Please go to the site http://www.favoritepoem.org/videos.html and watch the following three short videos from a nationwide poetry project.
View the following poems:
"We Real Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks
"Nick and the Candlestick" by Sylvia Plath
"Out, Out" by Robert Frost
Write a brief response to each clip. Post due by Wednesday 3pm.
Enjoy!
“We Real Cool”:
ReplyDeleteGwendolyn Brook’s poem illustrates how harsh environments and ethnic neighborhoods can create intense pressures on the young, whether it be gang related, drug related, or simply peer-pressure that teenagers feel the need to be involved in purely for the sake of being “cool”. I thought it was fitting that John Ulrich did his project on this specific poem, since he lives in Boston and has similarly grown up living the fast-paced city life and experiencing all the pressures of youth and drugs. I agree with John’s take on the poem, how it reflected the overwhelming power of drugs to envelop teenagers and dictate their futures, as well as the “invincible” sensation that overcomes the young and has the power to bring them to their careless demise.
“Nick and the Candlestick”:
As we discussed in class, my favorite part about this poem is the way that Seph Rodney reads it out loud. When I first read the poem by Sylvia Plath, the meaning and overwhelming, powerful sensation that it evoked did not hit me. It wasn’t until Seph read it himself, with such charismatic and emotional rhythm, that I was truly moved by the poem and nearly on the verge of tears when it came to an end. Despite not even fully understanding the meaning, I earnestly felt deeply affected by it - and that’s what I consider a prodigiously powerful work of art. My glimpses into this poem led me to believe that it could possibly be about a woman giving birth, since she mentioned “the earthen womb” and stated “O love…O embryo, remembering, even in sleep, your crossed position.” The mention of “womb” and “embryo” hinted towards some kind of maternal feeling, and at the end when she claims “you are the baby in the barn”, the author is alluding to Jesus Christ, which holds a strong sense of love and admiration towards her possible child.
“Out, Out”:
I found this poem to be depressing when I first read it, explaining the unfortunate and accidental death of a young boy after carelessly cutting his hand off with a saw. I like the way that Elizabeth Wojtusik perceives the poem as showing the pressure put upon children to take on responsibilities and work that they simply are not ready for and should not have to do at such a young age. She describes how in some households, children have to take on large responsibilities in their families, just like in the poem when they state a “boy doing a man’s work.” I deeply agree with the idea that kids often do not get enough time to be young and careless, to play and have fun, when that’s all that they truly are – kids. The part that emotionally struck me the most was when she claimed that the disaster could have been easily avoided, simply by “calling it a day” and “giving him the half hour that a boy counts so much when saved from work.” A measly half hour seems nothing on the scale of loosing a life, and seems to represent the need for children to be given the time to be children, to take a break and have the freedom that comes with being so young.
Piper Miller :-)
We real cool
ReplyDeleteIt think that the story plays a lot into the understanding of the poem and it makes sense into what drives people into taking certain actions. They way in which John explains the innocence transmutes into reckless actions that drives youth to an end is quite overpowering, especially to someone in that age group. It is as if he is retelling his personal experience.
Nick and the candle Stick
This was my favorite poem because it is the epitome of how I understand poetry. I see it as one of the most complex thing one can ever compose. I think that poetry is more difficult to compose and understand then anything MIT can teach. It truly depends on making an emotional connection to a work and it speaking to you in such a way that moves you. That is what poetry is. The poem is so mercuric and depressing you do not know what to do with it but what you personally attach to it yourself.
Out, Out
I love the fact that the teacher is passionate enough to take the time to make learning enjoyable. It is amazing how overpowering a poem that relates to her work can be. It shows that she genuinely cares about her work. I did not know that something could me more depressing then Plath. It reminded me of something Charles Dickens would write about. It resonated with me because I can relate to the loss of childhood play in order to live by. It was so sad that despite the horror of the even the boy retained some form of innocence when he asked his sister to tell the doctor not to cut off his hand. That was the most heart retching part of all.
Sylvia Percovich
Block IV
We Real Cool:
ReplyDeleteI think that John embodies this poem perfectly. He is effected by the numerous people that he knew who took their own lives, mainly due to drugs. Life is reflected in the way the poem is even organized; with short to the point stanzas. These stanzas as well as the meaning of the poem as a whole conveys the idea that life is short and may people don't realize this. The poem starts innocent, referring to just skipping school all the way to death. This seems to be the same path that many people John knew followed who ended up taking their own lives.
Nick and the Candlestick:
Although I still don't understand the full meaning of the poem, I feel that Seph feels what poetry is supposed to make you feel like. Sylvia Plath didn't write this poem because she wanted others to understand or even relate to what she was saying, if that was the motive of all poets then poems would come with a summary of how you should interpret them. But that is not what poetry is at all. Poetry is exactly how it is illustrated in this video, it is something that can bring two completely different people together, who may even interpret the poem differently. Poetry allows you to relate to a poem in whichever way you can which is exactly what Seph did, and he even found comfort in it.
Out Out:
When I first read the poem I was overcome by a sadness, but my emotions were not nearly as strong as they were when Elizabeth Wojtusik read the poem loud. It is true that there are many kids who never get to truly be 'kids' because of other family affairs. This was my favorite poem of all three because I felt the most emotion from it, and it was touching that Elizabeth Wojtusik is trying to stop this from happening to children everyday; this is what she puts her heart and soul in. This was the most touching poem to me not because I experienced what the boy in the poem experienced but because I could feel the same emotion that Elizabeth had while she was reading it. I think that her power to relate to the poem is what helped me feel more emotions, in the other two poems no one felt as strong of a connection as she did to the poem they read.
-Andrea Siluk Block 2
"We Real Cool"
ReplyDeleteI loved this poem in that it showed that a poem can say so much in so few words. Gwendolyn Brooks speaks of social inequality, pain, and the inevitability of defeat. I thought that John was a great choice to read the poem. At eye's glance he doesn't appear to be anything more than your average guy from Boston but his struggle saw truth and I loved how the poem portrays that.
"Nick And The Candlestick"
I have to be truthful and say that I don't think I really understand what Sylvia Plath was trying to say but I don't think that's the point to enjoying the poem as a whole. Whether or not I was able to infer some deeper hidden meaning, I still felt the ominous and depression characteristics of the poem as a whole. I think I liked this poem so much because it shows just how difficult poem composition is. It's so much more than making lines rhyme and this poem showed me that.
"Out Out..."
I think out of all three I had the weakest connection with this poem. I love that Elizabeth Wojtusik is so passionate about her work that she has evolved the way that she works with her students; especially that those passions are embodied in the story of the poem. I can tell there is a lot of emotional backing behind the words, and Elizabeth Wojtusik's emotionality made me enjoy the poem that much more.
Maria Savarese Block: 4
We Real Cool:
ReplyDeleteJohn was the perfect person to read this poem because it pretty much portrays his life. John commented that things were so innocent when he went to highschool. Him and his friends would cut class and skip school. Then, three years later, one of his friends passed away. "We Real Cool" is a short poem which symbolizes the fact that life is short and at anytime, it can be taken away from someone. The way John read the poem helped and incorporated his own life expierences into it, helped me understand what them meaning of it could be. AFter listening to the poem when it was read by him, it opened my eyes. It was heartfelt and a bit sad.
Nick and the Candlestick:
The meaning of this poem was not clear to me. Seph Rodney read it with passion. His understanding of the poem was that it was "all over the place". It was difficult for me to grasp the meaning of "Nick and the Candlestick" because it starts off by saying that I am a minor. The poem then gets into detail that gives me a religious feeling. I wasn't exactly sure as to what Plath was trying to portray in her poem.
