1890s, I think this is an extremely bold and independent move for a mixed woman in the south, proving that Janie is truly independe...

The most recent chapters of Invisible Man  have been packed with symbolism. One of the most upfront details I noticed was the section in chapter 23 when the narrator takes on the persona of Rinehart, a man seemingly of many identities. There are many different ways the narrator displays himself throughout the book, anything from a submissive driver to a public figure. This section in chapter 23 exemplifies how easy it is for the narrator to disguise himself, and shows how truly invisible the narrator is. By disguising simple characteristics like his eyes and hair, the narrator is able to convince others that he is one of the many Rineharts. Each different Rinehart we read about seems to be stereotypically represented, according to their respective roles. The disturbing thing is that the narrator adapts to this Rinehart identity incredibly quickly, moving from one role to the next. When the narrator encounters Brother Maceo, their conversation escalates into an argument, and eventu...

As we progress through Invisible Man , the narrator's identity drastically changes. At the beginning of the story, the narrator is introduced as a submissive man, who is willing to participate in a battle royale with his peers in order to win a scholarship to a school that further enforces racial inequality. After the narrator enrolls in the school and is eventually kicked out by Bledsoe, the narrator's identity seems to be torn away from him as he identified with the college and its opportunities. The narrator receives a sense of purpose after finding out Bledsoe was trying to keep him running, which leads him to the paint factory. After the explosion and the torture the narrator endures, his sense of purpose is once again ripped from him, leaving him like a newborn, able to adapt to his surroundings. Despite him not really knowing what to do, the protest scene shows that the biggest developing factor for the narrator at that point in time is his subconscious. He doesn't r...

In "A Poem for Players", Al Young made a connection between famous jazz musicians Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong and Dizzie "Diz" Gillespie. The tone of Al Young's poem implied that freedom was licensed, and not truly for all. The idea that certain actions were allowed as long as they didn't stray too far from the status quo, helped highlight the similarity between the White reception of jazz and the White reception of many other things mentioned both inside and outside the poem. Al Young seems to be getting at the ways talented African Americans were publicized seemingly made them Invisible, only showing what the White audience may have approved of. The times that African Americans were in the public spotlight, being acknowledged for their prowess, didn't provide true freedom. In the case of Diz, Satchmo, and specifically O.J. Simpson, white audiences patronized them, forcing them to adhere to the desires of the White audience. Maureen Anderson, th...