Reflection of Traveling through the Dark

As I read through Traveling through the Dark it hit me, what would I have done if I was in that position? And I ask myself that question now. So I try to place myself in the position of the doe. If I was there dead and my child laid inside me should someone try to save it at least. And the response I come up with is yes. Give me a chance to live do not make the choice for me. If I am willing to fight, let me make that choice. So many times in life, we try and decide people’s destiny for them without giving them a chance. If only he would not have threw the fawn over, it could have lived on to embark on a life its mother did not get a chance to fully come to know and understand. As nature stood by watching, why couldn’t a sound me given. But what if the oncoming car was the sign to say save the fawn and what if the feeling for the warm belly was telling you that there was enough life there to give it a chance.

What could this man have done, how would he have saved his fawn. Did he even have the tools to even try and cut the mother without hurting the fawn?  Probably at the time there was something that could have been done, rather than throw the fawn into the raging waves to take any chances she had of even trying to make it in a unfair world. Yes it was hard, but I believe it would have been easier to see the fawn takes its last breathe rather than never take one at all.

Blog # 1 Late Submission  

Annotative-Peace Like a River

“I mean, injured where he was. I examined him, you know. No organs were damaged. Blood vessels yes. But he actually shouldn’t have died.”

Here in this annotation we focus on the concept and understanding that the father should not have died, so we will analyze why Dr. Nokes actually felt this way just by this comment alone.

Death, let’s get an understanding of the meaning.

Dictionary.com

Die –verb (used without object), died, dy·ing.

1.

to cease to live; undergo the complete and permanentcessation of all vital functions; become dead.

2.

(of something inanimate) to cease to exist: The laughter diedon his lips.

3.

to lose force, strength, or active qualities: Superstitions dieslowly.

Oxford Dictionary

verb (dies, dying /ˈdīiNG/, died)

[no object]

• 1 (of a person, animal, or plant) stop living:

In this specific line in the story the Father has died, but in the process of the initial trauma he was not injured enough for him to actually die. But actually his son was suppose to die because of the impact of his lungs and them being injured. Dr. Nokes makes this statement because he knew something out of the ordinary has occurred and of course it cannot be explained medically. He says this after the fact of the healing of the lungs, as he goes to check on the boy every day. He it had to be God, because the Father had no major organs affected just “blood vessels” as he stated in the book. 

Clearly he wanted to show the boy that his father took his place for him and spared his life. As Reuben wanted to be healed earlier and the tormenter’s face was cleared, now he is healed yet at the expense of losing his father. We would never know how Reuben would have reacted if he had to choose him or his father. This particular story in the entire plot brings the story together to show us that life is a matter of choice and sometimes some else has to choose the best path for us so that we will have peace like a river even when sorrow comes.

Die as retrieved from Dictionary.com

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/die

Die as retrieved from Oxford Dictionary

http://oxforddictionaries.com/view/entry/m_en_us1240230?rskey=kiSfRA&result=1#m_en_us1240230

Blog # 11

Annotative- The Road

“They stood looking back at the road in the dusk.”

Dictionary.com (1.) N. a long, narrow stretch with a smoothed or paved surface,made for traveling by motor vehicle, carriage, etc., betweentwo or more points; street or highway. (2.) a way or course: the road to peace.

Oxford Dictionary noun 1. a wide way leading from one place to another, especially one with a specially prepared surface that vehicles can use. 2. a series of events or a course of action that will lead to a particular outcome:

It is clear that a road is a means of getting to a specific destination, and this is the method in which someone would use. This is a means of getting from one point to another or multiple places.

Clearly McCarthy has written a novel that displays the image of a Road from a few angles. I can see that this was a path or a way leading to a specific destination. But he showed that in the process there are some obstacles that can delay the journey. Throughout the reading there were many stops to find refuge, food, safety and enjoyment. Because of the current state of the world, being on this road could either lead to safety or danger. You either ran into someone that would help you or someone that would try and hurt you. It was up to you to distinguish between the two. There were several times that they stopped on the Road to find shelter from the weather, and from whatever may have been out there trying to get them. But honestly to me, this was a path or road to more than a physical place but an emotional and spiritual place; a road to a place of hope. At the end of the reading it was on the very road they travel that the boy was rescued and the road the father died. Many times in life the very road that will lead to hope has some hardship and we must be willing to travel it no matter how cloudy to how much ash is in the air. We must trust that there is someone that is looking into the deep darkness and seeing us and finds us on the Road to a path designed just for us.