Out, Out:
This poem was upsetting for me because it tells the story of how a boy had his hand sawed off by a chainsaw. He begged his sister not to let them cut it off, but it was already gone. Doctors watched him and listened to his heartbeat and how it went from "little-less-nothing." The last five lines of "Out, Out" gave me the understanding that no one really tried to do anything to really help this poor kid out. They sat back and watched him die. Elizabeth Wojtusik relates the boy who does the work of a man to the backgrounds of some of the children she teaches. Her students sometimes don't have the opportunity to be what they are supposed to be, kids. Robert Frost depicted the little boy in the poem as a child who could not act like a child, but rather an adult and do the work of one, too.
Cheyenne Hall
block 4
We Real Cool
ReplyDeleteI think that it was such a genius idea to have someone else speak about their feelings towards the poem and how it relates to them. Being able to hear John's story made it more clear of the message that Brooks was trying to convey. Not only that but hearing John's story made me think about my generation and think is drugs, the street life, a factor that affects my generation? And I think it absolutely does, I see it in a lot of people and if they continue to partake in that lifestyle there will be negative outcomes.
Nick and the Candlestick
If I was to tell you that I understood this poem then I would be completely lying. There's a deep message in this poem that is very hard to unravel and understand. But by reading the poem I perceive that the poet is in a very dark state just by her diction and difficulty of understanding that most readers may come across.Though I do not understand this poem I do respect it because it's the emotions and thoughts of another person.
Out Out..
I must say after reading the poem and watching the video, it saddened me mostly because it made me realize that a lot of youth today are forced to grow up faster and deal with different obstacles that a child is not considered being able to handle. Watching Elizabeth Wojtusik express her feelings and see that a mere poem affected her so much just influenced my emotions as well, I couldn't just sit there and not feel any type of emotion. And I like this poem the most out of the three because it was able to envoke a deep emotion inside me, the reader, that I feel that poetry does.
"We Real Cool"
ReplyDeleteThis poem reflects life itself and some of the things that most of us experience. The innocence of childhood is always tampered with by the hardships of our teenage year. Brooks explains that the things of our times -drugs- affect how some of us perceive life and the time frame of these events. I strongly affirm this point. Today in our society, children are no longer sheltered. Instead, they are exposed to the dangers of society which causes negative affects that we are not able to control. The group that was started -South Boston Survivors- is actually an effective was to divert attention away from the harms of our community.
"Nick and the Candlestick"
This poem reflects loneliness and separation from other. It test the truth of material things can lead to happiness. I believe that everyone has to have emotional stability as an access point to other parts of society and merely people. I think the poem displays that mental instability of one that does not have emotional stability based on the poems inability to proceed logically.
"Out, Out"
I really love this poem because I feel that it has a more realistic approach to it. It explains that circumstances deter people from experiencing the full function of different sections of our lives. In today's society, children take on the roles of adults and sway away from a positive path to a more dangerous path. Promising futures shift to negative futures and forces children to adapt to "careers" that do not correlate with being a productive member of society.
Good evening,
ReplyDelete"We Real Cool"
I enjoy this poem because it gives a message to teenagers everywhere on what can happen when living in sin. Death can come to all people, even the young who believe they are innocent. John Ulrich's life experience gives a perfect example of a type of person who went through this type of lifestyle. He tries to teach a lesson all teenagers facing the same dilemma and reaches out to them. It matches the poem well because it tries to convey the same meaning.
“Nick and the Candlestick”
This poem I found interesting because I took it to mean that poem's are complex. Poems don't ever have just one meaning They are a puzzle, with many kinds of ways to interpret them. The focus can go all over the place, having one meaning on the first line and a completely different one in the last line. I took this poem to mean pure love, a powerful emotion that can cause multiple reactions. Though I didn't understand much about the poem, it was very emotional and intense. It expressed great feelings that are very moving and refreshing. I really enjoyed this poem for that reason.
"Out, Out"
This poem, of the three, showed the most emotion in my eyes. The clip depicting the teacher, who uses methods of interactive learning to teach students how to learn and have fun at the same time, and how she has an extreme love of teaching. Her facial expressions towards the end of the poem are stricken with sadness. The poem itself was very depressing, it mentioned an important point that not that many people pay attention to. The fact that a little boy, "Doing a man's work", and died in the process shows how children grow up way too fast. Many children grow up so quickly that before they know it, they completely lost the time they had as kids. They never got the chance to experience was it was like to just play around and do fun things, like the children being taught in the clip. This poem's emotionality is really strong, the meaning was so profound that it made someone as coldhearted as I am, feel depressed by reading it.
Your loving student,
Francheska Periche
Block 2 :)
"We Real Cool," by Gwendolyn Brooks
ReplyDeleteThe idea of having a person who embodies the poem, was a brilliant idea. John's life, is strongly based of his family and friends. John used to hang out with his buddy's, and enjoy the time he had with. He lost 5 friends to suicide and is "clustered by death." John created this program with his family in order to stop the despair and suicides, so the innocence does not grow to this plague
"Nick and the Candlestick," by Sylvia Plath
When I first saw Seph, he reminded me of my uncle, but other than that I think he was an amazing intellectual man, that was great at reading poetry. The mine reference to me reminds me of a woman going through pregnancy. The stalactites dripping is the woman crying, the "vice of knifes," might be her contractions, and so on and so on. I can sit and analyze this poem for hours, but the baby Jesus allusion, was the hitter, in my belief that it was a Gift from God, her baby.
"Out,Out" by Robert Frost
Natatacha, the teacher who works with kids who live a similar life like the boy in the poem, understands and feels the neglect of a childhood that these kids are lacking. She makes the kids be kids in class, allowing their artistic sides to flourish. This way of teaching is unconventional in this society, but this way will let the kids keep their "hand" or their childhood
"Nick and the Candlestick"
ReplyDeleteThe way the poem was iterated, it made a great amount of emotion well up inside of me. “Life” is the only word I can think of when reading and hearing this poem. The connection is so deep within all individuals; it almost does not matter what it is describing and in what era. I could get lost in every word, Sylvia Plath took me there.
"We Real Cool"
I could never understand what "Jazz June" meant. Truly a striking poem, which is straight-forward in its presentation; Gwendolyn Brooks hits the proverbial nail over the head when capturing the dangerous path youth are likely to take. My feelings on it are neutral, since it does not directly link with my experiences, but unfortunately I’m one of the few who can say that. What is even more unfortunate is that this poem is as accurate to youth in society today, as it was in the 60's.
"Out Out"
Probably the most straight-forward in meaning, but the meaning did not do much for me emotionally. Although, this poem seems to be the one where the more I thought about it, the sadder I will get. Almost contrived in facilitating the sense of sadness and pain in the poem, such as "don't let them cut off my hand!" to almost force me into feeling empathetic towards the boy. How can one not feel sad, when such an escapeless scenario is presented in a cold, uncaring world?
Isaac Amor Block 2
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete"We Real Cool"
ReplyDeleteWhen we first read this poem in class I did not really understand the meaning of it. However, after watching the video on John Ulrich, it helped me to understand the deeper meaning of the poem. Once watching the poem I interpreted the poem to mean that teens often times can be negatively influenced to head down a deadly path of drugs and sin.
"Nick and Candlestick"
Before watching the video I paused it and decided to read the poem first. Based on just reading the poem, I felt that the topic was kind of all over the place. After watching the video I still did not quiet grasp what the poem was about, I just know it revolves around the concept of love.
