Final Project Underway

I have begun to work on my final project for english. Like I said before it is a blog that I will use to document some the real life implications of the two books I have read. I have one post so far, and unfurtunately something weird has happened: Blogger marked my blog as spam!! This means my entire blog is locked and I cant change it. I have since sent in a report to unlock my blog but its been a day and so far.. its still locked. This is really frustrating and I am unsure about what to do, or what I have done wrong.

Until that problem gets fixed, I am just writing my blog articles into a word document. For this week I hope to just keep plugging away at this final project and think of some implements and instruments for my presentation which is coming up sooner... so far I have nothing done on that front.

CRUNCH TIMEE

It is the last week before my research paper is due, and unfortunately this week happens to be packed with things to do. I have two AP tests: Tuesday, tomorrow, is AP Chemistry (the killer). I will most indefinably be too burned out and unable to work for the rest of the day. Wednesday I will not be here because I will be taking the AP Art History test in the afternoon. Then Thursday I have an art field trip to the galleries at Chelsea Piers. My paper has an introduction and half of a second paragraph. Needless to say I will be very busy... mostly working at home on my research.

Last week I accomplished what I set out to accomplish, but I think I could've (and should've) worked harder. I definitely should have planned this out better in realizing that this week was going to be a busy one.. Now I have to go gangbusters on work. It's ok though, as much as I hate working really hard, I will take a deep breath and focus.

Obviously my goal for this week is to finish my paper. It's due Friday.

May, 5 2008

I am nearly done with Blink and have begun to read my other books. I am absolutely enthralled with Blink. Gladwell manages to discuss the psychology of our subconscious mind, backing everything up with scientific research, and organized conclusions. Each chapter he writes presents a new concept. He then divides the chapter into subsequent mini-chapters that delve further into the larger concept at hand with examples and stories. I found that this website was helpful for me in learning more about Malcolm Gladwell, Blink and his reason for writing it:

http://www.gladwell.com/blink/index.html


This week I will begin to write my research paper. I have a general outline formulated in my head and I know basically what I want to discuss from my sticky notes.

I have decided that for my final project, I will catalog a psychoanalytic study of my own using the knowledge gained from reading my books. The catalog will be in the form of a blog (separate from this one) whose URL will not get released until the project is finished.

April 28, 2008

I have been racking my brain thinking of project ideas and sources that share the same themes as Blink. It has been a week, and I think i finally have a quality project in motion. Under the same subject of popular science in psychology, there are several nonfiction books that focus on the psychology behind human attraction. These authors may not have PhD's, but are quite knowledgeable as far as breaking down "The Game." They have each done countless experiments and "in-field" tests, and I believe their material is worthy of analysis... Not to mention its relevance to my life and the lives of many of my male college-bound classmates. In addition I may want to read some books on hypnosis as this has relevance to my thesis on the subconscious mind.

So I have my sources and thesis... as far as my creative project itself, I'm still working on that, perhaps a little in-field experiment/lab write up may be in order.

Blink - first week of 4th marking period

ok basically it is monday and I am required to blog on mondays.

THE FOURTH MARKING PERIOD IS UNDERWAY!!

I have decided to read the book Blink a by Malcolm Gladwell. It is a very contemporary nonfiction piece dealing with a field of popular science and psychology. Though I don't know much about the book as I just started, I believe it is about the differences in between human subconscious thought and human analytical (conscious) thought. I love reading about our species.

I am not sure yet what to do with this final project but I believe I have a good jumping off point with this book. Perhaps I could conduct a little experiment of my own and write about it? Who knows. I will make it my duty this week to find out exactly what I should do. In the meantime I will continue to read and look for more books dealing with this topic (havent found one yet other than The Tipping Point another book by Gladwell)!

Hurston and the Harlem Renaissance

I found an informative article on Gradesaver.com that suggests that Zora Neale Hurston's literary work during the 30's (which is when this book was written) contributed to the Harlem Renaissance. Oddly enough, the article confirms the point made in my last entry about the subtle"Duality" theme in the book:

"One of the quintessential themes of the Harlem Renaissance was the notion of "twoness," a divided awareness of one's identity... American and Negro, two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled stirrings: two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder."

The article comments that though Hurston shares many of the ideals in of the Harlem Renaissance, her themes and political agenda extend far beyond the movement. Unlike the communist sympathizers of the Harlem Renaissance (like Langston Hughes), "Hurston supported the Back to Africa movement led by Marcus Garvey."

From my perspective (the reader's perspective) I would say that this is true. Hurston has a very naturalist view. In chapter 18, when a storm threatens the lives of Tea Cake and Janie, they refuse to leave town and heed the warnings of the Indians and Bahaman, as they may lose their jobs as bean-pickers. Hurston is thus commenting that American blacks are too far removed from their roots. The people who are closest to nature (the Indians and the Bahamans) understand God's ways and signals. The blacks and white Americans are too preoccupied with money to "watch God." Nowhere in this book does Hurston praise capitalism.

So it seems as though a larger theme in this book is infact her "political agenda." As the title reveals, no matter how big an empire that man appears to build, God will always transcend.

Love and Loathing in the Everglades

I am now on Chapter 14 of the book, and i have begun to notice an interesting reoccurring theme of duality. It's probably no mistake that I realize this now, I think Hurston makes it purposely evident at this time: Janie has found new love, in a man named Tea Cake and therefore has a more worldly perspective on things, and a means of comparison.

We find that Janie is starting to break away from old values. she says at one point that she hates Nanny (her Grandmother) and is ready to break away from the goals that she set for her since she was little. At one point she says: "Dis is uh love game... Ah done lived Grandma's way, now Ah means tuh live mine."

She is of course referring to the differences in between Tea Cake and Jody Starks, her last husband. The two are foils for one another, as both are at some point the object of Janies affection. Jody fits into Nanny's idea of a marriage sanction: a relationship forged on ambition and money. Tea Cake fits into Janie's idea of a marriage sanction: one thats based simply on love. This is demonstrated in many ways including Tea Cake's interactions with his fellow workers in the everglades. While Jody would maintain loyalty amongst his townspeople and customers by leading with fear, Tea Cake maintains loyalty through respect, honor, and love.

There are several other examples of duality, even behind the story Phoeby tells of Annie Tyler. When Annie runs away with a younger man, the "improvements" to her appearance are an effort on her part to look and behave like a white woman. She dyes her hair and wears "blotchy powder", aligning herself with "white values". She ends up in misery when her man leaves her and takes her money. Though this may be part of Hurston's theme of the importance of staying true to yourself, it may it also be seen as a white vs. black values theme of duality.

So in summation, Possession vs. Companionship, Ambition vs. Devotion, and Fear vs. Love are all part of this prevalent duality motif that Hurston keeps plugging. I will explain and delve further into this idea as I finish the book. (I'm almost there =])