Road. n.  Dictionary.com retrieved from

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/road

Road. n. Oxford Dictionary retrieved from

http://oxforddictionaries.com/view/entry/m_en_us1285387#m_en_us1285387

 Blog # 10 

Creative- "Yes, She's a Christ Figure, Too"

Dear Jewish Professor,

I just wanted to say that I was very excited to see that you challenged your composition class to “discuss the Christian imagery in Billy Budd”. Of course to assume that your students were familiar with Christian literary voices was pretty risky. Especially understanding that during the 1950s not many people were familiar with Christian imagery. However, I loved your optimism and your challenge to pull your students closer to the truly literary world that we live in.

I could imagine some of the student’s responses that were not directly or indirectly connected to anything Christian, what was some of their responses. How could you grade a person who was of another religion? This was just so interesting to see the many items of imagery that is pointed out. Not many of your students really look at literature from a religious perspective seeing that many authors have some sort of religious affiliation. So I can only imagine the response of those students. Then to think of the Christian students in your class, and how they had the opportunity to piece together their faith in a paper while showing you how they viewed society threw examining Billy Budd it was very creative.

I could only imagine how all of your composition techniques for examining literary pieces would come into action now. Not only did your students and others who are faced with this challenge have to see Christian threw realistic and human eyes. They had to full analyze and describe to you how this affects them, and this was going to be done strategically and tastefully through your challenge.

In conclusion, you definitely a man that took a huge step, but being a Christ following and teacher you know in teacher you must challenge your students to think above and beyond the norm to expand their literary horizon.

Shalom and Grace,

Kyshon Mitchell 

Blog #9

Problemative- Peace like a River

The Problem of "When Peace Like a River"

Blog #8

It’s somewhat said to see the lesson that Reuben had to learn when Mr. Holgren was healed. Because that was Reuben’s tormenter he was bitter. So the problem I see here is that Reuben knew the miracle working power of God but he wanted it for himself. But I believe God was testing Reuben to see if he would have the right attitude while waiting for his healing. Like many believers today who are waiting to be healed or delivered from whatever aliment. It is the attitude that we take in the process of waiting for our miracle that I believe determines its manifestation. While Reuben was still having problems with his breathing, Mr. Holgren was rejoicing because of his new face. Not even realizing that he had fired the man who healed him. So many times we as Christians miss little opportunities like these ones to show the love of God.

It is my hope that as we grow in God we can show others the love of Jesus Christ in everything we do. Even though Reuben laughed out loud and Mr. Holgren was coming for him and knocked over the milk, Mr. Holgren still didn’t show any mercy he still let the dad go. We aren’t ever grateful enough to show compassion on others even though we have been blessed. So my overall problem is that so many times we have chances to touch the lives of others we miss that opportunity because we are so bitter that someone help has gotten ahead of us in life and we don’t want them to achieve. That’s my problem!!!

Late Submission Blog # 8

Reflection of the Road "Hope"

Blog # 12

As I read the final chapter of the Road, the relationship of the Father and son truly was an amazing. Things that stood out to me were the closeness between the two of them. I was very surprised how the two of them truly showed loved to one another and in the moments when there would be no hope, they learned to strengthen each other and provide hope for one another. That was the main idea that I felt, that they wouldn’t loose HOPE, even when people tried to come and steal their hope they learned to fight for it. It was even times that they looked like the bad guys but the Father has to reassure the son they weren’t the bad guys. It was all about survival for HOPE. And in the end they were able to keep even to the point of death of the father.