"Out, Out"
This was my favorite poem of the three. I interpreted this poem to be about how society pushes children to grow up too soon. How it forces them to do adult work instead of getting a chance to have fun and play.
Danielle Malcolm
Block 4
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteResponse to "We Real Cool"
ReplyDeleteThe poem accents the human condition in relation to the plight of the inner cities. Gwendolyn Brooks presents the theme of perceived invincibility, as John Ulrich stated when presenting the poem, to emphasize the fact that many teens believe they're going to live forever so they take life for granted by "lurk[ing] late" and leaving school. Unfortunately, as illustrated by Ulrich, they "die soon" when teens get hooked on the wrong lifestyle choices like deciding to do the drugs that eventually caused South Boston's suicide epidemic. The overall lesson learned through this video
In Response to "Nick and the Candlestick"
I believe this poem is an extended metaphor for the difficulties and pains one goes through in life. Some live a hollow existence as personified by the image of the cave with its "waxy stalactites" which can be seen as harsh points in one's life. Despite the harsh, dark existence, the poem shifts to praise new, beautiful life symbolized by the candlelight. The candlelight also symbolizes the people who never let their inner light dim or fade to the darkness illustrated by the cave. "You are the one/ Solid the spaces lean on envious." those who have let the "raggy shawls" and "cold homicides" are jealous of those who keep on shining and in the end they are the ones that keep life going, the survivors in the harshness of life.
In response to "Out, Out"
My visceral reaction was a huge WOW! This poem is both an inspiration to keep one's childlike free spirit and a warning to let children be children, not succumb them to work over their limit. As Elizabeth Wojtusik says, kids need to have a free spirited life and let their imagination flow freely. Realistically, kids today have to go and do "a man's work" as stated in the poem. Although they don't physically lose their hand and die, kids lose the feeling of what it's like to be free and playful which can be the biggest loss to one's life emotionally and mentally.
Vanessa Whitney
Block 2
"We Real Cool"
ReplyDeleteI truly love this poem. It has so much meaning in so little words. The fact that the guy reading it had prior experience that allows him to relate to the poem made his recital of it better. But I think that the poem is simple with such a complex meaning. Not only about death but about life and how you live your life, Or maybe about personality.
"Nick and the Candlestick"
With this poem I was kind of confused at first then I reread it along with the words and realized that there is so much wrapped up in one poem. It's about the way a person feels about love. What it does to her to make her feel that way, and it personifies every image described in the poem. This poem seemed to be about feeling trapped inside of love and the fight to get out and to discover the true meaning.
"Out Out"
Okay well this was a challenge, I had to go into it with my eye's open VERY wide, because Robert Frost is just one of the crazy poets,or in my opinion anyway. The poem was actually very good, although it still had a very scary, grim reaper type of connotation to it. And the woman that read it contributed to the poem because she had sort of the "crazy movie killer" vibe to her, which is actually what the poem kind of seem to be about. It talked about getting out. A way out of the pain and miseries of life, or the people that mistreat us. A solution to all of out problems, only that in the end that solution was actually death.
"We Real Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks
ReplyDeleteTo me, hearing John Ulrich’s story really validated Brook’s poem. His concept of The Fall from Innocence was especially interesting. Ulrich’s story parallels that of the poem in how something seemingly harmless like cutting school could result in something severe like death. (I also think that the simple structure of the poem reflects this concept of innocence.) The most influential aspect of John’s story was his loving relationship with his family, who provided unconditional love and support as he grew up. Although this connection is not directly stated, I feel as though John’s family played a significant role in preventing him from going down the similar path of many of his friends - depression, heroin addiction, and suicide.
"Nick and the Candlestick" by Sylvia Plath
I like how this poem has prompted Seph Rodney to look into the world of visual art, and how it has inspired him to believe that the deep, profound experiences in life in a quite setting (in terms of lighting) can lead to an “emotional hush,” an instance in which one can block out the distractions of life and just meditate. I also found interest in relating the differences between the poet and the reader to the discontinuities of the poem. Rodney and Plath are from different backgrounds, upbringings, socio-economic, intellectual, and religious realities. Similarly, Plath’s poem, in comparison to many other works of literature, does not proceed rationally. Despite the absence of logic succession, the poem evokes a considerable amount of emotion from the audience.
"Out, Out" by Robert Frost
This poem seemed most relevant to my life, especially the part about the “big boy/Doing a man's work, though a child at heart.” Life can often feel overwhelming, as if people are pulling you in a thousand different directions. All that pressure, with no outlet, would undoubtedly lead to insanity. It’s like that timeless quote: “All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.” In Frost’ poem, however, this combination proves lethal. I feel that the worst part of the poem is not the boy’s tragic death, but the others’ reaction to it (“And they, since they/were not the one dead, turned to their affairs”). Elizabeth Wojtusik’s methods of promoting hands-on learning and encouraging children to use their imaginations are admirable. I am a firm believer in maintaining a sense of childhood, a time of joy and simplicity, throughout life.
Jeannie Matthews :^D
We Real Cool
ReplyDeleteAt first what I thought as John spoke about life in his neighborhood, I thought stupid teenagers.But then he said they we innocent. What I got from what he said was their innocense clouded the thin line between right and wrong for them. They were filled wih curiosity which
quickly turned to fear, which eventually led to suicide. What he is attempting to do for the children is truly admiring. However in the poem, I believe the idea of being "cool" is not truly about fitting in, it is about man's constant thirst for novelties and man's curiosity about everything in the world. The poem reflects exactly that. The idea that the youth of the world are presented with so many choices,aware of the good and bad but with a thirst for experience. Whether that experience be good or bad, we don't care.
Nick and The Candlestick
Truly I did not comprehend this poem at all,even as I listened to someone else read it to me comprehension still did not come to me. However what I felt was better than comprehension. I felt the exact emotion Seph felt as he told the poem. I listened in awe, confusion, I felt happiness and sadness. I was in a frenzy of mixed feelings and it was not until awhile later that I realized that just like Seph, I enjoyed this poem because of its craziness. It is a wild out of place poem. It does not make sense yet you still appreciate it, it still touches your heart which is exactly how I feel most of the time.
OUT, OUT--
First I must say that this poem is a major tearjerker. Not only did I understand the woman and what she talked about. But mostly understood the poem, the idea it represents and the sadness that wraps the idea. Growing up, I have been a witness to children doing adult work. One, is that they do not do it well and two is that they do not get time to be children. Though only some suffer a true death, most suffer a metaphorical death. They are stripped of their youth and thirst for life and they are crudely thrusted into an adult environment which they are not familiar with.
--Georgette Taluy =D
"We Real Cool"
ReplyDeleteThis poem seems so simple when read anonymously, but watching the clip and hearing John Ulrich tell his story truly emphasizes and gives realization to the poem. At least from my point of view "We Real Cool" has so much more embedded in it then what's measured at the surface. The use of "we real cool" doesn't technically mean that they feel superior to others, but more of a young and inexperienced humans that have yet so much to learn. The simplicity and the tone of the poem stress the value and in depth meaning of what was truly meant by Gwendolyn Brooks.
"Nick and the Candlestick"
To be honest i played and re-played the video clip repetitively, at first trying to understand simple the poem and then the relation that Steph Rodney inferred it within his life, still didn't quite get through to me. the way the poem is worded is beautiful, and obviously Sylvia Plath wrote it to her content, poems always have a deeper significance to it then what is just seen by the eye,yet when I read this I can in a sense parallel it to religion, yes religion is mentioned in her diction, but there's so much more. The fishes, barn, well, drinking, communion, and much more can all emphasize the religion aspect of it, which I don't think is what Plath is trying to convey through her work.
"Out, Out"
To me this poem is just overwhelming, it left me in shock. While not being my favorite, it still impacted me, the diction use, the form in which Elizabeth Wojtusik personified the poem, just all of it left me in awe. I could sense the passion and heartfelt warmth in depicting this boy put to fill a mans shoes. When Robert Frost writes "Little--Less--Nothing!" it spoke to me on how some people are just fortunate to have what they do, because as life continues no one ever truly knows whether they will ever be able to reach the probably minuscule amount of anything, whether it be materialistic or emotional, one never truly knows if they'll ever have that again. The message i interpreted from the poem was appreciate what you have, because you never know when you'll get it taken away.
~Katherine Carrazana
Block 2
"We Real Cool", really hit me like a ton of bricks. Many of my friends started off with simple things like skipping a day of school but then it escalated into weeks of school, and if you're skipping school you are not usually doing it for the right reasons. I've seen friends ruin their own life, ruin the the lives of those around them, and "accidentally" take their own life.
ReplyDelete"Nick and the Candlestick", I did not like this poem, and I think I do not like it because I do not understand it, at all.
"Out, Out", I think this poem is easily relatable for many people. Many children of all ages take on roles far greater than they can bear and most are not given a choice. Its sad that after the boy died the people kept moving on with life because they did not die, but unfortunately you have to keep moving, because by doing nothing you only end up hurting yourself.
"We Real Cool"
ReplyDeleteAt many times I can be quick to judge. So when we first read the poem in class, I understood the practical application to everyday life in Brooks' poem but it didn't really stir a major reaction in me. Listening to John speak about losing many friends to suicide and drug overdoses roused a more profound reaction in me than it did previously. John's story to me epitomized the struggles that he faced in his life and how his troubles truly were inevitable. At face value, I wouldn't have thought John to have been a great choice to read "We Real Cool" but his explanation of how we all want to be invincible but now so much more often we fall into troubling lifestyles that hinder that really sums up the poem and its meaning.
"Nick and the Candlestick"
Just reading the poem before watching the video left me a little confused. I'm not exactly sure I understand it. What I got out of this poem initially was that it is extremely emotional but I couldn't dig deep and find the deeper connotative meanings within it. When Seph shared his thoughts on the poem, I found it incredible that he could mirror my thoughts of the piece being light years beyond anything I've ever read. When Seph recited the poem, I couldn't help but feel amazed at the emotion he put into it. While I can't even begin to wrap my head around this poem, I can understand and appreciate the beauty and the complexity that poetry supplies.
"Out Out"
While I admire Robert Frost as a poet, this poem was definitely not my favorite piece written by him. Although I believe that this poem mourns the death of childhood and Elizabeth Wojtusik is passionate about teaching and helping children retain imagination, something you count on as a child, I could not bring myself to be extremely emotionally involved in this poem. It is an unfortunate, inevitable experience to have to do adults work as a child. It is hard to comprehend being denied a childhood, something that should be guaranteed. I think that while I understand the poem, I was not emotionally invested in it because I had a true childhood. I have a hard time imagining being denied something that should be a guarantee. In a way, this poem left me with less clarity than when it began.
Holly Denton
Block 2
We Real Cool
ReplyDeleteReflecting back on the poem, Brooks' identifies the many problems us teenagers face such as social pressures, lack of stability, and a loss of innocence. John vicariously lived his life through Brooks' words stating that thankfully he had a strong family that supported and loved him unconditionally. He was still pressured by society and tempting barriers being a rebel they thought it was all innocent just "skipping school" but that adds up and cause people to lose their innocence, but thankfully John had that stable figure in his life. Unlike most of his friends who had no one.
Nick and The Candlestick
The "cold homicides" and the "black bats" portray the dark unemotional state of being alone and not in love. By just coming out of a relationship Seth clearly understood Plath's words and identified with each one. Seth remembered the joyous state of when he was in love and sees that love is a primal need for each human being. The candlestick illuminates the dark somber mood of being without love.
Out,Out
By reading the poem it was a bit confusing to start off. The boy doing grown man's work forces you to see him as an adult and takes away his childhood. When I read the first few lines i actually didn't know it was a young boy. By him growing up to fast he experienced adult pain that a young boy just isn't ready for. By cutting of his arm that symbolized the physical and mental separation of the boy and his childhood and the elimination of that experience ever coming back.
Karlens Direny
Block 4
“We Real Cool”
ReplyDeleteOne of the toughest things about being a teenager is the peer pressure one endures. Gwendolyn Brooks poem depicts how in the end it all comes down to the choices we make. John's story and background further emphasizes the struggles that are faced at a young age. Since John could relate with the poem it made his reading even better and really made the reader, well listener, reflect on the decisions that we make.
“Nick and the Candlestick”
Seph Rodney couldn't have described the poem any better, it is crazy! It is difficult to comprehend was exactly Sylvia Plath was trying to say, and it is one of those poems that requires you to read it more than once. The way the poem is written reminds me of the pear poem we read in class. If definitely is not like any other poem and it for sure does not start off quiet or in “whispers.” Sylvia Plath wrote something that needs the reader to become emotionally connected with, put aside the notion of over thinking and analyzing, but simply read and relate.
“Out, Out”
Out of the three poems, this one was only read once. Elizabeth Wojtusik's connection with the poem reminded me of how rather than encouraged, we are almost forced to grow up. Being young and careless is looked down upon and we are told to behave like an adult. Problem is, we aren't adults, we are teenagers, children, or even adults but young at heart. There is no need to rush into adulthood or to take on those responsibilities so quickly, life always exists and it is better to take it slow than to look back in regret.
Cinthya Castro
Block 2
"We Real Cool"
ReplyDeleteHearing John's recital added more meaning to the poem than when I initially heard it in class . When I first read it I understood the concept of how things can escalate , and how things so innocent can eventually be deadly . However , when John tells his story and then recites the poem (twice) , it helped me to see the other side of the situation . Instead of thinking of it in the sense that the speaker may have spiraled downwards , there's also the chance that the speaker , like john , is just an unfortunate outsider and victim .
"Nick and the Candlestick"
I have to say , I love this video . When I read the poem by itself , it was rather confusing and I didn't get a meaning out of it . However , the way Seph read it , and put it together was beautiful and made it sound like a whole new poem . Still , I didn't find myself so in love with the poem . Seph's words were what caught me . I love the way he took this poem , with such deep meaning , and so complex and turned it into his own . He related it to his own situation and read it how he felt it should be . His explanation was so detailed and touching .
"Out Out"
This was by far my favorite one . The way that Elizabeth read the poem gave it so much life . As she read certain parts like , " And from there those that lifted eyes could count " , she'd do the actual motion , which provided a clearer understanding of what she has just said . More so , I think her location was specifically chosen . In the poem , the saw keeps on going as the day goes on , and while she reads her poem the sounds of the ocean in the background made me think that it was almost a symbol for the saw . Everything about this video was outstanding . Her motions , the location , the way she shifted her tone at various times . As for the actual poem , it confused me when I read it myself , but now that I listened to her I think I have a clearer understanding .