To me this was such a drama and adventure at the same time. There was such an amazing love that was displayed, as well as the comfort and protection from the father. Then of course the child showed such a sense of innocence and uncertainty there were several times that he had prove his "Papa". So many times in our lives just like these two, we get to a place of death and desolation and we have to have HOPE that things would change. Looking down the road and not sure what will come, whether someone to save them or someone who will steal their cart. Thoughts about what they would do if someone tried to hurt them probably never came across their mind until they were actually in the situation. I love the fact that the survived and they found things that would help them. The father had such a keen instinct to search for the things they needed and put them all to use. 

What if he didn’t know what to do? How would they have survived, what if they didn’t have HOPE and they allowed there situation to steal their hope and just give up. They would not have gotten to the Road that led to a family. I believe in the end the father knew the Road led to something he just had to keep hope alive for his son, cause he knew he would get to the point where he would have to leave him, but he left him with HOPE.

The Vacation- Reflective

After reading "The Vacation" by Wendell Berry and having to present it in class, I had the opportunity to truly study the words within each line. And I found that the writer was to me not only desiring to preserve his vacation but to experience the world through a new perspective.

Many times we too desire to experience the world through different means, but it is difficult when we may not know how. One would think that going on a vacation you want to enjoy the scenery and everything that the trip has to offer, but being stuck behind a camera would in my opinion limit you. But this actually liberated the writer, liberated him to see the world in a totally different perspective, and actually recording it so he could watch it over and over. Now it makes sense because when we watches it over again, he could always picture himself walking around seeing those things.

I would imagine, him actually getting close ups and moving towards things that caught his attention, just as many of us would if we were walking around or even in a boat. But it is during his trip that he seeing the world in a different light. He knew that he would actually never be in the video, but he knew he had it so he could watch it over and over again.

Many times experiences in life that we go through we sometimes want to capture, not our response but the very thing that caused us to react, but we cant because we had no way to capture it. But on his vacation, he might not of reacted then, but when we goes to watch it, he will then be able to react the way he probably would have. In our lives today, we see in many perspectives because of the mindset, some because of economic status, ethnic background, social status and some just by personality. In seeing things through different perspectives we are able to open our minds to things that actually are there and are not there and in doing this we stretch ourselves to be open to the mosaic world that we live in.

This man took a different perspective in life, to capture and respond later, oppose to responding and trying to recall what happened. Capture life while we can and learn to respond later. Life is right in front of our eyes or should I say lens.

Blog # 7

Problemative- Lanyard by Billy Collins

In the poem, "Lanyard" by Billy Collins, it was interesting to see the author try and match his mothers love to a "two-tone lanyard". Many young people today are this same way they try and down grade the love of her their mothers and realize they can never pay her back for everything she has done and will continue to do. The problem here is that every time we think about one of the simplest things as even giving us medicine when we are sick, nothing we give can ever measure up to that. But yet we still must try, not try to pay her back but to show her that we appreciate everything and that we are grateful.

That is the issue that I see we are faced with in today's culture, that not many young people are grateful for what their parents are doing for them, and some even take the stand that parents should do certain things for them. And they clearly have it twisted especially when young people are not doing everything they should to excel there is no way kids should get anything extra than what is needed. But our generation youth have the best technology, clothes, fancy this and that. And yet, they are disrespectful, do not get good grades and do not really have any goals in life. But parents see these things yet they do not address them, so they handicap kids and then they grow up with the worthless, useless mentality and do not make anything of themselves.

But the author clearly shows that even his trying will never measure up to the level of love that his mother has shown toward him. He calls his lanyard, "useless and worthless", maybe this is reflective of how he may see himself and everything he has done for her over the years. And now that he is reaching a place of understanding mentally that he must do better.

So many young people do not come to that realization until it is too late and they find themselves in despair over the loss and now lack of a mother in their lives. If they would only even try and show their mom how much they care if they would only try and make a card or a meal, or give a hug or a smile. Or even a lanyard.

Blog # 6

Poem

As I read this weeks poems the only thing that came to me was life. As we take into consideration that every breathe we take and every move we make it plays a part in life. And in "Childhood Is the Kingdom Where Nobody Dies" by Millay ,the one line that stood out to me was which was also the title, ..."childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies". This particular line lead me to write these thoughts about life.