- Shanika F. (4th block)
"We Real Cool"
ReplyDeleteThis poem speaks to the hearts of those who struggle in life; it mocks the "coolness" of adolescents who take the wrong path in life. it mocks those who cut school, drink, steal, and do drugs, even though those kids believe that they are cool. It hits hard to families and it brings to light of the anguish and despair that happens in the inner city and the problems that occur everyday without any sign of stopping. It reveals the true events that people go through, the temptations and the downfalls that lead one down the wrong path; an unforgiving path with many consequences one cannot avoid.
"Nick and the Candlestick"
This incredible poem details the dangers of life, but yet, surrounded by "pretty things" that seem to cover up the real horrors of life. The cave "hung with roses" and "rugs" symbolizes how society tries to cover up events that are too dangerous for us regular folk, eventhough we know its evils and its deeds. The poem expresses the feeling of innocence and ignorance, that of a small child, simply enjoying life without knowing its consequences and its evil. The mind of a young child is what we all yearn for; a mind of nothing. We are exposed to so many things in our lifetime, that we simply wish to hide under our blankets and pretend everything will be alright. However, we are adults and we are intellegent; we must tread onwards.
"Out Out"
Once again connecting to the wonderful life of a child, this poor boy was denied that life. He saw the mountain ranges, he saw the life that he wanted to live, but work had to come first. In the end, the work that he did took his childhood away permanently. It connects to how children are not able to experience their childhood in a society ruled on work; work that is too heavy for children. The load of the work comes crashing down on them as they try to be adults, when in reality, they are just feeble children, longing for their carefree playtime that wanders in their vast mind. They want to be free, they want to play. Why should we deny a child's right to play? Are we mad? Of course we aren't mad-we're just people, trying to live and survive day to day, even though we are silently and slowly killing another life before it has a chance to grow.
-Evan Jackson
Block II
"We Real Cool": Since we already read over this poem in class, I started watching the video with a judegmental attitude. However, with John Ulrich's introduction, my attitude began to change. Ulrich makes the poem more personal and easy to relate to. It made me think of how quickly things can go from bad to worse and that we aren't invincible, even though thats what alot of kids think nowadays. One day you think you're "real cool" and on top of the world, but in a instant you coule "die soon".
ReplyDelete"Nick and the Candlestick": I would have to agree with Steph Rodney that this poem is crazy and it does not proceed rationally. The topics are all over the place, making it really hard to grasp the meaning. With Rodney's introduction I was looking forward to see if the poem would speak to me as it did to him and to feel the underlying power in the poem as he described. The poem did seem to speak to me, however not exactly in a language that I understand. Upon further reading I sensed an urgent passion or love.
"Out, Out": Was this the tear jerker poem? No tears for me (but I do not have a heart of stone!). Once again, me and poetry just don't like to connect I guess. Anyway, I would say the poem accurately portrays the trouble children go through when they are forced to grow up too fast and do adult work. Just as Elizabeth Wojtusik explains in her into, children should not be deprived of their childhood; they should have to chance to explore through imagination.
Amy Marshall
Block 2
:)
" We Real Cool"
ReplyDeleteThe poem captures the actions of slackers who might generally skip school or misbehave while in school. I enjoyed the fact that John Ulrich connected to the poem as support for doing the work he does. It flips the purpose of the poem from focusing on the behavior of the "We" in the poem and charges the reader to eliminate that " We" by helping whenever they see some one "Left school," " Lurk late," and ultimately to not have anyone "Die soon."
" Nick and the candlestick"
The poem didn't stir the same reaction in me as it had in Seph Rodney. Though his comments are plausible I analyzed the poem to have more of a love can conquer all ideal. The description of the cave visually creates image clear as if I am in the cave, while the literary notations illustrated "Nick" searching for love but having to go through the grit of it to finally see and question "O love, how did you get here?" The poem conveys a since a victory for love and hope in all situations.
" Out Out"
Elizabeth Wojtusik's recitation of this poem by
Robert Frost helped to unveil a deeper understanding of the poem. As a teacher she connects immediately to the poem since it is narrating the short life of a with an even shorter boyhood. It was easier for me to connect to the characters within the poem and relate it to how some children are forced to grow up and often suffer without understanding why those circumstances surrounded them. A good supporting attributing to this claim is the way Frost begins the poem, setting the background which places the boy as nothing more but an object in the backgroud which is further validated by the last sentence, " And they, since they - Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs."
Jalina Pittman Blk 2
"We Real Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks
ReplyDeleteJohn’s life and history seemed to bring forward the essence of the poem, and his firm belief in its meaning made his reading all the more powerful. His connection to providing a distraction from the horrors and dejection some people feel from everyday life, South Boston Survivors, allows us to see how determined he is to stop common tragedy from occurring. His experiences add to the perceived meaning of the poem, even if only because he was someone who survived to read it.
"Nick and the Candlestick" by Sylvia Plath
Seph’s amalgamation of his own emotional experience and the poem seem to lock its meaning into place within him, and it’s almost as if he finds solace in the confusion of the poem. As the poem moves forward, it seems as if he feels his own life is moving with it, and both expand to a divine level where much seems to become clear. Seph describing himself finding comfort in the “emotional hush” of the poem clearly reveals the fondness he has and the reassurance this poem gives to him.
"Out, Out" by Robert Frost
This poem struck me in much the way it made Elizabeth feel, bringing forth the harshness of reality and the unfairness of a single life. As she was a teacher, Elizabeth has much more experience with the complexity of younger children faced with difficult life situations or tasks, and the impact it had on her – after getting to know each one of her students – much have been incredible. The way the poem describes the disregard for human life and basic wants based on pressure really communicates the complexity of events in the poem in a simple and absolute way.
Matt Brown, Block 4
“We Real Cool”
ReplyDeleteAfter watching how this poem affected John Ulrich and how it related to his life, I finally understand what it is really about. Seeing the parallel to the suicides of within Ulrich’s community made me realize that this poem is still relevant today. People still strive to be “cool” and sometimes go to drastic measures to obtain this goal. The poem speaks of things so little as skipping school can lead to a life sin and ultimately death. It basically means that the little decisions that you make in life can have just as big of an impact on the future as the more important ones. It is easy to stray off the “right” path and spiral into a place you did not want to be. This poem can relate closely to high school students because at this time young adults can make decisions that affect the rest of their lives.
“Nick and the Candlestick”
It took me several times to understand the true meaning to this poem. At first I looked at this poem and thought to myself “what is this person talking about?” It wasn’t until the third time listening to it that I realized what it was about. It was about how even in the darkest places, love still finds a way to prosper and provide a cushion from the events in life that cause pain. This poem has so many hidden allusions and ideas that it is hard to believe that the poem was written by one person. I think this poem and the reading by Seph demonstrates how poems can affect everyone in multiple ways and that it takes multiple readings to fully understand what the author is trying to say.
“Out, Out”
I believe that every person that reads this poem should be able to take at least one life lesson out of it. I think the idea that kids should have the time to be kids is a commonly known idea, but one that is never put into action. I would personally love to be able to be a kid again, if only for a day. To be able to go back to a care free mind set, and not have to worry about the events occurring around you, to just play, would be a blessing. Wojtusik reads the poem and you can see the intensity within her facial expressions. This poem truly speaks to her emotions and she proves that it does when she strives to encourage imagination in her classroom. I think that in today’s day in age, children are asked more of than ever before and truly do adult work at an extremely young age. I think that kids should be given the opportunity to just be children and live the care free life, if only for a little.
"We Real Cool"
ReplyDeleteI found it to be very interesting that John Ulrich has personally experienced many of the ideas mentioned in the poem. The poem talks about the gradual decline of students who leave school then continue to make poor decisions, eventually leading to their deaths. This can be applied to modern culture, with many children being negatively influenced by drug use.
"Nick and the Candlestick"
Seph's analysis of the poem as being random and irrational is similar to my reaction to the poem. The apparent lack of organization of the ideas in the poem make it open to interpretation. The thought that is most prevalent to me is the belief that love can appear in the most unlikely of places.
"Out, Out"
This was a pretty emotional poem. It depicts a small boy who hurts his hand with a saw, resulting in his death. This shows how a seemingly normal day can quickly fall into despair. An injury that may not seem to be extremely serious can still result in death. Many people are trapped in a life they do not want to live whie they are looking out on their dreams, which are always out of reach.
Eric Marshall
Block 2
"We Real Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks
ReplyDeleteI was excited to open this video because I've loved this poem every since we read it in class. I was really nice to see and hear how this poem touched another person and hear their point of view on it. I agreed with him totally when he interpreted the fact of the poem showing how short life really is and how the process of life can go from innocent playing to an overwhelming burden. I was touched and pleased by this video.
"Nick and the Candlestick" by Sylvia Plath
I understood where the man was coming from when he talked about his experience with the poem, but I did not understand the poem. Like he said, "it's crazy and all over the place." That showed me how different he and I were because I loved the poem for that reason and I dislike it for that reason. I like to know what's going on in the poem and why it's being said, but with this poem I was unsure almost the entire time.
"Out, Out" by Robert Frost
This poem by far touched me the most. I started out loving the video because I love to hear about people's love for what they do. This lady was taken by her kids and she loved to see them everyday and that made me happy. As the video unfolded and she began to talk about her interpretation of the poem, I immediately became emotionally attached to her words because I have witnessed some of those kids that aren't able to play the role of a child at home. As she read the poem, I was deeply saddened and the way that it ended left me borderline depressed. I had even dropped a few tears before the poem was done. I definitely connected with this poem the most.
Vashti Powell
Block 4
"We Real Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks
ReplyDeleteThe way that Ulrich tied in his life experiences along with the reading of the poem really helped me grasp at the deeper meaning that Brooks was hinting at. We as adolescents really do take for granted who and what we have in our lives. Its when we find ourselves alone that we realize the end result of the little things we thought were not so serious. I really do appreciate the task at hand that Ulrich is doing with the kids of the neighborhood. Redirecting any depression they may have can definitely decrease the amount of suicide deaths within the area, and shape a different future for them.
"Nick and the Candlestick" by Sylvia Path
The first feature of the poem that I liked was its reference to love as an embryo. That made me think of it as something that had to grow and develop in order to provide security in the long run. I also liked the way Rodney explained how the "baby" in the final line is like a gift, and I do believe that to be true, because not many are granted love in one lifetime.
"Out Out" by Robert Frost
I enjoyed seeing how passionate Wojtusik is when working with her students, because she wants them to learn in an unconventional way, which reminds me of you in a way Judith. She really wants students to grasp whatever concept she teaches. I can also really relate to this poem. Depicting a child who cannot enjoy the pubescence of life is very drastic, and it brings back memories of my childhood where I had to raise my younger brother and sisters. It was really hard to give up that free childlike state of mind, but there was no other option. But, at the end of poem it really hurt me to read that after the boy dies, everyone resumes their duties, with no emotion.
"We Real Cool"
ReplyDeleteI found the poem "We Real Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks to be a perfect portrayal as to how we view ourselves within a societal group. When faced with adversity, including the usage of drugs and skipping school, we find ourselves to be invincible and unable to be harmed or destroyed. John's reading of "We Real Cool", exemplifies this in how he and his friends were part of the societal group that was doing the drugs and not caring for their lives and the lives of others until despair caught up to them resulting in the death of number of his friends and neighbors. His story parallels that of the poem, making his portrayal of the poem to be accurate.
"Nick and the Candlestick"
After reading the poem without the audio, I had an image in my head of how events in life evolve. This image came to me from the line "Waxy stalactites/Drip and thicken, tears/
The earthen womb/ Exudes from its dead boredom.", which implies any sort of experiance that someone may have had that impacted their life greatly and awakened them. This experience acts as a springboard in which all of the events following, weather they be pleasent or bleak, inevitably occur and unfold into a thing of beauty.
"We Real Cool"
ReplyDeleteThroughout "We Real Cool," Gwedolyn Brooks depicts the influence that drugs and other various peer pressures play on youth. Conformity and "idendity" within a group are exposed as a source of immediate gratification, yet a lifestyle that ultimately plagues generation after generation of adolescents. John's reading of this peom struck me deeply, as he fits the audeice that the poem is directed at. Growing up in the inner city of Boston, John has been exposed to the various effects of drugs and poverty. In my opinion, his personalized outlook on "We Real Cool" brings about an intense realization of the power of drugs, as well as their enveloping (and ultimately) self-destructing effects that these lifestyles inflict on societies youth.
"Nick and the Candlestick"
Out of the three selected poems I found "Nick and the Candlestick" one of the most profound (yet complicated pieces.) Throughout the poem I noticed many references to life - "The earthen womb" and "o embryo", as well as a variety of religious/Christian allusions. For example, "Wrap me, raggy shawls", and "You are the baby in the barn" struck me as symbolism to the birth of Jesus Christ. Aside from noticing these allusions to life (and possibly the birth of Christ) I can't completely discern the deeper message behind the symbolism, but perhaps we could talk more about it sometime in class?
"Out, Out"
The ending of this poem left me somewhat depressed. The image of a young boy accidently cutting off his hand with a saw obviously left me a little stunned; as well as causing me to question the whole idea of boys taking on the role of a man in the family. Elizabeth Wojtusik's emphasis on young males disproportionate role in family life caused me to think of what it means to be a child, as well as the consequences that come with being forced to grow up to quickly.
Alex Upp
Block 4
“We Real Cool”
ReplyDeleteThis poem is very straightforward, in that it depicts a situation of people (school age) that make the wrong decision and eventually pay for it. The person that recited the poem obviously is someone who has seen this first hand so he knows what it is like. This poem shows just how vulnerable we are as human beings are to outside pressures such as drugs, and how soon we can be gone. I took it as just a small reminder to think about if someone we know or ourselves are faced with such problems to do what we can to do the right thing, instead of being “real cool.”
“Nick and the candlestick”
The reader realizes that poetry is more than just words written down on a piece of paper, they tell a story and have meaning behind them; something I know now is true. This poem goes all of the place, from being a miner, to being likened to a gift from God. It may not be concise and clear but it shows that anything can be molded to what you want it to be, nothing is a bad situation unless you do not act to fix it. Essentially, “you are the one.”
“Out Out”
For many students, they are simply kids at school, and become adults by night, in that they have to do adult things such as babysit their little brother or sister and take care of them. In our lives things happen but once they happen, such as an accident because we were doing something we were too young for, (such as operating a saw blade in the poem) and when something happens to us, the error of others ways in allowing this to happen comes too late, because we would already be gone, or the accident would have already happened.
Brandon Richards
Block 2
We Real Cool
ReplyDeleteThis poem shows how being cool isn’t exactly that they were being “cool” but that we start off innocent. Then we get older and start doing things that we shouldn’t, such as drugs. The poem shows the harsh environments in society and how some students take a turn for the worst. Where they get mixed up in the wrong crowd and end up having their lives cut short. The poem is also about the course that life takes. First we are innocent then we become corrupt with society and we then finally die. The poem shows that drugs and other actions can inflict your future in a negative or a positive way.