Unending Life

So many decisions, so much to do, and so little time to do it all
as we think about life and when it stops it causes us to remember
it never ends.
Thinking of the day we are packed away, how it will feel and how
it will hurt only forces us to live like its our last day.
Only to remember that our last day is also our first day and new
beginning.
So I realize that life is like a circle, it never ends, when one seems
to stop, it only starts over.
Realizing each day that all the moments in time only add up to create
the best days of our unending life.

Blog # 5

Creative

Throughout the last several weeks we have read some interesting pieces of literature. I have begun to enjoy literature so much more because of this class. Some of the literary pieces stood out to me and some more than others. There was one in particular that truly jumped out to me and it was "HARRISON BERGERON" by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. This writing displayed an essence of human reality and a unrealistic extreme of reality. But overall it showed me a great message that everyone is not equal but truly desire to be. So with that I decided to write a poem in response to this literary piece.

Entitled: "Competition"

So many people, so much talent, so much beauty,
If I could only just be me.
Looking at others and looking at myself I want to
be something of importance.
So I ask how you think I look, and I enjoy your response,
while deep down inside thats not enough.

I look at others and see there smiles yet I see my frown
and wonder why. Why I can just be me.
So I walk, talk, and look waiting until the day I can be me.
Me and only me, not worrying about what you think
or what I think. Just being me.

I turn to my reflection and tell it to go away but it follows.

Yet I still just want to be me. Then I realize deep within that
I am in a competition with myself trying to be me.
So I look in the mirror one last time and what do I see see
see I see me
Just me being me.

By Kyshon Mitchell

Blog # 4

Problematize

She said it over and over under her breath: "Free, free, free!" 


In my readings this week what stood out to me most distinctively was death. And not just how a person died but the response of death from those left behind. In the poem, The Story of an Hour, it truly puzzled me and what mesmerized me was her response to her husbands sudden tragic death. There was a sense of shock and grief but that grief turned into peace rather quickly. She uttered the words Free....how could a person see death as freedom for THEM rather freedom for the PERSON WHO IS DEAD.

In the Christian Church we celebrate death because it means life for the person. Not life for those left behind directly. There is a sense of happiness and sadness because they are free from pain and worries and trials of the world but they are absent from us.

It puzzled me the Mrs. Ballard would see her husbands sudden death as her ticket to a care free, and how the writer put it "There would be no one to live for during those years to come," how is this a time to think about a vacation or having fun when your mate it gone. This would only be the case if there was an anticipation for this to occur, she too was suffering and was waiting for freedom and freedom to her came in this way that she could "live for herself".

This showed that she had some issues of herself that led to her looking at this as freedom. But she stated that "and yet she had loved him- sometimes. Often she had not." Bringing things together now it showed me that this freedom she spoke of was an escape from her lack of love and the ability not to have to deal with life.

As students we cannot just put things off we have to deal with everything Mrs. Ballard saw her husbands death as freedom from her issues and the anxieties of life. Whereas Christ followers we see death as freedom for the soul to be united with Christ. But the ability for those left behind to live on and remember those who have gone before us.

Blog # 3

Creative

In doing my reading for this week I chose to blog on Cathedral by Raymond Carver. This story really caught my attention I really enjoyed how the author used such serious life situations and phenomenons in our daily living to show the simplicity as well as the complexity of life. It was through this story that I realized how life is more precious and more serious for some more than others. I can recall in my reading that the husband wanted to to ask the blind man certain questions but he had to hold back because he knew the blind man did not have the proper response because he was blind. Therefore he had to readjust his conversation questions making sure he spoke to the blind man at his level. For people with sight that could be frustrating, but then the blind man took a leap of faith and asked a question about his beliefs.  Doing this it caused the husband to step out of his comfort zone which led to the blind man showing the husband how to allow the blind man to also see. I can say this story not only touched me, but gave me a different perspective on how blind people see people with sight. It shows me that one can truly see while there eyes are closed, and one can truly be blind while there eyes are wide open looking at the cathedral.