Nick and Candlestick
I love the way Seph Rodney recites this poem. He puts emotion and emphasis into the words just by the way he separates the stanzas of the poem. I didn’t quiet understand the poem until I listened to it twice and read it three times. That’s when I realized the passion of love behind every word. This poem is deep and heartfelt. I feel that it’s about a child and a mother’s love toward the child. When Sylvia Plath writes, “O embryo”, and “You crossed positions”, also when she says, “ You are the baby in the barn.” I feel a strong emotional connection in this poem.
Out, Out
I love that this teacher is so passionate about her students that she takes the time to create a learning experience for the children. This poem was touching because as a reader you understand that certain people, even children, have to act as adults for many reasons. It hits home for those who have to work or take care of younger siblings. They understand that kids just want to have fun. He says to his sister, “Please don’t let them cut my hand off.” and with that statement alone the reader sees the adolescents child in the boy that works as if he’s a man.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete"We Real Cool"
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this poem for the fact that it is so simplistic, yet sends a powerful message. Brooks' ability to take 24 words and make it demonstrate someone's entire lifestyle, is just amazing. Many teenagers nowadays can find meaning and understanding in this poem, since it portrays their everyday lives. John can relate to the poem, so him reading it makes it more meaningful.
“Nick and the Candlestick”
All i have to say is...what? I picked up on the religious references, such as "You are the baby in the barn", but I still am not sure how to interpret the poem as a whole. Even though I have no idea what this poem is about, I enjoyed it. It make you think and try to decipher the meaning.
"Out, Out"
I found this poem absolutely depressing. This boy, who has to play a man's role, pays the price for being in this position. His one opportunity for a break, lands him in the position of being handless, and then losing his life. I love the passion Elizabeth Wojtusik has for teaching. The emotion that is employed from her when she is reciting the poem contributes to the emotionality of the poem as a whole.
Cassie Rall
"We Real Cool"
ReplyDeleteBoth in reading this poem and hearing it read by the author I enjoyed the poem. Upon realising it was about an event she witnessed rather than experienced my opinion did not change as I know others did, because I liked it equally when I thought it was about her. I believed that it was her and felt that I could relate, as could any other highschool student because without doubt.. everyone skips school.
"Nick and the Candlestick"
I did not understand the emotional aspect of the poem until hearing it read. While hearing it read I understood it had a deep emotional aspect but still without understanding what exactly it is. The poem to me makes no sense, the first line makes no connection to the message of the poem or the last line, in my opinion.
"Out Out"
The message of a young boy cutting off his own hand accidentally left me depressed. Even more than that when he died and was cast out of mind as quickly as he had come "And they, since they/
Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs," left me even more upset at the idea than I was at him cutting off his own hand. I did not like it or have a different reaction upon hearing it read rather than reading it myself.
"We Real Cool"
ReplyDeleteWe real cool really made me think of the many bright young kids in American schools who never get the chance to succeed because they get caught up in dangerous life styles. The poem emphasizes the danger that comes with being a young and impressionable child who may be growing up in a less than perfect world. I really could not stop thinking about how americas youth is constantly in danger of being influenced, weather it be a good influence or not, children are always looking for someone, or something, new to influence the.
"Nick and the Candlestick"
I didn't really understand how emotionally potent this poem was until I was able to listen to it read aloud a few times, and even then i needed to read it over a few more times to grasp the emotionality. I noticed the allusions to the birth of Christ, and I found myself coming back to the theme of live several times, but The deeper meaning behind the poem was somewhat elusive for me. I had a hard time understanding what the poem may have meant on a larger scale, beyond the biblical allusions and the theme of life.
"Out Out"
First of all I found the passion that Elizabeth Wojtusik has for teaching very touching. I felt that this added to the emotionality of the poem as a whole. Honestly though I found this poem very dark and frankly it was horribly depressing. I felt so bad for this poor boy, thrust into a mans position, who ends up handless and dead. This was the hardest one of the poems for me to read/listen to.
"We real cool"
ReplyDeleteThis poem illustrates what a lot of teenagers go through with peer pressure and the sins around them. It shows how teenagers may shorten their lives from these situations. I think that John Ulrich's story fits this poem perfectly. He was a person that in a way actually "lived" this poem.
"Nick and the candlestick"
This poem is a really powerful poem, it gives the reader a sense of strong emotions of loneliness and a longing for love. Although most come to the conclusion of romantic love i think that this poem can relate to family or friendship as well. Seph portrays this poem perfectly.
"Out, Out"
This poem, to me, is really depressing. It also was a little shocking at the end when the boy accidently cut ihis hand off.. I personally didn't like this poem very much. However, Elizabeth's story really relates to this poem because it makes one think about those who are forced to grow up quicker and have a shorter childhood. This poem did give me really strong emotions of sadness and sympathy for the boy.
We Real Cool
ReplyDeleteThe poem delves into an affliction which effects much of the youth. The ideals of skipping school, careless to the opportunities an education could provide; the ideas of going off to follow the conformities of "cool". The actual potential of a deadly lifestyle which is promoted by the actions the youth's target by the poem portray. How far does the conformity of "coolness" have to be played out before the results are something dreadful?
Nick and the Candlestick
Perhaps this poem is more of a metaphor itself. To compare the complexities of poet metaphor which may seem to most readers not to make any sense.The poem could be a manipulation of words for the sake of manipulation of rhetoric. To twist the meaning of words into a compilation of strange and mysterious concepts which are to have an understanding available only to the poet himself. Or perhaps, maybe the poet himself is not certain of the meaning that is meant to be portrayed.
Out, Out
The poem, had a very emotional effect on me. The boy, having to give up his childhood so early at a young age when a boy should be a boy, and a girl a girl. The robbing of innocence, and soon the robbing of young life. Chances to flourish loss to what? The diction in this poem had a bit of a confusing effect on me; however what stood out enough was the boy doing "a man's work", his pleating to his sister, maybe for his life? The poet displayed a an emotional appeal, but as the teacher read, the sadness was evident in its impact.
Bryana Bell B4
Out Out
ReplyDeleteWell that was really sad. It was really awful that the boy was so young and he was doing "a man's work", so young that he probably didn't fully understand how to do tyhe work. And the most unsettling part of it all was the last line, when the people who were with him "turned to their affairs", as if nothing had even happened.
We Real Cool
This poem is pretty powerful in that it shows the dead end that a life can take if someone decides to lead a fast living, and uneducated lifestyle. the final line ("we die soon") shows that living in this way willalmost inevitably rasult in anearly death.
Nick and the Candlestick
Well...I'm not 100% sure what to make out of that. Im actually just pretty confused. I liked the guy who read it though. heseemed pretty cool.
^^Rev. Mack Kennedy
ReplyDelete"We Real Cool"
ReplyDeleteThis poem is obviously a social critique dealing with the lack of growth in intellect amongst urban youths sadly killing them in the end. On many different levels this poems strikes it's point home making it one of the most clear poems of the three. It's length in my opinion stands as it's greatest argument in this format it states not only the short and brutal length of these peoples life's but also the lack of education that could be used to bring these people up and out of this environment.
"Nick and the Candlestick"
Truly this poem is the most confusing of the three and because of this it really didn't do anything emotional for me and since the goal of the poems seemed to be emotion this was the most lacking in my opinion.
"Out, Out"
Since Robert Frost is one of my favorite poems it was hard for me to not find something wrong with this piece. The largest complaint amongst people seem to be it's depressive nature but in reality this is the portion that delivers the greatest impact. While it isn't as poignant of a social critique these days it still says a bit about the lifesof children in many countries in the world.
Izabella Szura
ReplyDeleteBlock 4
10/6/10
"We Real Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks:
This poem talks about some of the things that many teenagers go through like peer pressure and trying to fit in during high school. For example things like drugs, sex, and any other things that can be dangerous and deadly. It shows how teenagers are careless and want to do whatever they think is "in".
"Nick and the Candlestick" by Sylvia Plath:
This poem was very confusing to me until i heard it out loud a few times. I think the author of this poem is trying to show how strong the poem is because of how hard it is too understand. There are a lot of deep emotions that can be attained from this poem based on your own beliefs and culture and how you interpret this poem.
"Out, Out" by Robert Frost:
This was my favorite poem out of the three. It made me really sad because it was talking about a young kid having to give up his childhood which is one of the most fun and experiencing time of our lives. It kind of shows how sometimes we take for granted our childhood when really it is a very important time of our lives and we should cherish each and every day of it because some people don't have a childhood.
"We Real Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks,really hit close to home for me, having had a friend die of an overdose recently I can relate to John,the reader of this poem. My generation, the youth of our world treat life as though it is something to play with, we don't realize how much is put at stake by doing drugs,skipping school, giving into peer pressure. We think it will never catch up to us in the future. My generation, is in trouble, we have so many young kids turning to drugs because of depression or to "fit in." But they dont see how one little slip up can ultimately cost you your life. Life is so fragile, so lack-luster to some people who have never lost anyone, they can't see how todays decisions affect tommorrows world. Unfortunately these problems with drugs, peer pressure, even having a lack of education is a growing problem with every new generation. Life is to be cherished, because before you know it, its gone. -r.i.p. <3
ReplyDelete"Nick and the Candlestick" by Sylvia Plath, is pretty confusing to understand, yet I feel like there are many biblical items in the poem,especially when i got to the end,it stated "You are the one
Solid the spaces lean on, envious.
You are the baby in the barn." When i reread the poem again, I thought of Jesus as a baby.
"Wrap me, raggy shawls, Cold homicides.
They weld to me like plums." To me meaning the worlds sins are clinging to him. I feel the poem is talking about the death of Jesus, "Your crossed position, the blood blooms clean." Maybe I'm completely out there with this, but this is what I percieved this poem to be about.
"Out, Out" by Robert Frost, Is my second favorite out of the three. Being forced to grow up too fast, losing childhood in order to support family, or because of work is deficult. Back before child labor laws childrens lives were like this. If they died on the job, oh well, they worried more about who was to work now that they are dead other than grieving. It was creepy to me, but very real. Life always goes on, the day after a death the sun comes out, we go back to work and we live. It's a sad fact that as a single boy he meant so little, yet that's the way of our world.
-Alicia Weeks
We Real Cool
ReplyDeleteHearing the poem caused me to feel like partying and getting wild, because I feel like that is apart of being cool. Then when I read the poem I relized more messages that the author could of been trying to express. The idea of a group of hang out in a relaxed atmosphere is cool, getting away with being a "rebel" is cool (to some) and living carefree is cool (to some). The word "cool" has such a broad meaning its often misunderstood,esspecially for adult, I felt that Gwendolyn Brooks captured the true mindset of a fast teenage day.
Nick and the Candlestick
Listening to his connection to the poem and his reading was unclear to me. He stated how the poem created a link to his life, yet when he read the poem I was confused and understood nothing, I felt he just stated the obvious, for example when he said "she's so abstract and he work is crazy". After reading the first I had a sad, slowing depressing view on life fading. Tears, pains, emotions, murder are all part of lifes' cycle and there's no escaping them, then its all a dream? I felt Sylvia Plath work is complex and you would need a dictionary (which I did use) and an interpeter to understand each line.
Out,Out
Robert Frost uses everyday events to decribe how the life of an innocent young boy was taking. He makes you feel as tough you were there with that little boy and left him helpless to die. Going about his life, taking on a "grown man's" role, he accidently cuts his hands, shocked and scared to lose his hands, he starts to beg and plead not to let his sister allow the doctor to cut, they continue and do it anyway. Placed in a room, bleeds to death and no one and everyone seems to take his death light. The overall poem reminded me of the. 1920s when society was content with the idea of children dying, while doing adult work, before there were actual laws and awareness of the silence of the young.
"Out, Out"
ReplyDeleteI found this poem to be the best out of the bunch. It was the most direct to the point poem that still had the moving emotions to go along with it. Robert Frost dose an exellant job of showing that life is too short and that anything can happen to anybody at any given time. The progression of the poem was quite spectacular in how it went from a pleasent boy the sudden death of an innocent child. I loved it!
Jonell Joseph
ReplyDeleteBlock. 2
“We Real Cool”
ReplyDeleteI believe this poem is about consequences, but maybe not consequences for the choices we make, but the circumstances in our lives that are made for us. I loved how the student that read this poem could find so many similarities with the poem; he even says, “As he heard this poem in high school, he felt that it described his life.” Its so cool how human experiences are so much alike that different people feel the same way even through different experiences in their lives.
"Nick and The Candlestick"
I’ve never had children, but this sounds like a warning into the world, a concerned mother, about a new child entering into the world, full of all the horrible things. The speaker sounds protective over a child and is extremely passionate, seen through the language of the poem, “Love, love, I have hung our cave with roses.”
"Out, Out"
This was the SADDEST POEM EVER! I'm not exactly sure if it’s because I'm sick, and my eyes are really sensitive right now, but this was so moving! I cried. And that is weird for me to cry at a poem. This was just so rhythmic, in its structure and paired with the way Elizabeth Wojtusik read the poem, but the words made me have this connection with the boy. I could actually see the sister standing over the boy calling "supper", and I loved this particular line, "They listened at his heart.
Little—less—nothing!—and that ended it." It just has so much emotion, the separation of the words and the decreasing in volume of the sound of the heart beating, AH! I just loved it. :)
Sarah Hall
Block 4
"We Real Cool"
ReplyDeleteI have always loved this poem, and to see the perspective of a growing young guy having experienced so much voluntary death around him interpret the poem was very "cool". The poem itself automatically sparks the live fast, die young philosophy many people choose to go by. It really just reminds me that the path I follow is the right one, and that being "real cool" might actually mean I'd "die soon".
"Nick and the Candlestick"
Though I didn't really understand a single bit of this at all, I liked the way it sounded, and I wish I grasped more of it, because the guy who read it was LITERALLY transformed post read. That just made me curious as to the actual meaning of such a nonsensical poem.
"Out, Out"
I was touched by it a lot because the little boy in the poem was forced to be an adult when he really was not meant to be yet. I parallel it a lot to my life because of the position I am put in as the oldest daughter. The teacher reading it was clearly moved by the reminder that some of her students had to go home and play the parent, and have their metaphorical hand chopped off. It happens all too often and should be recognized more to be helped.
"We Real cool"
ReplyDeleteIt was my favorite poem of these three. That is because of the different ways it can be read and with each way read it can have a different meaning to it. Its humorous because Gwendolyn Brook is talking about a real thing that kids did then and they still do now. They think they are cool because we do not have to go to school. But in reality they are toying with their future.
"Nick and The Candlestick"
I listened to it three times and i still do not get it. I do not understand how the poem and the person reading connected. I do think it could be a love poem but it was talking about a miner and then there was a sudden shift. It was all over the place. The poem was too deep for me.
"Out Out"
Robert Frost poem was very sad but he kept it realistic. I did not have a visceral reaction to the poem. It was just another poem to pass by.